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The train emerged from the cutting passing The village of Speen
and coasted gently toward one of the line's three level crossings.
A lamp fitted with both red and clear glass was attached to
each gate. The lamps rotated as the gates were opened and closed,
providing a visual warning to all road users of the impending
hazard ahead
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The original station here
at Speen, consisted of a 9" high platform fenced with chestnut
palings,a small office, three oil lamps and
a station nameboard. The platform was ultimately raised to standard
height with the addition of two, twenty five foot ramps. The traditional
Great Western iron shelter was added around 1910. |
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Initially,
the station was known as 'Speen for Donnington' and, as late
as 1932, was so listed in some timetables. A lad porter was
in sole charge until February 1908.
The increase in traffic coupled with the added responsibilities
for the operation of the crossing gates, resulted in the GWR
upgrading this position to a that of a Class 1 porter. Duty
times for the porter would be 7 a.m. though till 8 p.m. At all
other times, including Sundays, the train crews were responsible
for the safe operation of the crossing gates. The Speen porter
was also required to light the station lamps at West Fields
and Stockcross. |
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| This
1919 view looking towards Lambourn shows the station as it would
have appeared after it's GWR re-structure.
The office and lamps, from the original station, still in situ.
However a new Great Western style nameboard was now in evidence
sitting
proudly on the newly raised platform, the length of which had
been increased by Forty-Nine feet . |
| The waiting
shed was a standard GWR structure, clad with corrugated iron.
The wooden building to it's left, was originally provided by
the LVR and had the luxury of fitted stove. With the exception
of Westfields, all the intermediate stations on the line had
their platforms on the west side of the metals. .....(below
right) ~ A busy day on Speen station and the number
of passengers in evidence would suggest that this photo was
probably taken on a Thursday. Thursday being Newbury Market
Day. In the 1930s |
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Speen
had it's traditional oil lamps replaced with Tilley lamps as
indeed did some of the other stations.
..The small cupboard on the side of the wooden office
housed the batteries for the telephone communications which
had been installed in 1905 between Welford Park and Newbury.
This now meant of course, that the porter at Speen could be
advised in advance of all departures from those stations for
opening the gates. Fixed distant signals protected the crossing,
these were situated 540 yards South on the Newbury side and
500 yards North on the Lambourn side.The
line ran through a prime agricultural area, a high percentage
of which was used for livestock farming. |
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It therefore,
comes as no surprise to find that the surrounding farms provided
a quite sizable volume of milk traffic. A situation which continued
until the general decline of milk carriage by rail. A considerable
number of parcels were also dealt with. Some of smaller items
would be delivered by the porter, Larger, heavier parcels would
be dealt with by the Newbury based road vehicle or by a local
carrier. Race horse transportation was virtually non existant
at Speen. In the late 1950's, a BR work study revealed that
375 road vehicles, including cycles, used the crossing during
an average day.
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The Summer of 1951,
and a typically average day passenger wise with a solitary person
boarding the train to Lambourn. Most people now used the local
bus company to travel up and down the valley. The Speen porter
was usually kept fairly busy, for in addition to his parcel
deliveries the station had to be kept clean and tidy, as did
West Fields and Stockcross. All three being his responsiblity.
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| (above
right) ~ Engine 2007 at Speen heads a Lambourn train
in January 1936. The clerestory brake coach behind the engine
was one of two used at the time to suppliment the daily service
as and when required. |
| The
public notice dated as late December 1959 advising of the withdrawal
of services on and from Monday 4th of January 1960 |
| (above
left) ~ A rare glimpse of Speen in colour
with what could possibly be a munitions train bound for Welford,
but with no information as to when it was taken, post or pre-war,
we will probably never know. (above
right) ~ Edith McCartney watches the departure
of an engine and single coach destined for West Fields and Newbury.
Edith worked at Boxford until the station was reduced in status
in 1954. It was then that she took over duties at Speen , and
remained here until the line closed. |
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This picture
was taken in 1971 from the garden of the Metcalf family.
The Line ran parallell to the Lambourn
Road giving the residents there a close up view of all
traffic. |
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| Long
periods of inactivity on the line by the late 1960's would often
draw a group of interested parties lineside. This BR D63xx Diesel
Hydraulic type heads slowly towards Welford with it's military
payload. Infrequent military traffic to Welford Air Base kept
the level crossing in operation, until 1973. |
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