The South West Model Engineering, Model Making and Hobbies Exhibition

It's a very broad church. I remember boats (of an extraordinary standard) in particular. Yes there is railway content but it's only a part of the whole. Depending on where you're coming from and what other interests you have you might want to look at a thread in uk.railway asking what there is to do around Radstock. Because of an error in a computer clock it's currently the first thread.

Unfortunatley I can only find the later parts of the thread, about the american museum and the Claverton pump. Simon G

OK, no partuclar oder, just a quick copy/paste so may be some duplication

There's various bits of the S and D still visible. Do you have motor transport or are you reliant on public transport? The Gartell Light Railway runs on the S and D just south of Templecombe.

But the main thing is go to Bath. Green Park station. The various bridges leading out from there that the S and D used to use. Bath itself. The Kennet and Avon.

While you're there and in industrial archaeology mode, you could see if there are any interesting relics of the Somersetshire Coal Canal - including the infamous Caisson Lock.

No significant remains of the Caisson Lock, I'm afraid. No-one is even quite sure exactly where it was. See

Midford has a wonderfully restored SCC aqueduct where the Radford Branch left the main line. The Combe Hay locks are still very much in evidence and worth exploring - one of those derelict waterway sites where I was really surprised to see how much survived.

Its some distance away, but the old Sandford station site is now largely converted into a retirement village under the management of the Bristol-based St Monica Trust. The main station building is being converted into a museum, lots of retirement apartments have been built along with a community building, and a 'Care Home with Nursing' is being operated as well as still having extra units (including a 30 bed Nursing Home wing) built. So you could book your place for later...

In Shepton Mallet there is a rather nice garden (bear with me)

which (if you click on the link) you will find contains an S and D viaduct. Originally built as single track, subsequently widened to double track and (never counted) maybe 10 arches. Ask whether they've got any "specials" in pricing terms; last time we were there it was something along the lines of pay to see the garden and get free refreshments of some kind.

Of course there is always the East Somerset Railway at East Cranmore and the Spa Valley Railway between Bristol and Bath. Further away the West Somerset and the Swanage Railways. The ride from Frome or Castle Cary down to Weymouth is nice and Weymouth itself has the tramway, old fishing quays, a castle and access to Portland which has quarries and old railway artifacts.

This might give you some ideas

If the weather is bad you could visit Bookbarn in Farrington Gurney the other side of Midsomer Norton. All the railway books are together but after that you're on your own and I would guess something like 3/4 of their stock is not on display but their online search is at so you can get in touch in advance and they'll have things waiting for you to view. Just watch their pricing - can be rather odd (both for and against you).

In Bristol you've got the docks and

other things.

It's not open very often, but if you're ever in that part of the World when it is open then Claverton pump is worth a visit. I've been there a couple of times. It's about five miles walk from Bath along the K&A towpath.

Wellow Station in the 70's was lived in by the artist Peter Blake, his two children and his wife Jann Howarth. (Together Blake and Howarth created the Sargeant Pepper album). They lived in the station, the signal box was Howarth's studio. The whole property had an Alice in wonderland theme to it (both artists at the time were involved with the Brotherhood of Ruralists artist's group who were much influenced by Victorian themes). The track between the platforms had been converted, with sculptures, into the chess board from Alice.

Very little* of railway content but if you make it to the Pump the American museum also at Claverton is well worth a visit. The two sites would make a full day.

• There is an end vestible and Veranda of an American coach in the grounds carefully positoned so it looks like the rest of it is behind a bush. Shame they never got the funds for a whole one.
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  A perusal there will let you know if is the sort thing that might interest you.

Sorry, I forgot to post the link to the pumping station:

The other pumping station on the K&A, steam driven, is at Crofton, a short walk from Bedwyn station:

I would definitely endorse the SS Great Britain. It is miraculous that it has survived and now rests in the very dock in which it was built. As a museum it is exemplary. Nearby, if you visit on the right day, you can get a ride on the Bristol Harbour Railway

In Bath there is the Museum of Bath at Work

I haven't yet visited, but which could probably provide a refreshing contrast to the prevailing Jane Austen/Quality Street image.