Mangotsfield memories

[Martin]

The pictures of Mangotsfield station on this website bring back some memories. I and have visited from time to time was there a few weeks ago. In my youth in the early '60s I used to travel from Staple Hill station to Rodway School at Mangotsfield, in breach of a strict parental injunction that I was not to do so but was to use the school bus (boring!).

It seems to me that a model of Mangotsfield station would be a great idea. I may do it, though the curved glass platform canopies would be very difficult. Has anybody else modelled Mangotsfield?

For the benefit of Clive Moore, or anyone else, I can provide a track plan showing all slips, etc. but will need a postal address. One slip and a diamond crossing are on a curve and a bit tricky but with some compromises Peco pointwork (assuming 00 gauge) would work for all but the single slip at the station junction (clearly visible in the picture 9f on this website). 1963-66 was a bit late for me - was in Australia by October '62. Travelled the line (all the way to Bath on weekends) mostly 1960-62. Bath stoppers had Southern corridor stock with either an Ivatt 2-6-2T (41241, 41242, 41249 most common) or a Standard Class 3 2-6-2T (82004, 82040, 82043 all come to mind). By the first time I returned to England, in 1968, Mangotsfield Station Box had burned down and the Bath line passenger services had gone. By my second visit, in 1972, the main line was gone and only a single line remained from Westerleigh to Bath via the back of Carson's Chocolates factory - now itself gone!

In the Clive Moore Gallery the Brush Type 4 is surely not approaching "from the Bristol direction". The train is going TOWARDS Bristol just south of Mangotsfield North Junction and is therefore approaching Mangotsfield station FROM THE GLOUCESTER DIRECTION.

It seems to me that Mangotsfield was probably the only station on the British railway system to which the only public access from the street was across main line tracks on the level by wooden board walks, despite having subways to get from one platform to another. There was no road access to the station buildings, nor to the goods yard to the west of the station, though that was apparently only used by the Permanent Way Department.

[Clive Moore]

Have started modelling mangotsfield, have so far made the rodway bridge, started laying the track for the rodway siding and goods siding, but the station, well that will be the last thing to tackle as it involves a lot of work. To all of you that read this I am looking for a track layout plan, one that shows me where the slips and double slips were.
Travelling from staple hill to mangotsfield in the early sixties. I travelled from soundwell to staple hill from 63 to 66 paths must of crossed.

Clive Moore