Index > About the Trust > History of the Trust > Radstock Radstock Pictures - rare previously unpublished pictures In late 1969, the S&D Railway Circle's base was soon established in the station and engine shed at Radstock where several items of rolling stock, some privately owned and some in the care of the Trust, were accumulated. In the early 70s, steam open days were held at Radstock to generate funds and some of the signs and other memorabilia from the railway put on display in the station buildings. With the closure of the last remaining coalmine in Somerset at Kilmersdon Colliery in 1974, the Trust's collection of rolling stock was substantially increased by the addition of a Peckett 0-4-0 locomotive and a number of ex-NCB open wooden-planked coal wagons. Late in 1972, it became clear that significant advantages would be obtained if a charitable trust were to be set up to run the S&D Museum, and in 1973 the Somerset & Dorset Railway Museum Trust (SDRMT) was granted charitable status. Its management committee and all its members were held in common with the Circle. In the early 1970s there was great enthusiasm for all sorts of railway preservation projects. At Radstock a group of enthusiasts, closely associated with the S&DR Museum Trust and Circle, formed the S&D Light Railway Company with the aim of re-opening part of the S&D from Radstock to Writhlington (a distance of approximately 1.5 mile) where it was proposed to construct a mining museum. However, financial considerations coupled with a remarkable lack of enthusiasm on the part of the local councils and British Railways soon brought the realisation to those concerned that the project had no future. In a period of intense activity during the winter of 1974/5, the museum at Radstock was disbanded and all the relics collected by the Trust put into store. Practically all the rolling stock at Radstock was moved either by rail or road to locations on the West Somerset Railway. Work began on establishing a new S&D museum at Washford. Next - Washford! Radstock Pictures - rare previously unpublished pictures © SDRT 2006 All material contained herein is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced, copied, held in an electronic repository system (particularly on another web site) without seeking permission. Every effort has been made to identify the holders of copyright material included within this website. If any material has been used inadvertently without permission or attribution the Trustees of the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust will be pleased to receive information with a view to correcting this in further updates.