FAWLEY HILL
Thousands of visitors descend on Quainton Road every year, but 25 miles away there is another intriguing railway and museum – Fawley Hill – that packs a real punch, writes TREVOR JONES.
Exploring Buckinghamshire’s other railway centre
Hidden in a remote valley in Buckinghamshire is one of the least well-known preserved railways… In fact, it’s not really a preserved railway at all, because it was built just 54 years ago.
It was created by the late Sir William McAlpine on his estate at Fawley Hill, near Henley-onThames. He saved the family business’ last steam locomotive – Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No. 31 – from being scrapped and then started collecting pieces of architecture from historic buildings which were being demolished, many from structures that his forebears had constructed.
The locomotive was restored, track was laid and a museum created which is now full of railway artefacts, perhaps second only to the National Railway Museum in York – and that alone is worth a visit to this secluded corner of the Home Counties.
In 1979, Sir William approached the Marlow & District Railway Society to see if it would be prepared to help run the railway. That same year, a society was formed to operate it and hold open days. Just over a mile long, the line starts from a station that was relocated from Somersham (between March and St Ives) and dates from 1889 – now situated alongside the museum. This structure was painstakingly restored and rebuilt on site and forms the main focus, where passengers can enjoy refreshments and soak up the atmosphere.
The sidings in front of the museum house a growing fleet of stock: motive power consists of Sir William’s flagship steam locomotive No. 31 Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons, an ‘03’ diesel shunter and two Planet diesels. Rolling stock includes several wagons, including a Great Western Railway coal wagon and a ‘Shark’ brake van, both converted to carry passengers.
Static carriages include the Great Eastern Railway director’s saloon No. GE1, dating from 1920, and a Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway coach, rebuilt with a veranda and mounted on a ‘Conflat’ wagon underframe.
IRONHENGE
The train departs from Somersham station and dives down into the valley at 1-in-13, making it the steepest standard gauge passenger railway in the country, passing through a wildlife park where wallabies can be seen hopping across the track.
These are just one of the 20 species of animals there, but there are no carnivores, although – like the numerous red kites in this area – the emus eat carrion.
At the bottom of the hill the line joins a transverse line running along the floor of the valley where there are two stations and a signal box. Bourne Again Junction station was originally part of Bourne End station, the Marlow junction, on the original Maidenhead to High Wycombe line. The other is Inverernie, named after a member of the society, but originally located at Thrapston in Northamptonshire.
And it is impossible not to smile at the circle of two dozen columns retrieved from the redevelopment of St Pancras station’s undercroft. Fawley Hill’s website asks: “there is a Woodhenge and a Stonehenge: why not an Ironhenge?”
Elsewhere, façades from Broad Street and Ludgate Hill, plus original London & South Western Railway stone arches from Waterloo, present grand markers of Victorian extravagance.
There are numerous open days during the year, when groups and individuals can attend by invitation, but none during the winter, because if it snowed it would be impossible to use the steeply graded line. Even in summer there is little left in reserve after the engine has powered its way up the fierce gradient, generating an exhaust that can be heard for miles.
Since the death of Sir William earlier this year, Lady McAlpine and the family have stated that they wish to keep Fawley Hill operating in a similar way as in the past, with increased use as a venue for weddings and celebrations.
Fawley Hill is Sir William’s legacy – and, happily, the future looks bright for this unique attraction.
●● Groups or individuals wishing to attend an open day in 2019 should email invitations@fawleymuseum.co.uk or call 01491 574873. Visit www.fawleyhill.co.uk for more information.
over a mile long, the line starts from a station that was relocated from somersham and dates from 1889 – now situated alongside the museum