Peterborough North

[St Enodoc]

10 hours ago, jazzer said:

 

I stand to be corrected but I don’t think there were double headers out of Newquay either , but there is photograph record of big Prairies helping the heavier trains out of Kingwear.

There most certainly were double-headers from Newquay and in the Down direction the double-headers sometimes had to be banked as well to get up the 1 in 37 of Luxulyan bank. Plenty of photos of these have been published over the years.

[Market65]

I’m going with Ventnor for this poll.

 

Rob.

[great northern]

H A Ivatt emerges from under the roof.

 

 

Seen from the up platform, and in black and white for a change.  Then if we move back and to the bottom of the platform ramp, we get this slightly different angle.

 

 

which I rather like. I think this one had some zoom as well.

[great northern]

Another very close and popular poll, decided on the last vote, Ventnor 7 Ryde Pier Head 6.

 

Now I run into difficulties, both with county boundaries and general knowledge. Let's stay south of the LSWR main line, and consider any single track branches or cross country lines between Bournemouth and Portsmouth.

[St Enodoc]

Lymington.

[Metropolitan H]

Another vote for Lymington. Still a pleasent ride from Brockenhurst - for a day trip to the west end of the IOW.

 

Actually, I don't think there is much choice within the stated boundaries and the single track requirement?

 

Regards

Chris H

[Oldddudders]

Surely the Basingstoke and Alton, upon which the immortal Oh Mr Porter was filmed after closure?

[St Enodoc]

Just now, Oldddudders said:

Surely the Basingstoke and Alton, upon which the immortal Oh Mr Porter was filmed after closure?

It was mostly further east than Portsmouth, Ian, and might not qualify anyway, depending on whether Gilbert had in mind the Southampton/Bournemouth main line or the West of England main line (as hinted above by Chris H).

[great northern]

22 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

It was mostly further east than Portsmouth, Ian, and might not qualify anyway, depending on whether Gilbert had in mind the Southampton/Bournemouth main line or the West of England main line (as hinted above by Chris H).

I'm not sure what I did have in mind, actually, as I don't know the area at all. I wanted to make sure that there would be more choices than just the Lymington branch. Was Salisbury-Brockenhurst single track? I'm working from the map at the back of a public timetable from the 50s, which doesn't give a lot of detail. It does show Alton as being just within the area I specified, which is indeed bordered by the West of England main line.

[TrevorP1]

Much thinking about today's poll. Is it to be Lymington branch? Or Basingstoke to Alton? I considered the ridiculously grand station at Gosport until I realised that the short line from Fareham had been double track.

 

In the end I have a clear winner for my vote: the branch from Botley to Bishops Waltham , only 3 or 4 miles from where I lived until 3 years ago. After closure the station building was the home of a local model railway club but it is now long gone and the site is quite literally under a roundabout.

 

Incidentally, I know many RMWebers enjoy a proper pint. If you are ever in the area do not miss the Hampshire Bowman in the nearby hamlet of Dundridge. An oasis of calm in what is becoming an overcrowded county. The Bowman is a proper English pub with real ale drawn from barrels behind the bar. If you're lucky you may find vintage motorbikes or even a steam car in the car park. Shameless plug over!

[TrevorP1]

9 minutes ago, great northern said:

I'm not sure what I did have in mind, actually, as I don't know the area at all. I wanted to make sure that there would be more choices than just the Lymington branch. Was Salisbury-Brockenhurst single track? I'm working from the map at the back of a public timetable from the 50s, which doesn't give a lot of detail. It does show Alton as being just within the area I specified, which is indeed bordered by the West of England main line.

 

Does this help Gilbert?

[mullie]

Lymington, was there only a few weeks ago, called in there as a diversion on the way back from Winchester. We stayed there for a few nights once on our way to the Isle of Wight from Essex. That was BC of course (before children!). We stayed in Sandown, rode on the preserved line changing at Smallbrook from the 'mainline' and occupied ourselves one evening driving right round the island sticking to the coast.

 

Yarmouth is a nice place to arrive at on the island and it was a nice drive across to Sandown.

 

Martyn

[great northern]

1 hour ago, TrevorP1 said:

 

Does this help Gilbert?

It does, thank you. I wish I'd seen it before setting the poll though.

[Welly]

I vote for Lymington - I passed through that on a day trip to IOW many years ago.

[figworthy]

Lymington for me.  I think it is the only branch in that area that I've travelled on.

 

Adrian

[great northern]

Only one image tonight, as I have been very well occupied working out, with the considerable help of Tim, how I am going to get Hunt couplings on to a lot of my kit built stock. He has identified a few that should be Gilbert proof, so I shall have a go at those, and some others will be going to him tomorrow, which he can do without any bother. They will be coming back to me on a quick turnaround, so I'm very happy with progress today.

 

Anyway, your one picture is of D11 Marne, resting in the bay, and waiting for 5.03pm, when it will be off to Grimsby.

 

 

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

I'll go with Lymington, see I use to work on the branch, but after 6 trips a shift............well

 

manna

[Market65]

After some thought, I’m going with Lymington too.

 

Rob.

[great northern]

Two views from Spital Bridge this morning, as 60123 and the West Riding glide past the waiting A4. No need for 60010's driver to get agitated, as he is booked to stop for examination at Westwood sidings anyway.

 

 

 

 

[great northern]

No contest in this poll. Lymington 7, and only two other suggestions. Is that only because there were very few to choose from? Or do we all remember Lymington fondly as the gateway to the Isle of Wight?

 

Moving on along the south coast, today we shall consider single track branches in Hampshire and Sussex. And even I know of two.

[Clive Mortimore]

Bordon, I done my gun fitter training there.

[trw1089]

Not sure if it qualifies,  but I’ve been told to select Bishop’s Waltham as my wife’s 99 year old Great Aunt lives there...

[TrevorP1]

2 hours ago, trw1089 said:

Not sure if it qualifies,  but I’ve been told to select Bishop’s Waltham as my wife’s 99 year old Great Aunt lives there...

I think it still qualifies so Bishops Waltham again for me. Let’s try to give the place its moment of fame!

[Oldddudders]

I never got to the station at Bishops Waltham, but at Easter 1961 was staying close enough to clearly hear safety valves lifting on the engine working the yard. 

[Metropolitan H]

My vote is for the "Hayling Island" branch - with the snappy Terrier locos!

 

The alternative would be the branch to "The Dyke".

 

Regards

Chris H