{"id":10609,"date":"2025-06-08T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teignrail.co.uk\/scouting\/?p=10609"},"modified":"2026-03-13T23:13:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T23:13:56","slug":"115-taunton-to-castle-cary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teignrail.co.uk\/scouting\/115-taunton-to-castle-cary\/","title":{"rendered":"115 Taunton to Castle Cary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Someone suggested that the scout go along to the Green Scythe Fair, which was to be held at Thorney Lakes, near Langport. The scout thought he could combine this with a refresher of the “new” line from Castle Cary.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An early start was needed and so the scout went for the first Up train on a Sunday, the 0759 to Cardiff. This he found idling in platform six at St. David’s with the heating on; steam pre-heating would once have ceased after 30th April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time (of departure) came and went. After a few minutes the Guard made a barely audible announcement, something like: “Sorry, Guys. This train is cancelled.” Twenty or so passengers detrained and crowded around the supervisor. This being the third failure, the scout thought about going home and could well have wandered off, taking it that he’d have to catch the next train at 0830. But he lingered, and it was fortunate he did, for suddenly the train was reinstated. “Are we going?” asked the scout of a member of staff, one wheel of his bicycle still on the platform. And then: “Why were we not going?” There was a problem at Bristol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A ten-late start was not going to spoil the day and the scout could do without his sunglasses and cycle computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After taking a few photos of Taunton Station in sunshine, to replace ones he’d taken the previous week, he went to the booking office to reserve a bike space from Castle Cary. The lady told him that the new office was much airier, but that the noise was sometimes too much, what with the amplifiers, the hubbub in the foyer and the trains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scout then followed the new road across what was once East Yard and, for a change, joined the riverside path. This leads away from the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal but the scout wanted a reason to use a foot crossing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n