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Rocking the Rails at Castle Cary

Idyllic Castle Cary is a sleepy station in Somerset - until Glastonbury comes around. As the Rolling Stones set out to play, all is not quiet on the station front.

Location, location, location - it's everything for idyllic Castle Cary Station, a quiet, sleepy commuter stop on the Great Western train line - because this particular sleepy station in Somerset just happens to be the closest station to Worthy Farm - home of the Glastonbury Festival.

For 11 months and 3 weeks of the year all is peaceful and quiet, chattering birdsong in the hedgerows the only disturbance to a day-in-the-life of station master Paul Mitchell. Then, as Paul puts it - "Glasto comes around", and as no less than the Rolling Stones, Mumford and Sons, Portishead and the Arctic Monkeys pitch up in a field nearby, everything changes.
Normally manned by one station master at a time; Paul is one of three railway employees on rota - their duties include every aspect of station keeping; maintenance, guard duties, ticket sales, sweeping up and planting flower beds - and it is a job well done; they have even won awards for best kept station.

Sangita Myska follows the transformation of the station, peering through the well-polished ticket office window with station master Paul Mitchell, from quiet normal week to well managed chaos, as tens of thousands of wellie-wearing, tent carrying, over-excited music fans pour out of packed trains on their way to a weekend of mud and music.

And then they all go home again, and Paul gets back to his hanging baskets - checking to see if anyone has popped any mysterious and unexpected green plants in with his petunias.

Presenter: Sangita Myska

Producer: Sara Jane Hall.

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30 minutes

Last on

Mon 2 Jun 2014 23:30

An overview of Castle Cary station a week before the festival begins

An overview of Castle Cary station a week before the festival begins

Train just despatched.. .one of 8 in each direction that stop at the station

Train just despatched.. .one of 8 in each direction that stop at the station

Broadcasts

  • Fri 12 Jul 2013 11:00
  • Mon 2 Jun 2014 23:30

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