Hayles Abbey Halt & The Honeybourne Line

[County of Yorkshire]

Well, after about a decade of indecision and procrastination, I think I’ve settled on the subject for my first ever layout. After spending May bank holiday Saturday at Hayles Abbey Halt watching the trains go by at the GWSR gala, I realised that a model of the halt in late GWR days would be an ideal first layout project.

 

Whilst not offering much operational interest, it will allow me to hone my layout building skills with a view to building something more ambitious in the future. It will be an ideal diorama-style layout on which to pose my stock, offering a double track mainline with some scenic interest featuring the two platformed halt, and the road overbridge. 
 

I therefore wanted to ask whether there are any books RMWebbers recommend about the history of the Honeybourne line? Ideally, featuring pictures of Hayles Abbey Halt during its years of operation. Also, if anyone knows of any online sources of pictures of the Halt and the Honeybourne line in the 1930s and 40s, that would very helpful too! So far I’ve only been able to find two BR era shots of the Halt. 
 

Thank you in anticipation…

 

CoY

[Goldhawk]

There is a photo to be found in Stratford upon Avon to Cheltenham by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, one the Middleton Press Country Railway Routes series.

The photo, taken in 1960 from the road bridge shows both platforms with a 14xx loco and auto trailer working towards Cheltenham.  
 

[County of Yorkshire]

Many thanks Goldhawk. Didn’t get a notification of your post, so only just seen this. I will investigate that publication. 

[Goldhawk]

The Middleton Press website shows that the book is currently in stock.

[Michael Hodgson]

The new GWSR platform appears to be about the same length as the two original platforms put together!

[GWR57xx]

On 03/06/2024 at 22:32, County of Yorkshire said:

 

I therefore wanted to ask whether there are any books RMWebbers recommend about the history of the Honeybourne line? Ideally, featuring pictures of Hayles Abbey Halt during its years of operation. Also, if anyone knows of any online sources of pictures of the Halt and the Honeybourne line in the 1930s and 40s, that would very helpful too! So far I’ve only been able to find two BR era shots of the Halt. 
 

 

Halyes Abbey Halt gets a mention (with photo) in this book:

 

The page in question is shown as one of the preview pages here:

https://graffeg.com/collections/lost-lines/products/lost-lines-stratford-upon-avon-to-gloucester

 

[County of Yorkshire]

10 hours ago, GWR57xx said:

 

Halyes Abbey Halt gets a mention (with photo) in this book:

 

The page in question is shown as one of the preview pages here:

https://graffeg.com/collections/lost-lines/products/lost-lines-stratford-upon-avon-to-gloucester

 

Many thanks for this. I’ve only been able to find 3 pre-preservation pictures of the Halt, and this is a new one, so you’ve increased my photo reference library by 33%!