As ever there seems to be some speculation over the pronunciation of the village's and base's. In Kineton, the village, some villagers pronounce it (in the bakery they did) 'Kin-et-ton'. The Army tend to pronounce it 'Kin-ton' and some other people pronounce it 'Kine-ton'. Take your pick!

@nanyt1812

4 ай бұрын

I know pronunciation can be tricky but we lived in the village, villagers went to the base school and I have never, even as an adult heard any one calling it kin E ton. My brother married into a local family and they call it Kineton too. 🤷‍♀️

Loved the ‘Heavy motor car sign,! Kineton villlage looks really picturesque. Unfenced level crossing looked a bit dangerous . No barriers! Very clean and shiny looking track! You did really well in capturing the flavour and history of the railway without the long lens and fluffy mic. Really interesting video. I Thanks Paul!

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Louise! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, tricky one to film! However, I hope I have given anyone watching it about the history and feel for the place. Thanks so much! Take care, Paul

Great video, Paul. Blimey! That brought back a few memories. Back in the mid 1970’s I was involved with a big tree planting contract inside the actual depot. It was fun getting in and out of there every day I can tell you! Take care. Ron🙂👍

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Ron! Glad it brought back some memories for you. I remember when I used to drive onto the RAF base where I worked - if the Bikini Alert level went to 'Black Special' or 'Amber', every vehicle was subject to a thorough check (this was around the time of IRA bombings) it could take ages to get in to work! But, it was vital that it was done, of course, considering the possible consequences. They used to use huge mirrors on castor wheels to check under the vehicles for suspicious packages and possible IEDs. I can imagine full well how difficult it must have been here getting in and out - particularly considering the sensitivity of this depot. Cheers, Paul.

My Dad was stationed at Kineton in 1988 my Mum who also worked for the MOD was able to arrange a trip for me and my brothers to travel along this railway line

@westcountrywanderings

5 ай бұрын

That must have been a brilliant experience! I am guessing you weren't allowed to take photos of it en route for security reasons. Great memories. Thank you, Paul

Fascinating! 60% of UKs' ammunition is stored there. A great video. So much historical information. Great commentary taking into account the restrictions you were under.

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Michael, and great to hear from you. I do hope that you are continuing to recover. Yes, it seems odd to me to lump the greater amount of ammunition all in one (albeit very large) area, rather than a series of smaller ones, but, I guess, it is easier from a logistical point of view. Thanks again, take care, Paul.

Hi there. Thank you so much for sharing this. This is my stomping ground. I grew up as an RAF child on RAF Gaydon as was, next to what was called C A.D Kineton. RAF Gaydon is no more though Kineton is still a military base. When RAF Gaydon closed we lived in Lighthorne a nearby village. I still live relatively locally. Heads up on pronunciation though. It isn't pronounced Kin E ton (long 'e'.) But Kine-ton. Kine rhymes with fine. 😊

@westcountrywanderings

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video. It is a base with a fascinating history, but I was very careful not to say too much about what goes on there now, even though I am aware of it. I am wondering if there is a disconnect between how the military pronouce the village (and the base's name), and how the local's pronunce it. When I started filming in the village, I asked how it was pronounced in a local bakery, and I was told it was the way that I pronounced it. A relative who lived near the area also said that my pronunciation was correct. But, people who have lived on the base seem to pronounce it the way you do. I have come across this before. I was based at RAF Locking in Weston-Super-Mare where I did my trade training in the 1980s ( I was in the RAF for 10 years) . There is a small railway station nearby called 'Weston Milton' . On the base, we always called it 'Mill-ton', but locals insist that is wrong, and it is pronounced 'my-ton'. Strange! Same with the village of Down Ampney in Gloucestershire - locals there cannot agree if the 'p' is silent, or not! I do try to get pronounciations correct, but, sometimes there isn't a definitive correct way, and it will always divide opinion. Thank you so much for watching and commenting - it is very much appreciated. Take care, Paul

This was a fun tour, Paul! Even though I understand the caution, it made it a bit exciting hearing you say you were at the filming limits. The signs are definitely serious about the dangers.

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Donna! Glad you enjoyed the tour here. It was fascinating to see, but, as you say, a bit limiting too. Thanks again, take care, Paul.

What a fascinating walk, so many of you walks seem to raise questions despite your planning & use of maps. Thanks for sharing the history of the area.

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Faith! Yes, this is the only video on KZread about this military railway, I guess because it is so difficult to film in and around there. As you say, I am not sure exactly why the route of the Battlefields Trail has been moved, and where it ends up if you keep walking! I didn't intend finding out, as I had a camera in my hand! Take care, Paul

Great video Paul, loads of info and well filmed which is what we have come to expect on this channel, well done. Ron

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Ron. I can't believe that this topic has never been done on KZread before. Take care, Paul

Very interesting and informative vlog. I think I have been past the entrance onto the railway on a train between Leamington and Banbury. If I remember rightly there is a traditional signal not far in. I had no idea what was in there. So many railways once went to the very busy Stratford on Avon and now just the one from Birmingham. How shortsighted was that. Thankyou.

@westcountrywanderings

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, trains to/from Leamington and Banbury go past the turnout there near Fenny Compton on the mainline. The line continued as you say onto Stratford on Avon - shame so many lines have been lost - we could do with them now with our increasingly busy roads. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul

Thoroughly enjoyed your video. You captured the less well known parts, too. I delivered to CAD Kineton in the 1980’s & 90’s for The NHS & had to show ID & check in at the main entrance where there was a mounted machine gun & the guarding soldiers also carried arms. Look forward to watching more of your videos 🚂

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video. There are two more military railway videos that I have done - one in Oxfordshire (Bicester) and one in Cornwall (near Torpoint) so far, plus many other railway videos, which you can find in my 'Railways' playlist. I do lots of other videos too, including canals and walking (The Severn Way is my current big project). Yes, I still think that it is still heavily secure. I had a MOD Police car follow me while filming. I am sure that they probably checked my car's registration, and checked that I wasn't filming anything that I should not have been. They drove on when they realised that I wasn't up to no good! Thanks for watching. Cheers, Paul.

Hi Paul, That was an interesting place to visit from lots of different aspects. The English Civil War is something I have never reallly studied, that said I had a quick peak in my Penguin Classics book The Children of the New Forest, although perhaps written for children there is lots to enjoy as an adult, anyway it is set in this period, but Edgehill wasnt mentioned!! Unfortunately the Spanish Civil war is still frequently in the news for one reason or another. I recently spotted that the wall of the chapel (by the side of the Cathedral) has an engraving of the name of the founder of the Falange Fascist movement, its hidden in plain sight, most people wouldnt know its there!! I had a quick peak on google maps and you can see quite a lot, but I suppose these days its almost impossible to hide from the Satelites .... Big Brother indeed!! You know I do wonder whether the locals (and Police) were suspicious of new faces after the poisoning that took place in Salisbury not so long ago. You did really well to capture so much and perfectly editted as always. A gerat production, well done ....... and you even managed to sneak some canal shots in😅😅

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Ah, thanks for your kind words David - much appreciated. Yes, I think that locals in places like Kineton are indeed suspicious of strangers - although on the NW edge of the Cotswolds, it doesn't really get tourists or visitors here - unless they are keen Civil War Historians! That book 'Children of the New Forest' sounds really interesting. Fascinating too about that Falange Fascist founder engraving. Thanks so much, Take care, Paul

Fascinating Paul, I don't suppose they still have that bulleid carriage, well done and great music too!

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

I am not sure Michael. As far as I can work out, as well as storing a lot of military railway equipment, it also stores a lot of railway equipment for various operating companies - or, perhaps as an emergency backup in times of war? So, it isn't impossible for it not to still be there! Thanks for watching and commenting! Take care, Paul.

Have you seen the link line that runs throo Luddington near Stratford Upon Avon to Wixford near Bidford... on the farm i live on there is a path that crosses the only remaining bridge with a sign still attached (well when i went there a few years ago) if you want a walk there i could take you.. Kevin..

@westcountrywanderings

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Kevin. Yes, that line is the old SMJR (Stratford and Midland Junction Railway) which left Stratford, passes by Luddington, and heads to Broom, where it joined the 'Gloucester Loop' line from Ashchurch (near Tewkesbury) to Barnt Green via Redditch and Alcester. The SMJR closed in 1960. The signal box is still there at Broom - you can see it from the A46. Thanks so much, Cheers, Paul.

That was very interesting! I've often seen the line branching off between Banbury and Leamington, and assumed it went to quarry workings, because the rails looked always shiny and well maintained. i wonder what loco's the military use on the main line. You conveyed its rather 'spooky' atmoshere very well. I would not venture that way in the dark! By contrast Bidford looks idylic!

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Ah, thanks so much Malcolm! Yes, there was an atmosphere around there - particularly along 'Red Road' - I don't know if it was so named because of the blood shed during the Civil War. You could feel 'something', so I am unsurprised that the guard dogs get spooked! I needed to do pieces to camera in locations well away from this MOD site for obvious reasons. Bidford-on-Avon is, indeed, rather lovely! There are many videos on YT showing trains to and fro MOD Kineton, including this one which is a nuclear flask move out of Kineton to Carlisle. Two Class 66s here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/dZyHublxlrmxh7w.html Take care, Paul

@malcolmrichardson3881

Жыл бұрын

@@westcountrywanderings Thank's for your reply. The movement of nuclear material makes this MOD line even more spooky - and no gates at road crossings!!

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

@@malcolmrichardson3881 Well, I suppose it is preferable to nuclear road convoys of warheads, which does happen!

Definitely Kine-ton. Had friends who lived there.

@westcountrywanderings

11 ай бұрын

Thank you! I think the man that I asked in the bakery in Kineton may have been an 'incomer' to the Cotswolds! Cheers, Paul.

Re your comments about the discrepancy of your evidence of the sitauation and the OS maps. I recently established that a substantial military feature in Cornwall, which some have photographed to prove it's existence, is not shown on the OS maps. I find this weird because, with the military intelligence that is available to all sides, keeping such information from the people 'on our side' seems stupid.

@westcountrywanderings

Жыл бұрын

Ah, yes, where I formerly worked in Cornwall (an RAF Radar establishment) was, for many years, completely 'greyed out' on the OS maps, because, prior to it being RAF, it was formerly a satellite site for the Porton Down chemical defence establishment. It wasn't until the RAF had looked after it for a few years that the MOD finally allowed OS Maps to print what was actually there (now, a disused airfield with radar and radio comms on it, but previously a chemical weapons factory, which was Top Secret at the time of course!) This was all a long time before Google Earth and Google StreetView, and the like. Cheers John!

@stephenchappell7512

Жыл бұрын

Unfortunately recent years have illustrated governments are not necessarily on the side of the people they purport to represent hence the secrecy

@dianarolph1770

Жыл бұрын

There was so much information in this video that I had to watch it twice! I may have to have a 3rd viewing as it was packed with so much detail especially the maps. I am naive - I thought you saw everything on OS maps- I didn’t realise they could be selective but when you think about it,it does make sense.( Bit like changing all the signposts round in the WW11.) We are a town of 45,000 and have NO Police presence. ( Our police station is currently being turned into an old people’s home). To see 1 police car is unusual but to see 10- wow!! They were definitely watching your every move. I think you could have continued down the lane past the entrance to the M.O.D. site as it was way marked but ….. It was fascinating to see the ultra tidy and clean rail track - I suppose that may have been to do with safety but the neglect of the signage & safety surrounding the smaller crossings seemed incongruous. Thank you for producing this excellent film.

@stephenchappell7512

Жыл бұрын

@@dianarolph1770 Good analysis 👍 and yes indeed all official information is by necessity 'selective' The 'haves' stay the 'haves' by making sure the 'havenots' behave themselves though their own ignorance

@dianarolph1770

Жыл бұрын

Not sure why my comment ended up as a reply on here but sometimes my comments disappear completely and I have to double check & if necessary re-send them. Yes,keep the plebs in the dark.

Fenny Compton is not in the cotswolds

@westcountrywanderings

6 ай бұрын

Quite correct. It ends between Warmington and Avon Bassett, therefore Fenny Compton lies just outside the Cotswold AONB (The M40 now acting as a border). I had written the word near in my script, but I mis spoke and missed the near in my piece to camera and missed the error in my checks. Kineton however is inside the AONB. Sometimes the border can be contentious. I live in the Cotswolds near the town of Stroud, but Stroud itself lies outside the AONB even though it is completely encircled by it. Thanks for the comment. Paul