Having enjoyed Part1 of Hugh Ballantyne's collection of colour photographs of the latter years of operations on the Somerset & Dorset line,
Somerset and Dorset Remembered: Pt. 1: Bath to Evercreech JunctionI looked forward to continuing the journey down the line (and along the branch to Highbridge) promised in Part 2.
While not having quite the picturesqueness of the Mendip scenery of the "Bath Extension", the southern half of the line still provided many good opportunities for 'railway in the landscape' style photography. In the book there are some fine atmospheric autumn views of the area around Pitcombe, for instance, an area which seems to have received sparse coverage from other S & D albums (and I should know, having most of them in my railway library). The selection of pictures dates mostly from the "Sabotaged & Defeated" final years of the line (with the exception of three monochrome illustrations from Bournemouth Railway Club's W H C Kelland collection dating from 1914), so 3 coach local services hauled by run-down steam locomotives, and some Railway Society Specials form the subjects of many of the studies.
As far as I can see, there are no obvious technical irregularities in the accompanying captions.
For anyone who has affection for the Somerset & Dorset as it was, then I can recommend this book as a worthwhile addition to their library.
