Tallpaul69 Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 (edited) For an upcoming 00 gauge model, I am looking for information on the Oxford to Princes Risborough line, in particular Thame, in the period 1958-63. I have the R A Cooke section 27 plans, the Middleton Press book and the Richard Lingard Book, plus all the GWJs. I am also aware of, and awaiting the arrival of the C.R. Potts book.So what I am after is the more obscure magazine articles and personal memories? Any help will be much appreciated Many thanks Paul Edited September 21, 2020 by Tallpaul69 Corrected mis-speling and including a missed fact! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAURICE040947 Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Morris Cowley, Horsepath Halt, Wheatley, Tiddington, Thame, Towersley Halt, Chinnor Bledlow and Princes Risborough used to go the Oxford announcer for the train before us schoolboys returning to Didcot after a hard days grind in the late 50's, early 60's some of the links are broken but this site may be useful https://www.wheatleyarchive.org.uk/archive_search.php?view=429 regards and good luck with the project. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAURICE040947 Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 you have probably seen this BR era photo.https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/47613219431 probably taken during your chosen period 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold unravelled Posted September 22, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 22, 2020 A few photos on this thread https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/149758-wheatley-station-on-the-oxford-to-princes-risborough-line/&tab=comments#comment-3757703 . I am slowly working on a Thame-ish layout (called Wylde), link in sig. One thing I'm curious about is that, at some time before closure, the Wheatley signs were repainted with a blue background, and I'd love to know when and why. Dave 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted September 22, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 22, 2020 4 hours ago, unravelled said: A few photos on this thread https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/149758-wheatley-station-on-the-oxford-to-princes-risborough-line/&tab=comments#comment-3757703 . I am slowly working on a Thame-ish layout (called Wylde), link in sig. One thing I'm curious about is that, at some time before closure, the Wheatley signs were repainted with a blue background, and I'd love to know when and why. Dave Presumably somebody decided they ought to match the old white lettering on a blue background enamelled running-in board colours some of which might have survived quite late as they have made it into preservation collections. The HMRS book mentions them but has no details on dates etc. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Go cycle it. its called the Phoenix trail between PR and Thame now 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallpaul69 Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 3 hours ago, rob D2 said: Go cycle it. its called the Phoenix trail between PR and Thame now True, But with no cycle, or even a car to get there, That is not an option! If the Virus was not getting worse I might bus to Aylesbury , then bus to Thame - maybe next summer if the gods are good to us. Not an urgent thing to do as the post 2000 pics I have seen of the industrial units on the site are not very inspiring!! -Just details of the bridges would be useful Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Davexoc Posted September 23, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 23, 2020 The furthest I go back is 1977 I'm afraid, but three pics of 33s resting while the tankers are off-loaded. The 33/2 shot is taken from under the Tetsworth Road bridge with the Chinnor Road bridge in the distance. The industrial estate has sprawled, and Angus Fire which was the unit almost alongside the old station has since been converted to flats, plus there are more houses beyond, as well as on the fuel depot site. Trying to remember if 33063 was the one I got to drive one morning before school, after the driver offered an engine room tour and run up and down between the bridges. My mate and I were a little late for the register that morning!!! Regards, Dave 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 5 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said: True, But with no cycle, or even a car to get there, That is not an option! If the Virus was not getting worse I might bus to Aylesbury , then bus to Thame - maybe next summer if the gods are good to us. Not an urgent thing to do as the post 2000 pics I have seen of the industrial units on the site are not very inspiring!! -Just details of the bridges would be useful Cheers Paul TBH if the buses up that way are as empty as they are between Reading and Wallingford I don't think you'll have too much to worry about - last Saturday coming back from Wallingford there were two passengers (including me) on an 80 seat double decker - one upstairs and one downstairs! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Gough Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 (edited) Paul A pdf of the signal box diagram for Thame is available on the Signalling Record Society website: https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwa/S123.htm Just click on the blue text 'box diagram'. Edited September 24, 2020 by Nick Gough 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Gough Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 According to the Broad Gauge Society, "'Thame' station was opened in 1862, which was in dimension and design an exact copy of Wycombe - although the train shed walls were built of timber, rather than flint and brick at Wycombe." They have a page on their website dedicated to the original High Wycombe train shed: http://www.broadgauge.org.uk/heritage/train_sheds_detail.html?shed=wycombe This includes drawings of the structure. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Gough Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 On another page they have this: http://www.broadgauge.org.uk/heritage/train_sheds_detail.html?shed=thame 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 On 23/09/2020 at 22:14, Davexoc said: The furthest I go back is 1977 I'm afraid, but three pics of 33s resting while the tankers are off-loaded. The 33/2 shot is taken from under the Tetsworth Road bridge with the Chinnor Road bridge in the distance. The industrial estate has sprawled, and Angus Fire which was the unit almost alongside the old station has since been converted to flats, plus there are more houses beyond, as well as on the fuel depot site. Trying to remember if 33063 was the one I got to drive one morning before school, after the driver offered an engine room tour and run up and down between the bridges. My mate and I were a little late for the register that morning!!! Regards, Dave Nice memories, I always thought the bucks/ oxon freight lines would make a nice BR blue branchline layout 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caradoc Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Delightful though the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway is, I wonder why they did not go for Thame rather than Chinnor, Thame being a much bigger place with far better public transport links (albeit less important now they have a station on national rail) and more space for locosheds, stabling etc ? (And maybe even the possibility of extending one day towards Tiddington and Wheatley, or at least the M40 !) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) ^^^^ probably because BR ceased services on the chinnor line in 1989 and Thame on 91. A case of strike whilst the iron is hot ? And maybe also the chinnor branch has more tourist potential as there is a little more to see as the line hugs the hills, rather than the flat expanse to Thame Edited September 25, 2020 by rob D2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Davexoc Posted September 25, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 25, 2020 6 hours ago, caradoc said: Delightful though the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway is, I wonder why they did not go for Thame rather than Chinnor, Thame being a much bigger place with far better public transport links (albeit less important now they have a station on national rail) and more space for locosheds, stabling etc ? (And maybe even the possibility of extending one day towards Tiddington and Wheatley, or at least the M40 !) There are probably quite a few reasons, a few that I can think of are; Chinnor closed before Thame so was available sooner. Thame would have needed a fully compliant level crossing to be maintained on the bypass/relief road. Chinnor has the 1:68 climb up Wainhill bank to make the locos work hard, whereas Thame is fairly flat. Chinnor probably had a better network of sidings left by Rugby Cement, as BP most likely owned the oil terminal land and sold it off for development, leaving just the station area. Chinnor and Risborough are both just off the Icknield Way/Ridgeway footpaths, so it could appeal to ramblers wanting a one-way ticket. And Thame station is quite a walk into town compared to the short walk into the villlage at Chinnor. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caradoc Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Good points rob D2 and Davexoc, obviously Chinnor closing before Thame would have been a major factor, but still, I can't help thinking that Thame station would have given the railway more operating potential, interest and flexibility than the tiny platform at Chinnor ! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 There’s a lot of passing trade from ramblers and walkers who keep the chinnor cafe going full tilt 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted September 26, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2020 29 minutes ago, caradoc said: Good points rob D2 and Davexoc, obviously Chinnor closing before Thame would have been a major factor, but still, I can't help thinking that Thame station would have given the railway more operating potential, interest and flexibility than the tiny platform at Chinnor ! I tend to agree although Chinnor has the cost advantage of being 2 miles shorter so therefore cheaper to acquire and lower running costs. And would the land now occupied by the industrial estate at Thame have been available to those who purchased the railway? The problem with Chinnor is that it isn't really a destination in itself for the leisure market which Thame, with an attractive town centre, would have been (even if it s a bit of a walk from the station. For the shorter lines in this sort of market they really have to offer something more than a very brief train ride in order to attract the leisure market people and that is inevitably the main source of income. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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