The railway line through Somerton was built between 1903 and 1906. It was the Great Western Railway's last major line to be built, and it provided a 'cut-off' from Castle Cary to Taunton, which reduced the line from London to Taunton 20 miles in length and 21 minutes in journey time. The photograph shows the viaduct across the Parrett valley at Langport.

The Marmaduke Cradock Trust owns an album of photographs of the building of the line, as well as other photographs of the stations and trains. Some of these were published in a book written in 2006 called 'Castle Cary to Durston: the Story of a Railway'. A few copies of this are still available at £10 each, plus £2.00 p&p. (Send a cheque and your address to Nancy Langmaid, 32 Highfield Way, Somerton TA11 6SQ if you wish to purchase a copy. Tel: 01458 273859)