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Development on site of Bourne sidings

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Peter Mugridge

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I stumbled across this earlier:

http://elseapark.com/oak-springs-springs-a-leak/

This new development sits on what used to be Bournes railway sidings in years past – but there is one problem – it has sprung a bit of a leak.

OK well, Its less of springing a leak, more gaining a lake – the area is prone to flooding being clay soil & having buildings all around it the water has nowhere to run to. The new bit is also situated on the edge of the ‘Well Head’ which, as its name might suggest, is home to the head of a rather large well / natural spring which used to supply drinking water for Bourne & for a large bottling plant – Bourne was in its day, the equivalent of ‘Volvic’ or ‘Evian’ or ‘Buxton’.

So a few questions from me here:

How big ( or small ) was this location when it was in use, and were there any flooding problems at the time?

Are there any confirmed photographs available online of the site in railway use? I am loath to trust a Google Images search result as these often show up multiple different locations under a single search name...

I'm also wondering how long ago it was closed?
 
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RailUK Forums

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I stumbled across this earlier:

http://elseapark.com/oak-springs-springs-a-leak/



So a few questions from me here:

How big ( or small ) was this location when it was in use, and were there any flooding problems at the time?

Are there any confirmed photographs available online of the site in railway use? I am loath to trust a Google Images search result as these often show up multiple different locations under a single search name...

I'm also wondering how long ago it was closed?

the site's author appears to have serious issues

love the post aobut the Discovery (it;s a 56 plate you muppet it;s worth aobut 10 k not 70)
 

Bevan Price

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I stumbled across this earlier:

http://elseapark.com/oak-springs-springs-a-leak/



So a few questions from me here:

How big ( or small ) was this location when it was in use, and were there any flooding problems at the time?

Are there any confirmed photographs available online of the site in railway use? I am loath to trust a Google Images search result as these often show up multiple different locations under a single search name...

I'm also wondering how long ago it was closed?

Along with most of the Midland & Great Northern Railway system, Bourne closed in 1959. Never went there so cannot comment on any previous flooding.
 

sprinterguy

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love the post aobut the Discovery (it;s a 56 plate you muppet it;s worth aobut 10 k not 70)
If we're looking at the same photo, it's a 65 plate, which was current up until the end of February this year.

I can't argue with the first half of your post though.

Unfortunately I have nothing to add to the topic of discussion - online images of the M&GN Bourne station and its environs seem scarce - other than to say that, from comparing the photos to Google Streetview, it seems as if the new housing development is actually located on the fields immediately west of the old Bourne West Junction, where the Essendine and Little Bytham branches diverged, and not on the alignment itself.
 
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Calthrop

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At a bit of a tangent: re the item linked to in post #1, I'd been aware that the small village of Braceborough, on the Bourne -- Essendine branch line, at one time had hopes of achieving fame and fortune by exploiting chalybeate springs in its immediate neighbourhood. Hence the village's station on the branch being called "Braceborough Spa"; although Braceborough never managed to make it into the Buxton / Harrogate / Cheltenham league. I didn't know that Bourne had also participated in this same caper -- seemingly with greater success.
 

Peter Mugridge

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Am I right in thinking that the origins of the name of the place itself - Bourne - relates to the presence of springs?
 

Bevan Price

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Am I right in thinking that the origins of the name of the place itself - Bourne - relates to the presence of springs?

Correct. According to "Dictionary Of British Place Names" by A.D.Mills, Bourne is derived from "place at the spring(s) or stream(s) "
 

Peter Mugridge

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Thank you... so it's no great surprise that the place is sinking then is it?

Would still be interesting to locate some pictures of the sidings wouldn't it?
 

Peter Mugridge

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You'd better warn everyone who lives in a place with "bourne" in the name that they're in danger of sinking. Even better, warn everyone who lives near a spring or stream.

There are frequent big floods in Spring Street ( there's a clue in the name! ) outside Bourne Hall in Ewell... A particularly persistent one two years ago was the scene of a huge pumping filure - the council ran pumps from the flood in the street into the lake on the other side of the wall... :roll::lol:


Anyway... is there any chance of someone actually researching pictures that might satisfy my curiosity about the original location that is currently subject to redevelopment, please?
 
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