MSWJ Cheltenham - Southampton passenger service 1959 to 1961

Through passenger service over the MSWJ between Cheltenham and Southampton, 1959 to 1961

Living next to the line at Cheltenham, I saw the sole remaining passenger train between Cheltenham, Andover and Southampton over the old MSWJ route quite a lot. From my records I have listed locos used on many dates from 1959 to 9 September 1961 when the service ceased. Unfortunately some of my notes have been lost, so it is not as comprehensive as I would like. If anybody can add to the list from their own observations or from published information and photos, please get in contact. In 1961 the train took three hours thirty-five minutes Monday – Friday, with an extra five minutes on Saturdays to get from Cheltenham St James to Southampton Central. In January 2013, the one daily through train between Cheltenham Lansdown and Southampton Central took three hours nine minutes, by a very different route, via Gloucester, Swindon, Westbury and Salisbury, although there were faster services by changing at Bristol.

The morning train to Cheltenham did not start at Southampton, but at Andover, leaving there at 7.50am, due into Cheltenham St James at 10.55am. It was normally hauled by Southern Region 'Mogul' 2-6-0s from September 1953*, before then it was worked by ex-GW 'Moguls'. The return train with the same loco departed St James at 1.52pm (1.48pm Saturdays) arriving at Southampton Central at 5.27pm (5.28pm Saturdays) and Southampton Terminus at 5.37pm. These two trains were the only ones to reach Cheltenham over the MSWJ after 30 June 1958 when other through services on the route were withdrawn. The service used Cheltenham Lansdown station until 3 November 1958, when it was transferred to terminate at Cheltenham St James. The reason for the change was the removal of the connection at Lansdown Junction between Lansdown station and the line to Andoversford and the MSWJ, effectively ending the use of the MSWJ as a through route from Southampton to the Midlands and the north. Prior to the change, passengers could catch connections off the MSWJ trains at Lansdown station onto expresses for Birmingham, Derby, Sheffield, York and Newcastle. The Railway Observer reported that on 6 October 1958 the 2pm Cheltenham - Southampton from Lansdown had a dozen passengers from the north going to Cirencester,with another 30 going further south. After the change, anyone off the remaining MSWJ passenger train travelling further north had to alight at Cheltenham Malvern Road and walk a good half mile to Lansdown station and,of course, vice-versa. To rub salt into the wound, arrival at Malvern Road of the train from Andover at 10.53am was just a few minutes after the Swansea – Birmingham Snow Hill diesel multiple unit service departed at 10.47am.  

Here is 31795, from 71A Eastleigh shed, in Lansdown station on the train departure for Southampton Terminus. It is a class 'B' train (the lamp should be on the top bracket) , an ordinary passenger - until June 1957 this was a class 'A' express passenger. After 30 June 1958 there was just one round trip to and from Cheltenham over the MSWJ, which arrived at 10.52am from Andover and left at 1.52pm (1.48pm on Saturdays).

On 8 September 1961, the train to Southampton headed by U class 31808 is seen departing from its stop at Malvern Road station.

31801 Foss Cross. Another U, 31801, is on the 7.50am from Andover on Saturday 14 May 1960. This was a memorable day on the MSW as, heading in the other direction and crossing here with 31801, was an enthusiasts special for Southampton Docks with preserved loco 3440 'City of Truro'. A photo of the latter coming out of Cheltenham is in the 'Specials on the Kingham and MSWJ Branches' section.

Addition and amendments to above listings:

14 May 1960 31801 from a photograph

12 December 1959 was 31809, not 28 November.

30 December 1960 was 31794, not 24 December.

18 August 1961 was 31622, not 31632

A couple of published pictures show 'N' class 31816 with a  Swindon Town to Andover passenger train on 9 September 1961. The loco was transferred  to 71A Eastleigh in the three weeks ending 26 May 1961 and as far as I am aware never made it to Cheltenham.

'U' class 31619 steams towards the closed Gloucester Loop Junction signal box with the Southampton train in an undated picture. The box which opened in January 1905 with 25 levers had been officially closed since August 1956 when the loop was taken out of use and was rarely used in BR days - it was being dismantled in 1960. The half mile long line to Hatherley Junction curved away on the left. 31619 was one of the regular locos as can be seen from the listings. Photo D L Smith,Stephen Mourton collection

A couple of shots at Lansdown Junction with the service going into and out of Malvern Road and St James with regular locos 31629 and 31801. Photos Roger Wales

Most of the engines were 'U' class 2-6-0s from 71A Eastleigh, but an exception was 31625 on 13 April 1961, shedded at 70C Guildford. The same depot provided the first 'N' class 2-6-0 seen on the service, 31812 on 25 July 1960. Another seven 'N' class were seen subsequently at Cheltenham. Three, 31413, 31810 and 31818, were Eastleigh engines, while 31813 and 31814 were from 72B Salisbury, with 31844 and 31847 coming from 72A Exmouth Junction.  A number of the BR Standard class 4 2-6-0s also worked over the line, all being Eastleigh based except 76008 from 72B on 21 March 1961. But undoubtedly the star loco from the ones listed was 3-cylinder 'U1' 2-6-0 31896 from 70B Feltham on 24 July 1961 which had also been seen working between Andover and Swindon Town a couple of days earlier. It only spent about four months at Feltham, being on the South Eastern section and Brighton lines of the Southern Region for the rest of its existence, so the chances of it appearing at Cheltenham were minimal – but it happened.

'U' 2-6-0s were the usual power, but sometimes the similar 'N' class would appear as on 4 March 1961 when 31814 is seen leaving Cheltenham with the 1.48pm from St James' to Southampton. Lansdown Junction box is visible on the left, while Dean Close School is on the right. This was a rare appearance by 31814, possibly the only time it graced Cheltenham; it was a 72B Salisbury based engine. Photo D L Smith, Stephen Mourton collection

Local newspaper article about the MSWJ closure. The final timetabled passenger train left Cheltenham St James on Saturday 9 September 1961, ending a service which had lasted just over seventy years, with the first run between Southampton and Cheltenham being on 1 August 1891.

Footnotes

* There were at least three occasions in April 1952 when a 'U' appeared, possibly by way of a trial - 31631 on 7 April; 31805 on 16 April; 31631 on 23 April. Information courtesy of Peter Cupper.

+ See Endpiece section  for a picture of 31629 on this date.

After the cutbacks to services implemented from 30 June 1958, it was not possible to do a day trip out from Cheltenham and back again on the MSWJ, with only one train each way which started at the Andover end. But there was an interesting round trip on a summer Saturday in 1961 - virtually a half day - utilising the MSWJ and the Somerset & Dorset routes. Leaving Cheltenham St James' at 1.48pm, the MSW train was due into Southampton Central at 5.28pm. From there at  5.58pm for Bournemouth West got one to that station at 6.59pm. Departure on the S & D passenger was at 7.25pm, which arrived at Bath Green Park at 9.53pm. This train actually carried on to Bristol Temple Meads, leaving at 10.8pm. However, just to ease the connection times and if your arrival in Bath was on schedule, there was an earlier departure at 9.58pm, due in the triangular station at Mangotsfield at 10.16pm (the later arrival was 10.26pm). Alighting at Mangotsfield, you would wait for the 10.15pm Saturdays only from Temple Meads.This departed Mangotsfield at 10.33pm with arrival into Cheltenham St James' at 11.58pm! Coming into St James' from Bristol was unusual, Lansdown being the normal station. What a wonderful journey it would have been on a warm and sunny summer's afternoon and evening, covering two of the most interesting pre-grouping railways! Sadly I never travelled over the MSWJ, though I did manage a trip on the S & D. 

Before severing of the connection to Andoversford at Lansdown Junction in October 1958, freights ran from Cheltenham High Street yard over the MSWJ. Here once more is U 2-6-0 31795 on the 3.20pm to Eastleigh at an unknown date. The loco is not an Eastleigh one at this stage, bearing another shedplate, 70C Guildford, so quite rare at the time - possibly it was on loan to Eastleigh. The front three coaches in the Vineyard sidings are likely to be the set brought in by 31795 at 1.35pm on the 10.10am class 'A' from Southampton Terminus, which will form the 5.25pm to Andover, whose motive power was sometimes a loco fresh from overhaul at Swindon Works.