Stoke a plan.

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[Jack P]

Duke, excellent update as usual.

 

You always have such a tasty amount of content! I struggle to write more than a few lines, but the information the accompanies each picture (even though they've gone missing in the post above) is fantastic and really gives a depth to what you are trying to create and the story you're telling!

 

Please keep it up!

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

Duke, excellent update as usual.

 

You always have such a tasty amount of content! I struggle to write more than a few lines, but the information the accompanies each picture (even though they've gone missing in the post above) is fantastic and really gives a depth to what you are trying to create and the story you're telling!

 

Please keep it up!

Jack,

T

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[Earl Bathurst]

Superb layout so far. Look forward to watching this develop. Very jealous I would love a layout this big and with such presence. 

 

Scott

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[TheQ]

I'd agree with the performance of the USA tank, as I've got one to run just a bit down the line from Basingstoke and turn right at Andover. I thought my model was large 54ft by 16ft, not as advanced building as yours yet.

 

In amoungst all your sheduled trains remember you can run the military trains that frequented the MSWJR line up to Ludgershall.

You could have, all passenger troop trains , all Van trains going to the Army medical Depot at Ludgershall, mixed wagons with tarpaulin covered amunition loads, Then there could be mixed military trucks / weaponary for Ludgershall /Tidworth.

Tanks By 1958 were too big for rail transport.

 

 There must have been a fair amount of military traffic from the Aldershot area and up from Southampton especially once the Andover Southampton line direct  to Tidworth  / Ludgershall was closed.  But By 67 a lot will have transfered to roads.

[71000]

I'd agree with the performance of the USA tank, as I've got one to run just a bit down the line from Basingstoke and turn right at Andover. I thought my model was large 54ft by 16ft, not as advanced building as yours yet.

 

In amoungst all your sheduled trains remember you can run the military trains that frequented the MSWJR line up to Ludgershall.

You could have, all passenger troop trains , all Van trains going to the Army medical Depot at Ludgershall, mixed wagons with tarpaulin covered amunition loads, Then there could be mixed military trucks / weaponary for Ludgershall /Tidworth.

Tanks By 1958 were too big for rail transport.

 

 There must have been a fair amount of military traffic from the Aldershot area and up from Southampton especially once the Andover Southampton line direct  to Tidworth  / Ludgershall was closed.  But By 67 a lot will have transfered to roads.

The Q,

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[TheQ]

Here is a picture  taken at Ludgershall with a military frieght train heading your way.. These type were still going into the early 70's though with a diesel on the front.

Early 60's I'd say http://swindonsotherrailway.co.uk/rj186.jpg

 

Not much identifys them from a civi frieght train though

Edited September 11, 2017 by TheQ

[71000]

Here is a picture  taken at Ludgershall with a military frieght train heading your way.. These type were still going into the early 70's though with a diesel on the front.

Early 60's I'd say http://swindonsotherrailway.co.uk/rj186.jpg

 

Not much identifys them from a civi frieght train though

The Q,

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[TheQ]

Dating the photo

The line to Tidworth has been singled (1958?) ( the branch line going off to the left of the photo),  that would have been done after the line to Tidworth Closed to the public in 1955 and the MOD ran it till 1957.  The line to the North was closed to the public at the end of 1961  but limited frieght continued till 1963 when the track was lifted north of Ludgershall. This leaves a window of 1958 to 1963 if it's a civi freight.

 

Then although The train could possibly be a through freight shunted, it is coming off or going on one of the platforms built for the military, not on the through line and for a line on it's last legs thats a big freight train..

Is that a guards van behind the loco? that Would indicate it came in from the south.

 

Unfortunately you can't get a clear view of the track under bridge 13 in the distance, there is a thickening of a horizontal line in the right place for where they terminated the track ( sleepers  were initially put across the line) but that may be the telegraph pole in the way.

 

There is a shiny new grey cabinet to the left, as you view it, of the Loco, then the  new phone box cabinet to the right of the train, on it's pillar just forward of where the marks on the ground where the shunters cabin stood.  That was removed by the mid sixties as there were no signal boxes to phone..

Then there is  new signal behind the site of the old shunters cabin, instead of in front, Southern-BR(S) resignalled Ludgershall sometime after they took over the station,  and then the Loco not being ex GWR but possibly, a Southern U2 (I'm lacking in knowledge of southern locos).

 

 This photo definately is a military train http://swindonsotherrailway.co.uk/pst105.jpg and is as I remember station, obviously during or before 1967 but after 1963 as you can see the track cut under bridge 13.

I can see my grandfather has been busy with all that new ballast.. he was the ganger there..

[71000]

Dating the photo

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[TheQ]

I may be a lunatic but I'm not confused.

 

The branch to Tidworth was built for the War department, operated from 1905 until 1955 BY MSWJR/GWR/BR, after that it was operated BY MOD till 57 when closed. Yes the MSWR was from 1883 not a military line except for the Tidworth branch, However there was further up the line also a small branch to Chiseldon camp, the camp closed in 1962 and Savernake sidings for the ammunition Depot were closed in 1950.

 

After 1963 when goods facilities were withdrawn and by which time  line was cut to the North. The entire 7 miles from Andover,  was ONLY used by the military ( and the odd enthusiast train) and still is used for that purpose ( though very little). BR Spent many years trying to offload the Ludgershall branch onto the military.

There were no non-military pick up goods after 63.

A  village of about 1500 people at that time, would not have required anything like the amount of good wagons seen in either picture, especially the second picture where you can definately see there is no through route...

 

Military supplies trains do not have to be hauled by military Locomotives, nor do they have to haul military only owned freight wagons.

 

Yes the concrete end loading ramps were used to load tanks (until they got too big), One of my Grandfathers was in the Royal Tank Regiment 1919 -1953 becoming an RSM 1942 and did so.

The large amount of vans in the second photo will because of the medical supplies for the depot where my Dad worked.

Also in the second Photo on the seventh wagon from the Loco looks remarkably like a military vehicle, maybe something like a Ferret armoured car, which is what the other well further train may have have been used for..

 

Several times I cab'd a loco (diesel unfortunately) at Ludgershall 1967 to 1971 while they were shunting the trains from the remains of the civilian station, where they ran round, into the Goods yard in the picture.  90% of the trains were common or garden looking freights often with no military markings at all but you could get a small group of Military vehicles or weaponary on flats or wells in amongst vans and opens.

 

 I did see troop trains, and military vehicle trains arriving or departing during that time or could see them from the school I attended, or  from Bridge 12, from where I used to watch when I couldn't get a cab. The troop trains were always BR loco's and BR civilian Coaches, By this time with No civilian traffic they often used the civilian platform on the southern Side where the signal box had stood, the northern Platform no longer being usable, although there was still a working water column there, which I believe is the one now at the Swindon and Cricklade railway.

 

Yes the water was very chalky in the area as it was in Andover ( though I don't know if Andovers railway water was treated), but in MSWJR days they didn't use the water at Ludgershall because it was supplied by the military and expensive!!

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by 71000

[katotomix]

Hi Tony

Sorry to message you through your blog ( which iam finaly up todate with) just that wasnt sure of your email address .Hope your well .

Best regards

chris  stephens

[Gerald Henriksen]

 

 

 As I had suspected the "Railroad" version is almost identical to the Full price model. Indeed the ONLY difference I can find is that the Full price version has a "fallplate" between cab and tender. There are alternate detail differences such as the two models have correctly different chimneys, and the "Railroad" model also has a firebox side, fire iron cabinet. So for the benefit of having a fallplate, on the full price "Rood Ashton Hall" we are expected to pay in the region of £124.99. As the Railroad item cost me £54.50, I'm not very amused.

 

The Hornby Hall is a result of their (fortunately brief) "design clever" period (around 2013) where they thought they could design models that would serve both the main range and the railroad range.  In the end the benefits of the main range models often weren't that different, though one area was in the paint finish - the railroad version didn't have the fancier lining or other complicated finish items.

 

On the other hand, it also is very unfair to compare an expensive model at full price and then the cheaper version at a really cheap clearance price.  It distorts the comparison.

 

Rood Ashton Hall listed at £123, and the railroad model listed originally at £83 (your model, from a successive run, lists at £95) difference.  So the real price difference is not £65 but £40 (or maybe was, it will be interesting to see if Hornby does any more releases in the main range of this model).