Selsey Tramway - route map?

[ajdown]

I've been trying to trace the route of the Selsey Tramway, but the OS map I have of the area only shows parts of a 'dismantled railway'.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions - short of buying the book - as to where I might be able to find a map? I'm particularly interested in the part around Pagham Harbour.

 

Having spent some time in the area, I think it would make an interesting "what if" layout should it have remained open, especially around the harbour itself (otherwise I would guess the lineside was fairly flat and barren) and with the 150/153 now out, is ideal motive power. Also, the little station kit that Heljan have now released would go quite nicely with it I reckon.

[eastwestdivide]

The route's marked in the Cobb historical atlas, which is based on the 1 inch OS maps, so I'd have thought your "dismantled railway" would be accurate as far as it's shown.

 

Trying to fill in the gaps around Pagham Harbour: from N to S, it runs from Mill Pond Halt (grid ref: 857978), just E of the road, in approx a 5 o'clock direction to Sidlesham station (859971) just S of the small road, then in a roughly 7 o'clock direction parallel with the marshy bit of the harbour, crossing the road at (856963) - Ferry House, to Ferry station (855960) next to Ferry Farm.

 

Ferry station was also known as Ferry Siding until 1911 it says.

 

Hope that makes some sense combined with your map, as I can't really photocopy the atlas.

[ajdown]

A big help, thanks - I'll check that out when I get home. I don't have that atlas - just the London rail atlas.

 

Using the "SZ" prefix and the OS map 'get-a-map' thing helps tremendously just from that.

 

Methinks another local reference trip, around the Crab & Lobster public house at Sidlesham Quay, might be in order. I was looking at it from Church Norton and couldn't quite figure out where things went, not realising that it was actually the old harbour wall I was looking at rather than the line of the old railway.

 

Seeing the Shefflex Railmotor kit review in Model Rail this month (http://steamandthings.com/) somewhat inspired me to give this project some serious consideration, although I'm not good with brass kits so I'm more likely to do a modern "what if" version using rtr stock, as much as a Colonel Stephens based layout has appeal.

[Mallard60022]

I've been trying to trace the route of the Selsey Tramway, but the OS map I have of the area only shows parts of a 'dismantled railway'.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions - short of buying the book - as to where I might be able to find a map? I'm particularly interested in the part around Pagham Harbour.

 

Having spent some time in the area, I think it would make an interesting "what if" layout should it have remained open, especially around the harbour itself (otherwise I would guess the lineside was fairly flat and barren) and with the 150/153 now out, is ideal motive power. Also, the little station kit that Heljan have now released would go quite nicely with it I reckon.

 

If you contact WSCC Archives (Chichester) I believe the Director is/was a bit of a railway buff (or they were in the late 90's!) so you should be able to gain access to info from there.

PR

[Nick Holliday]

If you go to the OLD-MAPS.CO.UK website and then the MAPS tab and type in Selsey, select the one found, you should get an early large scale OS map of the area, before the line was built. If you then scroll through to Map 7 of 8 you should have the choice of a 1938 1:10000 map. Click on that and you should be able to see Selsey station (top right). It is then a slow and tedious process to scroll along the route towards Chichester. It can be speeded up by clicking on the bottom line on the left hand tool bar, which will zoom you out, making the scrolling quicker. You can then zoom in using the same toolbar and it is almost possible to check track layouts at the various stations.

[ajdown]

I managed to find a 1901 OS map of the area on ebay for a couple of quid, so postal strike willing that should be with me in a couple of months, then it's all laid out for me in one simple place.

 

I know there's a book out there all about the Selsey line but I didn't fancy spending nearly ??20 on a 'what if' layout project, amongst the many other projects in my head vying for attention and to be turned into reality at some point if only I could decide which one to do next.

 

I need to move, preferably into a warehouse, then I'll have all the space I need.

[DaveF]

Middleton Press do "Branch Line to Selsey", which covers the route. From memory (I no longer have the book) it has maps of all of it as well as the photos.

 

Perhaps your library could get a copy? - Certainly mine has got their books for me in the past (I live in Northumberland - we have quite a good library service).

 

Dvid

[arty]

if you buy both the recent Wild Swan books by Laurie Cooksey it will cost you ??61.90 ( RRP )

Very nice books with loads of pictures.

 

with a map in one hand and Google maps on your computer, it is quite easy to trace the track of the Selsey Tramway from the aerial view, field bounderies and unexplained clearings will provide clues to the route.

There are are areas where you need a bit of imagination but it will pass a few mins/hours of spare time.