Blimey! 

Thank you for posting those historic images here, PhilWakely. 

I'm now inclined to merge various previous posts into this one, to become a definitive topic on 'the Bridport Branch.'

A World War Two Spitfire has been forced to make an emergency landing in Kent after losing power.

Spitfire MJ627 came down in a field on Lower Wall Road, West Hythe, on Saturday evening, said its owner Fly a Spitfire.

Kent Fire & Rescue Service said one of the two people in the plane, which saw action over the Netherlands in 1944, was treated by paramedics.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into what caused the loss of power.



Fly a Spitfire said: "We have spoken to the pilot who has advised that a precautionary landing was made at a non-airfield site."  The company said the pilot and passenger "are uninjured", adding that it had no further information "at this stage".

The fire service said two fire engines attended the scene at 19:25 BST and made the aircraft safe.

Spitfire MJ627 first entered service on 25 September 1944 and, just two days later, destroyed Messerschmitt Me 109 over Arnhem.

It was previously involved in an emergency landing in 1998, when its pilot made a "wheels up landing" at Coventry Airport.

Last year, the cockpit canopy detached from the plane during take-off from Biggin Hill Airport. It was able to land safely and neither of the two occupants in that incident were harmed.

Although I no longer have any direct connection with Bridport [both my parents and all grandparents came from Bridport or surrounding villages], I have retained an interest in 'the Bridport railway'. Knowing closure was imminent, Mum and I wanted a photographic record. The quality is not brilliant as the pictures were 'home' developed and the negatives were kept in a drawer in the loft for many years before being recovered and scanned.

A photographic record of the Bridport Branch

Rail services into Cardiff are experiencing major disruption with journeys cancelled or delayed due to a fire near track.
The blaze at an electrical substation between Newport and Cardiff Central has damaged an overhead line and signalling equipment.
Emergency services and Network Rail staff are on site at St Brides Wentloog, working to manage the situation.
Rail replacement transport is running between Cardiff and Gloucester but major disruption is expected to continue throughout Sunday.

Due to a fire next to the track between Newport South Wales and Cardiff Central all lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Train services between London Paddington and Cardiff Central via Bristol Parkway may be cancelled, delayed or revised.
Customer Advice
-
We are sorry for the delay to your journey.
-
Network Rail advise that there is a lineside fire between Cardiff Central and Newport in the St Brides area. The emergency services are on site working to extinguish the fire as quickly and safely as they can. Once this has been done the railway and associated infrastructure will have to be inspected. We currently have no estimate for when we may be able to run trains again through the area.
-
Rail replacement transport has been requested but is proving difficult to source in the area.
-
To help you complete your journey, you may use your ticket, at no extra cost on Transport for Wales train services.
-
Please check your journey at gwr.com/check
-
We will update this message with more information when we have it.
-
Transport for Wales are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

Thanks again all, paid the £51.40 in the end.

Meeting an old schoolfriend from Plymouth who's living down there now, we're visiting a new(ish) craft ale Tap room which comes highly recommended, will report back!

3. Relocate Pilning Station near the bridge over the B4055. It's then at the village, within 300 metres of the employment area, and with platforms on the outer tracks accessed by slopes off the road eliminates the problem of how to access an island platform at a sensible price that we have at the current site.

Thank you.  I wonder, sadly, just how much damage cancellation and re-instatement of services does on a line where waiting for the next service will be a significant change to plans.

A 25" map at the National Library of Scotland site records the area at a time when the Severn Tunnel was under construction.

It is a question asked many times.  Unfortunately I suspect we will only ever have anecdotal answers.