raggedstaffman Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Hi all I'm interested in the historic track layout and buildings of my local station, which used to be much more extensive than it is now. It's GWR, Cotswold line. Is there a good book or website that has good detailed track plans that will show me how many sidings there were, where, and what the buildings comprised of? Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Hi all I'm interested in the historic track layout and buildings of my local station, which used to be much more extensive than it is now. It's GWR, Cotswold line. Is there a good book or website that has good detailed track plans that will show me how many sidings there were, where, and what the buildings comprised of? Thanks! Which station is it? There's a series of books by R H Clark that has plans of a wide selection of former GWR stations; if you tell me which station it is, I should be able to see which volume it's in, if he's covered it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Holliday Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 A simple place to start is on the old-maps website. Not as good as it was when it had enhanced zoom, but it is usually possible to find a large scale map of your required station and era to get a scaled plan of the tracks, although some of the pointwork may not be absolutely correct, but the general layout and number and length of sidings should be visible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rail-Online Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Hi all I'There's a series of books by R H Clark that has plans of a wide selection of former GWR stations; if you tell me which station it is, I should be able to see which volume it's in, if he's covered it. Just to put the record straight I think you mean R A Cooke Tony Edit, sorry reading this again I should pont out that there is a series of 4 books on GWR station layouts By R H Clark (but Vol 4 was under a different name!), and a whole series of Track plans showing changes over the years published By R A Cooke, the latter covers each area in great detail and are really excellent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 another source is the signalling records society website. they are only signalling diagrams but will give you a nice overview of the layout and points/signals required. It's s-r-s.org.uk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raggedstaffman Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hi all - thanks. Fat Controller - it's Hanborough (used to be spelled Handborough) which is now merely a single track 3-car HST halt, but once had a goods yard, sidings, etc etc. It has a small share of fame as it was the station to which Sir Winston Churchill's body was brought for burial at Bladon. Yes, if you could look and tell me which volume of Cooke/Clarke's books it is in, if he's covered it, that would be brilliant - thank you! Nick - thanks, yes actually it was that site that started me off. I have an old photo from the 20s, which shows two tracks, and you can see bits and bobs still extant now. The weighbridge is still there, as are some coal staithes, and the second platform too. So I started wondering what else there was, and whilst Old Maps gives a good idea, it's just enhanced rather than satisfied my curiosity! Fender - brilliant - thank you - I'll go and have a look. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Another possibility is that there is almost certainly a Middleton Press book that covers the area. It would potentially have photos and or maps covering a selection of vintages. This one, perhaps? https://www.middletonpress.co.uk/books/railways/western-main-lines/oxford-to-moreton-in-marsh.html Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Or contact your the local history section of the county library - they often have collections of large scale maps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hi all - thanks. Fat Controller - it's Hanborough (used to be spelled Handborough) which is now merely a single track 3-car HST halt, but once had a goods yard, sidings, etc etc. It has a small share of fame as it was the station to which Sir Winston Churchill's body was brought for burial at Bladon. Yes, if you could look and tell me which volume of Cooke/Clarke's books it is in, if he's covered it, that would be brilliant - thank you! Nick - thanks, yes actually it was that site that started me off. I have an old photo from the 20s, which shows two tracks, and you can see bits and bobs still extant now. The weighbridge is still there, as are some coal staithes, and the second platform too. So I started wondering what else there was, and whilst Old Maps gives a good idea, it's just enhanced rather than satisfied my curiosity! Fender - brilliant - thank you - I'll go and have a look. Page 83 of Clark Volume 1 has a plan, though not a signalling diagram (ISBN 902888 29 3 if you want to see if your local library can get it on a loan) One curious feature was the two very long side-loading platforms for goods traffic, one to either side of the goods shed. I wonder what these were for- were there any big barracks or similar nearby, as such platforms were often used in the days of horse-powered armies to embark men and horses? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas G Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Wiltshire and Swondon Archives have a lot of plans from the GWR offices at Swindon, including station plans. Try searching on the Access to Archives site to see what they and other archives hold - you may be in luck! http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/ Douglas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
billbedford Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 There are many, many track plans in the NRM. OPC once produced a booklet that listed those that were microfilmed in the early 8os. This is long out of print but some copies can be found on abebooks for less that a fiver. The title is 'Railpint Track Plans Catalogue' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raggedstaffman Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 Thanks to everyone who has helped me out on this, I am very grateful. I now have the Middleton and Clark books on order at the local library, plus two others that looked interesting on the topic, and SRS were able to point me towards a great signalling diagram! Fat Controller - I'm not sure, and maybe the books I have on order will give us an idea, and I'll report back if so. However, I do not think that there have been any barracks in the area at any point. What could however be the answer is that Blenheim Palace is a stone's throw away. Whilst the Dukes would usually use the now-closed Blenheim & Woodstock branch (the 8th Duke constructed it as a private venture so he had direct access, and it was run by the GWR!) that was in the middle of the town. It may be therefore that hunting or stud activities associated with the Palace accounted for the long loading bays. Alternatively, there were - and still are - a number of saw mills nearby so we may be looking at wood traffic associated with that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagonman Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 The R A Cooke series are currently produced by Lightmoor Press http://www.lightmoor.co.uk though the one you want, no 28 Oxford & Worcester Line, is out of print. They sometimes turn up on eBay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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