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The DN&SR Pages
Operation and stock
In terms of operation, a great advantage for the modeller is that the line was mostly served by very short trains. The typical arrangement of a tender loco and 2-3 bogie coaches on each service means that you can model a cross-country line in a relatively limited space.
The line saw the use of some rather quaint locomotives over the years. Before the grouping in 1923, this was a GWR "operated" line, meaning that it was operated by the GWR, but owned by the independent DN&S company. As a result, the GWR tended to allocate rather ageing locos to the line, which were redundant elsewhere.
This trend continued after the GWR take-over at the grouping, and was supplemented by larger more modern locos during the war-years, when the line became temporarily important. The table below gives an overview of the various locos used on the line through the years. |
|
King's Worthy |
2-2-2 Queen |
Rolling stock was perhaps less varied, and yet not without interest: Non-corridor clerestory coaches were used until the early 1940's, after which Collett steel stock took over. The short rakes were supplemented with occasional through coaches from Paddington, and - in the pregrouping period - also with stock from the Great Central and other Northern companies. Note also that the extensive horse traffic on the line provides a welcome excuse for the use of horseboxes of both GWR and "foreign" origin.
Indicative list of GWR locos on the DN&SR
| Class |
Type |
Period |
Notes |
4mm
Model |
7mm
Model |
| Ex-P&T |
2-4-0 |
Pre-1900 |
Ex Pembroke & Tenby Rwy |
|
|
| 157 |
2-4-0 |
Early 1900s |
|
|
|
| Queen |
2-2-2 |
Early 1900s |
|
|
Scorpio
|
| River |
2-4-0 |
Early 1900s |
|
Peter K |
|
| 1661 Class |
0-6-0ST |
1900s |
|
|
|
| Sir Daniel |
0-6-0 |
Late 1900s |
|
|
|
| Armstrong Goods |
0-6-0 |
1900 -early 1910s |
|
Nu-Cast
|
Scorpio |
| 2361 |
0-6-0 |
1900 -early 1910s |
|
|
|
| Dean Goods |
0-6-0 |
1900s-1910s |
|
Blacksmith, Finney |
Javelin, Finney, ABS |
| 1076 |
0-6-0ST |
1900s-1910s |
Mainly Didcot-Newbury section |
Gibson |
Scorpio |
| 517 |
0-4-2T |
1900s - early 1910s |
Mainly Didcot-Newbury section |
Gibson |
Mitchell, ABS |
| 806 |
2-4-0 |
1900s-early 1920s |
|
|
|
| 3226 |
2-4-0 |
1900s & early 1920s |
|
|
|
| 2201 |
2-4-0 |
1910s |
|
|
|
| 481 |
2-4-0 |
1910s |
|
|
|
| Stella |
2-4-0 |
1910 -early 1920s |
|
Finney |
Finney |
| 3232 |
2-4-0 |
1910 -early 1920s |
|
Finney |
Finney |
| Barnum |
2-4-0 |
1910s -early 1920s |
|
Blacksmith |
|
| 3521 |
4-4-0 |
1920s |
|
Falcon |
|
| Duke |
4-4-0 |
1920s -late 1930s |
|
Nu-Cast, Falcon, Blacksmith |
Javelin |
| Ex-M&SWJR |
2-4-0 |
Mid-1920s-1930s |
Combined w. Lambourn branch workings |
Nu-Cast |
|
| Metro |
2-4-0T |
1930s-1940s ? |
Mainly Didcot-Newbury section |
Roxey, Finecast, Falcon |
Acorn, Roxey |
| Bulldog |
4-4-0 |
Late 1930s-1940s |
|
Finney, Falcon |
Finney |
| Collett Goods |
0-6-0 |
Late 1930s-1940s |
|
Bachmann, Finney, Finecast |
Wagon & Carriage, Springside |
| 28xx |
2-8-0 |
1940s |
Especially war years |
Hornby, Westward, Finney, Falcon |
Slaters, Wagon & Carriage Works |
| Hall |
4-6-0 |
1940s |
Once only - scraped the platforms! |
Hornby, Bachmann, DJH, Finney |
Springside, Finney |
| Railcar |
n/a |
1940s? |
Didcot-Newbury section only |
Lima |
RJH |
| 43xx |
2-6-0 |
Late 1940s |
Espec. Post-Nationalization |
Bachmann, Mitchell |
Mitchell, Springside |
| 93xx |
2-6-0 |
Late 1940s |
Espec. Post-Nationalization |
Bachmann |
|
| City |
4-4-0 |
Post-1940s |
Restored by BR and used frequently on the DN&S |
Dapol, Nu-Cast, Finney |
Javelin, Finney |
Post-Nationalisation operation on the DN&SR
Apart from the pre-nationalisation focus of the list above, Xpress Publishing have kindly provided a few additional notes on the post-nationalisation scene:
- Hall and Grange 4-6-0's were permitted to run up to 40 mph between Didcot and Newbury and in an emergency at 20 mph from Newbury to Winchester
- 93xx engines were only permitted to use any part of the line in an emergency and at a maximum speed of 20 mph.
- Twin-car railcars were permitted to work between Didcot and Newbury (but prohibited from using any sidings) whilst the 1940 series of single cars were permitted between Newbury and Winchester.
- The 22xx 0-6-0's were used up to the 1960's and with the 43xx 2-6-0's
shouldered most of the GW workings.
- The SR-based services employed a Q1 0-6-0 (which did two return trips a day on the line), a T9 4-4-0 and a pair of BR4 2-6-0's. Q 0-6-0's were also permitted throughout.
During the war the DN&S had been used for block oil trains, although after 1945 things went back to normal. In about 1960 Fawley refinery was opened near Southampton and when oil services to the Midlands were being planned, someone in the trains office at Southampton remembered the role the DN&S had played during the war with the result that many Fawley (and docks) services were run via Didcot.
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