On my trip to Longleat Safari Park we chose to stay over the border in Somerset rather than in Wiltshire itself. As my Dad is a rail enthusiast he made sure we visited the East Somerset Railway, a 2½ mile heritage railway that runs trips between Cranmore and Mendip Vale.
The ESR was inaugurated in 1855 though it was not a commercial success and passenger services finished in 1963.
Before we got on the train for the short ride up and down the track we wandered around the platform which included this rare 1926 telephone box which doubled as a post box, something I’d never seen before, where you would have been able to buy stamps as well as make phone calls.
The station also had a small museum with some interesting items on display and some old advertising posters.
We also had time to visit the engine shed where the restoration work takes place.
Then we went on the short return trip to Mendip Vale which was a pleasant ride through some lovely countryside.
On the whole a nice morning on the railway with plenty for rail enthusiasts to discover. More photos can be found at my flickr here.
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