South Midland Railway

Progress during the 2008/9 season

Tickets may be booked in advance for our next Thomas day – date according to demand.

On 9 January 2009, the finest model yet to join Hempton MPD took the rails. The prototype Collett 6877 'Llanfair Grange' in GWR green entered service in 1939. The Hornby model has fantastic detail and finish, and runs superbly. It will be diagrammed for the Deddington-Didcot-Taunton-Barnstaple express – The Exmoor Coast Express. Much thanks to all those who made this purchase.

Also adding to the GWR flavour, these will

work in Deddington and Barford goods yards

Hand-held controller 4 has been installed and tested after 16 years. Turns out that the panel wiring was prepared in 1991/2 and the other necessary components were ready and waiting. It enables operation from outside the control pit, frinstance by a junior trainee director – under supervision of course.

Director and Station Master for Middle Aston, Matt put C4 through its paces while taking his part-one shunter's and fireman's refresher course accompanied by his apprentice junior trainee director. (He completed his retraining and graduated Driver on 27 December 2009.)

SMR Forestry department has planted the rough grounds behind Barford station. Flower beds on the platform (Lambourn style) will have further planting.

Permanent Way dept has now ensured free running over all barrow crossings.

The Barford camp coach now has steps up from the footpath. The stranded vehicle has been lettered but through ignorance the surface was not glossed first so as to obviate seeing the decals base. A coat of matte has not eliminated the problem. We live'n'learn. The vehicle has yet to be glazed and fitted out inside. Bookings may be made in anticipation of availablity.

The GWR-style conical water tower is now installed at Barford bar one vital attachment; answers on an email please.

Barford branchline terminus was handed over to traffic dept on schedule before Christmas 2008. Regular workings from Barford to Hempton and Deddington and through two-coach trains to Middle Aston and Hook Norton are now available. Dean Goods 2517 had been serviced and made clearance runs for this diagram but struggles to make the gradient with the two-coach B-set.

Jimmi's Holden 0-4-0T has had its Zero One decoder (installed 1984) removed and runs beautifully after nearly 30 years in stock. It is now free of its permanently coupled shunter's wagon. 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 with RailMatch 'oily steel'. It is now Deddington Junction's resident shunter.

Plans for 2009 included the replacement of the Hempton shed turn-table by one that actually works; effectively this meant the complete refurbishment of the yard and sections of the retaining wall.

The bad news is that, because of the bedroom wall being resurfaced by Mark, and the main layout being eased away from the opposite cupboard, the fiddle board is now four inches too long for the space available. It will have to be rebuilt shorter.

Refit early 2007/ 2008

Refit autumn 08

Refit autumn 09

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
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

	Progress during the 2008/9 season Tickets may be booked in advance for our next Thomas day – date according to demand.
On 9 January 2009, the finest model yet to join Hempton MPD took the rails. The prototype Collett 6877 'Llanfair Grange' in GWR green entered service in 1939. The Hornby model has fantastic detail and finish, and runs superbly. It will be diagrammed for the Deddington-Didcot-Taunton-Barnstaple express – The Exmoor Coast Express. Much thanks to all those who made this purchase.
Also adding to the GWR flavour, these will	work in Deddington and Barford goods yards
Hand-held controller 4 has been installed and tested after 16 years. Turns out that the panel wiring was prepared in 1991/2 and the other necessary components were ready and waiting. It enables operation from outside the control pit, frinstance by a junior trainee director – under supervision of course.
	Director and Station Master for Middle Aston, Matt put C4 through its paces while taking his part-one shunter's and fireman's refresher course accompanied by his apprentice junior trainee director. (He completed his retraining and graduated Driver on 27 December 2009.)
SMR Forestry department has planted the rough grounds behind Barford station. Flower beds on the platform (Lambourn style) will have further planting.	Permanent Way dept has now ensured free running over all barrow crossings.
	The Barford camp coach now has steps up from the footpath. The stranded vehicle has been lettered but through ignorance the surface was not glossed first so as to obviate seeing the decals base. A coat of matte has not eliminated the problem. We live'n'learn. The vehicle has yet to be glazed and fitted out inside. Bookings may be made in anticipation of availablity.
The GWR-style conical water tower is now installed at Barford bar one vital attachment; answers on an email please.
	Barford branchline terminus was handed over to traffic dept on schedule before Christmas 2008. Regular workings from Barford to Hempton and Deddington and through two-coach trains to Middle Aston and Hook Norton are now available. Dean Goods 2517 had been serviced and made clearance runs for this diagram but struggles to make the gradient with the two-coach B-set.
Jimmi's Holden 0-4-0T has had its Zero One decoder (installed 1984) removed and runs beautifully after nearly 30 years in stock. It is now free of its permanently coupled shunter's wagon. 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 with RailMatch 'oily steel'. It is now Deddington Junction's resident shunter.
Plans for 2009 included the replacement of the Hempton shed turn-table by one that actually works; effectively this meant the complete refurbishment of the yard and sections of the retaining wall.	The bad news is that, because of the bedroom wall being resurfaced by Mark, and the main layout being eased away from the opposite cupboard, the fiddle board is now four inches too long for the space available. It will have to be rebuilt shorter.
Refit early 2007/ 2008 Refit autumn 08 Refit autumn 09 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 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