S&D Railway Trust

Most railways say there is nothing happening they are doing there work and don’t want people to know. If you go google maps you can already see where there is digging any the end of the sidings to extend towards the next station. It is the same as the man that buys dumbledon hall and says he hasn’t. But eventually we will find out the extending work has started when we’ve all guessed already.

 

Not sure which Google Maps you're looking at, but the one I just checked didn't suggest any extension activity at either Alresford or Alton

 

I think if there is one person on this forum who is in a strong position to know exactly what is happening on the MHR, it is probably @21B ...

Tom

 

So the same view I've just looked at. An image that is unchanged from months ago when layout at Alresford was first discussed, where the trees blocking access to the track remain, and there's no sign of any real heavy vehicle movements, on a railway that makes no claim to be trying to extend, has not tried to raise funds for anything of the sort, and where extending the first 1/4 mile would impact on school playing fields and require demolition of a house. I think we'd have heard the odd little rumour of activity. And that's without the legal issues that go with extending a railway.

Alternatively, looking at that picture, which seems to have early summer green on the trees, what you see as a worksite might just be where the school groundsmen dump the grass clippings?

 

It does look like digger trails leading to the digging but is 21b the manager? Maybe he can tell us what the google is at the end

 

No, that's just you

There is a lighter coloured piece of ground there - that does NOT mean that someone is digging. IIRC the MHR sold the land to the west of their buffer stops to the school which has incorporated it into their playing fields. Do you honestly think the MHR would start an extension without fundraising or telling its own members? Seriously?

 

I would imagine theres a lot of out of service coaches, that might be better moved to the second ropley siding, so they are nearer to the C&W workshop, that would certainly free up some space, and of course, theres always the meon siding, at Alton, prehaps, a massive re shunt will free up siding space , for instance, could the freight wagons move to Alton, to free up bennets, , then wagons awaiting attention can go into bennets, prior to being shunted into the yard at Medstead, then once done, be worked down to Alton, Carriages stored at Ropley so they are close to hand, either for a slot in the works, or to provide spare parts for ones already being worked on, such as vacuum cylinders and pull rods etc,

 

From when I retired it took Google 7 years to remove my old work van from outside my house.
Do not be under the impression that Google Maps are up to date.

 

Indeed, spot on. If he doesn't know what hope for the rest of us?
Pat

 

The Headmaster of Perin's School is the person to ask about the soil marks, it's school property. We sold the trackbed from the current end as far as Bridge Road way back when, during one of the periodic financial crises. (I'm guessing about 30 years ago.) The dream of going to Itchen Abbas died with the failure of the first share issue in 1976. Hindsight suggests that was just as well.
Pat

 

Indeed. I happened to be perusing Google Earth earlier today and Caernarfon still displays a grotty car park where a shiny new station ought to be .....

 

Street Map for my gaff shows the 05 plate Astra I drove until I was given a new 59 plate Fiorino. Must be due an upgrade to the 64 plate Corsa I had until I retired in 2017!
Pat

 

One would have to ask why those soil marks were there on 30th July last year, during the school summer holiday, as that is the image capture date. Given all that is going on in the world, "get a life" might be thought a reasonable response.

 

If it is a grass heap, and I was purely speculating, then the point the grounds staff vehicles reverse in would be an obvious place for increased soil wear.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Blimey, the plot thickens ...

<bangs head/>

Tom

 

I'm glad it's not just me wondering why we're spending so much time analysing a satellite image of a school playing field, especially given who started it...

 

Its been a few years since i walked that bit of the track bed, but isnt it a shallow cutting , at this point and was filled in when the school purchased the land, to extend their playing field ?

 

In the hope that someone's ability to read aerial pictures may improve...

No idea - not visited Alresford in donkey's years (sadly), and certainly not that end of the sidings.

 

I had better point out, at the time i did hold an watercress line ID, and PTS, had an hi vis on, , and informed the signalman where i was going , just in case anyone asks .