Little things - for the layout outside the railway fence

[Ray Von]

For anyone modelling small bridges, here are some detail images:

 

 

Opposite side:

 

And just in case anyone doubts your attention to detail, the underside aspect:

 

[corneliuslundie]

A bonus. I visited the lane with gates yesterday, and had forgotten that it also has a cattle grid. So here are the pics. First the two ends of the gated section. In each case you are looking from the "public" to the "private" part of the lane.

 

 

Then the cattle grid. As I remarked to the farmer on the tractor, it wouldn't stop any cattle as it is ansolutely full of earth etc.

 

The farmer told me that the Council lane was on the left in this view and he added the cattle grid.

What I didn't photograph though it may just be visible in the first photo was a dead sheep. Most unusual.

Normal service will be resumed on Monday as I have lots of new photos taken on two days out on the bike.

Jonathan

[eastglosmog]

Some features for those modelling mining districts.  Crown holes (where the ground above collapses into the mine void) used to be very common where coal seams and lead veins came near the surface.  Here are a few examples.

This one was in the Taff Valley, alongside the Quakers Yard to Merthyr railway (GWR & Rhymney Joint) near Abercanaid.  It was from workings in the 9ft seam.

 

This is typical basket of eggs topography produced by the collapse of the crossings in pillar and stall mining.  This was up near Wylam, produced by workings in the Busty seam.

 

It was not just coal workings that gave rise to such features, this is one from a Limestone mine near Chipping Campden.

 

This is one from a Fluorspar Mine below Hucklow Edge.

 

Finally, a typical line of shaft hillocks and depressions along the line of a lead vein near Stoney Middleton.

 

[Kris]

35 minutes ago, eastglosmog said:

Some features for those modelling mining districts.  Crown holes (where the ground above collapses into the mine void) used to be very common

 

Ground failures due to mining in Cornwall are still relatively common. Generally where shafts reopen rather than mining voids. These have been known to happen under major roads. About 4 years ago a road less than a mile from me was improved (by taking a duel carriage way and making it single with lots of traffic lights). When this work happened at least 9 unknown shafts were found under the road. They now want to build several hundred houses right next to this road on a mining site, I wonder how many more shafts will be found. Fun for the builders! 

[Nearholmer]

A little way back up-thread there were a few milestones, and I think this is a very heavily eroded one, but there is an alternative, and more interesting, possibility.

 

It sits alongside a very, very back lane, with huge cracks and subsidence in it, which degenerates into a bridleway, but a very long time ago it was the Aylesbury to Buckingham turnpike, and this section was laid over an even older road, which started as access to a Roman villa. The area is very secluded, a narrow valley between two steep hills, and it has been a gypsy camping site "forever". There is still someone living in a shack in the woods, and there were two or three caravans there a few years back.

 

The story is that this stone marks the grave of a long-ago "King of the Gypsies", Edward Bozwell, hanged at Aylesbury on 20th March 1741, with two others, for stealing horses (found more information via Romany Family History website!).

 

 

 

Anyway, the place is the spookiest I've ever come across, chilly even in warm summer, which is something I felt well before I heard the grave story, and the picture refuses to load the right way up, so read into that what you will.

 

 

Edited May 21, 2021 by Nearholmer

[Compound2632]

14 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

A little way back up-thread there were a few milestones,

 

Was it mentioned that there's a society?

 

https://www.milestonesociety.co.uk/

[Rivercider]

On 18/05/2021 at 17:24, Philou said:

Please sir! Please sir!! I have a topic for you - especially for those in rural areas particularly places like the wilds of Wales - cattle grids! I can't supply any photos as I'm a tad removed from the UK, but I do know they vary from place to place and are very rarely modelled. Of interest would be the arrangement for pedestrains to get around them. I know proper Welsh sheep aren't bothered by grids as they just roll over them!

 

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

It is a pity you did not post this request earlier on the 18th, as I have just been to Dartmoor for a short break, there are plenty of cattle grids around the moor (we drove over quite a few), and possibly some gates. 

As an aside, my late great uncle Sam worked for Torbay Water as a carpenter. For many years he worked at Kennick sawmills, and built gates and fences for the land around the reservoirs located in that part of Dartmoor. 

 

Not quite what you asked for, but here at Brean Down fort on Brean Down is a small grid. There are goats, and occasionally cattle grazing on Brean Down.

 

Brean Down fort 29/6/2018

 

cheers

 

 

 

[Philou]

6 hours ago, Rivercider said:

It is a pity you did not post this request earlier on the 18th

@Rivercider That was the day I came across the thread! Ah well, such is life. However, the picture that you uploaded is good as it clearly shows how pedestrians gain access without ever crossing the grid itself. There aren't around here and asking Madame Philou, it would seem that Common Land is not a known thing - though when they show sheep on the Pyrenees (for example) they're free to roam BUT supervised by a shepherd and his dog (mostly Welsh sheep-dogs from what I've seen). Cattle grids seemingly are an unknown equation too.

 

In these 'ere parts, I know of only one parcel of 'open' land and sheep are contained within it by a single strand electric fence.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[corneliuslundie]

I came across another cattle grid today.

 

This is more what I remembered. I hope it is useful.

Jonathan

[eastglosmog]

A none to impressive gate across a road near Temple Guiting.  Unlike many gates across roads, there is no cattle grid alongside (there isn't really room).  It is usually only closed when there are animals in the park beyond. 

 

A few other features noted on today's ramble.

A footbridge with some heavy wear of the stone paving:

 

An animal watering point by the bridge at Naunton.  This kind of feature is to be seen alongside a number of village and town bridges in the Cotswold area.

 

Not a cattle grid (it's far too narrow), but a drainage grip grid  across a track.

 

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by eastglosmog

[corneliuslundie]

Apologies that this is a day late. Yesterday we went out and met people face to face for the first time for ages.

Thanks to some good weather and a chance to get out on the bike, the theme this week is once again bridges.

First a small footbridge (plus pedestrian gate) on a footpath.

 

Next a “road” bridge on a minor lane near Newtown. In fact just beyond the bridge the lane becomes private, just serving a house and a farm, while a footpath branches off beside the stream. Two photos. As can be seen the deck of the bridge is made of old sleepers. Incidentally, there is a single abandoned sleeper on the ground not far from the bridge in the first photo in this post.

 

A slightly more major bridge on a road to a farm – this is the road which had the gates and cattle grid shown earlier.

 

Finally, a bridge over the Montgomery Canal at Aberbechan (mouth of the little stream, presumably though there is no word for stream in the name). This part of the canal has water but is not navigable, though there are regular efforts to increase the navigable length. A big problem is that a number of bridges were “dropped” not long after the canal was officially abandoned and I can’t see navigation happening here any time soon.

 

I think next time perhaps I shall have a look at some of the remaining buildings etc along the canal.

Jonathan

Edited October 1, 2022 by corneliuslundie

[Nearholmer]

Gun punts, as used for mass-killing of birds in Norfolk years ago, would possibly fit under the bridges. Not ideal for a cruising holiday, I suppose.

[Rivercider]

Last week when down in Devon we visited the NT Parke Estate near Bovey Tracey, there are a number of walks, one of which is along the route of the former Moretonhampstead Branch, other paths follow along the River Bovey.

Footbridge over the River Bovey on the Parke Estate. 20/5/21

 

As a child in the 1960s we visited great grandparents in Bridford, and often walked down to the Rookery Brook,

at one time the brook was crossed by a clapper bridge, now there is a modern replacement.

Farm track over the Rookery Brook in Bridford. 20/7/2016

Another view 2/12/2015

 

 

I think the remains of the clapper bridge are still there.

Some of these granite slabs may be part of the old clapper bridge near Bridford. 20/7/2016

 

 

 

 

 

The Rookery Brook then flows down towards Christow before joining the River Teign. 

Another pair of bridges over the Rookery Brook, these are between Bridford and Christow. 4/4/2017

 

cheers

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Rivercider
Additional photo

[Rivercider]

At one time there were plans for a branch line to Chagford, a branch off a branch would have left the Teign Valley Railway at Leigh Cross and followed the River Teign up to Chagford. The proposals included a halt at Fingle Bridge which would have been for excursion traffic.

Fingle Bridge looking up stream as seen from the beer garden of the Fingle Bridge Inn.  26/2/2017

 

Fingle Bridge looking down the River Teign with the Fingle Bridge Inn in the background. 27/1/2014

 

cheers

 

 

 

 

 

[Philou]

@Rivercider Is the cave nearby?

 

Thanks for the photos of the grids and the gated road. I did note in the photo of the Montgomery canal bridge, that on the camera side of the pedestrian gate (and other gate) there appears to be a road sign on a black pole (similar to a 'no waiting' sign). Does that happen to be a gated road too?

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Philou

[corneliuslundie]

No, it is not gated. It is a cul-de-sac with a few houses and at the north end (to the left) has a junction with the B road from Aberbechan to Betws Cedewain (which has its own narrow bridge over the canal with a sharp bend each end, but at least has about 5 ft 6 in, headroom over the towpath).

I suspect, though cannot remember, that the signs on the post are related to the towpath which is part of the Severn Way and a National Cycle Route.

But yes, rather low headroom under the bridge in the photo.

Jonathan

[MrWolf]

A few little oddities from the weekend.

 

Garden gate with posts made from bits of railway box van, Bridge Street, Clun.

 

Bridge carrying the Hopesay - Bishop's Castle road over the mill stream at Aston on Clun.

 

 

Lopsided stone courses in boundary wall stand out from Georgian architecture, Aston Hall.

 

 

Fence to prevent sheep straying upstream, hung from length of old bullhead rail. 

 

 

[Ray Von]

Disused Quarry, Drone Shot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or not....

 

 

 

[Nearholmer]

Crikey! That dog is flippin' gigantic!

[MrWolf]

I didn't know you could get bulletproof vests for dogs...

[figworthy]

A couple of shots of a bridge on an unmade road.

 

 

 

Adrian

[corneliuslundie]

Oops, a day late again. Time flies when the sun shines.

First, for the person who asked, these are the signs in the photo of the rather low bridge over the canal. In fact they are misleading because on the right the cycle route then immediately turns left up the road, not along the canal.

 

Another canal bridge, at Llanllwchaiarn. Here the footpath/cycle route/Severn Way has taken over the canal bed. It is evident that there was never a towpath under the bridge.

 

Another canal bridge, over a part of the canal which no longer has water. I am afraid that this was the best view I could get, but you can see the general structure.

 

And another. This one is where the “main” road crosses the canal close to the very low bridge I showed last time.

 

A final bridge for this post, this time rather more fancy. It serves several buildings on the opposite side of the canal from the main road which at this point is close to the canal on the north east side.

 

And a couple of smaller items along the canal. First one of the places where water can be drained from the canal into the adjacent river.

 

And a canal milepost.

 

And finally, for those with an interest in the subject, a book from our collection:

 

 

For those wishing to rush out and buy it here are the details:

Title: Street covers. Subtitle: London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome

Authors: J Pavesi and R Pietrobelli. Publisher: Westzone Publishing Ltd, 2001. ISBN 1 903391 04 0.

More photos taken along the canal next week.

Jonathan

Edited October 1, 2022 by corneliuslundie

[Kris]

A pair of buildings with the remains of loading hoists in place. There are also other interesting details such as the filled in loading doors and the route that the rainwater now has to take to reach the ground. 

 

[Kris]

When natural looking rivers are not natural. Take a close look at the far bank. It is stone lined showing that this stream is taking an unnatural course. This stream is like this for at least a couple of miles. In this case it was done to serve the needs of heavy polluting industry. Beyond the banks the impact still continues with the stream running orange at times. 

 

[steve1]

The Council are doing some resurfacing work to the main road through our village, the A163. I noticed that the drain covers and manholes had been masked prior to the work starting. This could easily be portrayed on a layout using, well, real masking tape.

 

steve

 

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by steve1