from Yatton to Witham was now under single ownership, although it relied on running over of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. Wrington Vale Light Railway Blagdon and Farrington Gurney had long wanted a railway connection, but local interests could not raise the necessary funds. The Light Railways Act, 1896 enabled the construction and operation of railways with lower standards and therefore more cheaply. This coupled with the interest of the Bristol Waterworks Company in building a large reservoir which became known as Blagdon Lake, enabled the construction of the Wrington Vale Light Railway, from Congresbury on the Cheddar Valley line to Blagdon. The GWR provided the money and a Light Railway Order was obtained. The line was long and the station at Congresbury was substantially altered to accommodate the junction. The line opened on 4 December 1901, with stations at Wrington, Langford, Burrington and . There were four passenger trains daily of which one was mixed; they ran to and from Yatton. Closure Following World War II, road usage increased considerably and rail usage declined, particularly on rural branch lines. The line was being considered for closure when the British Railways Board published the report in 1963, The Reshaping of British Railways often referred to as the Beeching cuts. Accordingly the Cheddar Valley line is listed in the appendix of that report. The line between Yatton and Witham closed to passengers on 9 September 1963 and to goods in 1964. Infrastructure Route The line ran in a general north-west to south-east direction. The "down" direction of trains was from Yatton to Wells Tucker Street, and from Witham to Wells Tucker Street. Great Western Railway, originally Bristol and Exeter Railway Yatton station; junction with the main Bristol to Taunton line Cheddar Valley and Yatton Branch Congresbury station; originally a single platform, but expanded with a crossing loop 14 April 1901 to form the junction for the Wrington Vale Light Railway Sandford and Banwell station; opened as Sandford and renamed in 1869; considerable traffic was generated from a nearby quarry, which had a short tramway branch south-east of the station; Winscombe station; opened as Woodborough, and renamed to Winscombe on 1 December 1869; Axbridge station; Cheddar station; the lavish station building with over-all roof was not ready at the opening of the line, and passengers were accommodated in the goods shed until 9 or 10 May 1870; Draycott station; Lodge Hill