Longmoor Military Railway

[newbie babs]

Not sure I have put this in the correct category but please move it moderators if I have not.

I know this line closed in 1969, but does anyone have any details on if you can get to it to walk along it, or if there are any plans to reopen any part of it.

I know some of the stock went to other museums & railways initially such as Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

any help would be grateful

 

[Nym]

I can say the first place to start, as it is for any military railway history is the RCT/RLC Museum at Deepcut...

They do have an email address...

 

[newbie babs]

Nym, will ask my son he is in the RLC.

I did not realise the military still owned it.

 

[Nym]

Don't know if the RLC still own it, but it's definately the museum at Deepcut...

 

[newbie babs]

Thanks Nym

Done a bit of digging and regrettably, the Longmoor Military Railway was demolished in 1970. In 1977 a plaque to commemorate the past connection between the former Longmoor Military Railway and British Rail was unveiled at Liss Station on Monday 31st October 1977.
Liss Railway station is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line, serving the village of Liss in Hampshire.
The station had a platform adjacent to the mainline which was the southern terminus of The Longmoor Military Railway. The former goods yard connected to the LMR via Liss Junction.

 

[mind the gap]

Hi Babs

My father was stationed at the signal school at Longmoor in the 60's & I still live a couple of miles down the road.

I do have a "can of steam" from the last open day before the railway closed

Most of the land is still owned by the MOD and used for live firing exercises, therefore not always accessable by the public. I believe that some of the site is also classified as a SSSI. Longmoor camp is also now "seperated" from the rest of the ex-railway site by the A3 Liss/Petersfield/liphook by pass (the Ex-signal school building is viewable from the A3)

Therefore it is unlikely that the railway will ever be re-opened again - I do remember a story that David Shepherd (East Somerset Railway) stored a few loco's at the Liss junction location just after it closed & showed some (little?) interest in keeping the railway open.

There is a riverside walk from Liss which uses ssome of the ex - LMR trackbed. - http://www.lissparishcouncil.gov.uk/Core/Liss-Pc/Pages/--_Riverside_Walk_1.aspx & http://www.petersfieldpost.co.uk/news/riverside_walk_s_new_project_on_rail_s_past_1_2373238


I'm not an expert on the history but do have some knowledge, if you have any more questions feel free to ask and I will try to answer

 

[chris89]

Not sure about the line. But 600 gordon the WD 2-10-0 is in cosmetic conditonal at the Severn Valley Railway in the Engine house at Highley. Also the railway fully owns the locomotive as well. But extremely low chance of returning to service.

 

[John Webb]

David Sheperd's book "A Brush with Steam" (David and Charles, 1983) tells how at first how he and others were given considerable assistance in setting up at Longmoor, which they got to in mid-1968. But by late 1968 it was clear that Longmoor was heading for closure, and the final Open Day was held in July 1969. Soon afterwards the camp command changed, and immediately various restrictions were imposed.
At the same time David and others set up a Trust to try and preserve the whole railway, but in October 1969 the railway was closed and the MoD indicated that they would want the whole site for training purposes. Eventually they were offered a short lease on an area close to Liss. However locals opposed development of the site as a heritage railway centre. The local residents, when the army put up the site for auction, outbid the preservationists, and thus forced them off the site by the end of 1971. (Some months later when there was talk of the new A3 road coming past, some of the residents had the cheek to ask the preservationists if they'd like to come back!)

 

[newbie babs]

Is there a map anywhere that shows where the line that served Longmoor.

I noticed it was used in the Great St Trinians Train Robbery and there was One Class 11 shunter in Longmoor colours but carrying British Railways markings. Does anyone know what happened to it once the Longmoor shut and what were the colours.

 

[mind the gap]

Hi Babs,

Is this of any use?

The B2131 is now the A3 dual carriageway

The area inside the large "loop" is still used for military excercises.

The rail underbridge at the Whitehill crossroads is still noticable, although a bit overgrown

You can still make out some of the trackbed (especailly the loop) on Google maps - http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Longmoor,+Hampshire,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=51.086812,-0.843372&spn=0.058011,0.110378&sll=51.071842,-0.871864&sspn=0.029015,0.055189&vpsrc=6&hnear=Longmoor,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=13

When I have a bit more spare time I'll try see if I can find out any info on the class 11

 

[newbie babs]

that`s great, thanks for that