Peter Russell - General Secretary
I guess I have had railways in my blood and soul since before birth, although I was about 10 before I realised just how much of a grip they had on me. My mother was a draughtswoman in the Campbell Road locomotive drawing offices at the SR's Eastleigh railway works during 1948-49, leaving a few months before my birth. She traced and scaled down drawings of many locomotive parts including, she once told me, Oliver Bulleid's box pop wheels. My father's side also had railway influences - a great uncle working for the Great Eastern at Liverpool Street and, I believe, Stratford Works. If this was not enough, I was born in Winchester in 1950, close to the City (LSWR) Station and, in my pram days, my mother walked me to both the City and Chesil (GWR) stations to watch the trains. [Score so far- LSWR 2, GWR 1.]
Until 1956, my family lived at Chandlers Ford, near Eastleigh, and the small station on the Romsey-Eastleigh line was a popular attraction, much frequented by M7s in those days [LSWR 3, GWR 1], but events were soon to take a strong Western lurch! In 1956, the family moved to Swindon (sounds of mouth being washed out) and settled briefly at Stratton beside the GWR Highworth branch. Here, the sight of works trains to South Marston airfield behind panniers or 14XX 0-4-2 tanks became familiar. Two trainspotting cousins from Keynsham became a major influence in about 1957, when I apparently persuaded them (with little effort, I imagine!) to take me to Swindon station to watch Kings and Castles. [LSWR 3, GWR 3.] One of those cousins has recently redeemed himself by joining us!
In 1958, fate stepped in once again as the family was moved to Femdown, Dorset - within 5 miles of the S&D at Wimborne. During car trips south from Swindon, I had become vaguely aware of the M&SWJR line paralleling the road to Mariborough - perhaps instilling in me a love of rambling cross-country lines.
During 1996, I helped clear the overgrown banks at Midsomer Norton, while also contributing to the Millennium bid for the restoration of the whole Mendip section. The latter fell within sight of the final hurdle, but a great deal was learned about how to convince the powers-that-be and win the hearts and minds of local people. I have put this experience to use since 1996 in helping to guide the fortunes of the Midsomer Norton project and also contributing to the work of the North Somerset Railway in trying to revive the Radstock to Frome line, which we fondly hope may one day offer an outlet from Midsomer Norton to the national rail network.
During the 1990s, I have gained professional experience of preparing bids for funding from European and national sources - including the Lottery, Single Regeneration Budget, Countryside Agency and Rural Development Commission -which should help with fund-raising for Midsomer Norton. Since April 1998, I have worked for the new Herefordshire Council on planning, transport, environmental and countryside matters. As one of the three current Trustees, I am as committed as I can be to Midsomer Norton, given the constraints of distance and time. I concentrate on background work relating to planning, finance and legal matters, which can be organised at home, but still get maximum enjoyment from coming down to Silver Street and mucking in with our happy team of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers.
My Utopian pipe dream for the S&D would be to see a working route from Bournemouth to Bristol/Bath reopened as part of the national network, but I recognise that it would involve some major diversions from the original route and would compromise the historic character of the old S&D. In the meantime, I'll settle for re-opening a significant working length of heritage railway, and I believe that starting at Midsomer Norton represents the most realistic chance of reawakening any part of the sleeping S&D 34 years after closure. Who knows? Once we are really established, maybe anything will be possible.
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