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Long Marston

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Corbs, Feb 20, 2015.

  1. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

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    Does anyone know what is actually happening with the Long Marston site?

    As far as I understood, part of the site has been sold to developers, but most of the railway storage was staying, has this changed now?
     
    Corbs, Feb 20, 2015
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  2. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    @Corbs , @geekfindergeneral can best explain all the plans for Long Marston . Pretty extensive planning permission has been given for both housing and holiday home which affects one side of the site and really negates the railway museum plans
     
    Sidmouth, Feb 20, 2015
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  3. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

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    Just seems so sad, it's like losing Longmoor again. A huge potential come to naught.
     
    Corbs, Feb 20, 2015
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  4. GWR Man.

    GWR Man. Well-Known Member

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    Last edited: Feb 20, 2015
    GWR Man., Feb 20, 2015
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  5. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

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    Interesting, although it looks like the plan is to retain a lot of the rail infrastructure, and heritage activities are mentioned on the plan.
    Screen Shot 2015-02-20 at 15.01.11.png Screen Shot 2015-02-20 at 15.03.26.png Screen Shot 2015-02-20 at 15.04.26.png
     
    Corbs, Feb 20, 2015
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  6. GWR Man.

    GWR Man. Well-Known Member

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    Not according to this.

    LONG MARSTON PLAN ABANDONED



    The owners of the former Royal Engineers Central Engineering Park have changed their plans for the site and have decided that 300 holiday cottages will be built on the area presently occupied by the circuit, road loading ramp and east side yard, leaving only the exchange sidings for rail purposes. The planning application also extinguishes the previously granted planning consent for a heritage railway and museum. This was a major body blow, as it both puts a massive premium on siding space and removes the essential and unique military railway character of the place - the 3.5 mile circuit. Sometimes an enemy is too big to engage against, and with several million pounds up for grabs for them, St Modwen would have been a formidable and very hostile opponent. We felt it was better to walk away unhurt than fight and lose.



    For a new home, we are awaiting the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review of Defence Rail & Container Services, presently nearing completion, to see which MoD railheads will remain in use and which ones abandoned. Bicester (Graven Hill) has been subsumed in the Bicester Garden City proposal, Marchwood Military Port is being sold in 2015, probably to Associated British Ports, and the vehicle repair shop at Ashchurch is most likely moving to Donnington. It may be a quite tumultuous SDR - Defence Infrastructure Organisation has been semi-privatised to Capita PLC and Defence Engineering & Support Group is now Babcock PLC. Both firms will have their own ideas of maximising the profit opportunity and as with all privatisations there will be a period of agony as change is implemented. But as a taste of things to come, the armour that went to Poland for Exercise Black Eagle all went by tank transporter to Marchwood, and rail headed from Moenchengladbach for Poland. The one we have got our eyes on is Ludgershall, which is all but moribund now.
     
    GWR Man., Feb 20, 2015
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  7. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

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    Where was that from - I can't find it on The Military Railfest site?

    I saw that the outer circuit was to be lost but the inner one retained in the original plans (Indeed the circuit and rail presence was described as essential to the planned development)
     
    Corbs, Feb 20, 2015
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  8. GWR Man.

    GWR Man. Well-Known Member

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    This was from the IRS email forum 17/02/2015, and came form the WW2 Railway Study Group following a statement from LMMR which was published in their Bulletin that month.

    Once you give an inch with building firms like that, they will take a foot (if not a mile) time they have finished.
     
    GWR Man., Feb 20, 2015
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