Yeovil: 150 Years of Railway History, Jackson, Brian Leslie, Excellent Book

This book presents a story of rivalry between the independent railway companies and their ambitions towards the West of England. The broad gauge Bristol and Exeter Railway, and the GWR, against the standard gauge London and South Western Railway which was held in a stranglehold for 18 years with its route to Exeter and the West by the local Salisbury and Yeovil Railway. Also examined are the many proposed schemes that appeared in the early years, making Yeovil one of those unusual and complex rural railway crossroads. Fully explained is the removal of the broad gauge and the expansion of the system to its peak, followed by decline as the motor vehicle and bus appeared, the difficulties of two World Wars and Nationalisation; the Beeching Report, the reduction of services, the closure of the Durston branch, and the reduction of the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth line to a single line branch; the battle to save the once fast Salisbury-Exeter route, reduced to single track with passing loo.