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About the
Trust
Around the late
1990s the North Dorset Railway Trust
(which supports The Shillingstone
Station Project) was formed by
Michael Paulley and this is when the
hard work, negotiation, letter
writing and publicity begin in
earnest.
In August 2001 North Dorset District
Council (DCC) applied for the
station to have listed status.
Although this was not achieved, it
did highlight just how important the
station was both architecturally and
historically. It was at the time on
the local council’s "Buildings At
Risk" register.
In December 2002 DCC declared the
station and its associated buildings
(platforms and parcels shed) to be
surplus to requirements and on 9th
September, placed the property in
the hands of a Blandford Estate
agents, Chaffers, for a sum of
£20,000. After an emergency
meeting of the North Dorset Railway
Trust (TNDRT) committee members on
13th September it was unanimously
decided to proceed with the purchase
of the leasehold of the station. The
Committee pledged the amount
necessary to acquire the lease and
announced the launch of the
restoration fund. On the 19th March
2003, TNDRT managed to establish
that 13 interested parties had
placed offers for Shillingstone
Station and its platforms when the
council placed its lease for sale. |
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2005 and the
station lease is signed. |
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The Council
reduced the potential purchasers to
a shortlist of the 6 preferred
schemes for the site. When
approached for more information it
has become evident that only 2
parties remain interested (The North
Dorset Railway Trust plus one
other).
On 13 August 2003, after three years
and two months of correspondence and
negotiation, Dorset County Council
finally agreed to grant a lease of
Shillingstone Station to The North
Dorset Railway Trust. From 1
November 2003 the Trust embarked on
what would become a lengthy and
undoubtedly expensive restoration
programme. From the outset, It was
the Trust's intention to restore the
Station to how it would have
appeared in the early to mid 1950s.
The legal process involved in
drawing up the 99 year lease
document was always going to be a
lengthy process and whilst this was
being prepared, a "Right Of Access
Agreement" was finally officially
signed by the North Dorset Railway
Trust's Vice-Chairman Mr Keith
Bottomley to allow urgent
restoration work to begin (and
prevent any further deterioration).
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After two
years of to-ing and fro-ing, the
lease was finally signed on 22 July
2005 and handed over by Dorset
County Council to the North Dorset
Railway Trust. The picture above
shows the ceremony at the station
which was attended by local
Conservative MP for North Dorset Mr
Bob Walter, Mrs M Higgs Chairman of
Shillingstone Parish Council, Mr A
Campbell Councillor for Hills and
Vale, Mr P Webb Deputy Leader of
North Dorset District Council, Lt
Col M Oliver Chairman of North
Dorset District Council, Mr M.
Paulley Fund Raising Manager NDRT,
Mr Keith Bottomley Vice Chairman
NDRT, Mr Syd Howlett Secretary of
NDRT.
Thus saw the start of the Trust we
know today. Though there have been
a number of personnel changes over
the years, the aims of the Trust
remain true to its original
intention - to see Shillingstone
station restored to its former glory
and create a visitor attraction that
is a credit to North Dorset.
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