Pick up the phone, call your local railway, offer to volunteer, and it could be the start of a whole new adventure, says ALEX ALDER. You might even go the whole hog and buy an engine…

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Steam Railway meets up with Gavin Collins, Chairman of the North Dorset Railway, and Phil Jacques, the line’s Operations Manager, to talk about what this S&D anniversary year (and beyond) holds for the expanding heritage line.

Overhauls, restorations and running notes

Sixty years ago this month, on March 6 1966, the Western Region achieved two major goals with the end of both steam power and the Somerset & Dorset route – bringing a mighty era to a rather grubby end.

In the first 15 years of its life as a heritage line, steam on the West Somerset Railway underwent a remarkable transformation, from humble industrials to stars from the National Collection.