Branch to Silverton Mill near Cullompton

[Jenny Emily]

On my travels I came across this near Hele, not far from Cullompton. It's a small branch that went into Silverton mill. What's interesting is that it appears that for its full length the track is inset in concrete, thus ensuring almost all of the branch back to the main line survives intact. My work took me into the mill, which because of bridge repairs was using this gate as the temporary entrance.

 

The bridge that was being repaired carried some of the tracks internal to the mill and I was quite surprised to see that it was being repaired with special attention to the rails being reinstated. Quite a lot of effort for tracks that haven't seen a train in a long time and may well never see them again. When I enquired I was told that the mill was Grade 2 listed, and the listing includes all the inset track - so it had to be reinstated when the bridge was repaired.

 

It seems quite an unusual little branch. Does anyone know anything of its working life and history and why the whole branch is encased in concrete? (despite running parallel to a perfectly serviceable road for much of its length)

['CHARD]

This from trusty Wiki - albeit a bit buried:

 

"The station (Silverton) was closed to passengers on 5 October 1964. Freight traffic continued until 3 May 1965 but a private siding serving a paper mill, which had been opened on 26 July 1894, was closed on 31 August 1967."

[Jenny Emily]

Thanks for that. My google-fu managed to turn up a few (post-closure) pictures that confirm that the local farmer has incorporated part of the trackbed as the floor of outbuildings it appears. Nothing explains why a need was felt for encasing the whole branch in concrete like a tramway, or why it is afforded listed status.

[The Stationmaster]

Can't delve out much. It was incidentally a siding - not a branch line. The best source regarding closure date etc would undoubtedly be Tony Cooke's GW etc track layouts series but the relevant volume is long out of print. As Tony used Private Siding Agreements as the source of his information that might say which the line was inset but my best bet is that they used an ordinary agricultural tractor to move wagons hence the paving of the siding

 

The signalbox at Silverton closed in 1972 so the connection would definitely have gone by then.

Edited October 23, 2012 by The Stationmaster

[Gordon A]

IIRC Hele Paper Mill had a siding from Cullompton station to deliver coal for the boilers. The tall redish looking structure is part of the coal hopper system they had similar to a loco coaling tower. The coal wagons were lifted up the side and tipped.

quite a few years ago I think they had some pictures in the mill's reception.

 

Gordon A

Bristol

[Eggesford box]

IIRC Hele Paper Mill had a siding from Cullompton station to deliver coal for the boilers. The tall redish looking structure is part of the coal hopper system they had similar to a loco coaling tower. The coal wagons were lifted up the side and tipped.

quite a few years ago I think they had some pictures in the mill's reception.

 

Gordon A

Bristol

Are you sure you are not thinking of Hele and Bradninch? I am not to sure myself though so I may be talking rubbish. I am sure someone will come along and clarify before to long.

[Eggesford box]

I only went to Hele once and I was hoping the building I was thinking of would appear in yhe background of one of the photos to see if we where both thinking of the same place. Sadly not, the best I can do is the siding in the foreground of the HST and a shot of the box diagram showing the siding trailing back from the up loop.

[DLT]

but my best bet is that they used an ordinary agricultural tractor to move wagons hence the paving of the siding

That is my understanding of the situation at Silverton.

 

Hele Mill is indeed near the site of Hele & Bradninch station, and that too has a siding embedded in concrete, see this Streetview location.

http://goo.gl/maps/ZqJuU

 

Cheers,

Dave.

[Captain Kernow]

I remember seeing some 16t mineral wagons in there prior to the signal box closing around 1986, when the Exeter MAS came in. I think they had been there some time prior to that and I don't know what happened to them afterwards. Post-MAS, there are no points, loops or sidings left at Hele at all.

[The Stationmaster]

I only went to Hele once and I was hoping the building I was thinking of would appear in yhe background of one of the photos to see if we where both thinking of the same place. Sadly not, the best I can do is the siding in the foreground of the HST and a shot of the box diagram showing the siding trailing back from the up loop.

The connection to the mill at Hele & Bradninch came off the siding which appears in your first picture.

[Gordon A]

 

That is my understanding of the situation at Silverton.

 

Hele Mill is indeed near the site of Hele & Bradninch station, and that too has a siding embedded in concrete, see this Streetview location.

http://goo.gl/maps/ZqJuU

 

Cheers,

Dave.

That is the mill I was refering to. I cannot remember why, but in one of my previous roles as an Excise Officer I have visited a number of the mills in the area.

 

Gordon A

Bristol

[Jenny Emily]

Thanks for the replies. Silverton mill is a little further south from Hele.

 

The suggestion that the sidings were shunted by a tractor makes the paved track make much more sense. As for the mill at Hele, I went in there too. There is a three way point embedded in the concrete just over the access bridge that is a perfect match to the Peco code 100 one.

[Eggesford box]

The G A Pryer book on signalling diagrams give the following dates for Silverton signal box:-

 

01/09/1964 Up refuge siding taken out of use

04/12/1967 All remaining points and discs out of use, which would have included the mill siding

12/05/1968 Box closed

 

I note the date of closure of the box does not agree with the Staionmasters and even if the dates are correct the mill siding could have been disused before 1967.

 

edit last para added.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Eggesford box

[The Stationmaster]

The G A Pryer book on signalling diagrams give the following dates for Silverton signal box:-

 

01/09/1964 Up refuge siding taken out of use

04/12/1967 All remaining points and discs out of use, which would have included the mill siding

12/05/1968 Box closed

 

I note the date of closure of the box does not agree with the Staionmasters and even if the dates are correct the mill siding could have been disused before 1967.

 

edit last para added.

 

I took the date from Tony Cooke's book but the Record of Amendments for Hele & Bradninch 'box does show Silverton as closing on 12 May 1968 (I wonder if the 1972 date might be a demolition date as several 'boxes in that are were not immediately demolished?).

[D1072]

I can confirm the Captain's observation of two 16T minerals at Hele & Bradninch mill siding in 1985 or 86 - painted bauxite.

Is it posible they were there for a while because the siding had been disconnected?  I believe they had delivered coal to the mill.

According to Wikipedia, the mill is still open, producing sausage cases and teabag paper!

[stadman]

I too remember seeing the 16 tonners there, as well as a pannier tank in the siding.

Silverton is further west, Ellerhayes is the village a short distance from Silverton.

I was told that Hele used to produce paper used for printing money, security was a bit tighter in that particular area although I never ventured beyond the social club with my father in the 70's

[Charlyrhone]

My partner lives in Silverton.  It was only recently that I became aware of the 'tramlines' near Ellerhayes Bridge.  Intrigued, I googled Silverton Mill and came across this very interesting post.  Where was the junction that this siding connected to? 

 

[Pugsley]

Somewhere around here:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=silverton&hl=en&ll=50.805172,-3.450249&spn=0.001973,0.006196&sll=52.8382,-2.327815&sspn=7.728394,25.378418&hnear=Silverton,+Devon,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=18

[DLT]

Somewhere around here:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=silverton&hl=en&ll=50.805172,-3.450249&spn=0.001973,0.006196&sll=52.8382,-2.327815&sspn=7.728394,25.378418&hnear=Silverton,+Devon,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=18

Quite so.  Silverton station seems to have escaped the attention of photographers, but heres the Streetview from the bridge  https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=silverton&hl=en&ll=50.804826,-3.453614&spn=0.000737,0.002064&sll=52.8382,-2.327815&sspn=7.728394,25.378418&hnear=Silverton,+Devon,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=50.804826,-3.453614&panoid=E1dzfQaqCh2VT-KtliqpFA&cbp=12,52.02,,0,17.84

which corresponds to the view at the bottom of this page  http://www.devonheritage.org/Places/Silverton/RogerLangdonofSilvertonPage1.htm  (which clearly shows mixed gauge track) The platforms were staggered, each side of the road bridge, and the yard from where the branch originated was where the farm is now, on the south side of the line east of the bridge, opposite the platform show in the photo.

 

Hope this clarifies matters!

Cheers, Dave.

Edited July 28, 2013 by DLT

[davidbee]

For what it may be of interest the mill -despite being Grade 2 listed - has now been demolished thanks to an agreement with National Trust and the site should be restored to its natural state including opening up the river Culm

[KeithMacdonald]

Starting from Silverton station (on the NLS copy of the 25" OS Map)

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=50.80478&lon=-3.45290&layers=168&b=1

 

The whole siding (and the spur sidings at Bridge Paper Mill) is shown in good detail on the NLS copy of the 25" OS Map

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=50.80083&lon=-3.45231&layers=168&b=1

 

 

[KeithMacdonald]

This has just been nudged by mention of this siding in "Abandoned rails in the road".

 

 

So I've just done a quick track plan of the station and the mill.

 

First the station, with a small "exchange" siding, between the 157 and 159 spot heights. Presumably where a small number of wagons could be dropped (and later retrieved) by the rail loco, and the local tractor could then work them to & from the mill over the concreted track?

 

 

 

 

 

[Cowley 47521]

48 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

This has just been nudged by mention of this siding in "Abandoned rails in the road".

 

 

So I've just done a quick track plan of the station and the mill.

 

First the station, with a small "exchange" siding, between the 157 and 159 spot heights. Presumably where a small number of wagons could be dropped (and later retrieved) by the rail loco, and the local tractor could then work them to & from the mill over the concreted track?

 

 

 

 

 

That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a track plan of the station Keith, thanks for that. I also had no idea that there’d already been a thread on it!

[KeithMacdonald]

Here's a track plan for the mill area. Two more loops. Is that an indicator of the volume of traffic, or just the number of wagons there might be lying around the place?

 

[Cowley 47521]

8 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Here's a track plan for the mill area. Two more loops. Is that an indicator of the volume of traffic, or just the number of wagons there might be lying around the place?

 

I guess in its heyday it would have been pretty busy as it’s a fairly sizeable complex. There’s surprisingly little written about it unfortunately.