Avon Valley line to provide home for parts of Somerset & Dorset Trust’s collection

AN Agreement in Principle has been reached between the Avon Valley Railway (AVR) and the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust (S&DRT) that will see a portion of the rolling stock and museum artefacts currently based at the S&DRT’s site at Washford in Somerset to the AVR’s Bitton headquarters.

The agreement is the latest development in the wake of the S&DRT’s eviction from the West Somerset Railway, and appears to end any hopes that the trust might maintain some form of presence at Washford. A similar arrangement was previously reached with the Mid-Hants Railway that has seen several items of rolling stock and museum items relating more to the Southern element of the collection transferred to the Hampshire line.

The agreement with the AVR will eventually see a display of S&DRT vehicles – mostly of ex-Midland/LMS origin – created at Bitton, with several adapted to house a range of former Somerset & Dorset items, and additional historical artefacts from the AVR collection. Together they will tell the story of the Midland lines terminating at Bath’s famous Green Park station.

Ian Young, chairman of the S&DRT, said: “We have been looking for new partners to display some of our historic rolling stock and museum objects. The Avon Valley Railway has been looking to create a new museum area. The opportunity to work together comes at a good moment for both organisations.”