South Midland Railway

In 1904 GWR 4-4-0 3440 City Of Truro, was unofficially recorded at 102.4 mph descending Wellington bank in Somerset on an Ocean Mail special from Plymouth to Bristol, the first steam locomotive to travel at more than 100 mph. Built at Swindon in 1903, Churchward's 3440 is now preserved in full working order. See Wikipedia and YouTube.
This exquisit NRM Bachmann model, in Dean livery, joined Hempton's stud on 9 January 2010 and completed acceptance trials on the 10th.

Collett 6877 Llanfair Grange in GWR green entered service in 1939; the Hornby model aquired xmas 2008 has fantastic detail and finish and runs superbly.

7808 Cookham Manor with the late 30s 'shirt-button' livery is intended mostly for light passenger traffic. Built in 1938-9, this class was a lighter version of the 'Grange' class. Our Mainline model is currently out of service.

4919 Albert Hall prior to departure to the SMR museum; its finish no longer compares with modern standards. Baba would approve of its replacement Sketty Hall above.

Heavy goods 2859 improves with dulling down the motion and handrails. The prototype was built around 1918-1919

Collett 0-6-0 Goods 3205 by Palitoy Mainline should share the mixed branchline traffic with its senior shed-mate the Dean Goods. But its motor unit is giving trouble. It may still receive a wartime black livery.

Early 'small prairies' had straight topped side tanks, as in 4527 built between 1909-12. Our smooth running Bachmann version was aquired through eBay in 2008.

Early GWR locos gave scant protection for the crew as Dean pannier 2744 demonstrates. The protoype was rebuilt from a saddle tank class orginally built between 1897 and 1901. Jimmi's Hornby model dates from the 80s.

57xx pannier class is largely the basic pannier design woth an earlier style cab. This model of 7768 was by Replica (a company who bought old Pallitoy Mainline moulds) and runs well.

De rigeur on the branchlines of Oxfordshire, our Airfix Collett 0-4-2T of 1970s vintage can just about drag its auto-trailer up the gradient to Barford.

This static and fictional, short wheel-based shunter (based on the Airfix pug) carries plates 366 off the Dublo 0-6-2T and sports the 1934 'shirtbutton' logo.

When is a coach a locomotive? When it's a railcar. The GWR ordered a batch of railcars in September 1938 with the GWR producing the underframes, bogies, brake gear and bodies and AEC supplying the engines and transmissions for construction at Swindon. Number 34 was fitted out as an express parcels car. A replacement motor is now in stock.

Designed by Richard Maunsell for the Southern Railway, it represents the ultimate development of the British 4-4-0 type, the last in a long line operating on the SR. Based upon Maunsell's larger Lord Nelson class, it was the last use of this wheel arrangement in Britain, and was regarded as the most powerful 4-4-0 in Britain. Charterhouse (1930) one of Baba's favourites, was bought by Matt'n'Jimmi for Col's 50th.

Jamie's first big loco, the Hornby model of Mallard from around 1980 is surprisingly good. Along with Evening Star opposite, it was serviced in time to take part in the Thirty Year celebrations.

	Motive Power at Hempton
GWR express locos Goods engines Prairies Panniers Four-coupled tank locos non-GWR locos	A complete visual record of the Hempton Motive Power depôt stud. Older stock may been found in the museum.
In 1904 GWR 4-4-0 3440 City Of Truro, was unofficially recorded at 102.4 mph descending Wellington bank in Somerset on an Ocean Mail special from Plymouth to Bristol, the first steam locomotive to travel at more than 100 mph. Built at Swindon in 1903, Churchward's 3440 is now preserved in full working order. See Wikipedia and YouTube. This exquisit NRM Bachmann model, in Dean livery, joined Hempton's stud on 9 January 2010 and completed acceptance trials on the 10th.	The Hall class was the result of a development that emanated originally from Churchward's Saint class. Designed for mixed traffic duties, they often deputised for larger engines on express passenger trains.This fine Bachmann version of Sketty Hall joined SMR Hempton in September 2009. However trials revealed that, because of its fine tolerances and some sharp radii near to Deddington Junction, the drawbar has to be set at its longest.
Collett 6877 Llanfair Grange in GWR green entered service in 1939; the Hornby model aquired xmas 2008 has fantastic detail and finish and runs superbly.	In pre-1934 livery, our model of 4073 Caerphilly Castle by GMR Airfix dates back to the 1980s. Subject to painting the handrails, it compares surprisingly well with moden standards.
7808 Cookham Manor with the late 30s 'shirt-button' livery is intended mostly for light passenger traffic. Built in 1938-9, this class was a lighter version of the 'Grange' class. Our Mainline model is currently out of service.	Built December 1911 and withdrawn September 1931, 3821 County of Bedford in Edwardian garter livery shares the early 20th century scene with the Dean single. It normally hauls a rake of clerestory or mixed stock. This class was in effect a shortened version of the Saints.
4919 Albert Hall prior to departure to the SMR museum; its finish no longer compares with modern standards. Baba would approve of its replacement Sketty Hall above.	Lord of the Isles following some cosmetic additions. It now has buffer beam detail, brass cab and name plates and HMRS decals on tender and splasher. Still to be fitted is tender brake gear and coal. Originally built to work West of England expresses, this member of the Achilles class was built 1894/5. Compare the Triang-Hornby model from the early 1970s with Brian's model.
Heavy goods 2859 improves with dulling down the motion and handrails. The prototype was built around 1918-1919	The versatile Mogul 5322, diagrammed for mixed stock slow passenger trains on the mainline, is currently out of service.
Collett 0-6-0 Goods 3205 by Palitoy Mainline should share the mixed branchline traffic with its senior shed-mate the Dean Goods. But its motor unit is giving trouble. It may still receive a wartime black livery.	The Dean Goods 2517 by Dapol will operate two-coach and mixed stock locals between Middle Aston and Hook Norton. Regretably, it struggles to take them up to Barford.
Early 'small prairies' had straight topped side tanks, as in 4527 built between 1909-12. Our smooth running Bachmann version was aquired through eBay in 2008.	The later style 4589 – this one by Lima – has been on SMR books since the 1970s. Both of these appear in the 1945/7 livery. A replacement motor has arrived from down-under but has yet to be fitted.
Early GWR locos gave scant protection for the crew as Dean pannier 2744 demonstrates. The protoype was rebuilt from a saddle tank class orginally built between 1897 and 1901. Jimmi's Hornby model dates from the 80s.	Large prairies were used for fast suburban traffic, suitable for Oxford-Deddington diagrams hauling a B-set. Baba's Airfix 4419 is seen here in the old MPD; its performance is now rough.
57xx pannier class is largely the basic pannier design woth an earlier style cab. This model of 7768 was by Replica (a company who bought old Pallitoy Mainline moulds) and runs well.	875x were built with improved cabs for crew visibility and weather protection over earlier 57xx models. Other differences included the prominent shield behind the whistles, to deflect steam, and quick release oval tank filters. The superb details and smooth running of Bachmann 8751 mean that it replaces 8777, now designated Thomas's friend "Duck".
De rigeur on the branchlines of Oxfordshire, our Airfix Collett 0-4-2T of 1970s vintage can just about drag its auto-trailer up the gradient to Barford.	Hawkesworth's 1947 pannier was the final development in a long lineage of panniers and the last steam engines built by the GWR (see Wiki). Our Lima version 9400 has been repainted, and etched brass plates fitted. A replacement motor has arrived from down-under. The prototype was used for empty stock work and so Baba's model is the Deddington Junction pilot.
This static and fictional, short wheel-based shunter (based on the Airfix pug) carries plates 366 off the Dublo 0-6-2T and sports the 1934 'shirtbutton' logo.	Originally a Holden design oil-burner, experimental shunter 101 was out-shopped with a coal firebox and bunker in 1915. When this much detailed version of the Hornby model had it's Zero One decoder (installed 1984) removed, it ran beautifully after nearly 30 years in stock. SMR loco fitters were impressed at the standard of the '84 conversion and that of the super detailing. The wheels and motion have since been dulled down. Although now free of its permanently coupled shunter's wagon, Tubs' first loco will remain Deddington Junction's resident shunter.
When is a coach a locomotive? When it's a railcar. The GWR ordered a batch of railcars in September 1938 with the GWR producing the underframes, bogies, brake gear and bodies and AEC supplying the engines and transmissions for construction at Swindon. Number 34 was fitted out as an express parcels car. A replacement motor is now in stock.	At xmas 2008, an LMS Fowler designed 3F joined Hempton MPD. This echoes the origins of the SMR. Often known as a Jinty, this was the class originally adopted for SMR work back in the late 1950s. Two versions "Rye House" and "Madeline" were used. Appearing in its original 1928 livery and number, this will take the burden of SMR engineering work as well as being used on local LMS diagrams.
Designed by Richard Maunsell for the Southern Railway, it represents the ultimate development of the British 4-4-0 type, the last in a long line operating on the SR. Based upon Maunsell's larger Lord Nelson class, it was the last use of this wheel arrangement in Britain, and was regarded as the most powerful 4-4-0 in Britain. Charterhouse (1930) one of Baba's favourites, was bought by Matt'n'Jimmi for Col's 50th.	Another of Baba's favourites, the M7 designed by Dugald Drummond for use on the intensive London network of the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) dates to 1900. This Hornby model runs beautifully; compare Baba's original.
Jamie's first big loco, the Hornby model of Mallard from around 1980 is surprisingly good. Along with Evening Star opposite, it was serviced in time to take part in the Thirty Year celebrations.	BR's last steam engine, 92220 Evening Star, was built at Swindon in 1960. The Class 9F was the final steam design of British Railways and by ex-LMS CME Riddles. Bloggs still loves this Hornby 1980s loco and rightfully so; it exudes power.
GWR express locos Goods engines Prairies Panniers Four-coupled tank locos non-GWR locos Older stock may been found in the museum.	A total of 22 Deltics were built for British Rail in 1961/62 for use on the East Coast Main Line out of Kings Cross. They had two 18-cylinder Deltic engines fitted totalling 3,300 horsepower. Matt's is our only diesel loco, not counting the railcar.
Detailed listing pdf Back to the top of this page	Prehistory Change of scale Lambourn Raising the game in the interim years The birth of Deddington Junction Early years at Deddn Jn Re-wiring and first refurbishment The Grand Refit Building Barford terminus Hempton shed refit Work in progress - latest news Thirty Years On – Grand Re-opening Gallery 1 Gallery 2 Gallery 3; fin de siècle Gallery 4 The Deddington Junction mythology Loco power Rolling stock Track plan Electrics Museum Thomas and friends