SERUG (Salisbury to Exeter Rail Users Group ) is a body set up to look at the line strategically and make recommendations to the train operator, Network Rail and Government.
It will be officially launched on Thursday, April 6th at Yeovil Railway Centre, Yeovil Junction station from 16.30 till 18.30 and includes refreshments. Everyone is welcome.
Tickets for the launch are available via e-mail: contact@serug.co.uk and cost £6.00 or £10.00 to include a year’s membership of SERUG or are available on the door. If you intend to come can you let me or Tony know so that we can save you a place.
At the launch two well-known railway personalities, Nigel Harris, editor of Rail magazine, and Chris Austin, author of ‘Disconnected’ will be presenting talks on the future of our Railways. Chris Loder from South West Trains will also speak about the developments at Waterloo station.
SERUG is composed of representatives from all the station groups and the Community Rail Partnerships from Salisbury to Exeter. It liaises with South West Trains, Network Rail and local Councils to advise and to seek forward information.
Some of the aims of SERUG are:
- Yeovil Junction to Waterloo – 2 trains per hour throughout the day by doubling the track between Tisbury and Wilton Junction and upgrading the signalling
- Trains should be able to split and join and Yeovil Junction by ‘permissive working’ to enable a wider range of journey opportunities
- New , faster, longer trains to replace the 25-year-old class 158 and 159 Sprinters
- Later evening trains from Waterloo to Yeovil Junction, and more car parking at stations
- Double track between Crewkerne and Yeovil Junction and a long loop at Whimple to enable increased capacity to Exeter, more resilient working, and development of Devon Metro services.
SERUG members would be very pleased to welcome you to the launch and hope that you will stay in touch with the group to forward rail transport in your area. I have attached a photo from Dinton where there is still some double track which could be reinstated to enable better passing and stop the nonsense at Tisbury.
