The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust (S&DRHT) has held a successful Halloween event at Midsomer Norton which passed all expectations.

The heritage railway in Somerset runs along approximately 1 mile of track on a restored segment of the original Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, which used to run from Bath Green Park to Bournemouth West.

On the Sunday before Halloween, the railway held a spooky-themed running day and the weather and autumnal scenery played their part in making for a fantastic day out, which saw many visitors of all ages attend the event in a wide variety of costumes befitting of the autumn holiday.

Members of staff also played their part in making the event as spooky as possible, not only did they dress up in costumes themselves, but they also decorated their class 107 DMU which was called into action multiple times to run extra services, due to the higher than expected number of passengers that attended the event.

Santa will also be paying a visit to the railway during the weekends leading up to Christmas in December, with diesel driving experiences also taking place before the new year.

Looking to the future, the railway is also looking to extend the operations of its trains, making the journey and line that bit longer.

In 2023, the Somerset & Dorset Heritage Trust purchased 750 yards of disused trackbed with plans to lay track and make this section operational once more. The trust appreciates and relies on donations to extend and revive this beloved railway that was closed in 1966.