Bramley Bunker railtour 1st March 1987

Short film of DEMU units 205033/026 on perhaps one of the most remarkable tours of (relatively) recent years. Three trips were run from Basingstoke around the former MOD Bramley Ammunition depot on Sunday 1st March 1987. This extensive facility with over 30 miles of track had opened in 1917 but these were to be both the first and last public trains before closure. The first seen leaving Basingstoke ran into difficulties with the units getting stuck on sharp curves, which in the end had to be 'rushed' to get round. The 'on train' sequences were shot on the second tour which started late as a consequence but ran without incident due to lessons learnt on the first. The last trip ran in the dark.

Although a pair of DEMU's were employed, the units were split due to tight curvature and ran round independently but within sight of each other trailing an Army Ruston diesel which 'led the way'. Flags and walkie-talkies being the only form of 'control'. It could have been straight out of a St Trinians movie ! Modern day HSE would have Kittens.

I've included rather crude animated maps but a quick description of the route in case they don't make sense :

First part to the photo stop at Taylors Lane Sidings ran down the 'mainline' from the Marshalling Yard parallel to the BR line then in a 'U' to the East side of the site, reversing back to the Sidings.

Next the tour traversed the extreme Western loop, reversed back to the bridge under the BR line then ran parallel with that to go completely round the train set like 'Valley Loop', to terminate at Ordnance Gate platform for another Photostop.

Units then returned to the Marshalling yard in a 'U' under the BR line at Centre arch. Bulk of this film covers the 'train set' Valley loop and return to the BR sidings.

205033 survives at Isfield. 205026 was withdrawn in 1990 after a rough shunt at St Leonards. Once again original source material is VHS so you'll have to excuse the crud quality...

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• DEMU
• 205026
• 205033
• railtour
• Bramley
• MOD

[MiLLwallpaul231258]

At 1.10 was that Mr Bean running with his camera

[VEPCIG]

Top video mate thanks for putting tghis up i was actually on this tour and it was a bloody mad day out, i can remember the unit having to take a run up the hill after they had laid sand on the rails. As i say top day out and thnaks for bringibg back many memorys

[brucesterman]

Two in a section, three in a section, some Ruston in the way, driving trains round like cars, someone holding out a token yellow flag, trains full of passengers over un clipped and scotched points, trains ouside their specified RA almost climbing the rails, trains getting a run up to get round the curves, passengers scrabling in and out with no platform, exploring some spookey old army depot.........how totally fantastic, GUTTED not to have been on that trip.

[deadly22sniper]

That's some painful sounds coming from the wheels. Poor trains. :D

[HentisD6569]

Great video Rofger, and some bragging material as well.