Jump to content
 

Local Lockdown Walks - with a railway connection, however tenuous


Recommended Posts

Found this whilst out on this mornings wanderings....

 

DSC00765.JPG.e75606521cabce8ec98a658433656ba1.JPG

 

It's the only one I've found locally on my walks over the past couple of months, as most seem to have been replaced by "normal" storage sheds nowadays, but seemed in fairly decent codition.

 

More unexpected was coming across this little group of locals....

 

433705052_DSC00766(2).JPG.d80cddc0ad15b30c56eec91222713a11.JPG

 

 

 

  • Like 6
  • Funny 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

There's quite a lot of them in the UK now, in fact an episode of Michael Portillo's Great British Train Journeys featuring, IIRC Saltaire among other places, discussed how they first came to be here. In September I helped my daughter transport two alpacas, quite an experience; Suffice it to say, if they do not want to move, they won't !

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

The other side of town.

The entrance to the goods yard at Hemel Hempstead on the WCML.

The left hand line for a short time around 1959 served the local gas works and actually connected with the Midland Railway Nicky Line.

Bernard

 

DSC_02112.JPG.6d780bf1710b8d97e969baa564660f52.JPG

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 21/02/2021 at 15:39, eastwestdivide said:

Often they put X weeks on the works notice to cover the maximum amount of time, and complete it in far less than X. You can always hope.

Heard today that they are on schedule to finish on time.  I am probably in a minority of the local townsfolk in wishing they would overrun, as the road is much more pleasant to walk along without any traffic and I seldom drive that way!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Todays walk. Not a train to be seen. A nice 3 and a bit mile round trip. Was a little chilly to start off with however. IMG_6185.jpeg.eea8181c6684dc3c3f70abefac543c93.jpeg

 

IMG_6186.jpeg.d6b726791ecb5c6133653a3a1206341c.jpeg

 

IMG_6188.jpeg.ef3ffd769f12cdcf1370780a4e0a571b.jpeg

 

IMG_6190.jpeg.3ad8ed6e83116f61ecbb5ebce2756bab.jpeg

 

 

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Some photos from this mornings walk. The former Selby - Market Weighton line where it used to cross the River Derwent at Bubwith.

North side of part of the bridge looking west (generally).

DSC08029.JPG.40de9cc7d70c5f242ffe0ece263de1a4.JPG

 

Then two views of the bridge from the south.

DSC08030.JPG.90d2f087d4ed0ca6bbc2510a30bddd74.JPG

 

DSC08031.JPG.dfbdcd01e2dbe3b01a87cbb108df0e2f.JPG

 

And finally, a view along the former track bed looking east (generally) towards the former Bubwith station. 

DSC08032.JPG.01d46271e83b8aa128b6002633440dcf.JPG

 

For anyone interested, the map coordinates are: 53.811193, -0926242

 

  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

On recent weekends I walked the Ebury Way just beyond the fringe of North-West London, with two diversions of under a mile each way across Croxley Common Moor, and to the Hamper Mill on the far side of the valley.  

IMG_20210307_104304.jpg

The Hamper Mill - image refuses to load correct way up.

 

The Way itself is fairly level other than short inclines and takes the route of the Rickmansworth Church Street branch from the junction for the Croxley Green branch to almost to the former station site at Rickmansworth Church Street. Some bridges survive, others have been replaced or earth-filled to make ramps, and the route is more wooded than past times.  Other than bridges and earthworks, the only obvious railway survivor seems to be a concrete gradient post on the stretch near Rickmansworth.

IMG_20210228_094820.jpg.8f10d501b8ad474656111a1b6b9375eb.jpg

 

I've long been aware of the old railway and its re-use as a walk so very overdue to make a visit.  My secondary school was on the opposite side of the valley and often I saw trains of a few bogie oil tanks passing along the branch as far as the siding into the Dickinson's Paper premises.  I regret not paying attention to the type of loco and wagons and worked out where the trains ran from, as information is hard to trace.  The other railway interests in the area for me were of course the Metropolitan and some long-gone narrow gauge, a short sand and gravel line on the fringe of my school grounds, and the Colne Valley Waterworks Railway which had a transfer siding to the Rickmansworth branch.  The line crossed the valley to the pumping station.

 

 References:
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/r/rickmansworth_church_street/
https://www.croxleygreenhistory.co.uk/
https://www.croxleygreenhistory.co.uk/the-railway-to-croxley-green.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/31111251125/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/31111254095/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/31111257165/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/31111259715/in/photostream/


Dickinson
https://www.croxleygreenhistory.co.uk/the-mill-railway.html

 

Colne Valley Waterworks Railway
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/r/rickmansworth_church_street/index100.shtml
https://www.westwatfordhistorygroup.org/p/colne-valley-light-railway.html

 

http://www.industrialgwent.co.uk/wuk21-se/index.htm
See Hertfordshire, Colne Valley Waterworks Railway

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/5550481363/in/album-72157626336121110/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/31111247605/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/30304650923/in/photostream/

 

 

Edited by Engineer
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 07/03/2021 at 17:05, iands said:

Some photos from this mornings walk. The former Selby - Market Weighton line where it used to cross the River Derwent at Bubwith.

North side of part of the bridge looking west (generally).

DSC08029.JPG.40de9cc7d70c5f242ffe0ece263de1a4.JPG

 

Then two views of the bridge from the south.

DSC08030.JPG.90d2f087d4ed0ca6bbc2510a30bddd74.JPG

 

DSC08031.JPG.dfbdcd01e2dbe3b01a87cbb108df0e2f.JPG

 

And finally, a view along the former track bed looking east (generally) towards the former Bubwith station. 

DSC08032.JPG.01d46271e83b8aa128b6002633440dcf.JPG

 

For anyone interested, the map coordinates are: 53.811193, -0926242

 

Few sadder sights than railway architecture with no trains 

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 23/01/2021 at 14:26, Peter Kazmierczak said:

Today our little walk takes us along the old carriage drive to Canford Manor (now Canford School). At the end we find this rather elaborate railway underbridge. The occupants of the Manor didn't want any old bridge over their drive, so when the Southampton to Dorchester line opened on 1st June 1847,  they built this. 

 

Once the main route between London and Weymouth, as Bournemouth grew, the line through Ringwood and Wimborne declined. On summer Saturdays, through  expresses between Weymouth/Swanage to Waterloo continued along this line into the early 1960s; even the "Bournemouth Belle"  has  passed over here when the direct route was closed due to engineering work.
Closed to passengers from 4th May 1964, the tracks clung on with occasional freight traffic until  May 1977.

P1090907.JPG

To be strictly accurate, this bridge wasn’t the original - probably a timber structure like many underbridges on the cheaply built Southampton & Dorchester - but a replacement from ca 1853, 1854. It was designed by Charles Barry and paid for by Lady Charlotte Guest after the death of her husband Sir J. John Guest, the iron-master. 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

First, thanks to Colin for putting  me straight about the origins of Lady Wimborne's bridge. 

 

Today's lockdown walk is a case of the, "you'd never guess a railway ran through here" syndrome.  We're in Harrier Drive, Merley near Wimborne, looking eastwards. The LSWR line between Wimborne (to the left) and Broadstone (to the right)  would've passed through here, just where the tarmac changes across the road in front of the street light and the "sold" sign. Obviously, the railway closed before there was any housing development. Wonder if the new occupants of the house just sold realise that their property lies directly over the old railway line?

P1110689 (2).JPG

  • Interesting/Thought-provoking 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

A few pictures from my walk last Sunday. The weather was nice, and not being such a well known path, it was nice and quiet.

 

The path follows the path of the old LBSCR Pulborough - Midhurst route, which at this early stage skirts the sides of the Arun and Rother flood plains - the line to Midhurst and the continuing LSWR route to Petersfield more or less followed the entire length of the river Rother.

 

It starts at Hardham Junction, and at this point the track bed is used as an access road, so is in really good condition.

 

63674207_Walk1.jpg.cd5b2f75ca48fac3047be07be14565ef.jpg

 

393188690_Walk2.jpg.4d6be1907b900215ba31eb0fe1acc9d0.jpg

 

After half a mile or so the road became more of a farm track - still in pretty good condition.

 

1217261236_Walk3.jpg.a09ac17a3123a1a7f4cedcfd788be5ee.jpg

 

619031779_Walk5.jpg.0f72311c078dc7f0bedeaa25932e02fa.jpg

 

Finally the path diverts to follow the river bank to Fittleworth and the track bed is fenced off.

 

514964257_Walk4.jpg.6a4a4ad427ef07c71ab51d4eb23e68aa.jpg

 

This was one of the last stretches of the Midhurst branch to close; the Pulborough - Petworth section succumbing in May 1966. Most of the trackbed along the routes is pretty clear - there's plenty of good walking to be had west of Petworth, and the track bed from Chichester to near Singleton has been converted to a cycle way. 

 

I know we have plenty of preserved railways, but these lines were wonderfully scenic and being surrounded by so many tourist centres (Amberley Chalk Pits, Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, Petworth House, Uppark - to name just four) and within a national park, they would have made a great steam railway. This stretch has lovely views of the plains; you can imagine a nice little D1 with a couple of carriages puffing along here!

 

94597441_Walk6.jpg.660873ee26a55c697f3ac001aa13c008.jpg

 

What I suppose keeping it as a path does give you is the wildlife. The area of the plains a mile or so to the east of this spot form part of the RSPB Pulborough Brooks reserve. Plenty of wildlife was seen and heard - lots of small rodents and birds, as well as a distant cormorant on a tree and a couple of red kites overhead.

 

Kite.jpg.23dad6cb1080cdb0b163b56dd10fc3a4.jpg

 

  • Like 12
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
On 24/02/2021 at 14:34, Rivercider said:

We visited Portreath in 2019 and had a look around before walking along the coast. I found it interesting and would like to read up about the area and the history before we visit again. Is it possible to walk any of the old track bed of the Portreath Branch?

 

cheers

Went along the small rural section of the old GWR line to Portreath today. The photo below show what you can see (nice views but nothing to show it was a railway). 

 

IMG_6526.jpeg.9f6b12c14a5d5cc923eeb21fab1c84a5.jpeg

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Kris said:

Went along the small rural section of the old GWR line to Portreath today. The photo below show what you can see (nice views but nothing to show it was a railway). 

 

IMG_6526.jpeg.9f6b12c14a5d5cc923eeb21fab1c84a5.jpeg

Thanks for that.

We will no doubt be down to visit Cornwall again (hopefully) before too long. When we are in the area I would like to go to Portreath again, so will try to explore some of the old rail routes, either GWR or Tramroad.

 

cheers 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
5 minutes ago, Claude_Dreyfus said:

My mistake. We have kites nesting in the area, so thought that was one of them...

 

The key ID feature for red kites is the deeply forked tail. Buzzard's tails are more fan-shaped.

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Today's dog walk near Ram Hill. We followed the track bed of an old colliery line from some pits at Nibley, Mayshill and Frog Lane which joined the Bristol to Gloucester MR line that used to go down through Mangotsfield to Bristol and Bath and had a chord to the GWR S Wales mainline which it passes under...I'm not sure the Overhead line warnings are entirely necessary!

51040013016_f92f789bbe_c.jpg

The remains of the chord.

51039283918_0d40ba9840_z.jpg

and we saw a real train..Mk 4s on the way to Newport :(

51039284388_aef5005d83_b.jpg

 

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...