ejstubbs Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 (edited) Sometime back in the 1980s I was on a train from Paddington to Hereford. It was a dark winter night, might have been snowing or sleeting a bit, I couldn't swear to that. Anyway, I remember it being quite atmospheric. At some point in what felt, from the comfort of the train, like the middle of nowhere, but which was most likely somewhere in Oxfordshire or maybe further west, the train either stopped at or slowed down on passing through a small but interesting-looking station. I recall there was at least one siding, and I think a crane as well. The other thing I remember clearly was a business operating from what I assume was the ex-goods yard called either Ghost Erections or Spook Erections*. All a bit woolly I'll admit, but I wondered whether anyone might have any suggestions as to which station it might have been, especially given the fairly memorable name of the business occupying part of the site? * There appears to be a company in Scotland called Spook Erection so I might well be getting it confused with that, meaning that the one I saw all those years ago was most likely "Ghost". Edited October 13, 2021 by ejstubbs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philou Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 If between Oxford and Worcester: The stations are: Hanborough, Combe, Finstock, Charlebury, Ascott-under-Wytchwood, Shipston, Kingham, Moreton-in-Marsh, Honeybourne, Evesham and Pershore - pretty much in the sticks for the most part! Cheers, Philip Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 Careful Googling that! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 (edited) Clearly not Addlestrop, then, otherwise you’d remember it. Edited October 13, 2021 by Nearholmer 3 1 2 4 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johann Marsbar Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 Moreton in Marsh. The Company with the distinctive name ran the local market, which attracted a number of coach excursions to it. I think there was an article in Buses Magazine about the operations sometime in the 1970.s/early 1980's 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejstubbs Posted October 13, 2021 Author Share Posted October 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Nearholmer said: Clearly not Addlestrop, then, otherwise you’d remember it. I think "all the birds of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire" would have been tucked up in their winter roosts at that time of night, though! Apart from the odd owl, I suppose... 1 hour ago, Johann Marsbar said: Moreton in Marsh. The Company with the distinctive name ran the local market, which attracted a number of coach excursions to it. Thanks, that's very interesting, particularly since that's also what the company I linked to above seems to do. In fact, digging around a bit online it would appear that it's the same company - or at least the same people - originally based in Moreton-in-Marsh as you say, then later in Scotland running the now-defunct but in its time extremely popular Ingliston Sunday Market just outside Edinburgh, and later operating markets in Ayr and Cowdenbeath. There's even a bit of frequently-referenced case law dating back to 1988 arising from a case between Spook Erection and the British Railways Board, which seems strongly to suggest that the company was kicked out of its Moreton-in-Marsh base at around that date. So it looks like I wasn't as confused as I thought I was - which must be a first for me... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastglosmog Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 5 hours ago, Philou said: If between Oxford and Worcester: The stations are: Hanborough, Combe, Finstock, Charlebury, Ascott-under-Wytchwood, Shipston, Kingham, Moreton-in-Marsh, Honeybourne, Evesham and Pershore - pretty much in the sticks for the most part! Cheers, Philip Charlbury if you please! Certainly would not be Combe, Finstock or Ascott as they are only halts with no sidings. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philou Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 4 minutes ago, eastglosmog said: Charlbury if you please! Just as well I didn't include an errant 's' either! I just created the list thinking that I should have added a note to say to @ejstubbs that we would need to search further via images on the web dating from the period to home in on the station - which seems to have been done. I did the route quite a few times starting from Ledbury to Paddington and return but that was in the 90s and to be frank I didn't take too much notice of the trackage at the time as the HST didn't call at all stations. I thought Honeybourne of interest due to its junction with the MOD depot at Long Marston. Cheers, Philip 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 From memory, Spook Erection also ran a Sunday market at the former NCB brickyards at Watnall. Alongside the M1 just north of junction 26, the chimneys stood for many years after the rest of the site was cleared, and made good hard standing for the market. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 The people who ran Pershore market were once a client of mine, hen I was a junior tax accountant. It wasn't the same people though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artless Bodger Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 Agree Moreton in Marsh, I remember the sign when on a trip to Hereford with student friends, would have been 1976/7, caused a bit of adolescent mirth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now