Midsomer Norton’s heritage railway is preparing for a busy autumn, with an Autumn Gala, a rather more unusual Dinosaur Day, and a weekend of Halloween scares and family fun all on the timetable.
Autumn Gala
The autumn programme begins with the Somerset & Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton’s Autumn Gala on Sunday 27 September, offering visitors a full day of trains, railway history and activities.
Trains will run every 30 minutes, with the first departure at 10am and the final train leaving at 3.30pm.
The railway’s home fleet will be in action, including the Class 107 DMU, Queen Mary Brake Van rides hauled by 08 shunter D08769, and the Wickham Trolley.
A miniature railway will also be operating alongside the museum.
Tickets for the Gala will be sold as All Day Rovers, allowing visitors to travel on as many trains as they like during the day, subject to space.
There will also be plenty to explore away from the trains.
Visitors can discover the history of the famous Somerset & Dorset Railway in the museum, covering not only Midsomer Norton but the wider route, as well as visiting the railway’s Second World War pillbox and Anderson shelter.
The signal box will also be open, giving visitors the chance to see the signaller in action.
For anyone wanting to find out more about the restoration project, there will be short tours of the railway at 11am and 2pm, including more information about the railway and its future plans.
At 12 noon, Trust Chairman Roger Burfitt will officially open the Emporium’s new larger coach.
The Emporium will continue to offer its wide selection of railway books and model railway items, while the station shop will be selling gifts, toys and railway merchandise.
Refreshments will also be available from the RMB Buffet, with outdoor seating on the patio if the weather behaves itself.
More information and tickets are available at:
https://sdjr.digitickets.co.uk/event-tickets/81683?catID=76324&navItem=1349125
Dinosaur invasion
On Saturday 3 October, the Somerset & Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton is bringing back its popular Dinosaur Day, giving families the chance to climb aboard the Dino Express and come face to face with some rather unusual passengers.
This year the station will be visited by a different collection of baby dinosaurs, including Mashy, Triceratops and Peepo.
The dinosaurs will roam among passengers, meet families and, assuming their keepers can keep the mischievous creatures under control for long enough, pose for photographs.
Later, visitors will be able to find out more about their prehistoric passengers at the Dinosaur Show, learning about the dinosaurs, what they eat and how their keepers manage to train them.
Hopefully, the answer to what they eat is not passengers.
The day will be split into two sessions, with the morning session running from 10am until 1pm and the afternoon session beginning at 1.30pm.
The Dino Express is scheduled to depart at 10.30am and 2pm, with another train also operating during the event without dinosaurs on board.
More information on Dinosaur Day tickets are available at:
https://sdjr.co.uk/events/view/dinosaur-day
Halloween at the Station
The railway will take another turn into the unusual on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November, when Midsomer Norton Station is transformed for a weekend of ghosts, ghouls and family-friendly Halloween fun.
Visitors are being warned to keep an eye out for strange shadows around the platform, with even Dracula rumoured to be lurking somewhere between the Station Master’s office and the DMU.
Saturday’s event, Into the Twilight, runs from 2pm until the last train at 5.30pm and is aimed at those looking for the full scare experience.
As daylight fades, the Haunted DMU will take passengers along the line with darker surroundings, spooky characters and plenty of jumpy moments.
The railway describes Saturday as its full scare experience, making it the choice for braver visitors and thrill-seekers.
Things become rather gentler on Sunday 1 November, when the station hosts Spooky but Sweet from 10.30am until the final train at 3pm.
The Haunted DMU will still be running, but with more playful scares and a lighter atmosphere.
Younger visitors, or anyone who would rather have magic than mayhem, can instead board the Wizard’s Express, offering a more relaxed Halloween ride.
Passengers can choose to ride either service or try both.
Tickets include unlimited train rides on the chosen day, subject to space, while children wearing Halloween fancy dress travel free.
There will also be a Pumpkin Trail and station activities throughout the weekend, giving families plenty to explore between journeys.
More information on Halloween tickets are available at:
https://sdjr.co.uk/events/view/halloween-steam-trains
About the Station
Midsomer Norton South formed part of the famous Somerset & Dorset Railway, which once carried passengers and freight between Bath and Bournemouth.
The station opened in 1874, and for generations passenger trains, freight services and busy summer holiday traffic passed through the town.
Among the best-known trains to use the route was the Pines Express, which became closely associated with the Somerset & Dorset line.
Midsomer Norton was also an important railway location because of the Somerset coalfield. Trains serving Norton Hill Colliery, once the largest colliery in Somerset, were handled here, while locomotives faced the demanding climb south from Radstock towards the Mendip Hills.
The railway finally closed in 1966, but volunteers have since brought part of it back to life.
The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust began restoring Midsomer Norton station in the 1990s and today operates trains over approximately one mile of the former main line towards Chilcompton.
Visitors can also explore the restored station buildings, signal box, goods shed and railway museums, making the site as much about preserving local history as running trains.
