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NEWS
2008
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Above: This
beautiful photograph by Graham Rains makes it obvious why
railway enthusiasts, holidaymakers and casual passengers alike
fell in love with the scenery beyond the carriage window when
they travelled on the former Somerset & Dorset Railway. This
view is taken from near Gains Cross, south of Shillingstone,
and shows
a permissive
section
of the
nascent Trailway awaiting
the installation of an improved surface; for further details,
click here. The photographer is a member
of the committee of the Trailway Network, which is working with local
authorities
to convert the southern half of this former cross-country rail
link into a long distance multi-use trail. Summer 2007. (Graham
Rains) |
Photographs. Previous
years' news pages have been rather short of illustrations,
so it's a big 'thank you' to all
those members who have provided photographs to illustrate
the stories. It makes a huge difference to a page's
visual interest, so these contributions are really appreciated.
(Webmaster)
Railway Photography
and the Law. While most members of Railway Ramblers are
interested in railways that, to a greater or lesser extent, are
no longer there, some maintain an active interest in the modern
railway industry and take the occasional photograph. Unfortunately,
some minor officials have been treating this as an offence, which
it is not. Click here
to read the official view from the British Transport Police. (Ralph
Rawlinson)
December 2008. Appledore
to Lydd, Kent. This line is not actually closed, and so in a sense
ought not to be featured here. However, the case is so unusual that
it warrants an airing. The line wears a forlorn look, but is used
by the occasional train to remove waste from Dungeness B nuclear
power station. Now, however, Lydd Airport is to be re-developed
as 'London
Ashford Airport' (LAA), and much is being made of the project's
potential to bring economic benefits to a rural area that has been
in decline for decades. A shuttle bus is planned between LAA and
Ashford International station, but a feasibility study is also being
conducted to investigate the possibility of reinstating the Appledore-Lydd
section of the branch for passengers. The number of level crossings
on the route is a problem; although not insurmountable, the cost
of upgrading these will be considerable. (Jeff Vinter) Update:
Although some sources state that re-opening the line would
be too costly, there is still optimism that it can be done, as this
13th May 2013 article
from the Kent Online website reveals.
December 2008. Christ's
Hospital to Baystone Bridge, West Sussex. As reported in
January 2005, the first half mile of the old railway line
from Christ's Hospital towards Slinfold has now been converted
into part of The Downs Link, the long distance
railway
path from Peasmarsh
(near Guildford) to Shoreham-by-Sea. The new section runs
from
Christ's Hospital station on the Arun Valley line to
Baystone Bridge (grid reference TQ 139297), and will be welcomed
by path users because it eliminates a lengthy diversion via
local roads. (Chris Bedford)
December
2008. Sandford & Banwell,
Somerset. Further to the report in June (see below),
it has been confirmed that Sandford & Banwell station on
the former Cheddar to Yatton branch will be converted into
a railway
heritage centre along the Strawberry Line, the modern day railway
path that now occupies the trackbed. The intention is to restore
the building and platform to the condition they would have
been in during the 1940s and 50s. Sandford & Banwell was
built by the Bristol & Exeter Railway and is believed to
be the only unaltered example of a B&ER station left
in the country. Next autumn, the empty
buildings
will be handed over to a new charitable group
which will restore and maintain them under the terms of a
new lease agreement. (Cheddar Valley Railway Walk
Society)
December 2008. Wells
to Coxley, Somerset. In September 2007, local residents voted
overwhelming for a path to be constructed along the old railway
line from Coxley into Wells, this being the northernmost two
miles of the former Glastonbury-Wells branch. Somerset County
Council has now included this in the Local Transport Plan
on a matched-funding basis, which will require the path supporters
to raise their part of the cost from lottery
type grants. (Cheddar Valley Railway Walk
Society)
December 2008. Wells
to Shepton Mallet, Somerset. The 'Strawberry Line East' group,
with the support of Mendip District Council, aims to extend
the existing railway path from Wells to Dulcote all the way
to
Shepton Mallet. This section of the old line runs through a
'beautiful part of the Mendip Hills with amazing southerly
views towards Glastonbury Tor and beyond'. (Cheddar Valley
Railway Walk Society)
November
2008. Millerhill
to Loanhead, Midlothian. This news is a bit late, but
earlier in the year Midlothian Council published plans
for the
Glencorse branch which show the first four miles from
Millerhill
to Loanhead
as an
'aspirational core cycle route', which means that it
wants to convert this abandoned line into a cycle trail
to link up with the existing Loanhead to Roslin path
(1½ miles).
Beyond Roslin,
the line continued to Glencorse and Penicuik gasworks.
(Ralph Rawlinson)
November 2008. Llanfoist
(nr. Abergavenny) to Brynmawr, Gwent. Most of this route,
once part of the LNWR's dramatic Heads of the Valleys line,
is now
part of a superb 8 mile railway path, with further improvements
in the pipeline. Click here for
a detailed report. (Tim Hewett)
November 2008. Various
Waggonways, North Tyneside. In the past, the Tyne & Wear
area was covered in waggonways, and now North Tyneside Council
has produced
a series of free leaflets on those in its area. PDF downloads
can be obtained from the website here.
Alternatively
contact Neil Hodgson on 0191 219 2421, or write
to
Environment, Regeneration & Housing Directorate, Council
Offices, Harvey Combe, Killingworth, Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE12 6WH. (Ralph Rawlinson)
October 2008. Tenterden to St. Michaels, Kent.
Sustrans has now started work on creating this new railway path,
with tree
management and groundworks being the first priorities. (Sustrans
Ltd)
October 2008. Shoreham-by-Sea,
West Sussex. The Downs Link, the long distance railway-based
cycle trail from Guildford to
Shoreham, used to stop to the north of the town with the the
final section of the old railway forming a little used and
neglected cul-de-sac. However, Sustrans has now extended
the trail southwards along the old railway and a riverside path
to
connect with the
town centre. (Sustrans Ltd)
October 2008. Aldrington
to Devil's Dyke, East Sussex. Signposts have now been installed
on the cycle trail from Devil's Dyke
to Hangleton,
which is based partly on the former Devil's
Dyke railway. A new route (already well used) is now open between
Hangleton and Hove. Please let us know via our Contact page
if this extension uses more of the old railway. (Sustrans Ltd)
October 2008. Brockenhurst
to Ringwood, Hampshire. The old LSWR line across the New Forest
is open for walkers, cyclists and horse riders
between Caters Cottage (near Brockenhurst) and Burbush Hill,
south of Burley. However, a section east of Holmsley station
was converted into a road many years ago, and this remains an
unpleasant obstacle for trail users. Sustrans has recently devised
a £300,000 scheme which will provide a safe off-road alternative
along this section, finishing at Holmsley by passing under
a spare arch of the old railway bridge that carries the A35
overhead.
The company has yet to find matched funding for the project,
but a planning application is imminent. (Sustrans Ltd)
September
2008. Mierystock,
Gloucestershire. Further to the entry in July (click here),
Mierystock Tunnel has now been excavated and is awaiting
the installation of lighting
and a new surface so that it can be used by walkers and cyclists.
As can happen with such schemes, progress has stalled (presumably
for reasons linked to planning and fund-raising),
but in the meantime this excellent web
page tells
the fascinating story of how this Victorian structure was
dug out from beneath thousands of tons of colliery waste.
The remark
that the original Victorian contractor had the good fortune
not to be 'compelled to navigate
today’s bureaucratic quagmire' is a very telling one.
We assume that the southern portal of the tunnel is still
obstructed by the brieze block wall that was erected after
closure. (Jeff
Vinter)
September 2008. Luton
to Dunstable, Bedfordshire. This long neglected branch, part
of a former Great Northern and LNWR route
linking Hatfield with Leighton Buzzard,
is finally set to be re-used – albeit
as a guided busway. Transport Minister Rosie Winterton
gave approval for the conversion at the end of August,
quashing
any hopes that the old line could be revived as a 'rail
trail'. (Ralph Rawlinson)
September 2008. Fareham
to Gosport, Hampshire. It is now proposed to utilise the formation
of this historic branch for a rapid bus system, previous abortive
plans having included
rapid light rail and a guided busway. At the Gosport terminus,
William Tite's Grade II* listed station building – now
little more than a shell – is set to be restored
as housing, offices and a community centre at a cost of £4.5
million. (Ralph
Rawlinson)
September 2008. Sandsend,
North Yorshire. Members who have visited Sandsend Tunnel (on
the NER's former coastal line from Whitby to Loftus) will be
aware that the north portal had been shored-up and stressed
for a considerable number of years. In July this year, as a
result of ground movement caused by rain and the unstable cliffs,
it finally gave in and collapsed. (Ralph Rawlinson)
September 2008. Saltney
Ferry to Mold, Flintshire. Flintshire County Council has announced
that it would like to convert the whole of this line into a
footpath and
cycleway. The cost of conversion is estimated to be between £6m
and £18m, depending on how many refinements are included.
(Ralph Rawlinson)
August
2008. Watchet
to Washford, Somerset. Further to the entry in June
(click here),
the club has just delivered to Exmoor National Park
a detailed survey and report on the current state
of the old West Somerset Mineral Railway between these
two points. The trackbed is currently a public footpath,
but the report highlights where improvements can be
made
to increase
usage. The club will be invited to make a further report
when the trail has been upgraded. (Jeff Vinter) |
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Above: A
recently opened section of the Ystwyth Trail, which links
Aberystwyth and Tregaron. This photoghraph was taken at
grid reference SN 697684, between Tynygraig and Ystradmeurig,
looking south; the scenery hereabouts is fairly typical
of the line. This is the region where the red kite survived
until its re-introduction elsewhere in Britain. Our photographer
comments: 'When we moved to Wales in the 70's there were
only seven native breeding
pairs left; now we see dozens every day, some over our
garden.' Summer 2008 – without rain for once! (Bob
Morgan) |
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August 2008.Aberystwyth
to Tregaron, Ceredigion. Timing is everything! Just as European
funds ran out, the final sections of the Ystwyth Trail have been
completed. There is still work to do (particularly near Tynygraig,
where a difficult landowner has obstructed the re-opening of that
section), but the quality of the work is consistently high, and
missing bridges have been overcome by re-grading embankments to
provide easy links and crossings of local roads. The section towards
Ystrad Meurig and the site of Strata Florida station is particularly
attractive and features one of the few remaining road-over-rail
bridges. Overall, the Ystwyth Trail is a very welcome addition to
the UK's stock of railway paths, providing largely traffic-free
access to some very fine countryside. (Bob Morgan)
August
2008. Bovey
Tracey to Moretonhampstead, Devon. Proposals by Devon County
Council to convert four miles of former GWR trackbed
between Lustleigh and Moretonhampstead into a cycle trail moved
a
step closer at the end of July. The council's plans are soon
to be considered by Dartmoor National Park, having been modified
to
take account
of earlier objections which led a previous application to fail.
The long term objective to is to create a safe walking and cycling
route from Teignmouth and Newton Abbot to Okehampton, where
a link can be made with the existing Granite Way. When the local
communities
in Bovey Tracey, Lustleigh and
Moretonhampstead
were consulted, 87 per cent favoured
the scheme, although there was some vocal opposition in Lustleigh.
A short section of the old railway, between the northern edge
of Bovey Tracey and Wolleigh, was converted into a railway path
by the National Park authority in the early 1990s. The planned
route from Bovey to Moretonhampstead will be known as the Wray
Valley
Trail.
(Jeff
Vinter) |
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Left: 2008
will be the year when the Cambridge to St. Ives branch
breathes its last as a railway, for it is being converted
into a guided busway at a cost of £116.2 million – a
figure which has led many locals to dub the project the
'misguided busway'. In late 2007, the run-round loop
at Fen Drayton was cleared, revealing this buffer stop
which had lain hidden in the undergrowth for years. It
really is the end of the line now. December 2007. (Steven
Parker) |
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July
2008. Cambridge to St. Ives, Cambridgeshire. An attempt to
find out how far this controversial guided busway has proceeded drew
a blank, although the Webmaster did come across a few complaints from
Cambridgeshire residents about the project's poor communications;
these do seem justified given the lack of readily accessible information
on progress. However, in April, contractor Edmund Nuttall (now renamed
BAM Nuttall) published a guide to the project, including much technical
information plus artist's impressions and photographs of work in progress.
The latter make it obvious just how much concrete will be used in
the scheme – 50,000 cubic metres of the stuff, in fact. (Jeff
Vinter) |
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Above: On
a brilliant summer Saturday at Sturminster Newton, the
club's Webmaster, Jeff Vinter (second from left), handed
over to the committee of the Trailway Network a cheque
for £2,500.
This gift,
from the club's Footpath Fund, is to help with essential
trackbed acquisition south of Stalbridge; the story below
provides further details. The photograph was kindly provided
by the freelance photographer who covered the occasion
for the Vale Advertiser, a free newspaper delivered
to every
home in the Blackmore Vale area. |
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July
2008. Templecombe to Poole, Somerset/Dorset.
On Saturday 26th July, the club's Webmaster visited Sturminster
Newton to represent the club at
a formal
hand-over to
the Trailway Network of a donation of £2,500 towards
the acquisition of a key piece of S&D trackbed south
of Stalbridge. The Trailway Network has applied to Badger
Brewery for 'matched
funding' which, if successful, should enable this purchase
to go ahead fairly quickly. Further south, a new link from
Blandford Forum to Charlton Marshall is expected to be
open from the start of September. This will create
a continuous railway path all the way from Blandford to
just
south of
Spetisbury,
after which it is hoped to turn attention to the Gains
Cross-Blandford section, which – if it can be secured – will
link Sturminster Newton right
through
to Spetisbury. (Jeff Vinter)
July
2008. Millerhill South Junction to Glencorse,
Midlothian. It looks as though work could start soon on
converting the
first four miles of the Glencorse branch, which was retained
to serve Bilston Glen Colliery. The colliery ceased production
in 1989 but the single line serving it was not officially
closed until 2002 and is still mostly in situ.
A cyclepath already follows the central section for 1½ miles
between Loanhead and Roslin and includes the 150ft high
and listed
Bilston Glen Viaduct. (Ralph Rawlinson)
July 2008. Haltwhistle
to Alston, Northumberland/Cumbria. Northumberland County Council
has received grant support
for a £400,000
upgrade of the South Tyne Trail between Rowfoot (near the
former Featherstone station) and Alston. The work includes
waterproof decking for Lambley
Viaduct. (Ralph
Rawlinson)
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Above: Bob
Prigg's gloomy but dramatic photograph of high seas at
Dawlish, taken in January, illustrates vividly why the
Association
of
Train Operating Companies (ATOC) has decided that it might
be worth re-opening the old LSWR line from Exeter to Plymouth
via
Okehampton
and Tavistock. For full details, see story below. |
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July
2008. Okehampton to Bere Alston, Devon. There's good
news and bad news about this section of the former LSWR main
line from Exeter to Plymouth. The good news is that, following
plans to re-open the line between Tavistock and Bere Alston,
a feasibility study commissioned by ATOC found that there was
a case for re-opening the whole 20 miles between Okehampton
and Bere Alston. ATOC says that the former LSWR line would
provide a diversionary route to take pressure off the GWR line,
where rising sea levels regularly flood the track around Dawlish.
Only this month, rough seas demolished part of the town's sea
wall, which fell on to the west of England main line, causing
considerable disruption to services. The bad news, of course,
is that re-opening the LSWR line to rail may lead to the closure
of the popular Granite Way, which now re-uses much of the trackbed
between Okehampton and Tavistock. However, this could be avoided
if only a single track were relaid. (Ralph Rawlinson/Jeff Vinter) |
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Left: A
Southern Railway parcel label for Tamerton Foliot Halt, which
was situated between Bere Ferrers and St. Budeaux (Victoria
Road) on the LSWR line from Tavistock to Plymouth. Trains
to and from Gunnislake still run through the site, but the
station was closed to all traffic on 10th September 1962.
(Jeff Vinter
Collection) |
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July 2008. Tavistock,
Devon. Fancy a holiday in a former railway station? The listed
Tavistock North station, on the market last year for £600,000,
has been converted into three self-catering houses – click here for
further details. (Ralph Rawlinson)
July 2008. Whitchurch
to Horrabridge, Devon. Following previous reports, a further
three mile section of the former GWR line between Tavistock
and Plymouth has been converted into a cycle path. The new
section links Whitchurch and Horrabridge, and will form part
of a new through route – to be known as 'Drake's Trail' – which
will run from Tavistock to Plymouth. The new section includes
Magpie Viaduct and Grenofen Tunnel, plus a new bridge over
the River Walkham to replace the missing Grenofen Viaduct.
17 miles of trackbed are involved, and the good news is that
less than one mile of this still remains the subject of negotiation.
Drake's Trail will reach Plymouth via the existing railway
path, built by Sustrans in the 1980s, which starts at Clearbrook,
just south of Yelverton. Click here to
read Devon County Council's recent press release. (Ralph Rawlinson/Jeff
Vinter)
July 2008. Sedbergh,
Cumbria. Further to our report in December 2007, we have heard
that the Grade II listed Waterside Viaduct north of Sedbergh
will not be opened up as part of a walkway. Although BRB Residuary
is to spend £600,000 on repairing the structure, it says
that it cannot justify installing a walkway along the top of
the main cast iron span. Installing a walkway would be a marginal
cost, but no doubt money is tight at BRB Residuary. However,
there will not be an opportunity like this to provide public
access to the viaduct for decades to come, so it is now up
to local agencies to do some serious lobbying if this is what
they really want. (Ralph Rawlinson) |
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Above: On
a bright day in late April, the northern portal of Mierystock
Tunnel (grid reference SO 614417) looks out into its approach
cutting – for the first time in decades. Soon, this
short tunnel will provide the route for an underpass which
will allow cyclists
and
walks
to
cross
safely beneath
the busy A4136. A passing car above the portal reveals
the position of the road. For further details, see below.
(Elliott Powick) |
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July
2008. Mierystock, Gloucestershire. In 2005, a
group of Forest of Dean miners, moved by the plight of
ramblers
and walkers who needed to cross the main road above Mierystock
Tunnel (a blind corner in a dip), took it upon themselves
to dig out the north portal, which had been buried – together
with its approach cutting – in
colliery waste. Their intention was to provide an underpass
for walkers
and
cyclists
that
would
otherwise
cost several million pounds to construct. Needless to say,
the Forest of Dean District Council put a stop to it and
we thought
that was the end of the matter; but Ralph Rawlinson has
now received some photographs taken by Elliot Powick, which
show
that the tunnel has been dug out after all; the miners
received funding from ITV's People's Millions, and the
results are impressive. We look forward to hearing
what
new
railway path connections this will open up. (Ralph Rawlinson)
July 2008. Middleton,
Derbyshire. In April this year, specialists completed restoration
of Middleton Bottom Wheel Pit, a scheduled ancient monument
on the former Cromford and High Peak Railway near Wirksworth.
The wheel pit houses a giant cast iron wheel which used to
drive the cables for pulling the trucks up the steep Middleton
Incline. English Heritage provided a £50,000 grant to
help restore the machinery whilst Derbyshire County Council
spent £36,000 resurfacing the part of the High Peak Trail
along which the monument lies. (Ralph Rawlinson)
July
2008. Dumfries,
Dumfries & Galloway. The first scheme to be completed
under Sustrans Connect 2 project is the opening to walkers
and cyclists of the Category B listed Queen of the South
Viaduct in Dumfries. This forms a missing link to the Maxwelltown
Path (part of NCN7) along the initial part of the former
'Port Road', which linked Dumfries and Stranraer. The first
three miles at the Dumfries end remained open until 1997
to serve the ICI Organics works at Maxwelltown and were only
lifted in May 2006. To celebrate its opening, Dumfries Running
Club organised an inaugural 5km 'Fun Run' on Saturday 5 July
2008. Further details and a photograph can be viewed by clicking
the link here.
(Ralph Rawlinson)
July 2008. Dumfries
to Locharbriggs, Dumfries & Galloway. While researching
the above story, it was found that 3½ miles of the
former Caledonian Railway's line from Dumfries to Lockerbie
have been converted into a cycle trail between Dumfries station
and the northern edge of Locharbriggs. (Jeff Vinter)
July 2008. Slapewath
to Boosbeck, North Yorkshire. Hilary Benn, Secretary of State
for the Environment, has recently upheld a claim by the Ramblers'
Association to have the old railway line between Slapewath
(nr. Guisborough) and Boosbeck dedicated as a bridleway.
The RA claims that the route has been used in this way, unchallenged,
for 20 years, the minimum required for a right of way order
to be granted, but there may may be a further inquiry into
the case. (Jeff Vinter)
June
2008. Bristol to Emerson Green. In the latest
edition of its national magazine, The Hub (i.e.
not the local edition mentioned in the next report), Sustrans
explains that plans to convert the western end of the popular
Bristol to Bath railway path into a guided busway have
been 'shelved for the moment' rather than
scrapped. In response, the company has decided to improve
the path still further in order to generate even more use
than its existing 2.4 million walking and cycling journeys
per year. It is also hoping to work with Bristol City Council
with a view to putting the trail into a trust, which will
preserve it in perpetuity and enable the company to continue
expanding Britain's safe cycling network, rather than fighting
what are effectively 'rearguard actions'. (Sustrans Ltd)
June 2008. Tenterden
to Paddock Wood, Kent. The latest edition of The Hub – South
East published by Sustrans includes this interesting
short report: 'A key section of the disused railway track
on the old Kent & East Sussex Railway between Tenterden
and St. Michaels has been purchased by Sustrans. Planning
permission was granted at the end of March with Kent Highway
Services providing detailed engineering drawings. We are
in discussion with Homewood School, Tenterden, Kent's largest
secondary school, about a potential link into the school
from the new path which will take students off a busy section
of the A28. We were also commissioned by Kent Highway Services
to produce a study on the rest of the old line from St. Michaels
to Biddenden and on to Headcorn main line station. Thirty
three landowners have been identified.' (Sustrans Ltd)
June
2008. 'Along These Lines'. DVDs of the ongoing Meridian
television series are now available. [Link removed as no longer
working. Webmaster, October 2014.] We do not normally advertise
commercial products on this website, but Along These Lines is rather
different since a number of club members acted as consultants during
the making of the series. The programmes are very well filmed, in
the style of 'Country Ways', and have been received enthusiastically.
The photography shows off rural southern England to good effect,
while the commentary, interviews and archive materials give a flavour
of eight lost railways in their heyday. (Jeff Vinter)
June 2008. Templecombe
to Poole, Somerset/Dorset. At the club's recent AGM, members
voted to provide a grant of £2,500 towards land acquisition
on the North Dorset Trailway, which is an evolving multi-use
path based on the former Somerset & Dorset Railway. Click here for
further details. (Jeff Vinter)
June 2008. Watchet
to Gupworthy, Somerset. Further to the entry in April about
Comberow Incline (see below), we can report a little more
about Exmoor National Park's project to conserve and improve
access to the remains of the West Somerset Mineral Railway.
Full details are not yet available, but we can reveal that
the old trackbed between Watchet and Washford is to be improved,
and that several features are to be made safe for public
access, including the incline at Comberow, the engine house
at the top of the incline, and a number of buildings associated
with the former mines on the ridge of the Brendon Hills.
(Jeff Vinter)
June 2008. Sandford & Banwell,
Somerset. We are pleased to report that, following the 2005
failure of Sandford Stone (which used this old station for
many years as its retail outlet), the station and ticket
office are to be preserved and converted into a museum open
to the public. The rest of the site will be developed to
accommodate a new care and nursing home run by a company
called St. Monica's. (Cheddar Valley Railway Walk Society).
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Above
and Left: Dorset Countryside's new bridge over the River
Stour at Fiddleford, about 1¼ miles south of Sturminster
Newton, seen in March (above) and April 2007 (left) after its
official opening in October 2006. This is the main – and
most expensive – feature on the new section of the North
Dorset Trailway that now links Sturminster with Gains Cross.
The view above gives a proper sense of the size of the bridge
and illustrates the flood arches on either bank, which were
an essential feature of the original railway bridge. By contrast,
the trackbed view to the left foreshortens the bridge and makes
it look rather small. See below for details of the latest extension
to this path. (Richard Lewis) |
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May
2008. Sturminster Newton to Gains Cross, Dorset. We
are delighted to report that the North Dorset Trailway is now
open between the site of Sturminster Newton station and the
restored Shillingstone station, where the trackbed is already
open to Gains Cross, about a mile short (i.e. west) of Stourpaine
and Durweston Halt. There is a half mile diversion off the
trackbed just before Shillingstone station, presumably where
it was not possible to negotiate access to the old line. As
diversions go, this is a very convenient one which is never
more than a few hundred yards away from the old line; this
will definitely not add miles to walkers' or cyclists' journeys.
The total distance from Sturminster Newton to Gains Cross is
5 miles, making this the longest section of Trailway in the
county to date. There was an official launch for this section
on Sunday 1 June at 11:30 a.m., followed by a cycle ride and
guided walk at 12 noon. (Giles Nicholson, Dorset Countryside) |
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Left: Alas,
alas – it's only a modern reproduction from the Shillingstone
Station Project in Dorset, otherwise this platform ticket
might form part of the Webmaster's retirement portfolio!
Unfortunately, this is as close as most of us will ever get
to owning a Somerset & Dorset Railway ticket these days.
The little heart shape in the bottom right indicates where
the ticket was punched. (Jeff Vinter Collection) |
|
April
2008. The long-awaited Meridian TV series 'Along These
Lines' is now being broadcast in the south of England early on Sunday
evenings, with the last programme due to go out on Sunday 15 June
2008. (Jeff Vinter)
April 2008. Tettenhall,
West Midlands. Tettenhall station is being revamped at a cost of
£600,000 provided by the European Regional Development Fund.
The station building will become home to a new visitor hub for the
popular Smestow Valley Nature Reserve, while the old booking office
will be converted for use by the park rangers as a mess room and
store. The Smestow Valley Nature Reserve occupies part of the old
Kingswinford branch, which is open as a railway path from Aldersley
to Pensnett. (Phil Mullarkey)
April 2008. Comberow
Incline, Somerset. A £600,000 lottery grant will enable the
Exmoor National Park Authority to carry out long awaited preservation
work on Comberow Incline, which was the main engineering feature
on the West Somerset Mineral Railway that linked Gupworthy (on the
Brendon Hills) with Watchet Harbour. The long term intention is
to open as much as possible of the old WSMR as a railway walk, but
this is a long-term project that will involve extensive negotiations
with landowners. (Ralph Rawlinson)
April 2008. Canterbury
West to Whitstable Harbour, Kent. The Crab & Winkle Line
Trust has made the whole of this line a conservation area
and plans to negotiate the purchase of further stretches
of trackbed from landowners. It is also working with English
Heritage to gain listed status for Tyler Hill Tunnel, which
it hopes eventually to re-open. (Ralph Rawlinson)
April 2008. Gosport,
Hampshire. For over half a century, William Tite's fine classically
styled station at Gosport has been sliding into decay, but
at last a rescue is in prospect. Planning permission has
recently been obtained to incorporate the remains of the
Grade II listed structure into a £5 million high-density
housing development. Work on the two-year project is expected
to begin in autumn this year. (Ralph Rawlinson)
April 2008. Boscarne
Junction to Wadebridge, Cornwall. In February, North Cornwall
District Council voted to support the Bodmin & Wenford
Railway's scheme to extend its line from Boscarne to Wadebridge
using one half of the former alignment that is currently
occupied by the immensely popular Camel Trail. [Webmaster's
Note: How can such a railway occupy 'one half' of
the trackbed? This was always a single track branch line
with single track bridges.] (Ralph Rawlinson)
March
2008. Aberaeron to Lampeter, Ceredigion. The very
short railway walk at Aberaeron has now been extended in
a south-easterly direction to Llanaeron Estate, thereby
creating a continuous railway path of just over two miles.
Walkers and cyclists using the trail can obtain discounted
access to the National Trust mansion and estate at Llanerchaeron.
It's certainly good to see the NT offering positive encouragement
to visitors who choose not to drive. (Bob Morgan)
March 2008.
Aberystwyth to Tregaron, Ceredigion. The club has known for some
time that this route was proposed for conversion into a railway
path, but it is now open between Aberystwyth and Ystrad Meurig,
where a diversion of several miles via the main road leads on to
Tregaron. We understand that Ceredigion CC has obtained compulsory
purchase powers to recover the Ystrad Meurig to Tregaron section
so that more of the trail can be made off-road. When complete, this
will form a new railway path of 34 kilometres or about 23 miles.
(Bob Morgan)
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Left:
'Something ghostly this way comes.' A rock cutting near Tregaron
on the former GWR branch line from Aberystwyth to Carmarthen,
which is now being converted into a railway path between Aberystwyth
and Tregaron. This section is known as the Ystwyth Trail, which
will form part of NCN81 (Aberystwyth-Shrewsbury) and NCN82 (Aberystwyth-Fishguard,
also known as Lôn Teifi). Tregaron is a bustling market
town, and was one of the few places of any size on this remote
cross-country railway. Freight services were withdrawn from
the line in 1964, with passenger services following on 22nd
February 1965, although floods finished off the section from
Strata Florida to Aberystwyth on 14th December the previous
year. (Bob Morgan) |
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February
2008. Bristol to Emersons Green. Hot on the heels of the
news – and controversy – regarding the conversion of
the former railway line from Cambridge to St. Ives into a guided
busway (see Photo
Gallery 22), we are sorry to report that the West of England
Partnership in Bristol has announced plans to convert the western
end of the Bath to Bristol Cycle Trail into another guided busway.
This route is the UK's busiest railway path and, when last surveyed,
was generating approximately 2.4 million walking and cycling journeys
per year. Sustrans is campaigning against the proposals and has
pointed out that, while it is desirable to improve public transport
in Bristol, this is the wrong place for such a scheme. (Sustrans
Ltd)
January 2008. Darlington,
County Durham. One of the earliest locomotive sheds in the
world survives at Darlington, just east of the junction between
the East Coast Main Line and the branch to Bishop Auckland.
The shed is a substantial two-road structure and was built
by the Great North of England Railway in 1841. Although it
has survived into the 21st century, there are now plans to
demolish it to make way for 65 new homes, prompting Darlington
Civic Trust to appeal to English Heritage to have the building
listed. While it remains, it is clearly visible on the Google
Earth website – the grid reference is NZ 297153. Update: The
Secretary of State for Culture has now given the shed Grade
2 listed building status, following a recommendation by English
Heritage which described it as 'a rare surviving and largely
unaltered example of a first generation engine shed and a
highly significant early stage in the evolution of railway
design'. (Ralph Rawlinson).
January 2008. Cheddar
to Wells, Somerset. Plans for a multi-user path linking Cheddar
with Wells moved a step closer recently when Michael Woods
Associates delivered their ecological survey of the route,
which will re-use parts of the former East Somerset Railway.
The survey concluded that, although there is a lot of wildlife
activity along the planned route, construction should be
used as an opportunity to protect and enhance habitats. (Cheddar
Valley Railway Walk Society)
January 2008. Tralee
to Limerick, County Kerry and County Limerick. This old line,
now being developed as 'The Great Southern Trail' (Ireland's
longest railway path), was featured on RTE1 television at
5.25 p.m. on Sunday 27th January 2008. The programme
'Pobal' presented an item on the old railway viaduct at Garryduff,
Monagea, near Newcastle West, Co. Limerick. The projected
opening of this viaduct to pedestrians – and presumably
cyclists – will add a vital link to the developing
cycle/walkway along the route of the old Limerick-Tralee
railway line. Already 13 miles in Co. Limerick have been
resurfaced, with the Heritage Council assisting in the works
on the approaches to the viaduct. (Liam O'Mahony)
January 2008. Digitally
enhanced reprints of old Ordnance Survey maps – perfect
guides for the amateur industrial archaeologist! Cassini
Publishing Ltd has published the Old Series (1804-1874),
the Revised New Series (1805-1874) and the Popular Edition
(1919-26). These maps cover England and Wales, and are of
pretty good quality. The company's site is at http://www.cassinimaps.co.uk/,
where you can call up the map of your choice, together with
a sample for that period. They cost between £6.49 and £6.99
per sheet, but in our opinion are worth it. The really helpful
feature of these maps is that the publisher has combined,
re-projected and enlarged them to match the scale and coverage
of the present-day OS 1:50,000 (1¼") Landranger
series. The name and reference number is in each case also
the same as the corresponding Landranger map. Tracing old
lines and canals between the past and the present should
be much easier with these maps. No more excuses for wrongly
identifying the site of an old railway station or vanished
lock! (Ralph Rawlinson)
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Left: One
of the four lines that radiated out from Halwill Junction
(see below) took the North Cornwall line west to Wadebridge
and Padstow. This ticket is from the last day on which
passenger trains ran to Wadebridge. Two 3-car DMU workings
ran from Plymouth to Wadebridge and back, in order to give
the people of this Cornish town a last opportunity for
a day trip by train from their local station. Click on
the ticket for a larger view. (Jeff Vinter Collection) |
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January
2008. Halwill Junction to Cookworthy, Devon. A new cycle
trail of 2½ miles has been established along part of the old
Bude branch, starting at Halwill Junction and continuing as far as
Cookworthy Forest Centre (grid reference SS 414014). This is one of
the new 'Ruby Trails' in west Devon, named after the distinctive local
red cattle, and designed to encourage green tourism in the area. The
long term aim is to create a traffic free walking and cycling route
which will link Holsworthy and Hatherleigh to the Tarka Trail. Access
to the new route is at SS 443004 from Beeching Close in Halwill Junction,
the village being named after the former railway station. (Peter Richards/Jeff
Vinter) |
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