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July 2010:

New Storage Container

It may not look much but under the A316, in the first 'closed' bay, is a 40ft storage container which we have purchased to organise the materials which we shall need to build a railway, and a workshop for woodwork and the production of concrete sleepers. The mechanical workshop will remain in the present green container, where "Hounslow" is stored; this will be purged of items not in that 'mechanical' genre to make working in there easier. All this clearance has meant that the new "Crew Room" behind the Office is now progressing fast."

The inside of the container is now fitted out with storage racks and a wood-working station.

Facilities for track-work items and concrete sleeper production are progressing

15th July 2010

May 2010:

Estate:

An Office which has been established in the engine shed at the end of the original standard gauge siding is now decorated by a Website address sign
on the N.W. gable end and another sign on the N.E. Wall to firmly identify our location form the A316 elevated road.

The new path to the N.W end, which is being converted into a Crew Room is also new.

New Crew Room Signage ---->>>

The whole of the old trackbed is owned by Thames Water, the successors of the Metropolitan Water Board, so there is at least a chance of simplifying the process of obtaining permission to re-create a railway, as opposed to the problem with multiple owners.

However parts of the original trackbed passes through Thames Water operating areas and we are unlikely ever to be allowed to run through these operating areas, i.e. south of the Upper Sunbury Road and west of the point where the old line enters the present operating area of the Kempton Park Pumping Station. Negotiations on the use of the original trackbed and suitable ‘deviations’ are still on-going.

We have obtained agreement, in principle, from Thames Water, to create a loop in the Paddock, i.e. just north-west of the A316 (overhead) and just south of the entrance road. This land is leased to Kempton Park Great Engines Trust with over 80 years remaining on the lease. This line will probably be called the “Hanworth Loop” after the part of Hounslow Borough in which it is located.

A stock-pile of a variety of items salvaged from the Carillion and a 20ft Sea Container have been established in the field south of the Kempton Great Engines, just north of the L.S.W.R. line to Shepperton; this is adjacent to path of one of the probable deviations around the T.W. operating areas.

A ”museum” and demonstration area have been established just to the south of the entrance road, adjacent to the Kempton Great Engine House, see ‘Track’ below.

Storage for various items has been established in the gauge house, which is adjacent to the Staines Aqueduct and the bridge over the aqueduct (ex. Standard gauge line) to the South Field.

Unloading salvaged Roofing material in the South Field

<<-------------The Gauge House looking South - looks just

like a "Railway" building should!

Track:

Lengths of track (including some original from the Hampton to Kempton narrow gauge line) have been established on the museum site. This includes a sea container established as an engine shed, for “Hounslow” and as a workshop.

The remnants of one of the original type of the Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway wagon turntables has been carefully restored by Dick Scholefield: The original frame has been repaired and a new ‘table’ created:

The remnants of one of the original type of the Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway wagon turntables has been carefully restored

by Dick Scholefield: The original frame has been repaired and a

new ‘table’ created:

Here, the rebuilt turntable is manoeuvred into place………

and given its first test.

The Turntable is now installed and operational in the “Museum” Area adjacent to the Engine House of the Kempton Great Engines.

The track includes a 15ft length of 50lb/yd rail (see below)

using the new concrete sleepers.

150 15ft lengths of 50lb/yd rail ex. Lynton & Barnstable

have been purchased and stored under the A316.

4 points (ex. Channel Tunnel) have been purchased; one is

in place in the Museum/demonstration area (see above) and

3 stored in the South Field Area.

Locomotive:

A small petrol-engined/hydrostatic-drive 4-wheel locomotive “Hounslow”, created and donated by Science Projects is currently stored in the container/engine shed/workshop on the museum/demonstration site, where the loco presently runs.

“Hounslow” before she was named.

Rolling Stock:

Two tipper trucks similar to the type used on the ‘old’ railway

are displayed in the museum area with an ex. military ‘warflat’

Ex military “warflat” with a load of new concrete sleepers.

Two 20ft Hudson bogie wagon have been bought, also from the Lynton & Barnstable and are awaiting much needed repair.

No 292 is pictures here with bogie removed for attention. --->>

November 2009:

There is still no indication from Thames Water that they will allow the line to be built, but they have said that the only route they

would even consider is the one that follows close by the Shepperton branch (route 3 on the “Three Alternative Routes”)

In recent months we have acquired two bogie wagons and a

quantity of rail. both from North Devon. Work has started on one of the wagons (number 292) to get it into useable condition and it is pictured below with one bogie removed for refurbishment

bogie wagonshrink

Sleepersshrink

The first batch of concrete sleepers

The rail needs sleepers and after a visit to the Hayling Seaside Railway earlier this year we decided to do as they do and make our own concrete sleepers. To prepare for this we made about

50 moulds for casting the sleepers and have already made a trial batch and laid a short length of demonstration track.

December 2008:

We have recently had our loco named by the Mayor of Hounslow, acquired another piece of rolling stock and had more talks

with Thames Water.

Undoubtedly the most significant event is that Thames Water now want to see the railway running as it will improve its public image.

That does not mean they will allow it to be rebuilt but it probably will be if it doesn't interfere too much with the water supply business.

There are many problems to be solved but they are now talking to us. The Kempton end of the original route will not be open to us

to use and it seems that parts of our earlier proposals for a new route will also be unacceptable. However, we have suggested another

route which largely parallels the Shepperton branch railway line and keeps us well away from operational areas and hope this will be acceptable. Its advantages to us are that it avoids a very tight curve at one point and may allow us to use an existing bridge over the

Staines aqueduct. Thames Water are considering all our proposals as to a route

On Saturday 18^th October the Mayor f Hounslow, Genevieve

Hibbs, named a new petrol-hydrostatic loco for the Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway project.

The name, Hounslow, follows the tradition established by

the Metropolitan Water Board of naming locos after local places.

We picked a day when the Kempton Great Engines were in

steam which assured us a good crowd. A lot of interest was

shown and we gained some new members.

20081018_17_mayorette_shrink

The Mayor names the loco.

(Photo: Jim Hewitt)

20081028_02_edited Trolley shrink

The newly acquired “Warflat” wagon

(Photo: Jim Hewitt)

We have recently acquired a new piece of rolling stock, a 4-wheeled "Warflat" wagon from the Army base at Bicester. This will be useful for carrying rails although we could really do with another two. The Society did not feel it was ready make such a purchase so it is actually owned by two of our members

August 2008 :

The last couple of months have been quite eventful

The container is lowered into place on 10th June 2008

(Photo: Robert Leadbetter)

Following the route survey in April we gained access to all the old trackbed although we are still not able to start any work.

Since then we have acquired a shipping container to act as a secure engine shed for our loco. An appeal to members raised most of the cost of buying and fitting out the container.

Once that was in place we took delivery of the new loco (to be named Hounslow) and that has been run on our demonstration line near the Great Engine House and can usually be seen running on their steaming days. We are greatly indebted to Science Projects for the loan of this locomotive.

In addition to this we have been moving into store machine tools and materials which have been donated to us. Once they is set up we will be in a good position to undertake most jobs necessary to maintain a railway.

unloading310708shrink

Unloading the loco on 24th June 2008.

(Photo: Jim Hewitt)

First run 310708shrink

'Hounslow' makes its first run from the container.

(Photo: Jim Hewitt)

In parallel with this there have been meetings with Thames Water (the land owners) who now seem much more co-operative. There are still many problems to be sorted out before any track laying can start and even if we were given permission immediately it is uncertain which end of the line we would start and which variation of route would be used.

During August we expect a visit from Major Poyntz (a retired HMRI inspector) who will advise us on what we need to do next.