Western region fencing 'out in the country' What type?

[sn 374]

Been wondering - On the western region in the 50's and 60's was all lineside fencing 'out in the country' so to speak, made up of the concrete post variety or were wooden posts ever deployed to? Anyone know?

 

I've had a quick look through some of my rail books for that region and I think all I'm seeing is concrete posts.

 

Anyone?

[Kris 2,006]

There are a lot of wooden posts about along with rail built (broad gauge) end posts. I would not mix concrete and wooden posts in one stretch of fencing but would put wood on one side of the line and concrete on the other if I wanted both to be shown.

[buffalo 2,206]

There were some useful photos including the bridge rail posts in this thread.

 

Nick

[Kris 2,006]

Well found Nick. I knew it was there somewhere but did not turn it up with a quick search to add the link to my original post.

[buffalo 2,206]

Yes, I found it by searching for 'bridge rail post' and you can imagine how many hits there were on the individual words

[Tim V 2,062]

You don't indicate where you are based, if you look at ex WR railways today, you'll find substantial lengths with wooden posts today. Ipso-facto it would have been wooden in the 50s & 60s.

[sn 374]

You don't indicate where you are based, if you look at ex WR railways today, you'll find substantial lengths with wooden posts today. Ipso-facto it would have been wooden in the 50s & 60s.

Tim Buffalo and Kris. Thanks. I'm based in the NW so couldnt just go out and look. Good posts all, thanks

 

Len

[sn 374]

Just come across a pic of Bontnewwyd and the fence posts next to the line there are quite obviously large thick tree branches that have never been within two feet of a wood cutting or turning tool!!! Most bizzare!!! Never seen this anywhere else. Maybe, actually probably it was a temporary fencing as to the left of the fence it looked like there may possibly have been a bit of a land slip. Very odd even so.

[Jules 2,280]

Slightly OT but the wooden GW fence posts are very long lasting. Driving between Tetbury and Cirencester last weekend, the course of the old railway is very easy seen by the line of wooden fence posts. From a distance (and at speed!) they look in remarkable condition.

[Coombe Barton 26,451]

On the St Ives Branch above Porth Kidney next to the golf course they're wooden - and the fence is in in very bad repair with wire down in many places (Summer 2009). Probably something to do with the coastal environment as well as lack of maintenance.

[Kris 2,006]

The old line to Kingsbridge still has lots of the fencing in place but much of it is in bad condition.

[R A Watson 395]

Don't be too confused about the longevity of the G W timber posts as the BR (W R) continued to regard the line post '47 still to be the old company, but inconveniently renamed by the politicians, and continued to renew timber posts up untill the early '70s when lineside maintenence seemed to stop.

 

As long as you could get serviceable old sleepers to cut up the supply was assured.

 

 

Wally

[The Stationmaster 79,776]

Don't be too confused about the longevity of the G W timber posts as the BR (W R) continued to regard the line post '47 still to be the old company, but inconveniently renamed by the politicians, and continued to renew timber posts up untill the early '70s when lineside maintenence seemed to stop.

 

As long as you could get serviceable old sleepers to cut up the supply was assured.

Wally

 

I find that a bit odd - the WR was carrying out fencing renewals back in the 1960s using concrete posts - making it's own I do believe - and I can't recall seeing any renewed in timber, other than as a very temporary repair, once concrete posts were available from stock (as they seem to have been on most WR engineering districts by the late 1960s). Serviceable timber sleepers were quite hard to come by around then as well (we certainly no longer had the staff option of buying serviceable ones by around 1970ish because they were in short supply for PWay work).

 

Yes, plenty of old timber fence posts about but I can't recall ever seeing any renewed with timber in the whole of my time on the Region (from 1965/66 onwards until it ceased to exist). The areas taken over by the LM might have taken a different approach - as they did on all sorts of other detail stuff.

[R A Watson 395]

Mike,

 

I was not referring to wholesale renewals but piecemeal replacements. I agree that large replacement jobs would be done in new materials, but out in the sticks it was easier to pop in a few home made posts than go through the procurement procedure just for a few repairs.

 

Also at the time of the seventies onwards it seemed that allowing "natural" fencing (brambles and long grasses) to carry out the remedials was becoming a more popular option.

 

Wally