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T he R estoration A nd M aintenance S quad (alias RAMS)
"We are a team of friendly volunteers who operate from Bishops Lydeard Station, our main function is the maintenance of the station, it's buildings, and the surrounding area. We are also responsible for the maintenance, conservation and restoration of all the heritage furniture and artefacts to be found around the station and in the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard Station.
"In addition to maintaining Bishops Lydeard Station we are often requested to carry out works at other stations along the West Somerset Railway. The scope of work that we carry out is vast and various, and would include the making or repairing of gates, doors, station name boards, replacing wooden floors, refurbishing offices, fitting out or constructing new buildings, repairing signal boxes, station seats, rebuilding sack barrows and trolleys, and endless painting, etc etc etc! The list and variation of work is endless.
"The team is led by John Baines who spent all of his working life in the building trade. John is available to give help, advice, and a guiding hand wherever it may be required.
"We have workshops and store buildings on Bishops Lydeard Station, and a machine shop, large working area, further storage and office space in the associations new 'Brunel House' building adjacent to the station.
"To enable the 'West Somerset Railway Association' to do this valuable and essential work we need volunteers of any age, with or without any skills, and of either sex to help us. We all 'muck in' together to complete each project. Teamwork is the order of the day, everybody helps each other and the one important fact is that you would never be expected to do anything you were not happy with, or were not physically capable of.
"'Rams' can be found working somewhere on the railway on most days of the week, so you will be welcome whenever you have any time to spare, the West Somerset Railway will very much appreciate whatever time you can give.
"We all enjoy keeping a top heritage railway working, and looking at its best. We hope, that like us that you would find the work very satisfying and rewarding, together with the benefit of beautiful surroundings, a friendly environment to work in, and the company of like-minded people."
Team Leader, John Baines
RaMS
The Railway Station,
Bishops Lydeard,
Taunton,
Somerset TA4 3BX
Tel: 01823 433856
Fax: 01823 433954
Email: wsra@btconnect.com
 Photographs on this site are (c) Respective owners and not to be used without written permission
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