The Basingstoke & Alton Light Railway - Part 1, Basingstoke to Cliddesden

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ธ.ค. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 90

  • @morrisminor19481971
    @morrisminor19481971 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    What an absolutely charming little film . Your affection and love for the old line shines through . Well done

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@morrisminor19481971 thank you very much, appreciate your comments

  • @paulharding9208
    @paulharding9208 3 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    I'm always pleased to see the section of track in the middle of Viables Roundabout. I was an engineer working for Basingstoke Development Group, about 1973/4, I designed and supervised the construction of Viables Roundabout and suggested and organized placing that piece of track. The footpaths leading, from the subways, to the pedestrian roundabout in the centre to create room for the track was my idea as well.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Well, Paul, we should thank you for your efforts. Today there is a plaque commemorating the railway, although a few years back one length of rail went missing, probably sold for scrap. Thankfully it was replaced.

    • @MrTumbleweed22
      @MrTumbleweed22 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Probably local 🥧🔑😂​@@PASTFINDERexploring

  • @ianpotter5840
    @ianpotter5840 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I've just finished watching your fantastic series and wanted to express my thanks for your efforts. I grew up in the the 1970s on the Harrow Way estate in Basingstoke. My parents back garden boundary in Stratton Road was on the line of the railway (the railway at this point was marked by a line of trees in front of the Gaston Marbaix factory). The impenetrable woodland you referred to in the children's playground between the Wella Path and Bessemer Road was easier to navigate in the 1970's (possibly I was a bit more agile then!). It was a very shallow cutting and there was a path through the trees. The Railway Track in the middle of Viables Roundabout was originally laid on fresh granite ballast and looked very smart. Interestingly though there was no interpretation board back in the early 1980's to explain why it was there - this must have been added later as I used to walk past it daily on the way home from school and don't remember seeing anything. I also remember as a boy around 1978 being able to walk through the cutting from Viables as far as the M3 boundary. It was a very well defined cutting back them with a flat, fairly unobstructed track bed surface and was a pleasant walk through the trees. It was also quite rural as back then the land between Hatch Warren Way and the line of the railway was undeveloped. It has been many years since I last visited Cliddesden Station but on cycling trips in the early 1980's the platform was visible albeit overgrown. I also seem to remember an Iron Tank of some kind at Cliddesden (water tank?) that had an LSWR namplate.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi Ian, superb. Thank you so much for watching. It's the line which begun my fascination of abandoned history. Like you I remember it as it was in the 1980s when I was a lad.

  • @aidanh88
    @aidanh88 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Great feature. I’m a native and love seeing some of the former railways on my cycles through the area

  • @Nivshin53
    @Nivshin53 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Superb account of the route - I almost expected Will Hay to jump out any time around Cliddesden - or the old Postman shouting 'Yer wasting yer time'!!!

  • @paullacey748
    @paullacey748 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I moved to Basingstoke in 1973. I really appreciate this type of documentary.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks Paul. Same year I came to Basingstoke. Parts 2 and 3 are out too, plus don't forget to check out the Basingstoke Canal series.

  • @tomsettle4575
    @tomsettle4575 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I stood and watched the Winchester Road being demolished as a boy with my dad. Brants of Tadley used a giant concrete ball to smash the middle part of the bridge. I used to play on the old railway line and banks at that stretch - we called it 'The Dumps' Then as an 11 year old I used to walk through those underpasses to Cranborne School. Happy memories thank you

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      So many people have told me about 'The Dumps' I'd never heard of the title. Thanks Tom.

    • @tomsettle4575
      @tomsettle4575 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@PASTFINDERexploring Us locals that lived in nearby South Ham :)

    • @tomsettle4575
      @tomsettle4575 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@PASTFINDERexploring Yes the 'Dumps' was the stretch between Worting Road bridge and the Winchester Road bridge. We'd play and ride our bikes up and down the old rail banks. I remember the railway track ending at Thornycroft and the ocassional goods trucks. There was a caravan park next to the Winchester Road bridge and a shop. I also remember walking across the fields that were once Cranborne Nurseries

  • @dumpman1
    @dumpman1 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Wonderful stuff and I've just watched the second one too, you've done a cracking job on this, your attention to detail is superb, a man after my own heart. I trade under the name of Dumpman Films and I made a similar film in 2019 tracing the line from south to north, so I'm very excited to see the rest of your trip when it becomes available. Be interested to see where you pinpoint the site of The Wrecker crossing and crash as lots of people argue about that. I managed to get permission to enter Cliddesden station and have a nose around, not a huge amount left to see as you say, although the base of the water tower makes a good garden shed. I also managed to get permission to walk the section south of the chapel and I have to say that was one of the most beautiful bits of disused railway I've ever walked, especially as it was bluebell time. I had to ask permission to walk and film the stretch next to Herriard village as it wasn't a permissive path then; the lord of the manor asked for a £20 donation to the local church fund to allow me on ! Also had permission to walk and film the track leading north out of Alton as far as the bit where the road cuts across it towards Bentworth and Lasham (and did some bits without permission it has to be said). Treloars hospital was great, quite a lot to see there, including the massive capstan, some nice platform and one or two other bits. By all means get in touch if you want to. See details of my stuff (much rougher than yours) at www.dumpman.co.uk and if you want to see some of my stills then click on this link: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124936136090?hash=item1d16c6259a:g:BdgAAOSwCV5cxOxi

  • @richardgannon
    @richardgannon 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    As a kid, I can remember walking the length of line between Worting Road and Winchester Road, I am certain that the track was still in place. This would have been late 60's & early 70's. As my interest in all things Basingstoke grew, I learnt more about this line, and in the mid 70's I explored Cliddesden Station, which was then still accessible and visible, with no infilling.
    Later, as a teenager I explored more of the line, and near Lasham, I was chased from the line by an old guy with a shotgun when me and my mate found a number of gin traps and set them off with sticks.
    A great video, thanks.

    • @johnsomerset1510
      @johnsomerset1510 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes, my brother and I lived on the Harrow way estate and walked across the old nursery fields to Cranborne lane and north towards the Winchester Rd bridge and then up the big cutting to the Worting Rd bridge. The lines coming from the north ended with buffers just to the south side of the Worting bridge but the sleepers carried on south at least half way to the Winchester Rd. BTW Thorneycroft's had a branch line and curved platform not shown on the map in the film. There were wagons full of swarf on the branch line ready to be taken away. Afterwards we had to run back south because a gang of rowdy London over-spill kids from the nearby estates saw us and began chasing. Like you, I remember the Cliddesden station, but only the platform remained.

  • @michaelpaul457
    @michaelpaul457 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Just found this great video on TH-cam. I really like the style of presentation. It gives me a great insight of how this disused railway line was. Looking forward to watching the other parts and more from this provider "Pathfinder:

  • @davidberlanny3308
    @davidberlanny3308 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hi Bob, this was a great start to this series, really enjoyed watching and reading the comments.
    Some really atmospheric photos of those bridges in the process of being demolished. I'm gald to see one or two pieces have been saved shame the station at Cliddesden has been filled to no great obvious purpose, maybe it would make it more attractive to have the station still there but that is for the owners to decide.
    Although I lived for many years in Hampshire I dont know this particular area very well, on a recent trip back we had a very enjoyable visit to the Milestones museum. I wouldnt have associated Thornycrofts with the town I do remember having an interview with them when it was Vosper Thornycroft down at Portchester.
    Looking forward to watching part 2
    Good luck from Spain!!

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi David, thank you for kind comments, they are very much appreciated. The B&ALR has always been a fascination for me, so it's been great to explore it in depth. The 5th and final part went out 3 weeks ago so it's quite unfortunate that it's finished. Still loads more places to investigate.

  • @montymcart6753
    @montymcart6753 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    My Grandmother lived in the Station House at Cliddesden in the 80-90s when the pump still had its tank on top, however, it was badly rusted and leaking so sadly had to be removed.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks Monty. I used to cycle down to the old station at Cliddesden and play on the platform. That must have been in the early 80s. Shame the tank couldn't be preserved. Incidentally, I have just found the base to the tank at Herriard, which will shortly be seen in part 2.

  • @edwardsp1916
    @edwardsp1916 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you for these videos, amazing work. I'm planning a visit to Cliddesden as 'Oh Mr Porter' is a favourite of mine and has been since childhood.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Great stuff Paul, don't forget to have a look at the bench at village hall.

  • @JOURNEYworldeats
    @JOURNEYworldeats ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Ah, some great content here! I live on Lower Brook Street not far away from the 'branched out' track coming from the Basingstoke station. A year or so ago I was looking at some old maps and saw the Alton track went past the end of my road (nr the old baths, or Wickes car park as it is now). I saw on Google earth that there was a tree line still following the path. So, I went through the Churchill underpass and headed along Churchill towards the Wickes roundabout. And up a small right turn near the roundabout (before reaching the horses or roundabout itself) there it is.... the old Alton track behind the fencing on the right. Pretty surprised to see it still there.

  • @marylintott4013
    @marylintott4013 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    What a fabulous series. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching these.
    I work at the police station in Jay's Close and so decided to have a look and see if I could see anything to the right of the building. I fancied I could see a dip showing the trackbed but it may have been wishful thinking! I took some photos, although didn't walk into the vegetation as was in my work clothes 🤣

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks Mary, I tried to have a look in there myself but though it might look a bit iffy so close to the police station. Glad you enjoyed it.

  • @sharonfoot95
    @sharonfoot95 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Excellent video - as is part 2. I was walking around the area of the old chapel yesterday. It is a stunning piece of our countryside and I am sure a journey on the train would have been incredible on a summers day.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It is beautiful around there and so important that the proposed housing scheme doesn't get the permission to go ahead otherwise most of the track bed and possibly the chapel will be lost.

    • @sharonfoot95
      @sharonfoot95 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@PASTFINDERexploring Absolutely! I was shocked yesterday to see that there is a proposal to build. I have walked for nearly 30 years and that area is the most stunning of all the places I have been. 😞

  • @Totalavulsion
    @Totalavulsion 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    20:36 I grew up from the late 70s until 1999 living in that very area. I now live in Alton and have developed quite a keen interested in the light railway between Basingstoke and Alton. Funnily enough, I met my mother recently (who still lives there) and we walked a route near viables and a took a look at et very spot you were at 20:36 as I felt certain this held some old track etc. I applaud your work in documenting this history. Well done!

  • @benjaminlee422
    @benjaminlee422 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    A fantastic tour of a lost railway I never knew existed before. Oh mistercporter was always a family favourite and I never knew the end was filmed at basingstoke platform 1a.

  • @davidjarrett
    @davidjarrett 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Well presented, as a lad in the 50's many a time with mates l walked the old track bed from worting road bridge through the cutting (known as the dumps) to winchester road brige and beyond to cliddeaden station. Thanks for the memories.

  • @nwae8812
    @nwae8812 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Very informative video. Used too drive trains past the spot where the line curved off. Was always interested in this line. Now driving in NZ. Great video 👍

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi, thanks for your comments. I drive trains past here too.

    • @johnsomerset1510
      @johnsomerset1510 ปีที่แล้ว

      Blimey, you couldn't get much further away, but still driving trains!

  • @flachi32
    @flachi32 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Please consider a series on the main roads that went through Basinsgstoke before the motorways were bulit and before Beecham, in particular the London Road and Winchester Road as well as the roads such as Wote Street before they were shortened and the cattle grids that were located immediately in front of the train station. It would further reveal how Basingstoke went from beauty to beast. Many thanks.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi, sorry for late reply. That's not a bad idea. Easily traceable using National Library of Scotland mapping.

    • @flachi32
      @flachi32 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@PASTFINDERexploring Look forward to it if it happens. You can kind of make out where the old market town once ended (I live along winchester road and there are two dirt tracks Hardy Lane and Hawkfield Lane beyond which you see the new town start its sprawl towards the behemoths of Cranbourne, Brighton Hill and Hatch Warren. These two lanes are almost one track divided by winchester road and you can imagine it just being fields beyond once upon a time. Good luck if you go ahead.

  • @rogermerryweather3633
    @rogermerryweather3633 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Very well researched and presented. I am familiar with various parts of the route from Cliddesden towards Herriard, but it was good to learn more about the Basingstoke end.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks Roger. Had I been a little more adventurous , there was a little more I could have found, Part two will be Cliddesden to Herriard.

  • @joeweston3252
    @joeweston3252 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    this is excellent you have explained it very well and the route l'm taking great interest in this old railway line and it's route having walked parts that are accessible to the public l look forward to the next 3 parts.

  • @Captainpubwatch
    @Captainpubwatch 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great job, you did better than me in finding the buffer stops on that last bit of track from the main line - I never worked out how to get to that! The part about the cutting and the route of the track running by Blatchford & Wella (are they still there?) towards Viables is particularly interesting - so difficult to imagine now especially with a bridge over Winchester Road. You had me thinking about Viables, I remember hearing the same years ago about a level crossing and then a bridge when The Harrow Way was coined as the ‘Basingstoke Bypass’. A world away from the residential area it is now - if things had turned out differently and the line survived I could imagine a station at Viables to serve the business park and part of Brighton Hill. Great idea for a model layout builder I suppose…..

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes the cutting is still there next to Wella but very difficult to access due to brambles. I agree, it's hard to envisage that a railway ever ran through here the town. Plenty evidence though if you look for it.

  • @philmercer8993
    @philmercer8993 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Excellent work. Very evocative for those who remember the area in past times. Well done that man. Looking forward to part two.

  • @sjh3995
    @sjh3995 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I remember playing down the dumps as a kid, some buffers had been left there as well.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Hi Susan. So many people have said the same thing. It must have been the playground of the time. The buffers were probably a left over from when the line went to Thornycrofts.

  • @litchfield1
    @litchfield1 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    This is an excellent film, thank you for posting. I explored the line some years ago, but not in such magnificent detail. At the time one of the rails had been purloined from Viables roundabout! I look forward to viewing the other episodes.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Great stuff Anthony, thank you for watching and your kind comments. Parts 2 and 3 are now available to watch.

  • @davidpolden2192
    @davidpolden2192 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I believe the embankments on either side of Winchester road roundabout and in the middle of the roundabout, were built in the 70's to take the new ring road over the roundabout. this work was stopped when Maggie came into power and the ring road construction was halted. for many years there were concrete supports laying on the ground as the construction work was ceased.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks David. That makes sense. I remember the concrete supports when I was a boy. Shame though as I would have liked it to have been the remains of the bridge.
      That's what these investigations are all about though, finding facts.

  • @FlyingForFunTrecanair
    @FlyingForFunTrecanair 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    What a terrific film, I'm looking forward to Part Two.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Part 2 will be out very soon.

  • @sianbeasant2906
    @sianbeasant2906 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    My father owns Railways and has been there for over 30 years and has the railway cuttings still in his garden....right back to the edge of the M3......The bridge abutress gets checked once a year by the relevant authorities.........

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi Sian. What a shame I couldn't include some photo's of that in the film.

  • @alanspencer1631
    @alanspencer1631 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Excellent stuff!!

  • @railwaychristina3192
    @railwaychristina3192 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you❤

  • @angelsone-five7912
    @angelsone-five7912 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    When I first found out that Buggleskelly was actually Cliddesden I motored down there and was able to find the station site using the cottages as a reference, at that time the lower corner of the platform ramp was clearly visible peeping out of the earth, I took a photo but alas a change in the direction of my life led to the loss of this photo and everything else I had.

  • @nigellunn8019
    @nigellunn8019 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Interesting stuff Bob, keep it coming!

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi Nige. Plenty lined up. Next is abandoned tin mine in Cornwall

  • @dawnjudd3596
    @dawnjudd3596 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Interesting

  • @davejohn4990
    @davejohn4990 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Re Winchester road bridge, the embankments were created later to carry what was to be a flyover for the ringway. The bridge was at the end of a small parade of shops, a butchers and the bridge cafe

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Hi Dave. Yes you are right. I've since seen pictures which corroborate that, and along with yourself someone else gave similar information.

  • @ianba123
    @ianba123 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Thank you for this - very interesting. DFT surely stands for Department for Transport?

  • @anthonymoore6009
    @anthonymoore6009 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Quality stuff

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks, I think you might have been there for much of it.

    • @anthonymoore6009
      @anthonymoore6009 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Wait until the Wrecker site, that should create a good debate.

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@anthonymoore6009 Absolutely

  • @cefnonn
    @cefnonn 17 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    At 24.46 the bridge abutment marking looks like DFT not DFD. (Dept for Transport?)

  • @bagmagtag
    @bagmagtag 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Very interesting and well put together. It's a shame you can no longer go along the embankment by the new police station. I seem to remember it had rather steep sides

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks Simon. I think it is accessible but thought wandering through there with a camera may have looked a bit too suspicious.

  • @raymondhibberd7869
    @raymondhibberd7869 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    My father was born in Cillensden

  • @videos4maitra
    @videos4maitra 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Yea

  • @alexanderstuff5100
    @alexanderstuff5100 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    how did you find some of these photos such as the Thorley craft entry?
    ive had a struggle finding rare B&A photos

    • @PASTFINDERexploring
      @PASTFINDERexploring  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi Alexander. The majority can be found on google. The rest were sent to me whilst researching.

    • @alexanderstuff5100
      @alexanderstuff5100 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@PASTFINDERexploring I’ve spent hours of my life searching and you’ve shown me new images. Evidently just wasn’t searching the correct things
      Thank you

  • @darrentomkins8798
    @darrentomkins8798 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Is it me or does you voice sound so familiar

  • @darrentomkins8798
    @darrentomkins8798 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ps love the vids