Steele Road

I've been pondering about the points and signal inside Whitrope tunnel. Could they have been there to allow banking locos on the down line to cross over and return to the Holm on the up once they had assisted their train over Whitrope summit? As for being operated by Shankend box; that would have been a very long pull, especially considering Whitrope Siding 'box was a lot nearer. Hmmm...

Border Collie says he saw a set of points and a signal inside the tunnel yet the Shankend Bobby, seemingly knowing a lot about the "secret", said these had been removed.

Just to play Devil's Advocate here, could he have meant removed as in disconnected ie removed from operation/switched out of use?

Not sure if this has been posted before but I came across it on the All Our Yesterdays bashers group on Facebook. The only details given are that it is D5317 waiting to leave Carlisle for Edinburgh on the last day 5/1/69.

Fascinating stuff. Am I right in interpreting that this 'secret siding' was in another spur of tunnel which branched off the the main bore (and later sealed up) as opposed to running alongside the up/down lines inside the existing tunnel? The reason I am assuming this is having walked through the tunnel myself, it does not look wide enough to have accommodated three lines at any point.

I didn't have to do much to it at all really, just a trim and a level boost and a bit of EQ to reduce the tape noise as it had a bit of hiss. So nice to find it and get it transferred and uploaded for an appreciative audience!

I found this BBC Radio Scotland documentary about Riccarton Junction on an old tape recently and have transferred it to MP3 for you:

https://soundcloud.com/northwestaudioarchive/radio-scotland-riccarton

Scotch Dyke?

Sounds like the Waverley Route version of the Elgin Marbles!

That garage will have to go though!

I noticed this football card sold on ebay recently for about £20. The description dates it between 1890 and 1920. A little research into the cards says that the company that produced them specialised in little known local teams. I didn't know there was once a Riccarton Junction FC!

Did you see the remains of the turntable just beyond it Tony?

Don't worry, you're not losing the plot! I remember seeing it too but can't remember who posted it.

Looks like a rapidly escaping Brit to me too, bearing in mind I never saw one in traffic so am reliant on acquired knowledge.

 

However, I'm fascinated to see how the lie of the land has been utterly transformed there. The train is storming off onto a low embankment at just about the point where the trackbed's present day obliteration ends. Something of a Holy Grail shot this one, Bruce!

 

EDIT:

Just been on Google Earth. Train is about crossing Hamilton Road (as now named) bridge, with what's now realigned Burnfoot Road running parallel and then away from/ under the railway. As far as I can work out, anyway. I've always wanted to see footage of that locale, because now it's been airbrushed from history with the aid of some big yellow machines and a plan from the filing cabinet labelled 'Bland and Neutral.'

Great shout that Chard, the line of the trees on the horizon has barely changed!

 

 

Even though I cant stand the bloke he has some cracking pictures there...

I viewed those pictures earlier but after your post the penny's just dropped and I've now realised whose website it is. For the record he was a real pain in the arse at several WRHA AGMs in the early days!

I've always been fascinated by the social history of the line and the lives of the people who worked on it. This shot (from the WR Lynn Collection) is a personal favourite. To me, it captures the atmosphere of a bygone era. It's like a time machine, you could almost be standing there in Riccarton South box having a brew and a blether!

One more thing. Steele Road, the best Bobby Hest Banks ever had, period.

You're too kind sir, I certainly put the hours in!

Things are really taking shape up at Whitrope now. I look forward to coming up again when I get a spare moment which seems a rarity nowadays!

It's great to see 'new' snippets of unseen footage, photos, paperwork or just information and tales come to light after all these years. Makes you wonder what other gems are out there lurking in people's collections just waiting to be (re)discovered! Class 50 anyone?

Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of that, excellent work by all those involved. Will certainly be ordering myself a copy in hardback although the other book listed on that page sounds like the backstage rider for a Gary Glitter concert. I'll get my coat!

Does anybody know of any photographs taken of the bridge south of Newcastleton where the B6357 crossed the Waverley Route showing the course of the road in relation to the line prior to it being straightened and realigned on the old trackbed.

I found this 1964 shot of it taken by K.A. Gray but would be interested to see it from the other direction where the road ran alongside the railway http://www.railbrit....e2.php?id=29084

A map from the early 80s on the Old Maps website shows the bridge still in place so when was it actually demolished?

Surely someone must have photographed it prior to demolition!