mikeandnel Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I am researching the proposed extension of the Chichester to Midhurst Branch from Midhurst to Haslemere with the idea of basing my EM gauge layout on this extension. I have a number of maps which show the proposed route and a drawing of the proposed junction at Midhurst dated 1865, together with the names of the proposed intermediate stations.The LBSCR proposed this extension which was authorised on July 7th 1864 but not proceeded with due to financial constraints and the idea was abandoned in 1868.I have no documentation on this proposed extension except some details which appear in Sussex Industrial History issue 7 of Spring 1976 and would be grateful for any additional information on this 'ghost' railway.Many thanksMichael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruciethefish Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 That's a tough one;- There's unlikely to be anything published, so it may be necessary to visit the public records office at Kew to see if they have anything. If an act of parliament was passed for this proposal, there should possibly be maps & drawings deposited? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted July 25, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2013 I am assuming you what information you already have from the Middleton Press books. The public records office in Chichester may have something, but I am not sure it even got as far as an Act. That said, looking at the route between the two towns, you can't really see how it would ever have paid...massive earthworks would have been needed through sparsely populated countryside; much like so many other branchlines really! Someone has built a 3mm layout called Redford Junction, which is based on this route. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted August 29, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 29, 2013 Further to my comments previously...apparently an Act was obtained for the line to Haslemere. There are details...including route maps etc. in the Public Records Office in Chichester. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeandnel Posted August 31, 2013 Author Share Posted August 31, 2013 Claude Many thanks for the tip. I do now already have the plans, route maps etc so must now work out how I am going to scenic my simple layout and whether to model Stedham or Redford (which has already been done, allbeit with a bit of licence!) Regards Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted August 31, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 31, 2013 If interested, these guys do some interesting kits... http://abmrailcraft.weebly.com/product-list---4mm.html It does depend on the era you are modelling. I believe the Country House style station may be too late for the 1850/60s...likewise for the SECR style station, which these guys do in LBSCR colours as it is a close approximation of Fittleworth; built in 1889. I am about to get to grips with a 4mm kit for a Country House station in LBSCR colours. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted August 31, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 31, 2013 If interested, these guys do some interesting kits... http://abmrailcraft.weebly.com/product-list---4mm.html It does depend on the era you are modelling. I believe the Country House style station may be too late for the 1850/60s...likewise for the SECR style station, which these guys do in LBSCR colours as it is a close approximation of Fittleworth; built in 1889. I am about to get to grips with a 4mm kit for a Country House station in LBSCR colours. The time-frame for this scheme is important in deciding the style of station buildings, but the Myres (Country House) designed stations were not entirely used for new-build lines. Hassocks got one in 1880, despite having been open since 1841, and East Grinstead, which got a double-sized Myres station building in 1882, had already had two previous structures, albeit on different sites, in 1855 and 1862. Furthermore, ABM also do a different style of LBSCR structure, which they define as Hever and Cowden (1888) but it bears a marked resemblance to Groombridge (1866) and others from earlier eras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted August 31, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 31, 2013 Had the line to Haslemere from Chichester opened as originally planned in the 1860s, then it would have been very interesting to see what the design of station would have been. The line from Pulborough to Midhurst only had Petworth as an intermediate until about 1872 and was itself replaced in c.1889, so very little evidence points to what the structures looked like - there is a picture of the original Petworth in One of the MP books, but only a small section is visible. There is also a drawing of Midhurst...but this is only an impression. Of course you could look at designs such as Pulborough and Billingshurst as possible prototypes...I believe they are both original from opening in 1859. An educated guess would suggest that had the line opened in the 1880s, then it would have been Myers all the way! That said...what would Midhurst have been like with four lines converging? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeandnel Posted September 1, 2013 Author Share Posted September 1, 2013 My thanks to Claude & Oldddudders for the link and for the comments and speculation about what the buildings would have been like. I think that I might have a 'go' at one of the kits to see how it goes together, but what ever I do will be pure conjecture due to the line not being built So if and when my scenic side appears, it will only be a guess, but thanks again both of you Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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