Dibden Valley Railway Digital Archive Septmeber 2003 onwards

[cjallenby]

The begining of the Dibden Valley line is not in digital archives, but as I dont have a scanner, this will have to do.

In short the railway is a small G scale line in southern hampshire using electric power. The only two engines resident at this stage are and LGB Anna and an LGB Stainz. Rolling stock is just three small skip wagons and two Toytrain coaches.

There is around 100ft of track which is a mix of LGB and Peco laid in an oval with a a siding to a single track proposed engine shed at one end and a second siding to a very ambitious proposed extention and second station. Next to this is a small platform named Dibden after the local village that is off screen behind the shed.

This article will record in picturesthe development of the railway from this embryonic stage to the large line that it has become today.



The station at this early stage is a single track and platform. This is also where LGB joins Peco trackwork.



The Stainz loco hauls a passenger train past the rockery.

[cjallenby]

Anna waits at the station for passengers.



The Stainz loco passing the extention which as yet leads only to two LGB R1 curves...

[cjallenby]

During Febuary 2004 snow came to the railway. Here Anna is seen struggling on up the long straight to the station.




Stainz loco passing the rockery in the snow.

[George]

keep the pics coming

[cjallenby]

In 2005 the railways first live steamer arrived! A mamod in a nice pale blue. During this time the railway also took delivery of a palymobil set. Pictures of this are however rare... Work on the line also ground to a halt due to a broken leg...




Mamod loco seen in the tunnel just after regauging to 45mm




Steaming between the trees on its way to the station. A lack of suitable stock is evident.

[cjallenby]

2006 now... and a year of many changes and at last some pictures to document it! The mamod has departed to pastures new, and the railway has taken delivery of several new locomotives and some new track work! The sharp peco set track is replaced with LGB R3 as is the peco point. A bachman big hauler, LGB track cleaning loco and toytrain otto as well as a playmobil flat wagon and a blue LGB coach and some red skip wagons! The station also gains a passing loop and headshunt.



The new bachman big hauler is seen emerging from the finaly completed engine shed.



Otto already sporting a dirty black livery and side tanks shunts the new siding behind the station. Mamod stationary engine is on the playmobil flatwagon.

[cjallenby]

Stainz loco with three coach train waits to depart Dibden station in glorious sunshine. The new layout is evident here.




The lines new diesil heads a works train being filled here with spoil from the recently built headshunt.

[cjallenby]

Proceedings veiwed from further down the line and up in the air!



The otto looking utterly filthy heads a goods train round the new bend and into Dibden. The amount of soil removed from this area to construct the realigned railway was massive...

[Narrow Minded]

Nice set of pics with the lines' history

Where did you get the chimney on your Mamod??????? I had one of those on my first ever loco years ago and would love to get one for my current Mamod, but can't seem to find one anywhere

[cjallenby]

Track Cleaning loco in cleaning mode heads a works train. This enables the detection of dead joints that prevent the trains from running properly. These can then be soldered using a blowtorch(!) and the train then continues. In the left fore ground new concret base has been laid for the future extention.




Otto has gained a repaint into a smart black lined yellow livery and is seen here about to depart Dibden with a goods train.

[cjallenby]

A second much older Stainz loco arrived on the railway thanks to the departure of the Bachman big hauler. It is seen here with a liine up of most of the lines goods stock about to leave Dibden. Also in the background is a house soon to be converted to a Pub! and a new lampost near the crossing that gives access to the station.




The same loco seen here shunting in the siding behind the station.

[cjallenby]

The orrignal Stainz is seen emerging from the shed which has now gained an extra two tracks. Alot of the stock is kept here during the long summer running sessions ready to be pulled out. At the end of the day though it is locked securely in the shed behind.



The top end of the line.

[Narrow Minded]

I thought from the state of your track in the Dibden shot that you had the same problem as me on part of the line - guano!
This is the reason that Velinheli and Sybil were fitted with full cabs on the insistance of the very militant members of the footplate union

Had a second look and it's your solder joints showing up under the lighting conditions - sorry

[cjallenby]

A tatty mamod steam roller posses outside the repainted Robin Hood Pub.




What? Fire in the tunnel? The point in the foreground was a random siding and has since been removed.

[cjallenby]

The arrival of the first live steamer for over two years! A radio controlled Accucraft Caradoc. This engine does not belong to the railway, but a weathly private individule... (My dad) who has also helped finance other projects!



Otto recievs yet more new paint and emerges as a tender engine minus the tender! There is also some very clever electrics (not really just a DPDT switch) that allow it to take track or battery power. The power comes from a set of batteries behind and is either on off or reverse. This gives a good speed but is uncontrolled and to stop it involves catching the train from the lineside...

[cjallenby]

Roundhouse Millie arrives and is the railways second live steamer! Seen here with a rake of goods wagons at Dibden. Note the new foot crossing.



The Caradoc storming out of the loop on an overcast day with LGB skip wagons in tow.

[cjallenby]

Narrow Minded. The mamod came in the condition you see it in these pictures and i have no idea where the chimney came from. You could try brandbright or something.




Otto heads a mixed train down past the rockery...



... and on to the extention!

[cjallenby]

Passing through the site of the new Botleigh Grange Station. Three years on and this is still not built!



And out of the trees towards the end of the line.

[cjallenby]

Veiw of where the line will eventualy go.



Because of the size and complexity of the new extention and the lack of permanet way materials and funding, the line was temporarily raised onto concrete blocks and wooden boards to create a longer line for the 2007 open day. The meccano girder bridge is seen here supporting a visiting Frank 'S' and its Royal Train from the Ruitanian National Railways near by.

[cjallenby]

A visiting Roundhouse Millie passes the resident Caradoc on the extention.



Posing with some LGB wagons on the bridge as the light begins to fail