A group of people are trying to re-open the old Didcot Newbury and Southampton railway on the basis that it would provide a new connection from the south to the midlands and northern England via a connection through Winchester and a susbequent connection to and through Basingstoke. It seems that although the Beeching cut was probably right at the time, now that we are looking for economies in distribution and reducing road transport and associated costs the rail route is looking more attractive.

http://dnsrr.angelfire.com/

Somehow, I doubt it will happen but you never know.

I'm not sure where they think it will go as much of the original route around Newbury has been built on.

Quoted from user23.3

I'm not sure where they think it will go as much of the original route around Newbury has been built on.

There are a few industrial units that have taken advantage of the rail closure but not too difficult once they get to the A4 by Skylings. They would neeed a new bridge across the A4, the original was knocked down years ago. The bit where it crosses under Hambridge Road (by the speed camera) the bridge is more or less still there, but a couple of low cost industrial units are square on the railway line and again, down by Kiln Road, the fleet management  company are partly on it where it used to cross the river. You can still follow the old route if you Google Earth from the Boundary road bridge onwards. Interesting project perhaps.

The original route goes through quite a few gardens in Kiln Road.

Isn't the bypass built on some of the original route too?

Apparently there were pillars relating to a bridge over the A4 by the BP garage and they weren't knocked down until the late 80's. is this info correct?

Quoted from phuct

Apparently there were pillars relating to a bridge over the A4 by the BP garage and they weren't knocked down until the late 80's. is this info correct?

That would be the Lambourn line, not the D, N & S - leading down to Speen station.

Quoted from blackdog

That would be the Lambourn line, not the D, N & S - leading down to Speen station.

The BP Garage is in the London Road.

Quoted from BrianB

The BP Garage is in the London Road.

Was that not Marchants?

Quoted from phuct

Apparently there were pillars relating to a bridge over the A4 by the BP garage and they weren't knocked down until the late 80's. is this info correct?

If you are talking about the BP garage by B&Q, you may be right. The bridge went across the A4 immediately to the East of Skylings and to the left of that row of tall houses that face the A4.

Quoted from dodgy

Was that not Marchants?

No! This was Marchants:

http://www.newbury.net/forum/m-1284878565/

Then it became Gowrings after they moved from London Road and before they moved to Pinchington Lane.

Now it is Burger King.

Quoted from brian

If you are talking about the BP garage by B&Q, you may be right. The bridge went across the A4 immediately to the East of Skylings and to the left of that row of tall houses that face the A4.

They certainly seem to be the one's i've been told about.

If the line came in at the east of Newbury from the north, where west of Newbury did it continue it's journey south?

Quoted from phuct

If the line came in at the east of Newbury from the north, where west of Newbury did it continue it's journey south?

Take the Enborne Road out of Newbury. Just before you come to the Newbury By-pass you will cross an old Railway Bridge. That is where it continued it's journey south.

Quoted from BrianB

Take the Enborne Road out of Newbury. Just before you come to the Newbury By-pass you will cross an old Railway Bridge. That is where it continued it's journey south.

Doesn't the By-pass use some of the old track bed?

like this...

As far as the bypass being built on it, yes, some parts it were but if you have a look on google earth, there would be room alongside the road but I doubt this would ever happen as the cost would be astronomical and I'm not sure what the gain would be.
After Enborne the train rattled on through Woodhay, Highclere, Burghclere, Litchfield, Whitchurch, Sutton Scotney, Wothy Down before traversing an elevated section parallel with the old Winchester by pass and so on through Winchester (Chesil) to the terminus at Eastleigh where one changed for stations south.

Apart from during the war, the DN&S split at Newbury. The train from Dicdot came into the platform where the Reading commuter sprinters stand now and the train to go south stood in a siding which has been filled in and is where the South Western station car park is now.

Quoted from BrianB

The BP Garage is in the London Road.

Sorry - mixing it up with the Shell garage.

The DN&S went under Turnpike Road, over the A4 and then under Hambridge Road to meet the Reading - Newbury line between the Racecourse station and the the Boundary Road bridge.  Almost all built over now - I can certainly remember the removal of the Hambridge Road bridge.

Not a lot of support here:

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/12815

Great photo!

Back in the 50's most local villages could be reached by train from Newbury, including:

Burghclere, Highclere, Hermitage, Compton, Hampstead Norreys, Boxford, Welford, Great Shefford, Eastbury, Lambourn.

Further afield you could get a train to Marlborough and Swindon via Savernake (Ok so Swindon is achievable today via Reading).

You could also get a train to Grafton, Burbage and Collingbourne and to Tidworth via Ludgershall.

There was also a line planned from Aldermaston to Burghclere via Brimpton and Kingsclere, but it was never built.

Those were the days!

Here is an interesting link that I have just discovered: http://www.hampsteadnorreys.org.uk/History/Railway_History.html

The photograph shows a pretty empty train. The guard's van has a little smoke so maybe early morning.
The carriage on the right is a bit scary. How far is it to Siberia?
On a slightly more serious note many landowners were selling stuff for new roads. Adbury Park was to be a reservoir.
The Aird family from Woolton Hill were involved with gravel pits.
My Research is deep under the stairs. So I won't back this up with detail.
hex

All excellent stuff.

When did 'Norris' become 'Norreys' though? In the black and white shots taken 1930's (ish) (at a guess),  it's 'Norris' on the station sign, and in the colour film (60's - maybe?), it's still called ' Norris'.


Threep.

The run through to Didcot film is something I haven't seen before. Excellent find. I seem to remember that the renaming of Hampstead Norris to Norreys  was reasonably recent as the Norris title drifted into use from the original quite a long time ago certainly before the last war and possibly carried that name when the railway was opened in 1882. Possibly the railway builders got it wrong and it stuck. The Norreys name is historically correct as the village Lord was from the Norreys family.
That photograph by Kevin Roberston is also an archive treasure. 10 out of 10 for that a well.

Apparantly they planned a branch line to East Ilsley from Compton too (im not joking!)

Quoted from Hexem

The Aird family from Woolton Hill were involved with gravel pits.

Are they who Aird Close is named after?

Yes The family moved from Woolton House to Tile Barn.... just round the corner from Aird Close. In about 1930.
I have been looking on Times Online to find a reference to the gravel. I think I  first found it in about 1998 and
it might have been a question in Hansard. It was only a passing interest at the time. There is a window in the church to Ian
who died in an accident in 1944 in Northern Europe.
I probably printed it but as is the case it will be buried in the cupboard under the stairs after all these years.
The house was finally sold in 1955 and split into 4 main parts and lots of plots.  
hex

No. James-Trinder. I have spent all afternoon, (well a bit) sleuthing. There is this though .

http://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/events/lecture-sir-john-aird/

Which is amusing.Queen Square is where I recovered from a mild stroke. I am not planning a visit!
And my father had a brain tumour removed.A tricky job in those days about (1961)

The Airds became very wealthy through the industry of the times.  
They built all over and what do you need but gravel pits.... I couldn't find my original link.
Landowners!!!! they'll dig up the ground to make a dock or two.
Hex. Nice to keep this little sideline going.

Most of the Trackbed around Didcot has been built on as it has been around Newbury as has been pointed out on here but I don't know where it approached Southhampton but I should think that has been built on to