Embedded Files
Ashchurch Narrow Gauge
In the 1970s the Dowty RPS developed the narrow gauge railway at Ashchurch beyond the short section in the yard laid for 'George B' a few years earlier. It went out of the yard towards Northway Lane overbridge, reversed, ran along the trackbed of the Tewkesbury to Evesham chord before curving round past the Midland Railway tank house,running alongside the main line and terminating at the Dowty boundary. All photos from Stephen Mourton.
The discovery that the Dowty Meco factory at Worcester had two 2' gauge Lister diesel locos for moving bulky items on flatbed wagons between two parts of the factory separated by a main road was the catalyst for the narrow gauge expansion. An interesting feature of the Listers was that, as they crossed the main Bromyard road in the course of their duties, it was deemed that they should be registered and licensed for road use. This one, No.2, had the registration DFK 538. When No.2 became available, it was swiftly moved to Ashchurch in July 1972. Here it is in a siding adjacent to the 'George B' shed about to be started up. The loco had been built in Gloucestershire, in Dursley where Listers had a large works.
Behind the Lister the bright yellow loco is a Ruston 4-wheel diesel, acquired from Severn Trent River Authority, while at the back of the lean-to cover is a petrol-engined Motor Rail. This originally worked for Gloucester Corporation in construction of the Estcourt Road, part of the Gloucester Ring Road, in an era when major civil engineering projects still used temporary railways to shift muck and materials. It was acquired from a North West Gloucestershire Water Board site in November 1972.Also acquired from Dowty Meco, Worcester, was the four wheel wagon just in the picture after conversion to a very rudimentary passenger carriage!
Expansion beyond the site fence has taken place enabling this photo of Jung 0-4-0WT 'Justine' and Kerr Stuart 0-4-0ST 'Peter Pan' on the narrow gauge with 'Cadbury' at the end of a standard gauge siding. The narrow gauge track came out of the site and stopped just short of Northway Lane overbridge, then a reversal was necessary to travel on the old Tewkesbury - Evesham trackbed towards the BR main line. Note the ex-Provender store has been reduced to two storeys after the 1969 fire.
The DRPS acquired two Motor Rail 4 wheeled petrol locos from the North West Gloucestershire Water Board and they are shown here at the small works at Ketford deep in the countryside near Dymock. Subsequently one was sold on, but the other is retained at Toddington.
'Justine' has steamed past the tank house and stands alongside BR's main line north of Ashchurch station. It still retains buffers front and back. The loco was purchased by a group of DRPS members from a dealer in Belgium and arrived in July 1975 in a dismantled state.
St Nicholas Church is visible on the left. At least one former Ashchurch Station Master is buried there.
'Justine' makes a smoky departure with three skip wagons used in ballasting and earth removal on the track extension.
The skips were acquired from the North West Gloucestershire Water Board, who used them for muck removal at their various works.
The train is travelling on the trackbed of the former direct line from Tewkesbury to Evesham which traversed the Birmingham - Bristol line by a flat crossing, not at all common in the UK.
Left above: Lister 2 has a run along the line heading back towards the main site with a recently constructed bogie carriage, built on the frame of an ex-MOD Robert Hudson wagon. Behind the train can be seen a point lever controlling access to a branch, which I think was fairly short-lived. Looks like the main track beyond the branch has not yet been ballasted. Right above: The same train on the branch.
Two locos, two carriages. 'Peter Pan' and 'Justine' head away from the site with the front carriage, built in the Isle of Wight, and the first DRPS bogie carriage, seen in the previous picture, now in red livery.
A closer look at 'Peter Pan' in its attractive livery raising steam in the yard outside the shed where Lister 2 is visible. 'Peter Pan' arived in 1977 and was an ideal size for the operation here.
Left above: 'Justine' and Hudson bogie wagon with materials for the narrow gauge shed. Right above: Justine' has been receiving a repaint and looks quite attractive in grey undercoat with red frames as it stands alongside the BR main line on a test run. The lamp on the front came from a Taiwan Sugar Corporation steam loco,courtesy of that organisation. The loco is fitted with two whistles, the one on the cab roof being a very loud chime whistle!
Another steam loco arrived in July 1981, all the way from South Africa. Rather larger than the ones already on site, it is 'Chakas Kraal No.6' which had been plinthed at a country club in Natal after service in the sugar cane fields. Built by Hunslet Engine Co, Leeds, this powerful 0-4-2T was sent out to South Africa in 1940 as part of the war effort - with sugar supplies from Europe cut off, other sources of supply were considered vital, so 'Chaka' got priority in construction.
Looks like it needs a lot of work to be restored to working order!
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse