Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway

Evening all,

I couldn't find a thread for the chinnor & princes risborough railway so thought I'd put 1 here for members of the railway to provide updates etc & general discussion.

Steam wise they're currently hiring in a pannier tank from the south devon railway as they don't have a resident steam loco atm. Not sure if this is something they'll address in future or keep hiring locos.

The diesel fleet comprises:

2x bubble cars
08011
08825
31163
D8568 (class 17 clayton)
Also they have an industrial shunter.

47771 will join the fleet in a few years time after its overhaul has been completed at eastleigh, by its owners the class 47 preservation project. Also on site is 3-CEP 1198 used as hauled stock or works push pull with an 08.

Coaching stock wise the last time I visited they were using a rake of chocolate & cream MK1s. Don't know if there's anything else on the line.

Signalling wise there's a small box at chinnor & they are restoring princes risborough box. IIRC semaphores are of the lower quadrant variety.

According to a post on wnxx the railway are planning to restore the thame branch to use again & also head the opposite direction to aston rowant which is apparently uphill for most of the way. This is apparently a few years off yet though, supposedly the railway are looking at running along the short stub of the oxford branch that's still in situ.

The c&pr are a really enthusiast friendly railway with a can do attitude. Recently the run round loop at chinnor has been moved to alongside the platform, now there's no longer the need to detrain everyone while running round.

If anybody who volunteers at chinnor wants to provide a few updates it'd be much appreciated. Chinnor are certainly a line to watch as they seem to be going from strength to strength. This year too they're running a diesel gala for the first time which should be a big hit.

 

Sorry about that must've got me wires crossed somewhere! As for the expansion projects apparently the thame branch heads off just before princes risborough.

How long is the branch?

 

Not aware of any C&PRR plans for reinstating the line to Thame. Towards Aston Rowant is still in the future and only after a run-round loop, platform and other necessities at Princes Risborough are completed first.

 

On the wnxx forum there's a guy who posts under the name D5581. Guessing he's a gala organiser at chinnor as he's posting & giving gen about the upcoming diesel gala.

Anyway he's said that once princes risborough box is sorted & the associated signalling then the thame branch is I think the next project. Aston rowant is apparently at least 3-4 years off going ahead.

 

The current line is uses part of the Thame Branch, the section from Princes Risborough Station to Thame junction, ( The Thame line was built before the Watlington branch) and where the current loop is. The next section of the Thame branch after a short stub is a footpath. I suspect he is referring to work on this existing section.

 

What he said is once the platform & run round loop are complete at princes risborough they'll look to the chinnor line that apparently runs alongside the thame branch.