2. Berks. & Hants-13.01.79

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1979 > 2. Berks. & Hants-13.01.79

A Saturday morning trip out with Graham and David in the Mini. We visited the Berks. and Hants. line near to home in Wiltshire to capture some pictures of the doomed semaphores and signal boxes. It was a very cold and frosty morning on the back of some heavy snowfall.

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Images 1-12 of 12 displayed.

50019, unidentified down working, site of Patney & Chirton station SU070591
With the frost hanging heavily on the trees and grass, 50019 'Ramillies' shatters the winter's peace in deepest Wiltshire. It is passing the site of the old Patney and Chirton station, which shut on 18.06.66, with an unidentified down working for the West Country. Looking at Google Earth reveals that this scene is very similar today including the old station footbridge that the picture is taken from. Also still with us is 50019 which is based on the Mid Norfolk Railway and still seeing regular use.
Keywords: 50019 down working site of Patney & Chirton station SU070591

31166, 06.35 Plymouth-Old Oak Common empty newspaper vans (5A06), site of Patney & Chirton station SU070591
A favourite working for many in the West Country was the daily 5A06 Plymouth to Old Oak Common empty newspaper vans. The train travelled down the previous night full of Fleet Street's finest destined for all points west. Just about any motive power could appear on this return working that left Plymouth at 06.35 (or thereabouts). Class 31s were regular performers and on this frosty morning, Tinsley based 31166 is doing the honours passing the site of the closed Patney and Chirton station. About a mile in the distance of this picture the former Devizes line diverged to the right that joined the Chippenham to Bradford Junction line at Holt Junction.
Keywords: 31166 06.35 Plymouth-Old Oak Common empty newspaper vans 5A06 site of Patney & Chirton station SU070591

47440, 06.31 Penzance-London Paddington, Patney SU068590
A striking picture of 47440 as it approaches the village of Patney in Wiltshire on a very cold morning with the 06.31 Penzance to Paddington. Despite that it is past mid-morning, frost still covers the fields in the background, testament to how cold the previous night had been, and the last few weeks for that matter. 47440 was released into traffic as steam heat D1556 in February 1964 to become ETH equipped in March 1974 when it gained its TOPS number. It survived in traffic until 1994 being cut up at Old Oak Common in 1997.
Keywords: 47440 06.31 Penzance-London Paddington Patney SU068590

50026, 08.35 Penzance-London Paddington, Woodborough SU097595
50026 'Indomitable' approaches Woodborough in Wiltshire about to pass its down home signals. It is heading the 08.35 Penzance to London Paddington. This is a fairly short train composed of five Mk. IIF coaches, an earlier non-air conditioned Mk. II coach and hanging on at the rear, a Mk. I BG. 'Indomitable' is still with us owned by Paul Spracklen and based on the Severn Valley Railway. It is in Network South East livery and is being prepared for a return to the mainline, currently all the mainline required paraphernalia is being fitted at huge expense.
Keywords: 50026 08.35 Penzance-London Paddington Woodborough SU097595

47530, unidentified down working, Woodborough SU096596
A lovely picture of 47530 at full chat past Woodborough's down home signals with an unidentified express for the West Country. Woodborough is a small village in Wiltshire that once boasted a station, a signal box and some sidings. It still retains an up and down passing loop today and two short sidings often used to store track machines but all else has gone. Careful study of the picture reveals a portent of things to come as I have cunningly hidden one of the new colour lights behind the signal post for the down loop. The semaphores here at Woodborough along with those at Lavington and the up main advanced starter and down distant of Heywood Road (Westbury) were all decommissioned the following weekend to when this picture was taken as the whole area came under the control of the Reading Panel.
Keywords: 47530 down working Woodborough SU096596

50016, unidentified up working, Woodborough SU097596
With four semaphores on view at Woodborough in Wiltshire, 50016 'Barham' heads east with an unidentified up express. As this particular train has the restaurant coach third in the formation, it is likely that the train originated from Paignton as this was more common on these workings than those from Plymouth or Penzance. The bracket semaphores to the right control the up fast and the loop whilst the single arm posts the down main and loop. All were operated by Woodborough signal box located about a third of a mile behind where I'm standing. All the arms had only another seven days of operation before they were ripped out, probably without ceremony, as the next phase of the West of England MAS scheme became live.
Keywords: 50016 up working Woodborough SU097596

47440, unidentified down working, Woodborough
As the afternoon shadows lengthen, 47440 brings an unidentified down working past Woodborough in Wiltshire. The picture is taken from a road bridge just east of the signal box that also was the location of the old station that closed in April 1966. Just beyond the home signal about level with the rear of the train is a new colour light that would be commissioned the following weekend. The feather for the loop that started just the other side of the bridge that I'm standing on can be seen.
Keywords: 47440 down working Woodborough

50042, 12.08 Paignton-London Paddington, Woodborough
50042 'Triumph' rattles Woodbrough signal box as it passes at speed with the 12.08 Paignton to Paddington. Despite extensive research, I cannot find the reporting number of this train, can anybody help? This is a messy scene at Woodbrough. The track panels laying by the side of the down fast line indicate that there is extensive work taking place. Indeed, the signal box and and mechanical signalling only had another seven days in use as it was all replaced by MAS signalling controlled by Reading PSB the following weekend. Notice the phase one Marina van parked behind the box. BR had thousands of these all painted in yellow, this one was probably being driven by an S & T technician attending the box rather than belonging to the signalman.
Keywords: 50042 12.08 Paignton-London Paddington Woodborough

50015, 13.30 London Paddington-Penzance (1B65), Woodborough
50015 'Valiant' leads the 13.30 Paddington to Penzance past Woodborough's down home signal. I know that it is taken the wrong side for the sun but I particularly like the long shadows created on the 50's nose by the jumper cable equipment. I also like the S & T telegraph wire and post standing against the clear sky, a feature of the railways that has disappeared now. Notice the line of Dutch elm trees silhouetted against the sky, they look to be in their winter phase but they would never bear leaves again as they were, by 1979, dead from the work of the elm bark beetles spreading the fatal sac fungi.
Keywords: 50015 13.30 London Paddington-Penzance 1B65 Woodborough

Lavington signal box (GW, c.1900)
Just catching the late afternoon dying rays of sunshine, Lavington signal box is seen. It is one of the Great Western's Type 7d boxes built with a hipped roof and with the classic three panes over two window arrangement. At this stage, Lavington box was half way through its final weekend of operation as it shut completely on the next Saturday night. It's interesting to note that the cast plate on the front of the box says 'Lavington' but it is actually situated close to the villages of Market and Great Lavington. So, I suppose to avoid upsetting the locals when the GW opened the station and box they chose the generic name. Incidentally, the station closed in April 1966.
Keywords: Lavington signal box

Class 47, unidentified down working, Lavington, ST996548
An unidentified Class 47 leads an afternoon down express past Lavington in Wiltshire. Just catching the last gasps of sunlight in the background is one of the up signals with a covered up colour light that would be switched on in exactly a week's time as Reading PSB took over control of this section of line. The picture is taken from the site of the old Lavington station (closed 18.06.66) with the locomotive crossing the bridge that has the A360 road underneath that is a favourite location for lorry strikes with a 4.6m (13' 6") clearance.
Keywords: Class 47 down working Lavington ST996548

50003, 13.48 Plymouth-London Paddington (1A03), Lavington ST987546
This picture amply illustrates how good Ilford FP4 film was (and still is as it can be bought today). Despite being only 125ASA it has handled the very low light conditions here at Lavington. There is virtually no grain on the negative (today it would be called 'noise') and a very atmospheric picture has been produced. 50003 'Temeraire' is seen working past Lavington's up bracket that now only has the up main home arm in place. It is leading the 1A03 13.48 Plymouth to Paddington train; can anybody help with the reporting number? It is fitting that this lovely image ends this trip as all the boxes and semaphore here and at Woodborough would come out of use the following Saturday as the next phase of the Reading PSB MAS signaling was switched on.
Keywords: 50003 13.48 Plymouth-London Paddington 1A03 Lavington ST987546

Images 1-12 of 12 displayed.