An alternate history of the railway of the Mellis Valley
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The Mellis Valley known as the
Nettlebridge Vale
at its western end,
Wadbury Vale
in its centre, and
Vellis Vale at its eastern end has a long
industrial and transport history.
Coal mining in the Mellis Valley
started in Roman times and continued until the closure of Mendip Colliery in
1969. Limestone continues to be quarried in the Vale. Mining and quarrying lead
to two serious efforts to improve transport in 1796 the Dorset and Somerset
canal was authorised but incomplete it went bankrupt in 1802 and the Nettlebridge Valley Railway was authorised in 1874 but abandoned in 1878.
Industry had to make do with inadequate industrial tramways linking to the
Somerset & Dorset [S&D] and Great Western [GWR] Railways.
It is planned to convert the
Wych Brook
Valley
Sweetlease |
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Ashwick |
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Benter |