Great Western Levels 1882 – GWR / LSWR
Golden Age Developments are proud to introduce our 'Great Western Levels 1882' route, a fictitious mixed-gauge GWR route set on the edge of the Somerset Levels. This route has working broad gauge and standard gauge networks, connecting major towns in Somerset with various docks and industry. We intend for the route to come with some GWR broad gauge stock made by Pembrokeshire Works, so that the broad gauge sections can be enjoyed! There will also be a companion version with only standard gauge rails, set in 1902. Estimated release date: Spring/Summer 2025 depending on stock.
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Alternate History
In our fictional timeline, the Salisbury & Minehead Railway (S&MR), sponsored by the Great Western Railway (GWR), constructed a line from Salisbury to Glastonbury and Minehead. Unfortunately, construction costs along the coast besides the steep quantocks led to the curtailment of the line at Williton. This section opened in 1841, causing parliament to block the Bristol and Exeter Railway's (B&ER) proposal for a line from Bristol to Exeter via Highbridge and Bridgwater. As such, the B&ER approached Bridgwater from the south, opening in 1844, connecting the harbour there to the railway network.
It was soon realised by the B&ER that they could muscle in on the S&MR's traffic to the growing town of Williton by building a line from Bridgwater to connect at Combwich Junction. The LSWR supported this bill, and by playing both sides they were able to lay a standard gauge rail from Salisbury to Williton. By the 1860s, the Somerset coal field was burgeoning, as was a lumber industry at Stretchold, and the harbour at Bridgwater was deemed unsufficient. In 1867, the Bridgwater & Highbridge Docks Railway built a line from Stretcholt Junction to Highbridge, Stretcholt Lumber Wharf, and Highbridge Docks. The passenger line to Highbridge was laid mixed gauge, so that trains could run from Bridgwater to Highbridge. In so doing, the triangle at Combwich Junction was completed. As traffic to the docks boomed, the awkward reversing maneouvre for standard gauge trains was obviated by a short chord from Pawlett towards Huntspill.
By 1882, when this route is set, the broad gauge is diminishing in priority, but there are still several traffic flows around the area because Bridgwater has not yet received standard gauge rails. Goods trains to the docks are almost entirely standard gauge, except for short trip freights which use the line down to Bridgwater and the docks there. Local traffic remainds a mixture of both gauges, and long distance goods are mostly run by GWR and LSWR standard gauge trains. The broad gauge passenger service covers all stations on the route, and the GWR standard gauge trains from further afield come along the line to Williton. The chord from Pawlett to Huntspill is occasionally used by LSWR passenger trains to access Highbridge, although the majority of their traffic is still express services to Williton.
It was soon realised by the B&ER that they could muscle in on the S&MR's traffic to the growing town of Williton by building a line from Bridgwater to connect at Combwich Junction. The LSWR supported this bill, and by playing both sides they were able to lay a standard gauge rail from Salisbury to Williton. By the 1860s, the Somerset coal field was burgeoning, as was a lumber industry at Stretchold, and the harbour at Bridgwater was deemed unsufficient. In 1867, the Bridgwater & Highbridge Docks Railway built a line from Stretcholt Junction to Highbridge, Stretcholt Lumber Wharf, and Highbridge Docks. The passenger line to Highbridge was laid mixed gauge, so that trains could run from Bridgwater to Highbridge. In so doing, the triangle at Combwich Junction was completed. As traffic to the docks boomed, the awkward reversing maneouvre for standard gauge trains was obviated by a short chord from Pawlett towards Huntspill.
By 1882, when this route is set, the broad gauge is diminishing in priority, but there are still several traffic flows around the area because Bridgwater has not yet received standard gauge rails. Goods trains to the docks are almost entirely standard gauge, except for short trip freights which use the line down to Bridgwater and the docks there. Local traffic remainds a mixture of both gauges, and long distance goods are mostly run by GWR and LSWR standard gauge trains. The broad gauge passenger service covers all stations on the route, and the GWR standard gauge trains from further afield come along the line to Williton. The chord from Pawlett to Huntspill is occasionally used by LSWR passenger trains to access Highbridge, although the majority of their traffic is still express services to Williton.
