Ghosts in the Machine.

[KevinWalsh]

Back in the summer last year I was working alongside the Lavender Line at Isfield putting in new footpaths and kerbs, when clearing the ground in preparation for the works I can across a drainage cover stamped with SR. Rather than replace it with a modern one (main contractor was being a little tight with the budget) I rebuilt the surround and moved the cover slightly to ensure it was in the new path and preserved. Once I can find where I put the pic I'll post up the one I took of the original position and when I get a chance I'll pop over to take a pic of it in it's new position.

 

As promised

 

The drainage cover as I found it during ground clearance

 

The drainage cover as re-sited to re-use it

[russ p]

There are some LNER ones at Norwich

[TheSignalEngineer]

Still some North Staffs ones at Stoke-on-Trent.

[sn]

When the station site at Braunton was being redeveloped in the late 70s/early 80s the waiting shelter on the up platform was demolished and behind one layer of boarding these where revealed:-

Old timetable 01.JPG

Old timetable 02.JPG

Old timetable 03.JPG

Old timetable 04.JPG

They ended up in the goods shed at Barnstaple for onward movement to the NRM as far as I know.

It breaks my heart to think that that preservation attempt on that line  failed.

[eastwestdivide]

Shepcote Lane Junction still exists, but this lit signal protects it from a disused & lifted approach, the one from Brightside Junction. Taken from Tinsley No7&8 Lock on the canal early Jan 2017.

 

[John M Upton]

Had a meeting in Brighton's main station buildings the other day which is a rabbit warren of a building over four or five floors with windy staircases etc.  Got lost at one point and found myself in a forgotten entrance way where in a long disused doorway I found this:

[andy stroud]

 

I was surprised to see this piece of point mechanism at the location which I think used to be called Prospect Hill Junction, at Whitby. It was the reversal point for trains from Whitby to Scarbourgh. Closed to traffic mid sixties but I have seen pictures of the track still in situ early 70s.

 

https://www.railscot.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=32465

 

Nowadays part of the path/ cycletrack along that route.

[SHMD]

Me and my son came across this today.

 

I'm not sure if it's an old signal gantry or not?

 

 

 

 

Found outside the old goods warehouse on the former LNWR Diggle Loop line at Millbrook.

 

 

Kev.

[stewartingram]

Although I hear it every day, I only realised this morning that the recorded announcements on GN 365's still state "This is a West Anglia Great Northern service to.........". Since WAGN were superceded by FCC before becoming Great Northern/ TSGN, that is quite a surprising survivor.

 

Stewart

Edited April 4, 2017 by stewartingram

[TheSignalEngineer]

Me and my son came across this today.

 

I'm not sure if it's an old signal gantry or not?

 

20170403_164049a.jpg

 

20170403_164047a.jpg

 

20170403_164111a.jpg

 

Found outside the old goods warehouse on the former LNWR Diggle Loop line at Millbrook.

 

 

Kev.

Is it something to do with the unloading of wagons for the coal conveyor? That was done by bottom discharge I think.

[SHMD]

Is it something to do with the unloading of wagons for the coal conveyor? That was done by bottom discharge I think.

 

I think you are right.

Heyrod (Hartshead) Power Station had two coal conveyers. One that went over the Diggle loop line (half still there) and the one that went under the main line (in my views).

16t mineral wagons were discharged by hauling them up a steep (45degrees?) ramp and opening the end door.

 

It's now clear too me that these girders are the start of subterranean conveyer's bridge, over the Canal and river, to the main power station building.

I should have (some) photos somewhere...

 

 

Thanks,

Kev.

[adanapress]

Ah yes, but who now remembers the original first stations at  Sudbury Suffolk or  Braintree Essex.  The former still had its signing on point ( though no tracks to either platform) despite much of the building being used by a small fish merchant in the late 1960s. Now of course a 'Roys' department store.  The Braintree one was really old style, later a coal merchants offices, now housing   Signs then aplenty.

[melmerby]

Spotted a sign at Jewellery Quarter Station (Birmingham) between the two halves (Metro & Main Line):

 

"You are now entering a Railtrack Station, Passengers must cross the line by the footbridge"

 

Keith

[Shadow]

Old signal post at the southern end/entrance to North Stoke tunnel, on the Arundel to Three Bridges line

 

 

 

 

[John M Upton]

I believe that signal post is often used as point for applying the brakes for Amberley by some drivers.  It hasn't carried a working signal for at least thirty or forty years so is a remarkable survivor especially as the Arun Valley was completely resignalled a couple of years back.

 

A couple of miles away there is a Southern Railway concrete signal post on the up between Arundel Junction and Lyminster, again another remarkable survivor.

[Rivercider]

At Taunton station there is a set of Pooley scales on platform 2

Taunton station 17/5/2017

 

cheers

[Boris]

Some stuff in Bog Hall sidings at Whitby today:

 

I haven't a clue what the hell this thing is, other that its near the FPL bars below.

The facing point lock detection bar from what (IIRC) would have been the cross over into the goods yard, until the remodelling the traps in Bog Hall also had FPL bars from when they did something else

And finally the horse that would be held the cranks for the FPL and points from the long lost Bog Hall cabin.  The rodding stools are still in place along with a few other bits that I want to try and photograph another day.

[lankyphil]

[russ p]

DSC_0548.JPG

Bit of a sad sign from the brief period of optimism in the early days of privatisation ,mind it reads like its from Edwardian times

[anroar53]

Gradient post on the Cuckoo Trail between Horam and Hellingly. Although I have passed this many times I couldn't locate it a few months back.

Horam station a few years back. A remaining SR Concrete Lamp post and large Running in board. The lamppost still had the original bracket where the Totem station sign was, and even a bit of the original wire and light fitting! The Running in board at this time was covered by a large sign with information on the Cuckoo trail.

In the last couple of years the station is reclaiming its identity with replacement signs now appearing.

The station now has two Totems.

 

Although not probably from the bygone days this nice seat has appeared between Horam and Hellingly.

 

Between Horam and Hellingly there are a number of mileposts to be seen, although some have been re-sited from the 'Down' to the 'Up' side. In the last couple of years the raw concrete has been painted over in black on white.

 

This last one of the 27 and a quarter milepost looks almost brand new, and has only recently been re-discovered/added?

 

Between Forest Row and Groombridge a rare survivor, as this route seems almost devoid of former railway artefacts now. (Excluding the station sign on the front of Hartfield station).

 

Further up the Cuckoo Trail. The former Up Distant for Redgate Mill Junction sits lonely, perched on a low embankment, surrounded by trees.

 

End of a railway ramble.

Andy.

[synthnut]

There's just enough left along that route to be nostalgic as you cycle along. You certainly notice the pretty steep gradient too! Camped nearby ans went out with the kids rcently but must go a bit further along next time as I missed the signal post sadly.

TTFN,

Ben

[anroar53]

There's just enough left along that route to be nostalgic as you cycle along. You certainly notice the pretty steep gradient too! Camped nearby ans went out with the kids rcently but must go a bit further along next time as I missed the signal post sadly.

TTFN,

Ben

The signal post is on a bit of the Cuckoo Trail that hasn't been taken into the cycle route. From Mayfield to Redgate Mill there are several sections in private ownership. Plus some gaps.

The Redgate Mill Distant has to be approached by a public footpath to the north of Rotherfield station. There is another signal post just outside Rotherfield with the spectacle plate still attached as well. For some reason I couldn't find the picture of that. As I said, you will find sections well and truly blocked off with wood and wire.

 

Andy.

[John M Upton]

I don't know if it is related but someone recently cleared a lot of the vegetation from the old Guildford platforms at Christ's Hospital.  Unable to take a picture unfortunately as I am only usually there for about thirty seconds at a time!!

[sparks]

Bristol Temple Meads this afternoon

 

[LNERGE]

As promised

 

The drainage cover as I found it during ground clearance

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The drainage cover as re-sited to re-use it

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Here's a similar cover next to a freshly renewed Network Rail level crossing..