The Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway - Part 1 - Shawford Junction to Winchester Chesil.

One of Britain's fabled closed railway lines, It's often stated that were it open today, the DN&SR would prove invaluable as an alternative route to the north. Starting from the Hampshire end, I head north into Winchester, thoroughly exploring the route to reveal that in the first two miles, a whole wealth of relics still remain.

[@openmicfraternity1946]

Definitely one of my favourite lines. I’ve walked some sections, including part of Chilton cutting before it was infilled 40 years ago.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Glad to be doing it. Been on my to do list for some time.

[@anthonymoore6009]

Cracking good historical explore. Great fun to watch and to do. Onwards to the Tunnel and Kings Worthy. Thanks Bob for all the work you put in to make these films and this channel.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks for your kind words Tony. It is fun isn't it. Here's to many more adventures.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Oh fantastic! I've explored bits of the DN&SR in the past but now it gets the Pastfinder treatment. Your efforts are much appreciated.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank you for your comments and for watching. Appreciated.

[@AlexAinscow2]

Shawford station is worth a visit, as there are are some bridge extensions that were built to accommodate the junction. Shawford still has 3 platforms as a result. Great video, looking forward to the rest.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank you Alex, appreciated

[@callumradford3680]

Been waiting for this series! Nice one Bob. It’s a sacrilege that this railway was closed in the first place, it would likely form an invaluable North-South spinal mainline were it still open today

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Cheers Callum. Totally agree, it would be so useful today. You'll have to join me as I get near to Newbury mate.

[@callumradford3680]

@@PASTFINDERexploring that that would be great, feel free to come round my place if you need some B roll footage, the balcony overlooks the existing railway B)

[@746laurie]

Thank you very much for this new exploration of the DN&S, a line which is very much part of my family history. My grandfather was promoted in 1916 from signalman at Marlow, Bucks to station master at Upton and Blewbury bringing his family to live in the station house. My father was 3 years old at the time and had two brothers and a sister ranging from 6 years to 1 year old. My father joined the GWR at Didcot in 1930 as an engine cleaner and went on to be a fireman and then a driver spending all his working life at Didcot apart from a short posting to Leamington as a passed fireman during WW2. Obviously being Didcot based he fired and later drove many trains on the DN&S, including service trains on the footplate of City of Truro when she was shedded at 81E in 1957. The 1939 Register shows my grandfather as station master at Compton, possibly his last posting before retiring in 1941. I walked across Hockley viaduct in the early 2000s and also went on a walk in the 1980s with a small group from the road bridge near East Hagbourne to a farm accommodation bridge over the cutting south of Upton. On that walk I found a GWR rail chair of Swindon 1892 pattern which I went to retrieve a few days later in my car. It now serves as a door stop at my house in Central Romania where I've lived since 2010.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Hi, great story and nice to hear the tangible links to the remains. Thank you so much for watching and o can only hope I can come across such a relevant relic as I progress along the line.

[@philippankhurst6680]

From 33:10 to 33:40 you walked past an unbroken run of GWR standard spear fencing which will be approaching 100 years old and still doing its job. Splendid piece of exploration !

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Phillip. Always stuff there when you look for it.

[@thunderboltmag4226]

Can’t wait for part 2! Great vid

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks, probably around June/July.

[@lindacooper8353]

BRILLIANT

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank you Linda, appreciated.

[@iansheppard3711]

@19:13 The western side of St Catherine's Hill was completely remodelled in the 1990s during the construction of the M3 cutting. Spoil from the cutting was used to reprofile the hill which was removed when they built the original A33 bypass around Winchester. According to the maps, the DN&S went to the west of the A33 so the road would have been between the railway and the hill.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

I remember the protests at the time.

[@joeweston3252]

brilliant bob l,ve walked this beautiful pathway many times now but it's great to know more about the railway that once ran along it going to enjoy this series to mate.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Joe, glad you enjoyed it.

[@clivesolomons7583]

Another brilliant explore. The Hockley Viaduct which used to look down on the infamous Hockley lights renowned bottleneck on the original Winchester Bypass. Looking forward to part 2

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Cheers Clive. Thanks for watching.

[@openmicfraternity1946]

The Hockley lights crossroads (old A33 / A333 junction) was built over a tunnel for the Itchen Navigation in 1932, to allow the Navigation to be reopened in the future. The tunnel was never used, as the canal had closed in the 1800s and the tunnel was destroyed when the A33 was replaced by the M3.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

That tunnel would have been interesting to see. Never knew about the canal. must look it up on the maps.

[@darrenraymond5334]

great video love it thank you😁

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank you Darren

[@golledgestravels326]

Excellent.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank you

[@MasterDownUnder]

The bridge you found at around 16:00 is actually crossing the old Itchen Navigation, it self diverted upstream back in the River Itchen. It leads into a drain that used to go under the old Winchester Bypass now a long drain under the monstrosity that is the M3...

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks for that, I knew it had something to do with the Itchen. There are water channels everywhere around there.

[@the9f]

The girder bridge after 5 Bridges Rd spanned the old Itchen Navigation hence the marshy appearance... the footpath you were walking on was the original road around St Catherine's Hill before they built the duel carrageway that was subsequently replaced by the new M3.. great to see you back after the epic Basingstoke to Alton Railway videos.. this is shaping up to be as good.. thanks.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks for watching. Think this'll be a bigger task than the B&ALR. But look forward to the adventure.

[@davidberlanny3308]

Hi Bob, Happy new year!! Great exploration!! Ive seen bits and bobs elsewhere but this one gives you all the information to see the line from the start (or end!!). The times I've driven by and not known it was there, particularly the viaduct Very interesting map showing Southampton before the docks, where an earth did they get the infill for all that!! Loved seeing the restored telegraph pole on the viaduct and then seeing you find one a bit later on, I would have been tempted to take something home, I expect thats where all the mile markers have gone! Look forward to seeing the next section .... if it hasnt been washed away that is All the best!!

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Hi David, Happy new year to you too. Thanks for your kind comments. I believe a lot of the spoil for Southampton's western docks came from Micheldever station area. You can see a huge quarry carved out of the chalk with the SW main line going right through the middle, as well as the station and former oil terminal.

[@SteveHodges-cn7ns]

A very impressive piece of filmmaking, informative, interesting and accurate. Thank you for your efforts.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Very kind comments Steve, thank you for watching.

[@ianpotter5840]

Another super video thanks so much. I had no idea all those bridges and remnants were there between the viaduct and Bar End. Can’t wait for volume 2 and I’m definitely going to have a walk along the viaduct myself now. Thanks again🙂

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Great stuff Ian, glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your kind comments.

[@martyn6792]

That viaduct is stunning, didn't know it was there

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Cheers Martyn, good isn't it? Thanks for your support.

[@davidfarrell3539]

I really enjoyed this Pastfinder. It's like Time Team for a more recent age! Loved the shot from the bridge at Winchester Chesil when you superimposed the route of the old line, though at the same time it made me really sad that this railway no longer exists. Thank you so much, I look forward to exploring your other videos.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks David, a very honoured comparison.

[@ficooper8927]

Great video - thank you! I'm now a subscriber.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Great stuff, thank you for your support

[@michaelhampton9493]

I did my first trainspotting at the Chesil and have very fond memories . L remember standing in the field next to the railway when they took the lines up. Then reality kicked in , the line really was going.i also remember walking through the tunnel on a Sunday afternoon with some friends .The rails were still there and we walked to Kings Worthy station. Just as we passed Condors one of my friend's put his ear to the track and said there's a train comi ng . by then it was a freight only line .I said to my mate that it was Sunday and trains didn't run on the line on Sundays. I was wrong.We heard a distant whistle and watched the train get nearer and ducked down in the bank and a 9F came hurtling by pulling a long rake of freight wagons. I was glad to be proved wrong. Sadly shortly after this the line was no more. A total travesty.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Michael. Great story.

[@ogribiker8535]

Used to live right next to the line near Newbury, looking forward to that section although most of it is now the A34!.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Looking forward to filming it. Thank you.

[@openmicfraternity1946]

The skew girder bridge crossed over the Itchen Navigation which is dry at this point.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Yes you can see it would be wet during wet times. Like now for instance.

[@paulharrison6385]

Some concrete sleepers were installed in and around Chesil when passenger services stopped and freight increased especially the tanker trains to and from Fawley.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank you Paul

[@Byron2561]

great video. Liked your comment about Barfield Close possible being a tunnel. Actually there was a dispute about Chesil Tunnel. GWR said it was under 440 yards (20 chains!) so the PWay gang didn't qualify for tunnel bonus. They measured it and the outside curve was 441 yards. GWR had to give in!

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Paul, I'd heard that story when I took the tunnel tour. Will include in part 2.

[@Byron2561]

that's when I heard the story too! @@PASTFINDERexploring

[@phaasch]

Really enjoyed this, and amazing just how much infrastructure remains from the original line. Concrete sleepers first appeared in the 30s, and began being used in large numbers during WW2- the DN&S was upgraded to carry huge amounts of military traffic to Southampton, particularly in the build up for Operation Overlord. Looking forward to the next edition.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Mark. Always stuff there if you look hard enough. Thanks for watching

[@andywells9079]

another fantastic video, I have walked some of that. I believe the road mentioned in the early part was the course of the old A33 before the M3 extension was built. Look forward to the next one

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Cheers Andy. I must have driven down that road in the 80s. Thanks for watching, appreciated.

[@andywells9079]

Yes, @@PASTFINDERexploring

[@andywells9079]

Yes, mee too. The only reason I noticed it was that on the right when walking towards winchester, there is a memorial to a motorist that died in a car accident on what was then the A33. I recall seeing the river Itchen from the frequent traffic jams before the Hockley Traffic Lights, now under the M3

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Saw that memorial. Very sad.

[@stevebeckwith5523]

Excellent video Pastfinder. Once again great research. Thank you. The navvies had to work hard I’m sure we used to drive under the viaduct after and before the Hoclkley lights before the M3 was redesigned and obliterated the area. Black coconut ice cream did they do rum and raisin??

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank you Steve.

[@steveharwood5824]

Brilliant Bob. Looking forward to the next episode mate. Happy New Year 🎉

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Steve, may need some pointers around Whitchurch.

[@steveharwood5824]

No problem Bob. Just give me a shout and I'll join you. Also got that book for you too 👍🏻

[@paulbrian295]

Re your concrete sleepers at Bar End. I have a book about the line. There is a picture of 1960 showing concrete sleepers near where the engine shed had been,

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Paul, I'd always assumed concrete sleepers were a relatively late 20th century thing. I don't know why.

[@openmicfraternity1946]

Col Stevens used concrete sleepers on some light railways way back in Edwardian times.

[@holtby91]

I lived in South Wonston and now near Alresford. It’s a shame these lines couldn’t have been turned into a full walking and cycling route. The Handlebar cafe is really nice.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Hi, thanks for watching. I agree, however, never know, in the future they may be opened up.

[@Roylambeth]

Seriously impressive. Well done. I really enjoyed watching and like the way you describe everything. One small problem. Watching it on my laptop with earphones, I found much the music far too loud compared with your speech. For future videos, please consider turning the music down a little, especially during the intro and credits. Looking forward to the area around Compton where I spent much time in the 70s.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank You for your kind comments Roy, very much appreciated.

[@alantraish3368]

Great video. Any idea when part 2 coming?

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Alan, should be out in June/July.

[@openmicfraternity1946]

The concrete sleepers date from the wartime reconstruction

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

I always associate concrete sleepers as a more modern thing but as you point out, they've been around for some considerable time. Thanks.