Abandoned rails in the road.....(or elsewhere...)

[Michael Crofts]

1 hour ago, 33C said:

Amazing what is still out there.

That's a nice thought but I'm feeling somewhat dispirited myself. Your thread caught my imagination and I thought I could contribute dozens of examples, but I now realise that's because my memory was taking me back to the last century (God that sounds old) when I remember coming across complete railways that were closed but not lifted, and literally hundreds of bits of rail in the concrete and tarmac every time I went into an industrial estate or a port. In fact there's only a smattering left and although there must be others not yet mentioned here I think these last reminders of the old railways are few and far between. Anyway, must make the best of it, here's another

The famous Fairfields shipyard, Glasgow. The heritage centre, genuine original track left in place, including a weighbridge.

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by Michael Crofts

[Michael Crofts]

Does this count?

Tatton Park Farmyard. Not my pictures and I can't remember where they come from. Sorry about that.

[33C]

29 minutes ago, Michael Crofts said:

Does this count?

Tatton Park Farmyard. Not my pictures and I can't remember where they come from. Sorry about that.

Oh yes, they count! 

[Michael Crofts]

Another foreign one. Ireland. Guinness Brewery Railway in Dublin. Lots of images on Google, mostly of track in the visitor centre. But here's a screenshot I snaffled a while back showing the area round where the engine shed and turntable were (I've indicated the position of the turntable), together with a public domain photo of the area and a link to a Peter Brabham Flickr post of a John Wiltshire photo. I believe these tracks are still there, it would be nice to know for certain.

 

 

 

[33C]

34 minutes ago, Michael Crofts said:

That's a nice thought but I'm feeling somewhat dispirited myself. Your thread caught my imagination and I thought I could contribute dozens of examples, but I now realise that's because my memory was taking me back to the last century (God that sounds old) when I remember coming across complete railways that were closed but not lifted, and literally hundreds of bits of rail in the concrete and tarmac every time I went into an industrial estate or a port. In fact there's only a smattering left and although there must be others not yet mentioned here I think these last reminders of the old railways are few and far between. Anyway, must make the best of it, here's another

The famous Fairfields hipyard, Glasgow. The heritage centre, genuine original track left in place, including a weighbridge.

 

It's precisely those little bits in the tarmac/concrete that fire my curiosity! They had to be fed from a mainline and tracing where they went can lead to others. I'm amazed how even the smallest firm had a feeder and even now the roads and topography give clues, in the boundaries, names and fence lines! Standard to narrow, all fascinating.....

[Michael Crofts]

For my last contribution I have nothing to offer except a suggestion. I think there might be something in the Port of Par which counts as abandoned rails in the road. But I've posted enough from Google and perhaps someone with local knowledge could contribute a picture.

 

By the way, looking back through the thread, if this sort of thing does appeal then my advice is to go to Sheerness docks ASAP. It's the only place I know which has more-or-less a complete layout of tracks, nearly all joined up. If you want to see what things used to be like, that's the place to go.

[melmerby]

 

Look who else has been to Chilmark

[Michael Crofts]

I've just seen a Facebook post about the railways around Burneside Station on the Windermere branch including the tramway which served the James Cropper paper mill. It suggests there may still be some rails around the site of the old station. Here's a screenshot of the post:

 

And here's a NLS side-by-side screenshot

 

I'm sceptical about this but maybe someone will pass by and take a look one day.

[Michael Crofts]

I've remembered a thread on this forum about the ex military depot at Weedon Bec. Three years ago there were rails in he concrete - they might still be there. Sadly the best of the photos in the thread were lost in the disaster. I purloined this picture of the weighbridge with rails and I think that might still be there.

 

 

Here's the original thread: 

 

[melmerby]

26 minutes ago, Michael Crofts said:

I've just seen a Facebook post about the railways around Burneside Station on the Windermere branch including the tramway which served the James Cropper paper mill. It suggests there may still be some rails around the site of the old station. Here's a screenshot of the post:

 

And here's a NLS side-by-side screenshot

 

I'm sceptical about this but maybe someone will pass by and take a look one day.

The view hasnt changed much apart from the lack of train!

https://goo.gl/maps/1RfHxB8hQLKiAU4G9

[009 micro modeller]

On 15/12/2022 at 11:48, Michael Crofts said:

I can't find my notes and I can't remember when that part closed.  The system was in roughly two halves. The northern half started at the packing sheds and ran south to a level crossing of Hollow Oak - this part has been lifted for some years. The southern half still existed in 2014 and I think it might still exist now, running further south past the locomotive storage point (there has never been a loco shed) to the end of the watercress beds. The Bere Regis website has a lot of good photos and links to other sources. I have made a little visual map which I hope you can read. It's online here  temporarily or you can download it as a pdf:- Sylva_Springs_map_v1.pdf

Does anyone know the current status of the Sylvasprings loco?

[009 micro modeller]

On 15/12/2022 at 17:48, Michael Crofts said:

Does this count?

Tatton Park Farmyard. Not my pictures and I can't remember where they come from. Sorry about that.

Michael Campbell did an 014 layout based on that for the Dave Brewer Challenge one year. Apparently they also have a 40cm gauge Decauville railway in the Hall basement: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Tatton_Park_2016_182.jpg

[Captain Kernow]

On 26/09/2022 at 17:55, Halvarras said:

The Newquay branch in the vicinity of Middleway Crossing, St Blazey, looks like this all the time! The weed-killer train allegedly pays the occasional visit but I can't say I've noticed the difference

You mean the one that sprays liquid GrowMore?

 

[Captain Kernow]

Sharpness Docks, 3rd April 2008:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Re6/6]

Fascination collection there!  When were the tracks last in use?

[bradfordbuffer]

4 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

Sharpness Docks, 3rd 

 

 

Who paints a abandoned buffer stop?

[Johann Marsbar]

5 minutes ago, bradfordbuffer said:

Who paints a abandoned buffer stop?

The trackwork on the docks is still nominally connected to (in-)active Network Rail trackage so presumably there is stil the chance that traffic may resume there at some point.

The local Preservation group have taken over the area of sidings that branch off the docks route before they cross the road shown in one of those photos........  https://www.vobr.org.uk/phase-1

[33C]

10 minutes ago, bradfordbuffer said:

Who paints a abandoned buffer stop?

Someone cares. It's all just sitting there, waiting......

[Johann Marsbar]

2 hours ago, Re6/6 said:

Fascination collection there!  When were the tracks last in use?

I went on a Railtour along the branch back in 2011 and we got as far as the run round loop which was after the tracks had crossed Bridge Road (the road shown in the photo). From the tour notes, the only traffic down there by that stage was the Nuclear flasks as far as the former Berkeley station, though trains had to continue as far as we did to run round.

[Northmoor]

Fascinating selection of pictures there @Captain Kernow; my Dad visited Sharpness only a few years ago and I think it's still largely unchanged.  I last saw it in 1985 and I remember the only rail vehicle being an abandoned 16t mineral wagon, somewhere near where your first image was taken. 

 

It does look like relatively little would be required to restart operations around the docks if required, but I can't imagine what traffic might justify that, sadly.  Sharpness is a fascinating place for anyone interested in industrial history/archaeology and not being on the way to anywhere, has been largely forgotten.

[Colin_McLeod]

Back in 2016  when Cork City Council were refurbishing a road in Blackrock, they uncovered narrow gauge (three foot) rails of the former Cork Blackrock and Passage railway complete with cobblestones which had been preserved under the tarmac.  Thankfully the 'find' was incorporated into the works and remain visible today.

 

 

 

 

This is what it looked like before the road works.

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Colin_McLeod
Edit to add the 'before' picture.

[33C]

1 hour ago, Colin_McLeod said:

Back in 2016  when Cork City Council were refurbishing a road in Blackrock, they uncovered narrow gauge (three foot) rails of the former Cork Blackrock and Passage railway complete with cobblestones which had been preserved under the tarmac.  Thankfully the 'find' was incorporated into the works and remain visible today.

 

 

 

 

This is what it looked like before the road works.

 

There's a rare thing, a visionary council. Great pics!

[bradfordbuffer]

9 hours ago, 33C said:

Someone cares. It's all just sitting there, waiting......

Ready to be kissed by a wagon buffer or class 308emu! Hence my user name! Long story!

[Ben B]

On 17/12/2022 at 17:38, Michael Crofts said:

I've just seen a Facebook post about the railways around Burneside Station on the Windermere branch including the tramway which served the James Cropper paper mill. It suggests there may still be some rails around the site of the old station. Here's a screenshot of the post:

 

And here's a NLS side-by-side screenshot

 

I'm sceptical about this but maybe someone will pass by and take a look one day.

 

I'll try and find some pics I took in 2021, whilst visiting a friend who lives nearby. Definitely still some rails in the road near the mainline station at the time

[Michael Crofts]

The London tram system, Kingsway Subway.

Then:

https://dewi.ca/trains/conduit/subway.html

 

Now:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5189685,-0.1210251,3a,75y,164.29h,74.14t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shUPr1-a1J_3hHQbge6gPjw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192