Andover - Ludgershall branch

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Passing through Andover today noticed that work is taking place on the Ludgershall branch. Is it being upgraded for an increase in trains serving it?

 

[peteb]

Given the nature of the "customer" at Ludgershall, then this is probably covered by the official secrets act...........

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Given the nature of the "customer" at Ludgershall, then this is probably covered by the official secrets act...........

The army depot closed in 2015.

 

[Kite159]

Something about it was mentioned in a copy of the BLS newsletter in the last couple months. Let me have a look to see if I can find the mention about it

Edit -
Creation of a runround loop plus a new siding next to the existing siding next to platform 1, and a new siding for On-Track Machinery.

(BLNs 1363.3026 & 1381.1953)

-----

(As for Ludgershall, the main Corunna barracks is long gone, replaced with housing, but the MOD still have limited rail activity with a rail terminal)

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

Something about it was mentioned in a copy of the BLS newsletter in the last couple months. Let me have a look to see if I can find the mention about it

Edit -
Creation of a runround loop plus a new siding next to the existing siding next to platform 1, and a new siding for On-Track Machinery.

(BLNs 1363.3026 & 1381.1953)

-----

(As for Ludgershall, the main Corunna barracks is long gone, replaced with housing, but the MOD still have limited rail activity with a rail terminal)

At last! They were talking about moving the run round to beside the branch back when I used to go there.
Pat

 

[E759]

From The Railway Hub, March 2020:

The Mid-Norfolk Railway welcomed the return of military freight traffic last week to its Wymondham to Dereham heritage line.

After a successful season in 2019, which saw plenty of summer steam journeys and a busy Polar Express special schedule over Christmas, one of the longest preserved railways in the UK saw sixteen wheeled, armoured vehicles, including Jackals and Panthers, transported along the line for the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.

The vehicles had been used by the soldiers of the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards during the last month, while testing their skills during Exercise Wessex Storm on Salisbury Plain.

The special cargo was moved by rail overnight from Ludgershall on the edge of Salisbury Plain, to Wymondham, where resident preserved Class 47 diesel locomotive No. 47367 pulled the 12 wagons, tailed by GB Railfreight Class 66 No. 66778, to Dereham yard and into the recently built maintenance shed.

As per Kite's post above, Ludgershall is still in use by the MOD.

 

[RedPostJunc]

Ludgershall branch has seen very little traffic in 2021. I am only aware of a VKA arriving in March, the same VKA departing in June and a VGA arriving later in June. I suspect all the vans were empties and on all three occasions the loco arrived or returned light. I don't believe the weed killer or track test train have visited this year.

Were the van movements were some sort of legal requirement to stop the branch being classified as "disused"?
How do train crew retain route knowledge of a line that has such little use?

 

[Chonner]

Work has resumed at Andover the past week or so having been paused for about 4 weeks (perhaps so resources could be moved to Fisherton Tunnel?).
The track and ballast next to the platform has been removed.

 

[BS56]

While we are talking about this branch line is the up fixed distant semaphore signal still there approaching red post junction ?

 

[RedPostJunc]

Had a look at the yard today. It has been completely relaid with three sidings, one of which is quite short, laid on concrete sleepers and new ballast. That surprised me, as its only use in the last two years that I am aware of is occasionally stabling a ballast tamper.
Does anyone know if there are plans to make more use of the yard?

 

[Snow1964]

Had a look at the yard today. It has been completely relaid with three sidings, one of which is quite short, laid on concrete sleepers and new ballast. That surprised me, as its only use in the last two years that I am aware of is occasionally stabling a ballast tamper.
Does anyone know if there are plans to make more use of the yard?

View attachment 107921

The siding on the right of photo (left of train) doesn’t look the best for being weed free.

Also worth remembering the area with the new track was subject to a land disposal proposal about 3 years ago (attaching link to ORR decision Jan 2020 with maps), the track layout changes are on last couple of pages.

https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/om/c17-land-disposal-notice-andover-station-yard-hampshire.pdf

Regarding the branch, I think it once had an extension to Tidworth (closed mid 1950s) and apparently end 1940s or early 1950s had 4 trains on a Sunday evening from London to convey service personell returning from weekend breaks. Don’t know if these were branch trains or through trains though.

 

[Gloster]

The siding on the right was the one that extended from the goods shed down past the loading bank. There was a connection to the Down Main near the shed, worked from the main ground frame at the west end of the Up platform, and a second down the west end with its own ground frame. I was never around in the early hours, but I believe that the loco and vans of the early morning Basingstoke-Salisbury vans could be let out at the far end. (Less shunting, but a fair walk back in the dark for the Leading Railman after he had shut up the ground frame.)

 

[RedPostJunc]

The line on the right hand edge of the photo is just a piece of abandoned track, it is not connected to the line the train is on or any other lines.

If I understand the ORR document, the proposal seems to be to redevelop the area beyond the buffer stops which is currently occupied by Switch as a transport depot (the blue building in the background in the photo). This is the area shaded in red on the Supplemental Strategic freight site (SSFS) map. The access road to that plot of land would be retained as part of an expanded SSFS, thus ensuring road access to the yard.

While we are talking about this branch line is the up fixed distant semaphore signal still there approaching red post junction ?

Yes, there is still a fixed distant there. A painted distant semaphore on a white board.

 

[Kite159]

Looks like the work has completed, the barrier fence along the platform has gone and buffer stops have moved into place.

Hopefully the new track layout will get used by more trains and won't be a waste of money!

 

[RedPostJunc]

Network Rail have informed Ludgershall residents that track maintenance work will be carried out in the week after Easter.

 

[RedPostJunc]

Network Rail were working in Andover yard at the weekend, replacing redundant switches with plain track.
Does anyone know of plans to make use of the refurbished yard?

 

[Daytona600]

They are still working now. 07/07/22

 

[Signal_Box]

Ludgershall branch has seen very little traffic in 2021. I am only aware of a VKA arriving in March, the same VKA departing in June and a VGA arriving later in June. I suspect all the vans were empties and on all three occasions the loco arrived or returned light. I don't believe the weed killer or track test train have visited this year.

Were the van movements were some sort of legal requirement to stop the branch being classified as "disused"?
How do train crew retain route knowledge of a line that has such little use?

A line can remain unused for any period of time with it being closed, even lines with full on trees growing out of the track aren’t closed as such.

There’s a formal process Network Rail have to go throw in order to formal close a line.

A for route retention, it’s been known for crew to walk a route over a number of days to learn it prior to train based learning.

 

[RedPostJunc]

A line can remain unused for any period of time with it being closed, even lines with full on trees growing out of the track aren’t closed as such.

There’s a formal process Network Rail have to go throw in order to formal close a line.

A for route retention, it’s been known for crew to walk a route over a number of days to learn it prior to train based learning.

Thank you for your reply. I do not work on the railways and had no idea about the crew walking a route.

"even lines with full on trees growing out of the track aren’t closed"
It's a long time since the weedkller train visited the Ludgershall branch, although a 37 hauled measurement train visited the branch in the middle of the night recently. There are various saplings growing through the track. Are there any regulations about how often a line should be sprayed?

 

[fgwrich]

Ludgershall branch has seen very little traffic in 2021. I am only aware of a VKA arriving in March, the same VKA departing in June and a VGA arriving later in June. I suspect all the vans were empties and on all three occasions the loco arrived or returned light. I don't believe the weed killer or track test train have visited this year.

Were the van movements were some sort of legal requirement to stop the branch being classified as "disused"?
How do train crew retain route knowledge of a line that has such little use?

A line can remain unused for any period of time with it being closed, even lines with full on trees growing out of the track aren’t closed as such.

There’s a formal process Network Rail have to go throw in order to formal close a line.

A for route retention, it’s been known for crew to walk a route over a number of days to learn it prior to train based learning.

Indeed. Its unlikely it’ll be formally closed given its location at the northern end. With regards to the lack of traffic to Luggershall though, that will of course depend on the requirements of the MOD. The VKA / VGA no doubt delivering some kind of supplies, possibly from MOD Bicester. Other MOD branches are in effect in the same boat, it’s been a while since any freight headed down the Gunnislake branch to Ernsettle, and Glen Douglas has really only started to see regular use again.

 

[zwk500]

Thank you for your reply. I do not work on the railways and had no idea about the crew walking a route.

"even lines with full on trees growing out of the track aren’t closed"
It's a long time since the weedkller train visited the Ludgershall branch, although a 37 hauled measurement train visited the branch in the middle of the night recently. There are various saplings growing through the track. Are there any regulations about how often a line should be sprayed?

Not sure if they're regulations as such, but yes there are standards. it varies depending on the quantity and type of traffic booked over the line. I think it also varies depending on the published capability of the line (so a line rated for 60mph will be treated more often than a line rated for 15mph).

According to the Sectional Appendix the branch is fully open: https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blo...ussex Wessex Sectional Appendix June 2022.pdf (Page 698)

 

[Dougal2345]

There's a railtour heading down the branch Saturday week: The Solent Searcher

 

[RedPostJunc]

There's a railtour heading down the branch Saturday week: The Solent Searcher

This train is showing on UK Railtours web site, (16/07/2022 0814 Waterloo, 0848 Woking), but not on Real Times trains. I thought specials were usually added to the timetables a couple of weeks in advance.

This train is showing on UK Railtours web site, (16/07/2022 0814 Waterloo, 0848 Woking), but not on Real Times trains. I thought specials were usually added to the timetables a couple of weeks in advance.

This train is open for booking on UK Railtours website, but is still not showing in Real Times trains. Is it actually going to run?

 

[Train Maniac]

This train is showing on UK Railtours web site, (16/07/2022 0814 Waterloo, 0848 Woking), but not on Real Times trains. I thought specials were usually added to the timetables a couple of weeks in advance.


This train is open for booking on UK Railtours website, but is still not showing in Real Times trains. Is it actually going to run?

Ive started a new thread in the 'Railtours and Preservation' section
Link: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/uk-railtours-solent-searcher-16-07-2022.234304/
Hopefully get some answers