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The Railways in Burbage
Three independent (or at least notionally independent) railway companies once ran their tracks through the parish: The Berkshire & Hampshire Extension Railway; The Marlborough Railway and the Midland & South Western Junction Railway. The first two were operated by the Great Western Railway from their openings and soon passed into their ownership. The MSWJR struggled to survive from the day it opened being opposed at every turn by the GWR, until - by a strange act of logic - it too became part of the GWR at the railway "grouping" of 1923. As the history of each of these railway companies is well told in the many published works, I will concentrate on their local influence. As an excellent starting point I have reproduced a work by a local railway historian, Tom Sands. Although written many years ago it was thoroughly researched and I doubt if today, much of value could be added to its contents. |
- Savernake - a crossroads in Wiltshire (By T.B. Sands) (28/08/2009)
- The day Mallard broke down in Burbage (1948) & its sister's return visit in 2008
- Photographs of Railway Stations in the parish (9/2/1998) - (updated 12/05/2005)
- A photographic history of the M&SWJR line from Tidworth to Marlborough can be found in the Photo Galleries (21/08/2009)
Tales of a Train Spotter (by Alex Mcgahey)
Train spotting was a hobby with many lads from Burbage and we were based mainly at the (low level) GWR station, but we always had to be on the alert for traffic up on the high level. This high level used to consist of Southern Region engines plus one or two Hall Class GWR locos, but they were always the same ones although I cannot remember their names now. Cycling up the hill to see locos on the high level kept you fit, but the reverse journey downhill had to be done with care unless you wanted to overshoot the platform and see the train from really close up!
The high level also had the "school trains" morning and afternoon bringing the Marlborough Grammar School pupils from Andover and all points north, and getting to school late; and in the afternoon taking them home, and as I recall, leaving school early. When the trains ceased, Wilts and Dorset Bus Co put on the number 19 bus service which came through Burbage around 8.30 am and went to Marlborough and on to Swindon, but via Savernake and Durley.
There was also the "Donk" which went from the low level to Marlborough and Swindon several times a day and the signalman at low level had to give and collect the token to/from the driver to allow safe passage on what was for part, a single line. The Marlborough Donkey was a generally a GWR pannier tank engine.
The legendary Marlborough Donkey
In the evenings, around 6 pm, there was a shunting exercise carried out by a prairie tank engine and wagons from, I think, Newbury and often we train spotters, no elf and safety then, would be up on the footplate driving the engine, and getting mucky when we should have been home for tea!