Route Build Special

  WELCOME to our route build special blog post. We will feature work taking place on three routes, with a mystery fourth featuring at the end of the article.

Wycombe Railway and Joint Line Version 3

  As revealed in a previous blog post, Peter Goodearl is busy preparing version 3 of his fantastic 'return to the steam days' route. Version 2 took us from Oxford to Maidenhead via Thame, Princes Risborough and High Wycombe, and Princes Risborough to Bicester, via Ashendon Junction.Version 3 extends north from Oxford to Banbury and Bicester to Banbury on what is now the Chiltern Mainline. Here are a selection of the images sent through by Peter:

An S160, with a train of empty ore wagons, leaves the Up Goods line at Ironstone Sidings, a mile or so north of Banbury.

Oxfordshire Ironstone private sidings. Their line stretched 4 or 5 miles to quarries at Wroxton.

Banbury Junction where the LNER/Great Central branch from Woodford Halse joins the GWR Oxford to Birmingham line.

Two rows of weeds conveniently delimit the running lines. The S160 is on the Up Goods line. To the left of it are the Up Main, Down Main, Down Yard Reception, and Down Goods. The next 6 are the Old Down Yard and 6 more of the New Down Yard which was added during the War. On the right are the Reception Lines for Banbury Hump Yard.

The (non functional) 'Hump' Yard at Banbury.

Banbury Station and the River Cherwell.

Across the bottom is the Oxford Canal. A tar works, with private siding, is between it and the River Cherwell. At the top is Banbury Cattle Market.

Banbury had a major cattle market, at one time the largest in Europe.

Banbury Shed. Wartime additions include an extension to the coalstage which loads a line on the far side and ash sheds built to hide the glow from enemy bombers.

The gasworks was between the GWR and LMS lines. It also received bomb damage. After it closed it became a scrapyard and several locos were cut up there.

Next are selection of images from the Banbury station platforms:

  There will be more on the Wycombe Railway and Joint Line Version 3 soon. We hope to get the new version complete by the end of the year. 

The Bluebell Railway

  As revealed exclusively on Facebook, we will be releasing our version of the Bluebell Railway in the near future. The route has been developed by Ivor Russell, with many custom assets. Our version will feature our custom track, audio environment and much more. See the below images showing some of the most recognizable parts of the line:

Sheffield Park Station

Standard 4MT Tank 80151 approaches Horsted Keynes on the high embankment

The view off the end of Horsted Keynes platform 2, looking towards Kingscote and East Grinstead

Looking back towards Horsted Keynes

A birds-eye view of Kingscote

The high quality of station model can be appreciated in this shot

Kingscote Signal Box controls all activity at around the station and all movement between here and East Grinstead

GWSR Update In The Works

  As was our intention upon release, the GWSR isn't standing still. Much like the real line, our route is extending and changing. See below some new additions and extensions taking place:

One of the first things to put in was the new water tower in Toddington loco yard

The new viewing areas off the end of Toddington platforms 1 and 2 have been put in

Up at Laverton, the loop has gone. New running line is in place and the extension to Broadway has begun!

The sight of the previous headshunt and new rail is now in

First of the new bridges is in. Progress towards Broadway is well under way

The railhead in the distance is Broadway. As you can see, there's much to do!

Mystery Route

  As many of you will have seen, we have a mystery route in development. We're not ready to announce it yet, as we are tying up various contracts and agreements with parties associated with the project. What we will do is share another distorted image taken in the route itself. See if you can work it out!

You might be thinking you can tell what loco type is in the picture, but don't let that fool you!

Two Ways to Banbury - A Wycombe Railway Update

  YOU'D BE FORGIVEN for thinking that the Wycombe Railway and Joint Line was a complete route, having achieved it's main purpose; that of recreating the 'actual' Wycombe Railway. Namely the High Wycombe to Oxford, via Princes Risborough, line. This aim was finally realized with the release of version 2 last year, with the extension of the route through Thame, into Oxford. However, after a natural break, Peter has now moved on, and is working at a steady pace extending to Banbury and Banbury! Not only will version 3 include the relatively short extension of the GW Bicester cut-off route(version 2 reached Ardley) to Banbury, but also the main line from Oxford to Banbury. Here Peter presents a pictorial update on the Ardley to Kings Sutton section:

Limestone quarry at Ardley Station. It was taken to a cement works a dozen miles north of Banbury.
I don't know when this quarry opened or closed.
In the 1970's there were sidings and loading stage south of the station on the down side.

The only image of the loading stage I have yet found is a brief clip on a DVD, The Power of the Castles.

Leaving Ardley Quarry. Large Prairies were possibly the most usual choice of traction but the Standard 4 Tanks, 9F's and even a B1 were used.

Emerging from the northern end of Ardley tunnel

Crossing the first Souldern viaduct

The Oxford to Banbury line. A Standard 4 on the down goods loop south of Aynho station. The Wycombe line joins it at Aynho Junction beyond the station.

The second Souldern viaduct

Passing Aynho Park station before descending to the junction

Approaching Aynho Park from Banbury

  Aynho Park station was a short walk from Aynho for Deddington and administered by the same station master. The ticket office was built at the foot of the embankment and here looks very much like Wheatley parcels shed. I visited to photograph it and found a large builder's wire fence, a waste skip and a fresh patch of gravel.

Aynho Park

The Wycombe line descends into the Cherwell valley.
The river meanders across its flood plain as does the Oxford canal and several mill leats.

One of the many farm access draw bridges across the canal.

Aynho Junction. Crossing the Oxford line and up goods loop.

Taking the Wycombe line at Aynho junction

Aynho troughs.

Nell Bridge, crossing Aynho troughs

Nell Bridge wharf.

The Southern Region loco took over the inter regional train for the South Coast at Banbury

Canal and river at the junction with the Banbury and Cheltenham line. The M40 now crosses very close to here.

Kings Sutton. An unprofitable goods waits to join the main line to Banbury.

The junction with the Banbury and Cheltenham line at Kings Sutton.

Kings Sutton. The station buildings were a very ornate version of a style used at several locations on the Banbury and Cheltenham line.

North from Kings Sutton

Beyond Kings Sutton

Twyford Bridge. I assume the centre of the bridge was originally a brick arch but don't know when it was replaced with a metal span.

Astrop Box. There used to me an ironstone quarry with loading sidings opposite though it had closed and returned to agriculture in the 1920's.

On the goods loop approaching Banbury. The M40 now crosses the line somewhere near here.

Kings Sutton lock with a Southern Region service going south in the distance.

Kings Sutton - looking north

Kings Sutton - looking south

Nell Bridge

Taking the Oxford line at Aynho junction

Waiting in the up goods loop north of Aynho station

Aynho Wharf behind the station.

Aynho for Deddington. A primary requirement for a station master on the Oxford line seems to have been to have very green fingers.

Aynho wharf

Aynho for Deddington station

The Oxford line and the first Souldern viaduct in the background

There we have it for this update. Still a lot of work to do, but things are looking really promising. The Bicester cut-off part is basically complete. Oxford to Banbury itself is going to take time.

More Soon. . . . . . . . . . . . . 

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