Towcesters station,Northants

[Thermos]

The Blakesley miniature railway ran from adjacent to the SMJ station to the former Blakesley Hall which was raized to the ground in either the 1950's or 60's (I can't remember exactly when at the moment). IIRC from my walks of the old line there is a house built across hte formation at Blakesley right across the remains of the platforms!

[Fluffysausage]

Originally Posted by swisstrains

Fluffy,
I received the excellent book "Tickets Please" for Christmas and in it there is a picture of an Edwardian postcard that features the Blakesley Hall miniature railway on the Towcester Estate.

John

I found out more about it John
Blakesley Station had two railways! Built in 1903, the 15 inch narrow guage line ran the three quarters of a mile from the SMJ station to the nearby 'Blakesley Hall'. The line carried coal, farm supplies and the occasional passenger and when the Hall became a military hospital during the first world war, the line was used to rehabilitate patients. The track was lifted in 1940, the Hall being demolished in 1957"

Andy

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by Thermos

The Blakesley miniature railway ran from adjacent to the SMJ station to the former Blakesley Hall which was raized to the ground in either the 1950's or 60's (I can't remember exactly when at the moment). IIRC from my walks of the old line there is a house built across hte formation at Blakesley right across the remains of the platforms!

Originally Posted by Andy

I found out more about it John
Blakesley Station had two railways! Built in 1903, the 15 inch narrow guage line ran the three quarters of a mile from the SMJ station to the nearby 'Blakesley Hall'. The line carried coal, farm supplies and the occasional passenger and when the Hall became a military hospital during the first world war, the line was used to rehabilitate patients. The track was lifted in 1940, the Hall being demolished in 1957"

Thanks Thermos, Thanks Andy
Interesting info

[Thermos]

Apparently the loco used on the line was a 4-4-4 steam shape but petrol driven. Apparently she may well still exist. I will have to do some digging tonight and get back to you.

[Thermos]

The source I was reading from stated the loco may survive at the Ravenglas Railway.
Unless the loco has been converted to a 4-4-2 and a tender outline I think that it could be a bust. She was buit by Bassett-Lowke as was the Blakesley loco.
The loco at the "Ratty" is "Synolda" and rescued from Belle View Zoo in 1978. There is little detail on their website.

STOP PRESS from here
"1947 saw owner of the Saltburn Miniature Railway purchase another locomotive, this time in the form of a 4-4-4T named ‘Blacolvesley’ which had been built by Bassett-Lowke of Northampton in 1909 and is believed to be their first and only attempt at building an internal combustion locomotive with a steam outline, their being more famous for their to scale steam locomotives used on many Miniature Railways such as the Ravenglass and Eskdale and Romney Hythe and Dymchurch railways. The engine had started life at the Blakesley Hall miniature railway before its move to Saltburn. THE BLAKESLEY HALL RAILWAY was sited in the grounds of the house of that name near Towcester in Northamptonshire, the line having been built in 1903 by the halls owner Mr C W Bartholomew. The 15” gauge line ran through the grounds as far as the East and West Junction railway’s Blakesley station on the Stratford upon Avon to Blisworth Junction, the line later becoming the Stratford upon Avon and Midland Junction Railway, later part of the LMS, was laid to facilitate the movement of coal and other supplies to the house. As No.7 was becoming in need of repair the new engine renamed ‘Elizabeth’ took over operations on the line. It is not known what happened to No.7 after it left Saltburn, though there are rumours it could still be in existence."

[Fluffysausage]

Thanks for that very useful info, I will follow it up

Andy

[Fluffysausage]

Just to let you know, I have made a video which I shot a couple of weeks a go on how the Towcester station site looks these day (Tescos and all!) Go and have a look at it. I have embedded it from YouTube ,click on the video twice on my sites home page.

Andy

[Fluffysausage]

Thanks for the help with Blakesley, and the railway. Go and have a look at the new layout for the Towcester site at
www.towcestersrailwayhistory.co.uk
I'm now working on a 'Blakesley Hall page'

Andy

[Bubblewrap]

There was a book published about 15 years or so ago (about the S&MJ)
Can't remember author or title but it was published by OPC

[Fluffysausage]

Gentlemen
The subject of a miniature railway at Blakesley, contected to the 'Main line' caught my imagination so I did some research.

Visit: http://www.andythompson.net/blakesley.htm and take a look

Andy