A HERITAGE railway nestled in the heart of Dorset that has been revitalised by volunteers will eventually be able to carry passengers thanks to the approval of plans.

Trustees of North Dorset Railway (NDR), which manages Shillingstone Station, submitted plans to Dorset Council to change the use of the site to an operational railway with a railway museum.

Prior to this, the station only had permission to function as a museum.

The move comes just a week after the council signed a lease for NDR to operate the site.

NDR said they will now start working through the processes necessary to allow it to carry passengers.

“This means that we are now able to use the land under our control for the purposes of providing passenger trains, subject to approval of the Office of Road and Rail to run them,” a spokesperson said.

“It’s another big step to providing brake van rides in the near future and shows the commitment and dedication of all the volunteers involved in bringing this Heritage Railway to life.

“Well done everyone and a special thanks to all our supporters reading this who are helping us to achieve our goals.”

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It is hoped that passengers will be able to be carried in autumn of next year.

A momentous occasion took place at the station earlier this year.

For the first time in nearly 60 years, a locomotive ran on railway track north of Shillingstone Station.

The Dogfish wagon Picture: NDR

When the line was closed in March 1966, the track was ripped up and removed within weeks, but a new 400-metre stretch was completed earlier this year.

“The loco didn’t go far, because most of the new track still has to be top-dressed using the quaintly-named ‘Dogfish’ wagon, which pours ballast materials at a steady rate,” a spokesperson said.

“Dogfish? It carries a bit more than the ‘Catfish’. Apparently, British Rail civil engineers favoured fish names for their wagons.”

Meanwhile, Project 62’s steam loco has been moved to the other line to clear the way for the Dogfish to work along the new track, which means the loco can be admired more easily from the trailway.

A spokesperson added: “With all this progress, everyone is looking forward to the day when passengers will travel along the track and enjoy the wonderful views.

“It will take a while – there’s a lot of work, training, paperwork, and boxes to be ticked – but the NDR volunteers have set their sights on autumn next year.”

Shillingstone Station is open Wednesdays and weekends between 10am and 4pm, and entry is free.