The Final Resting Place
This story begins with the death of my father, Alan Blencowe, in December 2004. Born and bred in Banbury he had been a railway enthusiast, in the real sense of the words, all his life. In fact he died on his way back from a days linesiding near Harbury tunnel and Leamington.
It was upon receipt his ashes that my brother and I focused on what might be an appropriate final resting place. Obviously it had to be a railway scenario, and the usual scattering on the line or in the firebox seemed to be the traditional choice it needed some lateral thinking!
So focusing on the railway scene at Banbury, I took the bull by the horns, rang up Network Rail, and asked a rather dumbfounded area manager if we could put him in the signal box at Banbury North. (In his urn, of course)! The answer was a rather hesitant, Yes, I would think so, but just to make you aware Banbury North is down for closure soon and demolitionand we would not want to have to move him again! Perhaps another location might be more permanent?
So to plan B. Being a local, and, when he was young, living next door to a GWR driver my father was well-known around Banbury engine shed. He had known various shed staff well over the years and had even acquired his first cine camera from one foreman in 1959. Demolition of the shed followed not long after complete closure in 1966. The shed land, standing above the Cherwell River, had been specifically built up for the shed and was heavily contaminated. It soon became vegetated and overgrown.
So, with such life-long associations, perhaps Network Rail would consider a 'burial' there? 'Well, that's no problem, they said, no one is ever going to build on that land!'
So, in August 2005, a hole was dug (without any Network Rail interference or H&S) near the fence by the main line and father deposited therein. Conveniently sited near an electric pole at least we could look out for him when passing by on the train.
Fast forward some nine years and I received a phone call from a colleague in Banbury. He had been scanning the local paper and discovered a planning application from Chiltern Rail for a new 'depot' at Banburyon the site of the old engine shed! You can imagine the office comments and hilarity after I had rung Chiltern Rail to ask if I could dig my father up before their bulldozers did the same! 'Oh... never had one like this before' came the slightly bemused response.
So, armed with shovel and pickaxe and accompanied by a Chiltern Rail representative, we set out to try and find father. Thank goodness we had taken a photograph at the original burial so it was not too long, after a few false starts we managed to retrieve the urn.
'Where would you like him to go now?' came the question 'I'm sure we can locate him somewhere here.' Well I replied, somewhere in the foundations of the new shed would be good. 'Not sure about that, we'll have to see what Engineering says about that!'
There the issue stayed for some time. Father was back in the garden shed and I kept regular contact with Chiltern Rail who confirmed the foundation resting place was not on... but assured me that they would find a place for him — 'somewhere over by the river'.
Out of the blue I received a telephone call in February 2017 — a new Chiltern Rail project engineer had been appointed and an opportunity had arisen. The foundations of the new repair bay were being laid down and the next Sunday presented a window of opportunity, while no one was working on site, before the next load of concrete went in! Well, yes... of course although our enthusiasm was blunted slightly when the dreaded words ''Health and Safety were mentioned.
Arriving on site at the allotted time and there to greet us were the project manager and the lead manager for the contractors. We couldn't have had better treatment, like royalty in fact. Orange jackets, goggles, gloves and hard hats all provided and they even apologised for the amount of mud and water on the site! However 'we have scrapped a path through for you as long as you stick to it, you should be OK —' sorry we havent got you any boots!' Absolutely brilliant!
So, after a spot was duly selected, we all dug a hole and while our hosts waited 'somewhere over there' father was subjected to another burial ceremony. Everyone helped to refill the hole in the knowledge that father would be covered over in four feet of concrete the next day theres no coming back from this one! Referring to plans at a later stage it seems father's final resting place was just about under the foremans office of the old shed! RIP.
As we were leaving our hosts suggested when the building was finished perhaps we would like to come back and place a small plaque inside the repair bay to commemorate father - what a generous offer! (October 2018 — the plaque will be installed shortly).
On behalf of myself and my family I would like to thank Tony Bobbin, Gavin Norton and Paul McCarthy for their extremely kind and courteous help throughout this whole episode. They showed themselves and their companies in the best possible light — well done chaps.
So now, when I'm passing the new Banbury shed I can look over and visualize father under the repair bay he's sure not coming out again!
Stewart Blencowe,
Gloucester UK
Alan was born and raised in Banbury and was well known around the town, member of the local historical society, local church etc. He served in the RAF in WW2 later joining the insurance industry for the rest of his working career. Hed always wanted to join the railways but his parents told him he had to get a 'proper' job.
A background to this article: Stewart Blencowe is a renowned Railway Buff a trait he inherited from his father, Alan. They own this particular 'totem relic' from the Blencow Railway Station which operated from 1865 to 1972. Stewart has published several books on British railways. Anne