The West Somerset Railway Association has announced plans to build a four coach platform at its Norton Fitzwarren triangle site in time for the 2009 Steam Fayre – due to be held on August 1st and 2nd.
Passengers on the September 2008 'Thank You Train' will have been blissfully unaware that along with their meals passing up and down the train were plans of the proposed Norton Station undergoing last minute amendment and refinement before the formal application document was completed. Once signed it was passed to the WSR General Manager for submission to ORR to meet the end of September deadline for new works applications under the ROGS Regulations.
When ORR came to Minehead to inspect and approve the turntable they were able to approve the proposals for the station (there is no such thing as a Platform within the Regulations) at Norton thus releasing the project for Planning Approval.
The station, which will be an un-staffed Halt, will lie alongside the existing West Somerset Railway. Its main function will be to bring visitors to the site, although it is likely to have a role to play in future Gala events, and at busy times may be used for overspill car parking with a shuttle to Bishops Lydeard. It will be built on the trackbed of the original down line constructed in 1936 but lifted in the 1970s. The site has most recently been used by the HOBC to discharge ballast before the line into the triangle site was completed in April last year.
Norton will be the eleventh station on the 22 mile line giving the WSR more stations than any other Heritage line and more stations in Somerset than Network Rail. As a new station it is required to comply with current regulations and standards, although the WSRA do not consider it will be necessary to include a painted yellow line 600mm from the platform edge!
Exploratory discussions have been held with the Office of the Rail Regulator, Taunton Deane Borough Council, the Environment Agency and Somerset Highways in addition to the local Parish Council. All have signalled their approval in principle and the WSRA has now entered a Planning Application with Taunton Deane Borough Council.
Once permission is granted John Luffman Trading of Tiverton ( http://www.johnluffmantrading.co.uk/ ) will build the platform, using the existing ballast exchange arrangements already being used to finance the triangle under construction on the 37-acre site.
David Holmes, WSRA’s Project Manager for Norton said “The timescale to be granted planning permission, build the platform and have it inspected and approved by ORR will be tight, but it will be a great addition to the site and enable the WSR to bring visitors to the 2009 Rally by rail for the first time.”
The original station at Norton Fitzwarren was at the junction of the main line with the Taunton and Barnstaple branch lines. Built in 1873 it was extensively modified in 1931 when the main line was quadrupled. Closed to passengers in 1961 and since demolished there is little evidence of the existence of the original station except for the access road – called Station Road and the curvature of the Minehead branch which still follows its alignment behind the long removed island platform as it runs alongside the main line.
West Somerset Railway Association
31 December 2008
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 Artists impression of new platform © David Holmes
 Platform location © Rodney Greenway
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