JZ Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Don't suppose I'd be allowed to sound my Bulleid Pacific whistle appsound on phone thingy as I approach and enter said tunnels? Q Funny you should say that. A few years back, before the tunnels were re-opened, I took a walk down here while my car was at Combe Down garage for some work. While down at Tucking Mill viaduct, they phoned to say the work was finished. My ringtone is a recording of Union Castle blowing it's whistle as it passes through Templecombe at full whack. From below I heard "Christ did you hear that" from a couple of workmen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailWest Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 You will not get very far along it going northwards, although you do get a nice 'different perspective' on the railway embankment. Going westwards there is much more to see, with surviving bridges and bits of locks etc, as well as the Midford Aqueduct and remnants of the Camerton Branch as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Don't try cycling through wearing sunglasses... And don't look up any ventilation shafts as you won't be able to see in the dark for several minutes afterwards! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZ Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 And don't look up any ventilation shafts as you won't be able to see in the dark for several minutes afterwards! Good job there are none. IIRC it is the longest unventilated tunnel in the UK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted August 16, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2015 And don't look up any ventilation shafts as you won't be able to see in the dark for several minutes afterwards! One of the features of Combe Down tunnel is that there are no ventilation shafts, I believe it's the longest tunnel in the country without any. You can imagine what conditions on a north bound train would have been like for the footplate crew in that restricted single bore, on a rising gradient and only about twelve inches between the chimney and the roof of the tunnel! Southbound trains were no picnic but Devonshire tunnel is much shorter and the fire would at least have been bright having only just left Bath. There is still plenty of evidence of hard working locos attached to the roof! On my home layout, Bath Queensquare, the rising gradient up Bath bank is 1:70, less than the prototype and sadly, due to space constraints my line enters Devonshire tunnel and exits Combe Down, the beautiful Lyncombe vale being missed out - see the link in my signature below. Jerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted August 16, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2015 The high overbridge in Lyncombe Vale that many photographs have been taken from P1060135small.jpg Mogers Bridge, used to know it quite well! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted August 16, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2015 Midford tunnel is actually a long skew bridge P1060162small.jpg Known as the Long Arch Bridge, in fact. Some nice photos there, Dave, in fact the best I've seen that give a real feel for what it must be like there now (having not visited that part of the S&D for many years now). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sn Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 What was (does anyone know) the final steam loco to work through these tunnels? What was the final diesel on recovery trains to work through I wonder? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted March 31, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 31, 2016 What was (does anyone know) the final steam loco to work through these tunnels? What was the final diesel on recovery trains to work through I wonder? There were some photos in Railway Bylines a few years ago of the demolition work; it was (IIRC) an 08 Diesel physically dragging the rails out of Combe Down Tunnel. Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sn Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 There were some photos in Railway Bylines a few years ago of the demolition work; it was (IIRC) an 08 Diesel physically dragging the rails out of Combe Down Tunnel. Dave. Right.Ok. Cheers Dave. And the last steam loco....? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTJ Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Mogers Bridge, used to know it quite well! Part of the CBBS junior X- country course I recall. Down the cabbage patch from Foxhill, over the bridge and then down to Watery Bottom.... BW Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium tingleytim Posted April 1, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2016 Page 77 of Bob Bunyar's book says the last engines to work through the tunnels on 6 March were 80o43 and 48706 on the northbound SLS special. Page 88 says it was rumoured that a pannier tank went up the line to collect redundant station fittings on the 7th. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sn Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Right. Cheers, Tim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted April 1, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 1, 2016 Don't forget that Ivatt 2-6-2T 41283 was probably the last steam loco to work on/near the S&D, on the whole W.R. in fact, as it was retained to shunt redundant locos and stock at Bath Green Park shed for a couple of weeks after the closure of the line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sn Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Don't forget that Ivatt 2-6-2T 41283 was probably the last steam loco to work on/near the S&D, on the whole W.R. in fact, as it was retained to shunt redundant locos and stock at Bath Green Park shed for a couple of weeks after the closure of the line. 41283 eh? Hhmnn. Used to work The Ormskirk-Rainford branch at one point. Big geographical change of shed at some point in its history. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted April 3, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 3, 2016 41283 eh? Hhmnn. Used to work The Ormskirk-Rainford branch at one point. Big geographical change of shed at some point in its history. Indeed. There is a photo of it working at Bath Green Park shed after 7th March 1966 in the Tim Deacon book. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium tingleytim Posted April 3, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 3, 2016 Hugh Longworth's Complete Allocations History shows 41283 shedded at Wakefield, Aintree, Bank Hall, Fleetwood and Patricroft before moving to Brighton in June 61, Barnstaple Junction in March 63, Yeovil Town in October 64. Finally to Templecombe in June 65 and withdrawal in March 66. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Kirkham Posted April 18, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2016 Don't forget that Ivatt 2-6-2T 41283 was probably the last steam loco to work on/near the S&D, on the whole W.R. in fact, Apart from the USA tank at Meldon Quarry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted August 10, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 10, 2016 A little way down this page: http://railtube.info/2015/01/on-shed-january-2015-edition/ You will find about six minutes-worth of railway outakes from The Titfield Thunderbolt, including one of the not-quite-timed-right sequences of the trains over and under Midford viaduct. Enjoy! Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Some fascinating pictures of an area that I had a good time in, a few years ago. Midford is, indeed, a top spot for pub food. I must make an excuse to revisit the area... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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