Hi All,
Just found this site. Very interesting. Thought I should introduce myself.
My name is Ray Bounsall, lived in Shire for a short time then to Lawrence Weston prior to marrying in 1971, but let's go back further...
As a kid, I would in the early 1960's get the train (DMU) from Shire each Saturday morning to Temps and spend the day there spotting, plus a visit at lunchtime out through the pedestrian tunnel into the underpass in cattle market road to BR and SPM sheds. There was always something to see. Great memories!.
Regards,
Ray
Shire et al
Shire et al
Hi Ray - I too lived in Shire and from 1966 to 1970 caught the dmu to Sea Mills to go to junior school.
On Saturdays my older bro and myself often went to Lawrence Hill to go to Max Williams' model railway shop and occasionally to Severn Beach with our bikes. (I still occasionally take my youngest to Severn Beach (from Sea Mills) to ride her bike along the sea front (which has been strengthened.)
In Sept '66 when I started using the train, the stations were all manned, cardboard tickets 8d return, coal fire in winter and Mr Pike (sp?) was the stationmaster at Shirehampton, the signals were semaphore and the line double. The occasional Hymek was seen too. And coal wagons were often in the three sidings in the yard.
By July '70 the track was single, the stations unmanned and tickets obtained on the train. Shire was spared vandalism for a while due to the signalman being in situ 'til 70 or 71 I think.
Then the yard was taken over by Hallam GT oils for a time and a little trafic went from there hauled by type 2/3 diesels.
Sadly the substantial stone station was burnt out by fire and knocked down a few years ago and a paltry little wooden and brick shelter is all that has gone up in it's place.
The old coal office/weighbridge is about the only structure left and lies sandwiched between the old stationmaster's house and the path that leads from the tiny car park to the platform.
On Saturdays my older bro and myself often went to Lawrence Hill to go to Max Williams' model railway shop and occasionally to Severn Beach with our bikes. (I still occasionally take my youngest to Severn Beach (from Sea Mills) to ride her bike along the sea front (which has been strengthened.)
In Sept '66 when I started using the train, the stations were all manned, cardboard tickets 8d return, coal fire in winter and Mr Pike (sp?) was the stationmaster at Shirehampton, the signals were semaphore and the line double. The occasional Hymek was seen too. And coal wagons were often in the three sidings in the yard.
By July '70 the track was single, the stations unmanned and tickets obtained on the train. Shire was spared vandalism for a while due to the signalman being in situ 'til 70 or 71 I think.
Then the yard was taken over by Hallam GT oils for a time and a little trafic went from there hauled by type 2/3 diesels.
Sadly the substantial stone station was burnt out by fire and knocked down a few years ago and a paltry little wooden and brick shelter is all that has gone up in it's place.
The old coal office/weighbridge is about the only structure left and lies sandwiched between the old stationmaster's house and the path that leads from the tiny car park to the platform.
Shire et al
Ray, forgot to mention - my bro went to Lawrence Weston school finishing in 1968 - he married in 1970 - He was into home developed photography in his teens and took a couple of night shots of Shire station in the late '60's -may be you crossed paths?
Grayo59
Grayo59
Shirehampton station & Grayo59
Hi, um I guess Mr. Gray, who was born in 1959???.
Thanks for the response to my comment about Shire.
I was aware, albeit from afar, of the changes to Shire station. Although I live in Melbourne, I have opportunities through work to get back to Bristle every couple of years. On one of those trips, I video'd Shire station. This was before the fire, with a stopping DMU. As I am a railway modeller, the idea was for a long term project to model the station maybe from Hung Road to Station Road, so I also video'd the detail of the roof, barg boards etc. Bit of archive footage now, considering there is only a bus stop left in situ.
Incidentally, married a girl from Groveleaze in 1971 at St. Marys in Shire.
Regards,
Ray
Thanks for the response to my comment about Shire.
I was aware, albeit from afar, of the changes to Shire station. Although I live in Melbourne, I have opportunities through work to get back to Bristle every couple of years. On one of those trips, I video'd Shire station. This was before the fire, with a stopping DMU. As I am a railway modeller, the idea was for a long term project to model the station maybe from Hung Road to Station Road, so I also video'd the detail of the roof, barg boards etc. Bit of archive footage now, considering there is only a bus stop left in situ.
Incidentally, married a girl from Groveleaze in 1971 at St. Marys in Shire.
Regards,
Ray
Re: Shire et al
Grayo59 wrote: By July '70 the track was single, the stations unmanned and tickets obtained on the train. Shire was spared vandalism for a while due to the signalman being in situ 'til 70 or 71 I think.
quote]
Not sure that Shire box was manned after singling, although it did remain intact for a while. I have a vague idea that it might have become a ground frame to operate the siding, but I am open to correction.