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  PHOTO GALLERY GROUP 29
 
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Return to Titley Junction (continued). On this page, we conclude our selection of photographs of Richard Barton's excellent walk along two of the branch lines that once radiated out from Titley Junction. For further photographs of this event, please see Photo Gallery 28.

Above: The railway operation at Titley Junction is very well equipped, as can be seen from this photograph of the Titley crane lifting a section of rail into place. 23 February 2008. (Bob Prigg)

 
Left: Members set off from Titley Junction along the new track heading west towards Kington. It took members of the Hunt family, together with their volunteers, twelve months of continuous work to clear the trackbed so that these rails could be relaid. Mind you, they were clearing over 40 years' worth of vegetation! 23 February 2008. (Bob Prigg)
 
Above: Bullocks Mill Crossing was situated between Titley Junction and Kington. This is the crossing keeper's cottage which, as can be seen, survives in fine condition. The photographer is standing on the old trackbed, which continued through the five bar gate to the left of the cottage. The water channel that fed Bullocks Mill ran to the right of the cottage, but unfortunately this is now silted over and can no longer be seen. 23 February 2008. (Bob Prigg)
 
Above: Kington station and its integral station house are still decked out in the GWR's colours of chocolate and cream. The size of the station is impressive for a small town, which even in 2001 had a population of just under 2,600. The double doors on the right once gave access to the booking hall and public areas. Apart from passengers, traffic handled here included farm livestock travelling via Leominster to and from Hereford market. During World War 2, American forces based at Kington Camp would have used the station. Their camp was situated near Hergest Ridge, inspiration for both Sir Edward Elgar and Mike Oldfield. 23 February 2008. (Bob Prigg)
 
Above: Kington goods shed survives close by the town's station. The size of the building indicates the importance to the 19th century railway of freight as opposed to passenger traffic. This is the last of Bob's photographs from this superb walk; members of the club are very grateful to Richard Barton for his efforts in arranging it. 23 February 2008. (Bob Prigg)
 
Above: Alnwick station in Northumberland is now the home of Barter Books, as can be seen above, which runs one of the largest second-hand bookshops in Europe. The station was designed by William Bell in 1887 and at 32,000 sq. ft. is 'of remarkable size and grandeur for a small market town' (Barter Books website). The explanation lies in the fact that Alnwick is the seat of the Dukes of Northumberland, who wanted an imposing station to receive visiting royalty in the 19th century. This is a similar tale to that of Alton station, which is featured in Photo Gallery 26 – although Alnwick station completely outclasses its modest Staffordshire cousin. March 2008. (Bob Prigg)
 
Above: This exterior view of Alnwick station shows the large train shed, which still possesses its ventilation windows visible on the left and right of the roof. The station was a terminus, with lines fanning out east to Alnmouth and north to Coldstream and eventually Berwick. Photographer Bob Prigg reckons that the route from Alnmouth to Coldstream is one of the five best in the country in terms of the amount of infrastructure that survives – despite the Alnwick-Coldstream section having closed to passengers as long ago as September 1930. The short branch from Alnwick to Alnmouth closed in January 1968, having been listed for closure in the infamous Beeching Report. March 2008. (Bob Prigg)
 
Above: Whittingham station in Northumberland was two stops west of Alnwick before the line turned to the north west to head for Coldstream. It is seen here together with its goods shed, nearly 78 years after the last passenger train departed in 1930. The scale of the building was remarkable for such a remote rural community. For Bob and his party, the discovery of this substantial site was the 'the icing on the cake' along a route where so much survives. Further photos of Whittingham can be seen in Photo Gallery 30. March 2008. (Bob Prigg)