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Station’s first class return to the full Shillingstone

blackmorevaleDecember 17, 20200 Comment0

A railway station that once played host to royalty and political figureheads and is now a hive of restoration activity has reopened after lockdown.

Shillingstone Station has welcomed a cornucopia of famous names in its past, including Lord and Lady Wolverton (many times), Prime Minister William Gladstone (1882), Edward, Prince of Wales, future King Edward VII (1899), the Grand Duke Michael of Russia (1899), the Prime Minister of Portugal (1899), George, Prince of Wales, future King George V (1904) and the future Queen Alexandra (1904). The North Dorset Railway Trust took over the station about 20 years ago. It was overgrown, derelict, and needed the loving care of the small band of railway enthusiasts who came to rescue it.

The station in its glory days, when it was derelict

They refurbished the buildings and cattle dock, restored the Porters’ hut, and rebuilt the signal box. In 2008 the first track was laid through the station. The greenhouse, bike shed and platform shelter soon followed. Gardens were laid out and the picnic area created.

The barrow crossing was reconstructed and a carriage siding added before a point was laid to connect the up line with the down line. Many facilities were swiftly established and now it has become a haven for railway buffs and casual visitors alike, with a lovely café and museum.

Some of the restoration work on rolling stock

Now restrictions are lifted, you can visit the café and shop on Wednesdays (11am- 3pm), Saturdays and Sundays, (10am- 4pm).

People can visit the signal box by request, stroll through the gardens, watch volunteers restoring vintage rolling stock and see artefacts in the museum. The trust is hoping to extend the track and facilities even further. Volunteers will be pleased to show off their work restoring old rolling stock.

They acquired their first coach back in 2013 – a 1957 sad looking green Southern Region coach. The volunteers nicknamed it The Football Special. It was sprayed with graffiti, had ripped seats and broken windows. The original wagon volunteers set about stripping it down, welding, repairing the bodywork and repainting it. Today, it sits proudly on the platform, where it is used as a room for functions, cream teas and special events.

Tony Jordan (trustee and head of restoration) bought a small shunting locomotive, which had been languishing in a yard for decades. The bodywork was terrible but the engine and chassis were sound. The body was repaired and welded up. The engine was given fresh oil and adjusted. A van battery was connected and it burst into life. Tony named it Little Eva, after his mother and the singer of the 60’s song Locomotion. It is now used for shunting and will be upgraded with vacuum brakes, to allow it to haul passenger traffic.

The station was also given an ex RN dockyard wagon. Built in 1909 for the Glasgow and South West Railway, it had a low roof and was probably used on a line with low tunnels (possibly into the Nobel explosives factory in Ayrshire). It was sold to the Navy around 1926, and used in dockyards. Unfortunately, it had been standing around in yards for very many years and the bodywork was rotten. The whole body collapsed when an attempt was made to dismantle it. Other delights include a 1909 LNWR wagon and a 1901 metal framed GW fruit wagon – both as good as new after strenuous efforts by volunteers. The LNWR wagon is now a mobile workshop and the GW fruit wagon will be used as a mini cinema to show old railway videos.

Volunteers are currently working on a 1959 brake/guard’s wagon, in which it is hoped to offer passenger rides in this wagon from 2022, and a 1936 Scammell 3-wheel delivery lorry.

For further information to join as a volunteer or support the volunteers in anyway look them up on our website northdorset railway.co.uk or find S&DJR Shillingstone on Facebook.