Stoneleigh 701

My first time seeing a 701 out in the wild (i did see one Derby on a delivery trip a few years ago), also the first time i have travelled on one too.

Guildford trip day 2

The second day of this year's Guildford trip involved travelling to a number of stations in Surrey as well as walking through the nice town of Ewell. Later on i had time to revisit Farnborough and take some more photos, although fatigue was setting in so i didn't explore too far! My Surrey railway photos can be seen here, Ewell photos are here.

Another successful trip to Guildford, either my sixth or seventh (lost count!) We'll be back next year.

Guildford trip day 1

Last Friday i headed down to Surrey for what has become my annual pilgrimage to the railways of the south west of London (well it is my 7th or 8th trip anyway). On Friday i ticked off a couple of stations in Berkshire then went down to Hampshire to visit Farnborough and tick off stations between Farnborough and Basingstoke. Finally, i arrived at my hotel in Guildford. Tomorrow would have a lot more rail adventures. You can see my Berkshire railway photos here, my Hampshire railway photos here and photos of Farnborough here.

Churches (254) : St Anne, Bagshot

The parish church of St Anne in Bagshot, Surrey is Victorian. The church was built in the early 1880s and consecrated in 1884. It replaced an earlier church dedicated to St Anne. The church is in the Early English style and has a nave with north and south aisles, clerestory and transepts. There is a west tower with a spire. 

The church is built from red brick with a Bath stone dressing.

Through Boxhill

An idyllic Surrey scene as a Southern train heads through Boxhill & Westhumble.

Departing Oxshott

Heading for Guildford.

BR today

Retro British Rail liveried 455 868 at Effingham Junction.

Guildford 2024 Day 2

Day 2 of this year's trip to Guildford soon took me into the complicated network of lines east of the city, deeper into Surrey. I had a morning travelling around these culminating in Dorking. Following lunch in Guildford i then headed gradually back to Reading and my final train back home. I stopped off in Crowthorne and Wokingham in Berkshire and gave each town a closer look. You can see my photos here.

Guildford 2024 Day 1

At the weekend i headed down to Guildford for my yearly trip, it really is my second home. I think this is my sixth visit. On day 1 i travelled from Reading into Surrey and even the edge of London (Surbiton) before finally arriving in Guildford. You can see my photos here.

Departing Longcross

In Surrey.

Surrey Places (10) : Bagshot

Bagshot is a village at the north western edge of the county. The first mention of the village (as Bagsheta) date to 1165 though there has been settlement in the area from before the Romans. Bagshot was located in a royal forest, a royal hunting lodge now the site of Bagshot Park, the residence of Prince Edward.

During the Elizabethan age was on the main stage coach route from London to the West Country and had a number of staging inns. The village gained a railway station in 1878, it's parish church dedicated to St Anne was built in 1884. Being close to Aldershot, much of the land around the village is owned by the Ministry of Defence.

Surrey Places (9) : Haslemere

Haselmere is a town on the south west edge of the county close to the borders with Hampshire and West Sussex. There has been detected settlement in the area since the Neolithic, a Roman cemetery has also been found in the area. Haselmere is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, it's first possible mention dates from 1180. Haselmere was large enough to be granted a town charter in 1221 which indicates it probably had existed for some time beforehand.

Haselmere was granted permission to hold an annual fair in 1397, the town has no less than five watermills for corn and wool production. In the 16th century Haselmere became known for iron making, a mill also providing power in this case. Textile production was also a major employer in the town into the late 19th century.

Haselmere railway station, a stop on the line between London and Portsmouth, opened in 1859. The town expanded westwards after the arrival of the railways, this included the consecration of the church of St Christopher in 1903.

Haselmere signal box

Station forecourt

St Christopher

Another view of the church

Surrey Places (8) : Shalford

Shalford is a village near the centre of the county, south east of Guildford. The village appears in the Domesday Book as Scaldefor and was listed as having three mills. The village prospered during the reign of King John when it gained a charter for a great fair which covered a wide area. The village was also a centre for gunpowder production

The village had a number of fine houses and may have been a country retreat for wealthy people from Guildford. Shalford gained a railway station in 1849 but in 1944 was the scene of a major rail disaster when two goods trains, one carrying aviation spirit, collided.

Surrey Places (7) : Farnham

Farnham is a market town on the western edge of the county close to the border with Hampshire. There has been human activity in the area since the Neolithic at least, Farnham has Saxon origins and the name probably means Fern Meadow (Fearnhamme). The first mention of Farnham dates from 688. At the start of the 9th century, Farnham was recorded as being under the control of the bishops of Winchester. Farnham castle was later built (in 1138) as a residence for the bishop as Farnham was half way between London and Winchester and thus the perfect place to rest at night on the bishops' frequent "commutes". King Henry VIII spent part of his teenage years at the castle.

Cloth making, especially kersey, was the major trade of the town in medieval times. Farnham gained a market charter in 1249, and was said at one time to have the largest corn market outside of London. The arrival of the railway in 1848 with it's link to London led to London businessmen taking houses in Farnham. 

Surrey Places (6) : Godalming

The market town of Godalming is in the South West of Surrey near to Guildford.

The town has Saxon origins, the first mention as Godelmingum dates from about 900CE. By the time of the Domesday Book it was known as Godelminge. The name probably refers to the Godheim family in Old English.

The town gained a market charter in 1300 and also gained the right to hold a yearly fair. The production of woollen cloth was the major industry in the town until the 17th century. Other fabric production and leatherwork also became important to the town as did the production of paper.

On the route between London and Portsmouth, Godalming was also a popular stop off for travellers. The town was affluent enough by the 19th century for it to be larger than Guildford. In 1881 Godalming became the first town in the world to have a public electricity supply though the town had to revert back to gas lighting in 1884 until electricity returned in 1903.

The town is now an affluent commuter town, located on the London to Portsmouth railway line, the railway station opened in 1859. The parish church dedicated to St Peter and St Paul dates from the 12th century, and was built on the site of an earlier Saxon church.

Guildford trip day 2

Saturday was the main day of my Guildford trip of course. It started with a trip to the little Hampshire village of Bentley which looked rather nice in the morning mist progressing to places like Farnham and Bagshot. It ended with a walk along the Wey Navigation in Guildford as well as visiting many new railway stations in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. Can't wait till i'm back next year!

Guildford trip day 1

This bank holiday weekend i made the latest in what seems to have become my annual pilgrimages to Guildford. As usual i used Guildford as a base while i travelled around Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire. On day 1, after arriving and checking into my hotel, i stopped off at Blackwater in Hampshire as well as visiting stations in Dorking and Clandon. You can see my photos for railway stations visited here and Blackwater (and another Hampshire village i visited on day 2) here. This was just the warm-up though, day 2 would be a full day's adventuring but that is a story for another time.

Through Earlswood

Through Earlswood (in Surrey) this GWR train goes.

Whooshing through Worplesdon

Not stopping.

Departing Reigate

The Southern way.