Station Name: MARCHWOOD [Source: Nick Catford & Darren Kitson] Marchwood Station Gallery 2: c.Late 1960s - 18 April 1978 old8.jpg) Marchwood station after withdrawal of passenger services and before the platform was shortened. Visible on the lamp standards are impressions remaining from when targets and totems were fitted. The silver/grey cupboard on the platform contains electrical equipment. The rectangular opening in the platform face, left, is the exit point for signal wires and point rodding, being situated directly in front of the signal box. The double doors in the centre of the building lead into the booking hall which doubled as a waiting room. The booking office is to the right.
Photo from John Mann collection old10.jpg)
The forecourt side of Marchwood station building, complete with Hillman Minx, taken sometime after closure to passengers.
Photo from John Mann collection
old11.jpg)
A general view of Marchwood station looking towards Totton sometime after withdrawal of passenger services. The point rodding, left, extends for some 300yd and operating the levers would require some considerable effort. The signal wire run can be seen adjacent to the platform face. Behind the station and in the centre of the picture a Thames Trader lorry can be seen. At one time no building site, removal firm or coal merchant would have been complete without one of these and in many instances they replaced the ubiquitous Bedford O series lorries. Thames was a name once used by Ford for its commercial vehicle range, from small car-derived vans upwards. Perhaps the most familiar such vans were the 5cwt and 7cwt models based upon the Anglia 105E. The structure partly visible to the right of the running-in board is a concrete mixer of some description. That seen here was later replaced by a more modern device.
Photo from John Mann collection 13.jpg)
On 22 September 1973 Class 3H DEMU No.1129 has arrived at Marchwood's shortened platform with the Branch Line Society's ‘Hants Branches Railtour’. This tour commenced at Portsmouth Harbour and took in Portsmouth Dockyard, Lavant, Bedenham Sidings, Priddy's Hard MoD and Fawley before returning to Portsmouth & Southsea Low Level. Unit 1129 worked the tour throughout. Tragically unit 1129, by then renumbered 205029, was destined to be involved in the Cowden disaster of 15 October 1994 in which five people, of whom four were railway staff, lost their lives and thirteen others injured. The incident was a head-on collision on the single track section of the Oxted line and three other units were involved (1101, 1118 and 1132 with 1129 paired with 1132): in other words, two 6-car sets travelling in opposite directions. The leading vehicles of units 1129 and 1118 were subsequently scrapped, the leading car of unit 1118 being totally destroyed in the collision. Unit 205029 had been repainted into BR green livery and took part, with 205028, in the ‘Thumper Tribute Railtour’ of 19 February 1994. Following Cowden, unit 205029 ceased to exist but other vehicles from both it and 205018 (1118) were reused in other units. Today vehicles from all four units (all other vehicles involved were essentially undamaged and according to the subsequent Report suffered only 'displaced seat cushions and light fittings') survive in preservation. The driving trailer, facing the camera, from 205029 ended up in a reformed 205018 and is now at the Dartmoor Railway. At Cowden station a memorial plaque to the dead was installed. More details of the disaster, with photographs, can be seen at
the Preserved Thumpers website Photo from John Mann collection 1.jpg) Marchwood station seen here on a damp day in December 1975. Little has changed since the station closed to passengers some nine years earlier although it will be noticed that by this time the platform had been considerably shortened at its Fawley end. It might be the effect of the camera angle but in comparison with the 1973 picture showing DEMU No.1129 the impression is given that the platform was slightly lengthened again between 1973 and 1975; if so, then quite why is a mystery. Either way, the platform shortening saw an end to two of the concrete lamp standards with rather attractive hexagonal lamp shades. Today these shades would be sought after but at the time they were probably considered worthless junk.
Photo by Nick Catford 2.jpg)
Marchwood station building and platform in December 1975. The hut on the left, of which there were two, had replaced the grounded van body and former wooden lamp room and all are now bereft of any signage. A sign has, however, now appeared on the double doors at the near end of the station building. Under magnification it says 'Staff Only'. A telephone bell is in position above the second doorway to the right of, and partly obscured by, the signal box. This bell seems to have been relocated from elsewhere sometime after closure. The signal box retains its Southern Railway nameboard, while two switch cabinets stand adjacent to the far end of the building.
Photo
by Nick Catford
3.jpg)
4.jpg)
The sole remaining running-in board, at the Totton end of the platform, seen here across the weeds and tracks in December 1975. As elsewhere on the Southern, these concrete boards were too heavy and impractical for collectors to acquire so many were simply left in situ after stations closed or simply smashed up on site. In the background the Volkswagen Beetle, with incorrectly parked windscreen wipers, is still present but the Ford Cortina and Volvo estate have gone.
Photo by Nick Catford 5.jpg) Marchwood station forecourt on a damp day in December 1975. The doors of the Southern Railway concrete huts are open, or falling off, and the huts appear to be in use for storing oil of some description. These huts had replaced the former grounded van body. The purpose of the buildings in the background, including that with the pyramid roof, is not known. Among the cars visible is a Datsun Cherry complete with the mildly comical wing mirrors so well known on that model, an Austin Maxi, a Ford Cortina Mk III and a Volvo estate. Out of view to the right of the Volvo was parked a
Volkswagen Beetle. Photo by Nick Catford 16.jpg)
Marchwood station on 25 April 1976, ten years after regular passenger services ceased. The occasion was the Lea Valley Railway Club 'Royal Wessex Railtour’. The tour used two Class 33 locomotives and two 4TC driving trailer sets plus a buffet car. The tour, which commenced and finished at Waterloo, took in a number of routes including Weymouth Quay. Visible here is the shortened platform provided, for some reason, with a new ramp. The fencing marked the rear boundary of the original platform and at this stage little had been done to tidy up the aftermath of the demolition - if it ever was. The ‘No Smoking’ sign on the door adds a tiny splash of colour to an otherwise drab scene.
Photo by David Burrows from his Flickr photostream 17.jpg)
Marchwood station on 25 April 1976, ten years after regular passenger services ceased. The train was the Lea Valley Railway Club 'Royal Wessex Railtour'. The tour used two Class 33 locomotives and two 4TC driving trailer sets plus a buffet car.
Photo by David Burrows from his Flickr photostream 18.jpg)
A general view of Marchwood station, looking towards Fawley, on 18 April 1978. The only sign of life is the British Rail yellow van on the forecourt.Photo by Ian Nolan from his Flickr photostream Click here for Marchwood Station Gallery 3:
 Home Page
|
