Halts in all their glory

[Fat Controller]

Ace thread!

 

 

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Here's Berney Arms again, on the Norwich-Gt Yarmouth line. I don't think you can get there by road.  I scanned this from an old print, took it about 1980 I think while on a Broads boat trip.

 

 

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This is what was coming along the line next.

 

 

Went past Berney Arms again last year while on a trip to travel on the 37 class hauled trains that were running from Norwich to Gt Yarmouth - they went via Acle so we did this line on a 153 to get to Yarmouth to start.

If anyone's wondering what the container train is, it's a short-term flow of sawdust from Great Yarmouth to Coatbridge. The wagons were taken as far as Ipswich, where they were attached to a Felixstowe- Coatbridge working. There's a photo on page 16 of 'Life and Times- Freightliner', dated 05/06/1981.

[D854_Tiger]

Brilliant!

 

I tried to find Mountfield Halt when I was working on the electrification project, but was never quite sure I'd identified the location correctly.

 

Just up the line was the scene of one of the accidental badger culls that occurred when we first energised the conductor rails - unknown to anyone, the line was crossed in a few places by long-established badger paths, and a few brocks perished before special gaps were cut in the con rails to allow them to go about their business safely.

 

 

Badgers are lazy little b*****s like steam locomotives they prefer not to go up hills.

 

Their well trodden paths are nearly always at low points.

 

When I used to drive home through the Cotswolds, after dark and uphill and down dale, I pretty soon got used to the places you needed to keep an eye out for them, always at the bottom of a hill and just before you went up the next one.

[keefer]

In have just found mention of another local one with no pictures or links (except to state between which stations it was when it opened and closed) and that is Rifle Range Halt, between Kidderminster and Bewdley on what is now the SVR

 

Hard to pin down except is was on the Rifle Range, (An area of Kidderminster retains this name but is no longer a rifle range, although some parts feel like it) but I think it was somewhere just before the SVR trains passes the WM Safari Park coming from the Kidderminster direction, in fact the other side of the tunnel from Foley park Halt mentioned earlier. It closed in 1920.

 

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/380500/274549/12/101160

 

(At the top right of the map there are 2 blue square boxes - click the first to get rid of the blue layer, click the other to get the map full screen) 

Strangely enough, it's on the 1927 1:2500 OS. it's also on the 1925 1:10560, but not the 1903.

As you say, if you then travel east through the tunnel, you get to Foley Park Halt - looks strange being a little halt next to a rather sugar beet factory with sidings etc.

Edited June 8, 2017 by keefer

[Northroader]

I walked past this one a fortnight ago, I've got to say it's a "Halt" to avoid being slung off the thread, but there is some vagueness. I've seen it marked on maps as "Station", carl Arendt gives a layout as "Halt" (although his ideas on traffic are a bit shaky) tickets were just issued to plain "Golf Links", but then there was an earlier "Golf Links" in a different place which decided to become "Halfway House" when this one was made, but then the line was extended so halfway was halfway no longer, all very confusing.

You'll see that it's a tin shed of Colonel Stephens design, for which the golf club who own it have filled in the verandah, and kept it as a memento of a bygone age. The Colonel excelled himself with this one, from inception to opening of the original stretch done in fourteen weeks. It was built on private land on a lease, so acts of parliament and lawyers could be dispensed with. By now you'll know we're on about the Rye and Camber, what bits of track are left in the foreground being three foot guage of fairly lightweight rail. There was a loop here, with a siding to a sand pit, and another to a pier on the Rother. Some accounts say the line was on its last legs, others that an extension was ready to be opened to a holiday camp, when September 1939 came along, and summer came to an abrupt end, along with the line. Tommy Atkins took over with various depots and stores and preparations for D day in the area. Some of the right of way got concreted over to make a road, the surface of the rails just showing still in places near here, but with no flange ways. It was decided after the war that it would be too much trouble to reclaim for reopening, and that was that. Part of the route disappeared with gravel pits being opened, and the bits around the Halt are all that's left.

[The Johnster]

No need to apologise, unless you are in charge of the weather ....... you're not, are you? 'Cos if you are ........

 

To get sky effect: point mobile phone directly at the sun, unable to see what is on the screen, invoke good spirits, and press the button. It works every 127th time!

 

K

 

Now I know why my first camera was called a Brownie 127!

[Nearholmer]

I tend to the view that Golf Links was a station, but I'm not sure, and even if it was, it is such a marvellous place that I'm sure it can be granted a dispensation. If it had 'TRAM STATION' emblazoned on the roof, like the one at Rye, it might not have made it!

 

Kevin

Edited June 8, 2017 by Nearholmer

[anroar53]

A few pictures of mine from 1982, having had my memory jogged by Nick. They were taken while I was doing a six weekly check of all the Emergency Telephones between Ore and Winchelsea. If you didn't know where they were at Doleham and Three Oaks they could be a devil to find, as the undergrowth would hide them extremely well.

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Three Oaks looking towards Rye. At this time the former Up Platform was still in situ. Note the Marker Lights at the ends of the platforms inside metal cages. These were oil lamps, changed once a week by the Lampman based at West St. Leonards. The lights at each end of the platform were the only lights at the station until fairly recently. No Lar-dee-dar Electrickery here. Only problem with the oil lamps was that the local children would try and push them over by poking a stick through the cage. These were kept padlocked, and in later times someone has tried at least once to super-glue the padlocks!!!

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From the other side of Butchers Lane bridge at Three Oaks, the DEMU to Hastings had just departed, so not much chance of another train coming for a while.

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Doleham looking towards Rye. In the late 80s the shelter was taken over by a Tramp, who was often referred to as, Station Master, Doleham!

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Winchelsea, looking towards Rye. The station had been unstaffed for many years, although the station buildings have been in almost constant private occupation since. The Open Crossing here has been the scene of numerous accidents with trains running into cars. Finally, about three years ago the crossing has now been re-gated (barriers). In this picture I had got off an Ashford bound train and begun my walk back to Ore. Unfortunately I couldn't find my picture of Snailham Halt, not that much was left there, just the Farm Crossing.

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During a similar phone checking mission I took this picture at what was Mountfield Halt, between Battle and Robertsbridge. Having had wooden platforms, and closed in 1969, nothing much remained, however, over on the right tucked away behind the grass, lay half a damaged running in sign with 'Mountf' on it. It was quite badly bent and chipped. It disappeared some years later, to where I do not know. Note at this time, 1982, the Tonbridge to Hastings Line had yet to be electrified, Battle Road crossing on the A2100 just beyond.

 

More memories coming back,

Andy.

Found a few pictures of my own of Snailham Halt, although taken a couple of years ago. Roughly half way between the villages of Icklesham and Udimore I am really surprised that this place survived until 1959. In many ways it was a carbon copy of Doleham. Concrete 'Up' platform, wooden 'Down' platform.

 

Approaching from the Icklesham direction, down what is mostly a farm track (still a public footpath).

 

Coming up to the gates. It seems such a long time ago now but this crossing once had a high incidence of 'Near Miss' reports, where trains have narrowly avoided tractors towing all manner of trailers. It had been a local custom to leave the gates open and trains would often find these vehicles launched across the tracks with little warning. Finally after verbal exchanges, letters, and finally intervention by the Transport Police, things quietened down and the gates remained closed when not in use. It did however prompt the railway to install Emergency phones at the crossing.

 

Looking towards Winchelsea and Rye, and where the station was. It is strange that the Concrete platform (Left) has totally disappeared (Possibly reused elsewhere?). However, in this picture there are still a few remnants of the wooden platform supports hidden amongst the greenery (right), which can be seen mostly during the winter months when the undergrowth dies back.

 

Looking towards Doleham and Hastings. This shows the minor summit and cutting/trees which was one of the reasons for the short siting distance given to Ashford bound trains.

 

Approaching the station site from the Udimore direction on the Farm track/footpath. Brings back memories from close by of rounding up stray cattle from the lineside with the assistance of a train! But that, as they say, is another story!

 

Short bit of DEMU Cab video between Doleham and Rye from seven years back, never did get the camera vibration issues sorted, so picture a bit naff but the soundtrack of a Thumper in action hopefully makes up for it. Snailham at about 1.55.

 

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=mmyy-hqMWwY

 

Andy.

[Nearholmer]

Today, a picture of a Co-Op that was, until very recently, a pub.

 

This was the halt-terminus of the one-minute-wonder that was the Deanshanger extension of the Wolverton and Stony Stratford Tramway, and the real target was Roberts Ironworks, a vestige of which can be seen. The passenger terminus was supposed to be at the pub on the other side of the green, but that bit probably never got built. The line had a few goods wagons, including some intermodal ones, which had retractable flanges for use on ordinary roads.

 

The Deanshanger extension was very much a rural tramway, in the mould of the Wantage, whereas the original section had a more suburban character.

 

Lots of information, including a photo of a tram outside the now-Co-Op, here http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/os/doc/tran/tra.html

 

Kevin

Edited June 13, 2017 by Nearholmer

[Bernard Lamb]

 

 

[Bernard Lamb]

For some reason the previous post appeared before I had finished writing.

Photos are from Halts on the Hatfield St Albans branch.

Salvation Army Halt.

I love that name. Just a few timbers in the undergrowth.

Nast Hyde halt. Renovated and improved by the local Postman.

Lemsford Road Halt. Just the steps left.

Bernard

[anroar53]

For some reason the previous post appeared before I had finished writing.

Photos are from Halts on the Hatfield St Albans branch.

Salvation Army Halt.

I love that name. Just a few timbers in the undergrowth.

Nast Hyde halt. Renovated and improved by the local Postman.

Lemsford Road Halt. Just the steps left.

Bernard

Salvation Army Halt, wasn't that located next to their Printing Works for the 'War Cry'? Remember reading somewhere the finished papers were originally shipped out by rail.

 

Andy.

[Nearholmer]

Some splendid ones there, Bernard. Thanks.

 

K

[Bernard Lamb]

This time from the Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead branch.

Roudwood Halt with platform and signal. I think the signal is original.

Beaumot Halt. Site of with road crossing but no sign of any remains other than a slight widening of the track bed.

Godwin's Halt. Named after Shadrach Godwin, a local landowner. A friend of mine lives in one of his former farm houses.

There was a siding here that was used to unload manure. Shadrach had a contract to clear the streets of London from the stuff left behind by the horses that pulled Hansom Cabs.

The bridge and cutting beyond the halt has been used as a dump and little remains.

Heath Park Halt. Unusual in that it was at one time a terminus for the passenger service. The halt was on an embankment and ran roughly by the first trees across the picture. The road is Corner Hall and if you continue for around 400 yds you will reach my house.

Not as glorious as some examples but I hope they generate some interest.

Bernard

 

[Nearholmer]

I'd forgotten about Heath Park, and it deserves greater billing, because of the sheer weirdness of the track and operating arrangements.

 

I've appended a map extract below, which shows the halt in the middle. The line to the left terminated in two sidings at the gas works after the through route was closed, the line to the right was the goods yard, and the line to the lower right was the branch that connected this place to the rest of the world.

 

It was a very rare halt-terminus, and had some pretty exotic trains, in the form of push-pulls made from old American Pullman cars. If you follow the link, and go to the bottom, there is a rather fuzzy picture of such a train at the halt. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/heath_park_halt/

Edited June 14, 2017 by Nearholmer

[Northroader]

Here's another pair of halts with "Heath" in the name. There's two because there's a "High level" and a "Low level", the pity of it is they're not on lines crossing over each other, like Whittington or Builth Road, and those are/ were stations, anyway. The setting is the north side of Cardiff, on the direct main line the Rhymney Railway built south from Caerphilly through the mountain in a tunnel to get to Cardiff avoiding the original route missing the mountain and using the Taff Vale Railway. Another railway, the Cardiff Railway, came on the scene, leaving the docks to use the Rhymney line as far as Heath Junction, where it turned off to head up the Taff Valley, parallel with the TVR with the idea of tapping into all that lovely coal traffic. The said traffic had made the TVR very rich, and able to afford lawyers who blocked any hope the Cardiff Railway had, leaving it with not a lot to do. Heath was at the northern edge of the Victorian building in Cardiff, but the two lines north from there could help with the twentieth century housing developments. The Rhymney line was very busy in its own right with traffic from north of Caerphilly, the Cardiff forming a branch with no through traffic. The two halts were made just north of where the lines divided, served by a road called "Heath Halt Road". The line gradient changed after the Cardiff line branched off, so that it is much lower than the Halt on the Rhymney line, which is where the h.l. / l.l. distinction comes from. Here's a shot of the Low Level Halt, the High Level being up through the trees on the right a hundred yards or so away. (copyright on the photo is John Lord of Geograph)

It's worth noting that the Cardiff Model Engineering Society have their base in the park just southwest of the halts, they have open days usually around bank holiday weekends, and well worth a visit.

[Danemouth]

I live two stations beyond HH - Birchgrove, This line was double track as far as Whitchurch until the early 70s

 

Incidentally the sign 40 45 - exactly what does that mean please?

 

Dave

[Coryton]

Here's another pair of halts with "Heath" in the name. There's two because there's a "High level" and a "Low level", the pity of it is they're not on lines crossing over each other, like Whittington or Builth Road, and those are/ were stations, anyway. The setting is the north side of Cardiff, on the direct main line the Rhymney Railway built south from Caerphilly through the mountain in a tunnel to get to Cardiff avoiding the original route missing the mountain and using the Taff Vale Railway. Another railway, the Cardiff Railway, came on the scene, leaving the docks to use the Rhymney line as far as Heath Junction, where it turned off to head up the Taff Valley, parallel with the TVR with the idea of tapping into all that lovely coal traffic. The said traffic had made the TVR very rich, and able to afford lawyers who blocked any hope the Cardiff Railway had, leaving it with not a lot to do. 

 

Yes I was thinking of this one too.

 

I believe that at one point it did carry coal, from the Nantgarw Colliery (though much too late for the Marquis of Bute, who was behind the Cardiff Railway, to benefit).

 

Then the colliery was linked to the Pontypridd line which was much closer.

 

Nowadays the former site of the mine is an industrial estate, and what's left of the line beyond Coryton (not much) is used as a footpath. Further on it became part of the A470.

 

Curiously, Wikipedia says that the station at Nantgarw was another "low level" halt.

 

Various of the other stations on the line appear to have been halts at one time. There are quite a few stations packed into a short distance, and I suspect that Birchgrove and Ty Glas are strong contenders for the closest stations on National Rail.

 

I did work out that if you put the front coach of one of the Caledonian Sleeper trains in one station, you could walk through the train and get off at the other one.

[Northroader]

40/45 is a maximum permissible speed sign, just like the equivalent road sign. Two speeds apply to different types of train, usually locohauled, which hardly ever show on this line, and dmus. I couldn't say for sure if this is the application on this line, help!? The sign is placed very near the start of the branch, and so might apply to the whole of the rest of the run, help!?

[Coryton]

40/45 is a maximum permissible speed sign, just like the equivalent road sign. Two speeds apply to different types of train, usually locohauled, which hardly ever show on this line, and dmus. I couldn't say for sure if this is the application on this line, help!? The sign is placed very near the start of the branch, and so might apply to the whole of the rest of the run, help!?

 

I think the limits are loco hauled (top) DMU (bottom) unless the signs specify otherwise.

 

I am pretty sure there are no other speed signs on the branch (apart from the corresponding one for trains lurching off the branch and onto the main line - 25 I think) so yes that's the limit for the whole line, such as it is.

 

There are also fixed distants - in one direction towards the end of the line at Coryton, in the other towards the only proper signal on the branch at Heath Low Level.

 

The only time the branch normally sees loco hauled trains is during leaf-fall season. Re-ballasting seems to be done with road-rail vehicles.

[chrisf]

Yes I was thinking of this one too.

 

I believe that at one point it did carry coal, from the Nantgarw Colliery (though much too late for the Marquis of Bute, who was behind the Cardiff Railway, to benefit).

 

Then the colliery was linked to the Pontypridd line which was much closer.

 

 

Indeed.  The line between Coryton and Rhydyfelin was closed in 1931 but for once the track was left in place.  Nantgarw Colliery came on stream around 1947 and the closed line came back to life to handle the coal traffic.  A connection from the ex-Taff Vale main line [Cardiff to Pontypridd] to the colliery was installed in 1952 and the old line was closed again.  Much of its course, including quite a substantial tunnel at Tongwynlais, was obliterated to make room for the A470 dual carriageway.  A stub of the connection at Taffs Well remained in place into the 1980s and came in handy as a turnback siding for dmus.

 

Chris 

[highpeakman]

Another one from the Bedford to Bletchley line.

 

This is Millbrook from (quite a few) years ago.

 

Makes for an interesting comparsion with https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.0537599,-0.5329914,3a,75y,66.49h,69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPr1UEHdIhpX9oallugVYcg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

 

Note the delicately formed corporate signwriting!

[Nearholmer]

That sign is a cracker, but I suspect it to be the work of the very active local support group. They seem to have adopted a very archaic spelling of Marston Moretaine, a local village, although looking at Wikipedia both versions seem to be accepted.

 

Kn

[Bernard Lamb]

Another one from the Bedford to Bletchley line.

 

This is Millbrook from (quite a few) years ago.

 

Makes for an interesting comparsion with https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.0537599,-0.5329914,3a,75y,66.49h,69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPr1UEHdIhpX9oallugVYcg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

 

Note the delicately formed corporate signwriting!

I thought that line had full blown stations rather than halts.

I do like the photographs even if I am a bit of a pedant.

Bernard

[highpeakman]

I thought that line had full blown stations rather than halts.

I do like the photographs even if I am a bit of a pedant.

Bernard

 

It may look like they are stations with those fancy and quite large buildings but most, if any, of the stations on that line (Bedford - Bletchley) were never staffed or issued tickets in the time I lived nearby - from the late 60s. The large buildings were not in railway use even back then.

 

It may depend on your definition of a Halt I guess as all trains made scheduled stops as opposed to on request but it does meet the OP definition.

[Nearholmer]

The line has a mixture of "from the beginning" halts, opened for a motor train service that started c1905, as well as stations that have fallen from grace, many of them a very long time ago.

 

K