Home Project- Diorama Base 3- 430 x 500
UK – A late 1940’s scene – at “Linch & Redford ”, near a railway bridge at the cross roads to Linch & Redford (as if the proposed railway line from Midhurst to Haslemere had been built)+ allotment, war memorial. The village Hants & Sussex bus on its way to Midhurst or Petersfield, waits for the afternoon train carrying shoppers & school-children home from Midhurst & an Army truck waits for new conscripts to the training camp at Cartersland. They have travelled from Waterloo to Haslemere where they changed onto a connecting train to Midhurst.
The scene is set near where Fernhurst & Linch roads meet. I have assumed a station to serve Linch & Redford near to Linch Church. On the proposals held at West Sussex Record Office* a station was proposed at Redford. As the line appears to be in a deepish cutting at this point, I have assumed a move to a more convenient location for the railway builders, if not for the Redford residents.
*( http://www.fernhurstsociety.org.uk/memory2.html )
Taking further liberties with history, I have assumed that the line had been electrified as an add-on to the Portsmouth/ Alton scheme (completed 1937), connecting through Midhurst to Pulborough. The SR liked to loop back its branch lines to improve stock utilisation (None of the lines passing through Midhurst were actually electrified.)
As part of this electrification project, which was completed in early 1939, the Southern revamped the provision for passengers with standard SR concrete construction for a new island platform, provided electric lighting and an access subway and stairs to a new small station building built at ground level onto the side of the embankment. Provision for a lift was made, but not installed.
In an architectural style reminiscent of the Chessington line, a new concrete tower was built on the Linch Road side of the embankment, containing the staircase from ground level to connect to the subway to the island platform. The only feature is lettering SOUTHERN ELECTRIC- LINCH & REDFORD affixed in a similar style to that used on SR signal boxes of the period. At ground level a station building similar in style to Seaton (Devon) but smaller and with concrete rendered finish, rather than brickwork, was provided. (The Southern management possibly engulfed in WW2 planning, unusually let this by their normal financial rigour)
I have also assumed that the SR have carried out additional works, with war threatening, so that the line could be used as a diversionary route for freight & troop trains during WW2 and had extended the passing loop originally planned to 300 yds. with an austerity signal box* to allow for the increased traffic to be be handled over this single line. The passing loop at Linch & Redford was therefore considerably longer than needed for the 2 or 4 car car trains that would have been the regular fayre for this line. The new island platform was however kept to around 250 ft., as the longer trains would be either freight or troop trains not stopping at the station.
*The signal box will be a modified SR type 14,(similar to that used at the Froyle WW2 food depot- a wartime standard) & will be mounted near the platform.
The Southern originally no doubt expected the area adjacent to the station to be soon filled with modern detached houses, to provide Guildford, London or Portsmouth commuters for their trains. Unfortunately, within months of the works being completed, the Second World War was well underway with the line providing routes for Dunkirk evacuation trains. Planning restrictions after the war stopped any likelihood of suburban development in the area.
The station, even in the 40’s, stands rather incongruously in its very rural surroundings, awaiting more commuters than ever appeared.
7th August 2016 Work is underway on the diorama- the base from some old scenic sections of Weyford, cut down & joined together to form a reasonable size, with a new top using s/h ply and reclaimed screws.
The embankments across the Milland Valley would I believe be quite high, which gives much the same impression as the Winchester to Alton line did as it crossed Springvale Road, Hookpit near where I was born & lived for my first 9 years.
These high embankments are being formed of Ikea packing cardboard as are the line of the local roads, at the modelled road junction
9th August– base work for the embankments. Bridge structure etc- quite urban in treatment due to the proximity of roads church etc
10th August Found an old Metcalfe tunnel mouth ex Weyford & have used this plus its sister- (unmade) to form the road tunnel through the railway embankment.
11th/12th August – base for station constructed. Foam base for track constructed and strip ballast laid.
Late October/Early November
As I am now free of my commitments to the Liphook club, now for modelling. To get me back in the swing to complete this diorama and then get it photographed to form the basis of a Christmas card. See also post http://www.millandvalleyrailway.co.uk/2016/11/27/
February 2017
I’ve used a Metcalf single track tunnel kit- some bits taken from newer sections of Weyford- to use as the method used to take roads under railway lines on high embankments. There were several like this in the Winchester area (Kings Worthy/ Headbourne Worthy) and at least one on the Meon Valley line (A325 Petersfield to Winchester road near West Meon Hut. Retaining walls & all copings now in place together with some pastels weathering.
PROGRESS REPORT October 2017
Well there hasn’t been any for months. I wanted to complete it so that it could be on display at the Milland Memories weekend on 21st/22nd October as a “conversation piece”, but due to lack of exhibition space (& time) that didn’t happen.
PROGRESS REPORT November 2017
A little bit of a rethink regarding the height of the embankment- nearly doubled the height to give rationale for the road tunnel rather than bridge. It looks like any island platform will have to move slightly in the Haslemere direction, which gives the passengers a slightly longer walk from the subway.
The following photographs shows the result-
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Updated – name of blog changed; progress script & photos added August 2016/23rd October 2016/ November 2016/ March 2017/Sept 2017/late October 2016/ Late October 2020- Revised to a home project. January/February 2022- General update