Somerset and Dorset in the 1980s

[down the sdjr]

1 hour ago, MJI said:

I would go with Bath Road allocated 31/4s and SR 33/0.

 

SR sets were about 5 vehicles, usually Mark 1 with odd Mk 2 FK, all ETH fitted.

 

If not closed I would not have been surprised if the 123s did not end up working it, but 119 120 would have.

I have to do a bit of research on these trains as all new to me but i could see those SR class 33 running re-introduced goods and summer Saturday only passenger trains from Bath.

4 hours ago, Red Fox said:

Pines Express was a named train for Intercity Cross Country and Virgin Cross Country in the 90's and early 00's.  I believe it was normally a 47 + set of seven mk2's.

That would be a great idea.

[down the sdjr]

On 13/09/2019 at 18:55, russ p said:

I think if the S and D would have had first generation units 119s and 120s would have been common,  did a 119 actually work over it 

Hi Russ, i have had a look through my Ivo Peters books and found 3 pictures of DMUs working excursions over the S&D it states "The first DMU to run on the S&D was a three car DMU organized by the Gloucestershire Railway society on the 10th of May 1958". It does not mention the class and has a flat white line above the cab, no yellow and speed whiskers. The other DMU is dated 25th May 1958 It does not say the class again but has a curved white line above the cab, no yellow and with speed whiskers. The third photo dated 21st August 1960 is like the first train, flat white line and speed whiskers.

Edited September 15, 2019 by down the sdjr

[russ p]

Here are two a 120 and bizarrely a derby lightweight,  which didn't really get very far south normally 

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/dvzBp5FATqQ1TYnF7

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/83pu8kMCppD4tzou6

 

 

[DWSHARPE1]

In 1970s I started collecting stock for my imagined S & D remained open.

I had a Hymech (Hornby) with Mark 1 passenger stock, I had a class 124 trans pennine (Trix) for through trains.  I had a pair of Hornby Dublo class 20s for frieght and 08 for shunting.  I Intended to use a Park Royal rail car for the branch and would have run Class 20 with 2 coach trains also on the branch.

I did have the Hornby rail car set , which I intended to be used for Bath to Templecombe.  I also had the Hornby Pullman set 

I sold all of them in the mid 1970s along with all but 2 steam engines when trying to raise as much money as I could for a deposit on a house.

If it had continued, I would have had a Class 33 and mark 2 coaches running from Bournemouth and would have had Class 201-7 DEMU and would definitely had class 47.

 

 

 

[down the sdjr]

On 25/10/2019 at 14:18, DWSHARPE1 said:

In 1970s I started collecting stock for my imagined S & D remained open.

I had a Hymech (Hornby) with Mark 1 passenger stock, I had a class 124 trans pennine (Trix) for through trains.  I had a pair of Hornby Dublo class 20s for frieght and 08 for shunting.  I Intended to use a Park Royal rail car for the branch and would have run Class 20 with 2 coach trains also on the branch.

I did have the Hornby rail car set , which I intended to be used for Bath to Templecombe.  I also had the Hornby Pullman set 

I sold all of them in the mid 1970s along with all but 2 steam engines when trying to raise as much money as I could for a deposit on a house.

If it had continued, I would have had a Class 33 and mark 2 coaches running from Bournemouth and would have had Class 201-7 DEMU and would definitely had class 47.

 

 

 

I would love to see that layout.

I think its amazing you were thinking the same modelling ideas nearly 50 years ago, not long after the S&D had closed.

I hope the house was nice.

Heres a couple of pictures (bad quality) of a class 150 pulling into Shillingstone and Stourpaine and Durweston Halt sometime in the late 80s.

 

[DWSHARPE1]

Thank you.  It was important because with two children and a wife it was more important to have a roof over our heads than a layout.  One of the engines returned to me later.  It did crystallise about when I wanted to date the layout.  Sadly, when we made our final move 7 years ago, the attic was so low I couldn't build a layout on it and would have to walk on my knees.  It was only when I moved here that I realised I can't kneel easily because I have no sensation in one of my knees. 

I will have started making a small diorama instead.  

[KeithMacdonald]

Not sure if this helps, but would (or could) the Yeovil-Weymouth line have a similar operation?

 

RealTimeTrains (for today) has "Class 150/153/155/156 DMU"

e.g.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C41026/2019-12-20/detailed

 

 

[gc4946]

Probably the best way to represent the late 80s and subsequently would be to look at info of trains running on the Castle Cary-Weymouth line at the time.

 

I think this line would have been run by the Western Region, subsequently by Provincial and Regional Railways. From 1963 the Southern/Western Regions' boundary was just north of Blandford Forum. 

When Templecombe station reopened in the early 80s I imagine the S&D line's boundary point would have moved at the same time just due north of Templecombe because by then that station was part of the Southern Region.

 

 

 

[KeithMacdonald]

Just for the nostalgia, here's a wonderful video of John Betjeman exploring parts of the S&D
 

Quote

 

First transmitted in 1963, John Betjeman looks at the Evercreech Junction to Burnham-on-Sea railway line in Somerset. 

Betjeman provides a unique profile of a working steam branch line railway as he travels along the original part of the Somerset Central Railway. Examining towns and stations along the way, Betjeman laments the tragic decline of steam railways. The journey culminates with a stroll around Highbridge Wharf, sentimentally narrated with a poem that sums up Betjeman's despair; 'Highbridge Wharf, your hopes have died.

 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03495yn/lets-imagine-a-branch-line-railway-with-john-betjeman

 

[KeithMacdonald]

Does this help?

 

Diesels and DMUs in 1987 and 1988 in places like Hamworthy Quay ,Weymouth, Furzebrook, Wytch Farm oil terminal, Maiden Newton, Bournemouth.

 

https://www.freewebs.com/brdiesels/dorset.htm

 

[ess1uk]

On 12/09/2019 at 19:41, down the sdjr said:

Hi all,

I have a S&D layout that has trains that cover 1900ish to 1966 at closure. I would like to run a train as if the line was still operating in the late 1980s. I presume it would be a DMU or diesel loco. I would be interested in RTR models that you folk might think are suitable. Odd question maybe but i would like to know what people think, i am talking about between Templecombe and Bournemouth West.

What a great idea

[gc4946]

On 31/12/2019 at 20:44, gc4946 said:

Probably the best way to represent the late 80s and subsequently would be to look at info of trains running on the Castle Cary-Weymouth line at the time.

 

I think this line would have been run by the Western Region, subsequently by Provincial and Regional Railways. From 1963 the Southern/Western Regions' boundary was just north of Blandford Forum. 

When Templecombe station reopened in the early 80s I imagine the S&D line's boundary point would have moved at the same time just due north of Templecombe because by then that station was part of the Southern Region.

 

 

 

If you're modelling the Poole/Bournemouth end of the line I would have imagined the Southern Region electrified the line to Broadstone and as far as Wimborne at the same time when the line to Weymouth was completed in 1988. 

There was a line between Wimborne and a point north of Corfe Mullen which was closed by the 50s; that line could have reopened in order that a few DMUs to/from Bristol Temple Meads reversed at Wimborne (the junction there faced north) instead of taking the direct Broadstone-Corfe Mullen route.

 

http://www.archiuk.com/cgi-bin/build_nls_historic_map.pl?search_location=, Wimborne Minster, Dorset&latitude=50.790566&longitude=-1.987180&password=freesearch@freesearch.com

Edited January 12, 2020 by gc4946
Added old Victorian map to explain Wimborne-Corfe Mullen line

[down the sdjr]

8 hours ago, gc4946 said:

If you're modelling the Poole/Bournemouth end of the line I would have imagined the Southern Region electrified the line to Broadstone and as far as Wimborne at the same time when the line to Weymouth was completed in 1988. 

There was a line between Wimborne and a point north of Corfe Mullen which was closed by the 50s; that line could have reopened in order that a few DMUs to/from Bristol Temple Meads reversed at Wimborne (the junction there faced north) instead of taking the direct Broadstone-Corfe Mullen route.

 

http://www.archiuk.com/cgi-bin/build_nls_historic_map.pl?search_location=, Wimborne Minster, Dorset&latitude=50.790566&longitude=-1.987180&password=freesearch@freesearch.com

That could be a really interesting model. I am so focused on the line between Blandford and Templecombe that i forget all about that old spur and the Wimbourne station on the LSWR , what a shame its all gone.

[down the sdjr]

18 hours ago, ess1uk said:

What a great idea

Thanks ess1uk.

See DWSHARPE1 post above, he was doing the same thing in the 1970s.

[down the sdjr]

On 09/01/2020 at 00:56, KeithMacdonald said:

Does this help?

 

Diesels and DMUs in 1987 and 1988 in places like Hamworthy Quay ,Weymouth, Furzebrook, Wytch Farm oil terminal, Maiden Newton, Bournemouth.

 

https://www.freewebs.com/brdiesels/dorset.htm

 

Lovely photos on that link. Thankyou.