I found this.
I've often talked about modelling the terminus; a comment which is usually met with derision as it's been done very well locally in P4 and it's only 5 points; which is one more than I usually put in... It is in many ways the model railway that we all build.
For the un-knowing the Devil's Dyke Branch ran from what is now Aldringdon station in Hove up onto the Downs to what can only be described as a steep-sided gully. Due to lack of interest, it closed before WW2. Most Brightonians only visit the area for now for dogging and golf and the site has reverted to farmland.
What a good find, Chris! I've not seen the postcard or the film before. The postcard has a slightly "model" quality to it; it looks very "light railway" with the Col. Stephens style corrugated building and grounded coach body.
ReplyDeleteThe film is fascinating; I am not sure quite how the atmosphere could be put across on a layout though. Operationally a model would perhaps be a bit simple to sustain interest, as I doubt there would have been much diversity of traffic. Scenically it would perhaps be best done to show the station in its setting; perhaps calling for one of the smaller scales. The glimpse of a goods train at the end of the clip is especially interesting to me; I've ridden in one of those SE&CR 6-wheel brake vans!
I pondered the operation compared to say Unnycoombe. The stock pattern would be similar and we get a 25min+ sequence out of that. If it were either post or just pre-group you could get a mix of terrier's D1s, E4s and possibly the Sentinal railcar. 4 wheelers, early LBSCR bogie stock/Balloon coach. Light goods stock and possibly a cattle wagon or two. So really not that different stock wise.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant stuff! I once explored part of the branch C.1978. Rest of band were holed up in a grotty B&B in Hove and I had to get out into the fresh air. Found where the line once crossed a main road and followed the trackbed along the back gardens of a housing estate. Never got as far as the Dyke, had to get back for the soundcheck. Why did I do it? Well, the last signalman, ticket collector, booking clerk & porter at Devils Dyke was a certain John Charles Weller!
ReplyDeleteGrahamW
Just wasted a couple of hours with Google Maps trying to jog my memory. We were staying in a large B&B/Pub near a big road junction which must have been the Grenadier, Hove. It was a dump, has it improved? The section of trackbed I walked was nearby and must have been at the back of Rowan Ave. I remember the houses were 1930ish. I also explored north of Hangleton Rd but it looks as if there's been some building development since 1978. I have a postcard somewhere of a railmotor at the Dyke.
ReplyDeleteOn another occassion I tried to find the Kemp Town terminus but failed, is it still there?
GrahamW
The line south of the Brighton bypass is largely covered with post war housing (the Hangleton estate)though you can pick the trackbed up north of this and walk most of it. The Kemp Town terminus is built over, but easy to spot as there is a Gala Bingo hall in Eastern Rd where the station approach was. The tunnel mouth is sometimes visible within the industrial estate behind which covers the site.
ReplyDeleteI will return to this later.