Wickham Bishops, it’s a magical model layout.
Model of a Waggon and Maschinenbau diesel railbus E99963 working on the Witham to Maldon branch line
Located on the former Witham to Maldon branch line, Wickham
Bishops was one of two intermediate stations located in the River
Blackwater valley, one of the stations serving a village that was rather distant - about a mile and a half mile away up a steep hill. Always likely to be a lonely
spot as a result, a single platform served passengers in the locality for 116
years. Unusually the platform was accessed after first crossing a railway track,
this being a siding serving the station and nearby water mill.
Its significance for the museum is high, as
the Waggon and Maschinenbau diesel railbus worked rail services from 1958 to
its closure in 1964.
Trumping that - there is also national significance in as
the adjacent wooden trestle bridge is the sole survivor in this country of that type of structure. While Wickham Bishops is small in
stature, monster bridges were instrumental in the development of railways, especially transcontinental railways in North America. It was the engineer’s “daring
do attitude" that got early railway built, using available materials to build relatively quickly and cheaply,
as did the original Maldon, Witham and
Braintree railway.
Len Wilkinson a local resident, railway author, and talented
model maker, constructed his model which is 18 feet long and was housed in his
garage at home in the village. It has been since donated by his family to the
museum.
Len Wilkinson demonstrating his layout at home
Pictured here we see Len viewing the layout; the trestle was
faithfully recorded by Len who was a Draughtsman and Senior Designer at Marconi
who obviously had an eye for detail. The structure is modelled in EM gauge the
real thing was originally 130 yards long, but an embankment was placed in the
middle section as an aid to reducing vibrations. Only light locomotives like F5
and J15 steam engines and Class 15 diesels where allowed on the branch as a
result. Today 21 spans are still extant, a photo shows the span easily reached
by from a footpath, it is also a
reminder of hot summers for in 2015 water had retreated to just a muddy pool in
places
A scheduled Ancient Monument, the Wickham Bishops trestle seen in 2015 with a very dry river bed
Len's attention to detail included taking measurements himself of the trestle and all structures modelled, made to EM 1:76 scale. His published book "The Witham to Maldon Railway" A pictorial history shows his scaled drawings of the Trestle bridge
Because of their diminutive properties, railbuses seemed to match a small country branch line, stories about being push started by passengers and staff on occasion, unscheduled stops to drop off passengers, being decorated for a honeymooning couple complete with trailing tin cans, all have a “Titfield Thunderbolt” comedic quality to them. Recreation of such things are in theory still possible, but most likely precluded for 21st century regulations put a stop to such antics. (As a playful speculation - maybe if required by a non-passenger carrying, filming opportunity)?
David Reeve is pictured here enjoying a viewing, and hearing a story about the line
In its time the branch conveyed Jams, tinned fruit and vegetables from Goldhanger Fruit farms, Agricultural machinery from Bentalls at Heybridge, Sugar Beet, Wheat , Potatoes and Brewers grains, all of which is now completely absent from the modern railway. It’s a reflection of country railway that we are trying to show at Chappel; to speculate perhaps some more agricultural props could illustrate this link?
Len’s model is marvellous, which is a link to his other interest as “Marco the Mystic”, an amateur magician. I muse if he was trying to cast a spell and re-create the scene of yesterday; in a way the museum can help him continue in that quest. An illustration has been sourced from our archives, in a British Railways staff magazine also show the station and “bus”.
The museum is grateful for the donation of this layout, it shows the skill and dedication to the study of the trestle and railway line by construction of this model . It is to be hoped it conveys the tranquil and special atmosphere of this location.
