Netherport and Basuto Quay Chronology
I have started thinking about trackwork for Basuto Quay (getting ahead of myself, as I haven't stated the baseboards yet, but there are reasons...). This has led me to think about how old the track would be at my 1908 modelled date, since it makes a difference to some construction details. That led me to think about the chronology of Netherport and Basuto Quay's development, and I thought I would share it here to see what people think.
The notes below are in three themes, colour coded to help distinguish fact from fiction:
- Dates - in black.
- Notes on the GWR at Weymouth, the real-world base of the GWR's Channel Islands and cross-channel services. These notes are taken from "The Great Western at Weymouth: a railway and shipping history" by J. H. Lucking, published by David and Charles, 1971 - in green
- Key dates in the history of the Bridport branch, the real-world location in Dorset that Netherport's counter-factual history occupies - in purple.
- Key dates in the fictional story of the Netherport branch - in blue.
1854
Public meeting in Bridport - decision to build a branch line to Maiden Newton (to be served by the forthcoming Weymouth to Westbury line)
1855
The Bridport Railway Company established
Netherport Railway Company established
1857
GWR and LSWR rail services to Weymouth start (but no harbour extension at this point)
Weymouth to Westbury line opens (broad gauge). Bridport branch opens - trains owned and operated by GWR
Netherport branch opens - broad gauge.
1857
Weymouth and Channel Islands Steam Packet Co. Ltd. service starts. GWR provides through tickets for passengers and parcels
1871
GWR gets an act of parliament that allows it to own and work steamers between Weymouth and/or Portland and the Channel Islands, as well as other routes (but steamer service remained independent, but financially supported by GWR)
GWR act of parliament allows steamer routes from Netherport as well as Weymouth, but this facility is not used.
1874
GWR Weymouth line converted to standard gauge
Bridport branch converted to standard gauge
Netherport branch converted to standard gauge
1875
Discussions between GWR, Steam Packet Co., and the Western Railway (of France) regarding a Weymouth - Cherbourg service.
The Netherport town council, which manages the harbour, builds a link from the Netherport station goods yard to the harbour quayside, to encourage coastal, Channel Island and cross-channel trade.
1878
Weymouth - Cherbourg service starts, with connections to London and Paris. Bus services in both Weymouth and Cherbourg to connect railway station and steamer.
1879
Little passenger traffic, and goods hampered by inadequate dock provision in Cherbourg. Schedule changed to a night service. Goods improves - “horticultural and dairy produce, wine, etc.”
1880
Improved facilities at Weymouth Harbour - cargo stage increased to 380ft, additional cranes, harbour dredged
1883
Plans for a new dock at Portland, some work done, but the project fizzled out
1884
Extension to West Bay opens. Plans to develop the harbour area as a tourist destination, but these are largely unsuccessful
Lack of capacity at Weymouth harbour prompts developments at Netherport. Netherport town council keen to invest in the harbour with the new 'Basuto Quay', suitable for steamer traffic to the Channel Islands and France (passenger and freight). Quay named after the newly created British crown colony Basutoland in South Africa. Plans to develop the area to the west of Netherport as a tourist resort - 'West Cove'.
1885
Cherbourg service ceases (at the instigation of the French railway, concerned about poor service due to inadequate steamers)
GWR invests in new ships to develop cross-channel business, shared between Weymouth and Netherport. Buys the Netherport branch from the Netherport Railway Co. Upgrades harbour extension and adds passenger facilities at Basuto Quay.
1889
GWR withdraws support from the Steamer Co., which then closes
GWR’s own Channel Islands service starts
New passenger and baggage facilities in Weymouth harbour. Tramway extended, with changes to allow passenger stock to access the harbour for direct transfer to ships
New GWR ships arrive to work the route - faster and more frequent service
LSWR order new ships for Southampton <> Channel Islands routes. Strong GWR and LSWR competition
1896
Harbour improvements at Weymouth, Guernsey and Jersey.
West Cove, to the west of the main town of Netherport, is a thriving resort. Regular steamer excursions run during the summer months from Basuto Quay.
1897
Two new GWR ships, additional services
1897
Plans for a new harbour in Newton’s Cove, adjacent to Weymouth harbour.
1899
An LSWR ship sank in fog, with a loss of over 100 lives. Subsequent agreement between GWR and LSWR to offer a coordinated service and pool the receipts
1901
GWR buys the branch from the Bridport Railway Company
1904
Smaller, older ships (Lynx, Antelope and Gazelle) stop being rostered on passenger services, and used only for freight (Guernsey - grapes, flowers and tomatoes). Also used as tenders for ocean liners at Plymouth, and for excursions.
Potato, fruit and flower traffic from the Channel Islands and fresh produce from France well established, shared with Weymouth (where the harbour still has limited capacity).
1906
Antelope and Lynx chartered to a French growers association to carry strawberries between Brest and Plymouth.
Lynx chartered to run excursions around Jersey and trips to Sark and France.
1908
Regular, weekly Plymouth-Brest service, goods and passenger.
Date of Netherport / Basuto Quay as modelled.
1909
Act of parliament passed to allow GWR to run services between Weymouth and Plymouth, and all French ports between St Malo and Nantes, as well as Cherbourg.
1909
Regular weekly Weymouth to Nantes service.
The principle differences in the Netherport history compared to Bridport and Weymouth are:
- traffic to and from the Channel Islands and France develop more consistently and earlier than in fact they did.
- the development of Netherport's 'West Cove' area as a tourist resort is more successful than Bridport's attempt.
- as a result, the GWR commits more fully to serving the channel traffic, but is unconvinced that Weymouth can fully meet that need and so develops Netherport as a secondary facility, both as a back-up and additional capacity (in reality, Weymouth did just enough to keep the GWR from fully committing to developing an alternative, while generally undertaking developments of the harbour slowly and as minimally as possible, according to Lucking's account).
At least I now know when the track was laid...
All comments, criticisms and expansions welcome!
Nick.
- 6
- 2
5 Comments
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now