28/05/2026
Come and say hello to us on Saturday 6th June at Shillingstone station 😃
You are cordially invited to a 1960s-themed Gala Weekend at the station. The weekend of 6th and 7th June will be very much a party to celebrate all that’s been achieved since the station ‘closed’ in 1966, and remember the incredible efforts of the volunteers.
As well as tours of the station and the signal box (which was, of course, completely rebuilt by volunteers), there will be guided walks of the new track extension, with the opportunity to see the Lamb House bridge from a whole new angle. There’ll be a couple of model railway layouts, including a steam version, and visits from a steam traction engine and vintage buses.
Friends and neighbours will also be joining the party - the station will be welcoming displays by the Big Yellow Bus Project, the Countryside Regeneration Trust, the North Dorset Trailway and the Blandford Fashion Museum, along with other heritage railway projects, the Spetisbury Station Project and the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a party without home-made cake and some toe-tapping music. With kind permission from the Performing Rights Society, the station will be bopping to a soundtrack of 1960s pirate radio classics.
There will be a free shuttle bus service to and from the gala, thanks to Damory Buses and Pete Kearsey, starting from Morrison’s car park in Blandford and Station Road car park in Sturminster Newton. Vintage buses will be used, including a Routemaster. Due to the cost of the diesel, they will run when the driver determines that there are enough passengers on board.
On both days, boarding will start at the two locations at 9:45am, with the last bus to Shillingstone at around 11:15. Buses start returning from Shillingstone at 2:00pm, with the last bus at around 3:30pm.
The station will be open both days from 10:00am until 4:00pm and entry is free - though donations are welcome, to aid the ongoing development and maintenance of the station and railway. Come along and join in the fun, and if you fancy digging out your best 1960s outfit, why not?
