East Somerset and Cheddar Valley Railways- The 'Strawberry Line'

The line originated as two entirely separate branches, both terminating at Wells and ultimately joined by a short length of Somerset & Dorset Railway metals. At one time, Wells hosted three separate stations on three lines, the Somerset Central Railway, the East Somerset Railway and the Cheddar Valley & Yatton Railway. The author unravels the developments at Wells and goes on to describe the relatively straightforward history of the branch. Apart from passengers, a year round staple traffic was stone from Sandford, Doulting and Dulcote, and from the Foster Yeoman quarries at Merehead. Also, tons of strawberries were carried from Cheddar and Axbridge in the summer months, giving rise to the route's nickname. The station buildings west of Wells enjoyed the Bristol & Exeter Railway's decorative legacy and are depicted in a range of scale drawings. The detailed views of the railway buildings, coupled with track layout and signalling plans, all contribute to give a full picture of the line and its operation.