Siding Renewals at Micheldever

[fgwrich]

Something I was surprised to see yesterday afternoon from my passing service, and I think yet to be mentioned on the forum, is that the sidings just outside the former Micheldeaver Oil Terminal are under possession and appear to be being relayed. As a result of this, the former RFD WIA Cartics have been shunted around the yard and are being cut up on site.

Does anyone know the reason for this renewal?

Some photos here (not my photos as they didn't come out as well as these):

October 2022 - SIsUKTrainPix

I have been interested in Trains for over 50 years and following the demise of Fotopic I am slowly putting back some of my photos on here. In the meantime, a big thank you to all those that regularly post gen and please feel free to leave any comments if you wish.

sisuktrainpix.smugmug.com

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Could it be to store withdrawn SWR 701's if space elsewhere is at a premium?

 

[swt_passenger]

Could it be to store withdrawn SWR 701's if space elsewhere is at a premium?

I wouldn’t have thought it was secure enough for new rolling stock storage.

 

[Snow1964]

There is less room there nowadays as the main line was slewed onto the site of some former sidings.

Photo (from 1994) shows the oil terminal to left (the chalk hill was dug out in 1930s as fill for new Southampton docks). I think the oil terminal was covered as originally was for RAF in WW2 to prevent bomb damage. The large cleared central area was where old stock used to be stored, the concrete trough shows the realignment with new crossovers. The station used to have 4 platforms, but only the central island remains in use.

56052 Micheldever 11 December 1994

It ought to be fairly easy to make secure sidings in the cleared area in the photo protected by huge fence and gate if stock needs to be stored.

 

[30907]

There is less room there nowadays as the main line was slewed onto the site of some former sidings.

Photo (from 1994) shows the oil terminal to left (the chalk hill was dug out in 1930s as fill for new Southampton docks). I think the oil terminal was covered as originally was for RAF in WW2 to prevent bomb damage. The large cleared central area was where old stock used to be stored, the concrete trough shows the realignment with new crossovers. The station used to have 4 platforms, but only the central island remains in use.

EDIT The photos linked by the OP show that the layout hasn't changed since 1994 (apart from the installation of the new paintwork seen in your linked photo.

 

[pompeyfan]

It’s odd because you would assume there is a purpose to it, seeing as the job is probably costing several hundreds of thousands of pounds, and yet Andover was done recently for no purpose.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I thought that Andover had been done for continued use by engineering plant (as well as ongoing, albeit limited, military traffic to/from Ludgershall)..

 

[Xavi]

I'm sure I read somewhere about a new down through line with the down platform then being usable as a turnback.

 

[Dave Beeching]

As a result of this, the former RFD WIA Cartics have been shunted around the yard and are being cut up on site.

Is that the blue car transporter wagons? Sorry, I'm not upto date with the abbreviations!


There was also work about 2.5km further south on Sunday at Weston Colley/Northbrook.

 

[fgwrich]

Is that the blue car transporter wagons? Sorry, I'm not upto date with the abbreviations!


There was also work about 2.5km further south on Sunday at Weston Colley/Northbrook.

It is / was indeed.

There seemed to be quite a few worksites on this weekend, Eastleigh has some relaying through the station and possibly some proprietary works on Campbell Road bridge.

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

Perhaps you should also factor in the huge delays in getting these jobs up and running. The Andover job was in the WON at least 10 years ago, and swiftly withdrawn. My manager said that was due to some spat between NR and SWT, so we never got a proper run-round there before I retired.
At Micheldever (which I never worked) the entire layout, mainline connections etc., was remodelled 20-25 years ago to help deal with the petroleum traffic, which was coming from Wales instead of Fawley. By the time the work was done the traffic had stopped! Yet again, office wallahs screwing up the job.
Pat