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NEWS
2018
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Above:
This
sylvan scene depicts the crossing of two railways near Port Penrhyn,
Bangor: one remains in use while the other is now a multi-use
trail. The viaduct carries the LNWR's still operational Chester-Holyhead
line, while the trackbed below – once part of the Penrhyn
Railway – now serves walkers, cyclists, etc. The Penrhyn
Railway was constructed to carry slate from Lord Penrhyn's quarries
at Bethesda to Port Penrhyn at Bangor, and the modern trail links
the same two places, albeit by using part of the Penrhyn Railway
and part of the later LNWR Bethesda branch. 13th July 2017. (Jeff
Vinter) |
December
2018. Holwell, Leicestershire. While rooting around
on the Ordnance Survey's online 'OSmaps' service, the Webmaster
came across a kilometre long railway path in rural Leicestershire
– the Holwell Mineral Line, which occupies part of the
Midland Railway's former branch from Holwell Junction (north
of Asfordby) to Wycombe Junction. The route runs between grid
references SK 737230 and SK 736239 (near Holwell), and is owned
and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust,
who have published a sketch map here.
Both ends of the trail connect with public footpaths, and there
are several former ironstone workings in the area. According
to the Trust, these and the branch all closed in the 1960s,
but subsequently the Trust acquired the North Quarry (SK 742237),
which can be explored today as part of the mineral line nature
reserve. (Jeff Vinter)
Update:
For information in profusion on these ironstone quarries,
see The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands by Eric
Tonks; quarrying didn't finally cease until October 1962.
For the ex-MR line, see A Guide to Closed Railways in
Britain 1948-75 by N.J. Hill and A.O. McDougall; the
line from Welby Sidings (grid reference SK 728208, 1 mile
south of the Holwell grid reference above) saw its last traffic
on 24th October 1962, and was closed officially on 27th July
1963. (N.J. Hill)
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Above:
An historic map of the Blyth area, annotated by our correspondent
to show the railways in Blyth to which the report below refers;
click on the map to download a larger, printable version. Northumberland
County Council has proposed that a new Blyth relief road should
be built along the old trackbeds highlighted by a solid red line,
starting with the former NER Blyth branch between south of Newsham
and the site of Isabella signal box and junction. From there,
the proposed road would use what was originally an NCB line to
Isabella Colliery, and then one to Bates Colliery, revived and
also re-modelled in 1991 to reach a new shipment facility there,
which was finally taken out of use in 2006. The NER branch, shown
by a solid blue line and closed in 1968, is already mostly a landscaped
pedestrian route. (N.J. Hill) |
December
2018. Newsham Junction to Blyth, Northumberland. Northumberland
County Council is developing plans for a relief road costing
up to £25 million to ease traffic congestion in Blyth.
Five different options are being considered, one of them being
to re-use the abandoned trackbeds between grid references NZ
302795 and NZ 299814, a distance of just over a mile. The railway
option takes in the former NER Blyth branch between Newsham
and Isabella Junctions, before heading up the old NCB line to
Isabella Colliery and Bates Colliery. According to the council,
building the new road on the former railway has the advantage
that it would eliminate troublesome fly-tipping on the old line.
(Tim Chant and N.J. Hill)
December
2018. Keswick to Threkeld, Cumbria. Three years after
the catastrophic damage wrought by Storm Desmond in December
2015, we are delighted to report that the Cumberland News &
Star has announced the agreement of a £7.9 million package
to restore the railway path – a rather fine Christmas
present for railway ramblers everywhere. This trail is packed
with engineering interest, provides off-road access within the
Lake District National Park, and is extremely well used, so
it deserves to be reinstated. (Keith Holliday)
December
2018. Mickleover to New Zealand, Derby, Derbyshire.
A new trackside path has appeared on OS maps from the east end
of Mickleover Tunnel to New Zealand, where the A5111 meets the
A38. The grid references of this kilometre-long trail are SK
316360 to SK 327361, with the access points being at SK 313357
(off Onslow Road) and SK 328363 (off Greenwich Drive South).
Looking at the map, we suggest that the provision of traffic-free
access to Murray Park School at SK 317358 had a lot to do with
this new route. (Keith Holliday)
Clarification:
We described this as a 'trackside path' rather than a 'trackbed
path' or 'railway path'; it goes in the general direction
of the old Great Northern Railway, but the trackbed itself
is impassable since it lies in a deep and waterlogged cutting
obstructed by rotting trees. The path runs alongside at varying
distances from the cutting edge, which is just as well considering!
(N.J. Hill)
December
2018. Kirkby Stephen to Warcop, Cumbria. Further to
our report in September, we can now report
that the Planning Department of the Yorkshire Dales National
Park Authority has refused a planning application to erect a
dwelling on the trackbed between these two towns. Had this been
granted, it would have made it much more difficult to restore
the railway, which remains a possibility because there is a
railway preservation scheme at each end. Local traffic can be
very heavy, especially during the tourist season, so hopefully,
in reaching its decision, the Park Authority considered the
desirability of restoring rail access to the area. (Tim Stannard)
December
2018. Salford Area, Lancashire. Salford City Council
is considering improvements to its traffic-free network of trails,
and is seeking feedback (see their poster above). Because the
text is not large enough to read easily, we reproduce it below:
The Traffic
Free Network is a series of routes, commonly known as looplines
or Greenways, within Salford providing the opportunity for
a range of users and uses. Salford City Council are currently
reviewing existing routes with a view to potentially providing
enhancements where it is deemed appropriate. At this initial
stage, the City Council would like to obtain feedback from
the users of these routes so that a greater knowledge and
understanding of these routes can be obtained. The routes
in the Traffic Free Network include:
- Roe
Green Loopline
- Linnyshaw
Loopline
- Ellenbrook
Loopline
- Tyldesley
Loopline
- Port
Salford Greenway
- Bridgewater
Canalside
If you
would like to help develop the potential enhancements, we
would be grateful if you could take a short survey to answer
some questions:
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Trafficfreenetworksurvey.
Survey
available
until 21st December 2018. Alternatively,
please email:
Published
by Salford City Council / Urban Vision
Please note the imminent
deadline for feedback, which we have highlighted in red. If
you live in the area and use any of these trails, please have
your say! (Chris Palin)
December
2018. Bolton to Bury, Greater Manchester. The project
may be moving at a glacial pace, but Bolton Metropolitan Borough
Council and Bury Council are making progress in re-opening the
former Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway's line from Bolton
to Bury as a multi-use trail. Recently, a new section of the
route has been opened between Darcy Lever and Bradley Fold (grid
references SD 745084 to SD 754084), and developments are reaching
the stage where it is worth going out with an up-to-date OS
map to join all the open sections together via local footpaths,
bridleways and lanes. Just east of Bradley Fold, the railway
diverged, north to Bury and south to Radcliffe, and both sections
now accommodate lengths of railway path. Both Bury and Radcliffe
are on the disused Manchester, Bury & Bolton Canal, whose
towpath now forms part of the Irwell Sculpture Trail, so this
eventually will provide a Bolton-Bradley Fold-Bury-Radcliffe-Bradley
Fold-Bolton circular route. At the Bolton end, the outstanding
features on the line are the Sustrans-restored Burnden and Darcy
Lever Viaducts, but these are not yet open to the public. (Keith
Holliday)
November
2018. Bude, Cornwall. Recent storms have washed away
up to 3 ft of sand at Summerleaze beach, Bude, revealing an
unsuspected section of old tramway. Sand from the beach was
shipped inland – via the Bude Canal which, in its heyday,
almost reached Launceston – for use as a soil improver,
although some hardly left the beach at all, being used as ship's
ballast. We recommend that you click the here
or here
to view Nicky Coote's photographs, published on the 'CornwallLive'
website, which are simply extraordinary. (Tim Chant)
November
2018. Langport West to Muchelney, Somerset. Following
our report in March 2017
which indicated that South Somerset District Council might have
to close this trail for lack of funds to pay the two sets of
licence fees due on it, good news has reached us: use of the
trail has increased, and the parish and town councils variously
in Huish Episcopi, Langport, Drayton and Muchelney are keen
to take on ownership and management. One of the owners of the
old trackbed has agreed to sell his section, and the owners
of the second have offered a reduced rental to enable locals
to continue using the trail. In June, South Somerset District
Council's Area North Committee awarded a grant of £10,000
to help finance both the purchase of the land and a programme
of improvements, which will include new gates, improved fencing
and some re-surfacing work. (Tim Chant)
November
2018. Spalding to March, Lincolnshire/Cambridgeshire.
We have just become aware of a 1½ mile railway path,
part of NCN63, at the south end of the former Great Northern
and Great Eastern Joint line from Spalding to March; this route
closed on 27th November 1982, which was very late in terms of
20th century railway closures. The trail runs from south of
Guyhirn at grid reference TF 401022, where a public bridleway
crosses the trackbed, to Whitemoor Prison at TL 411998, where
it skirts around the prison and the still-operational Whitemoor
Yard to reach Hundred Road, March, at TL 410992. Along the way,
it crosses the Twenty Foot River – actually a fenland
drain – at grid reference TF 406008. Railway Paths Ltd
removed the original railway bridge at this location in 2000
or 2001 since it had become dangerous, but installed a new lightweight
structure, which remains in place and permits trail users to
cross the river with ease. The route provides a largely traffic-free
link between the Nene Way to the north and the Hereward Way
to the south. A fascinating article on this line, published
in January this year, will be found on the web page here.
(Jeff Vinter)
November 2018.
Midsomer Norton, Somerset. Land adjoining the former
Somerset & Dorset railway station at Midsomer Norton South,
which is now owned by the Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage
Trust, is the subject of ambitious development plans which would
include:
- An extension of the
existing maintenance shed to provide a flexible events area,
with café, lecture facilities, artisanal businesses
and a micro-brewery.
- New commercial units
to complement the existing museum building, arranged around
a quadrangle and accommodating two cafés/bars, a cycle
hire facility, and two 'artisan units'.
- Four lower level units,
one for dedicated training and education, with the others
for artisan/business use.
- Three new tourist accommodation
units, comprising one two-bedroom apartment and two one-bedroom
apartments.
- A new carriage and locomotive
shed.
- New, improved toilets
and improvements to 'pedestrian spaces'.
The project is being promoted
on the basis that it would create some 45 new jobs and increase
the number of visitors to Midsomer Norton, and of course it
would provide income to the railway trust which could then develop
its operations, e.g. towards Chilcompton. (Tim Chant)
November 2018.
New Malden to Raynes Park, Surrey. Further to our report
in September 2012 about
plans to convert the lineside footpath between Wimbledon and
Raynes Park into a multi-use trail (now part of NCN208), we
are pleased to report that Kingston Council is extending the
facility westwards to New Malden, with construction expected
to be complete by Summer 2019. Matt Stephen's Twitter account
shows work progressing well (see link below), and our correspondent
remarks that 'it even looks like an old railway!' We must emphasise
that these routes are not railway paths in the conventional
sense, i.e. occupying a disused tracked, but run alongside operational
railways. The total distance from Wimbledon to New Malden
will be 2¼ miles, which is a significant achievement
in an urban area. (Tim Grose)
Link:
https://twitter.com/matt_stephen/status/1058774317683695616
October
2018. Stratford-Upon-Avon to Long Marston,
Warwickshire. The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group (SLPG) has
recently conducted an online survey in which just over 94 per
cent of Stratford-Upon-Avon town centre businesses and more
than 800 rail users supported an Economic Impact Study (EIS)
into re-opening the 6 miles of disused railway between Stratford-Upon-Avon
and Long Marston. It is argued that reinstatement would enable
connection with the Worcester-London main line at Honeybourne,
thus permitting the introduction of through services from Stratford
to London. SLPG, supported by the Cotswold Line Promotion Group,
estimates that ca. £20 million of additional income would
accrue to South Warwickshire from the re-opening, which could
also serve the new Garden Village development at Long Marston.
However, the group points out that, in order to accommodate
extra trains from Stratford, the remaining sections of single
track on the Cotswold Line would need to be re-doubled. Clearly,
the project offers significant regional benefits, but hurdles
which are not mentioned include the Department for Transport
and Network Rail. The DfT's minister, Chris Grayling, has made
many pro-rail announcements, but has cancelled or cut back major
electrification schemes, and delivered no visible progress on
either the Portishead or Okehampton re-openings. Network Rail
is renowned for its rocket-propelled costs, which in the case
of Portishead have shot up from £58 million to between
£145 and £175 million. As a result, we suggest that
members need not rush to walk the Stratford-Upon-Avon to Long
Marston railway path before it is closed to make way for modern
trains. (Tim Chant and Jeff Vinter)
October
2018. Hertford East to Hertford North, Hertfordshire.
A story which we missed in February concerns a proposal to create
a railway path linking Hertford's two railway stations; the
old GNR trackbed between them is largely extant and, west of
the town, is now used as the Cole Greenway to Welwyn Garden
City. Campaigners, noting the surviving cuttings and bridges,
and Hertford's imminent classification in the draft local transport
plan as a 'sustainable travel' and 'cycle infrastructure' town,
want the old railway converted into a cross-town trail, and
have launched a petition. Officers from Hertfordshire County
Council welcomed this, but pointed out that the land is not
in public ownership, meaning that work must be done to assess
the feasibility and affordability of the scheme. (Tim Chant)
October
2018. Blythburgh to Southwold, Suffolk. This
is the walkable section of the former Southwold Railway, which
connected Halesworth with Southwold, and closed in 1929. The
East Anglian Daily Times reported on 2nd October that, following
a safety inspection, Suffolk County Council had closed the Bailey
bridge across the River Blyth at Southwold (grid reference TM
494758); the bridge is built on the supports of the former railway
swing bridge. The council has said that the bridge will remain
closed pending further safety investigations. Suffolk Highways
has sought to minimise the impact of the closure by providing
free crossings on the nearby pedestrian ferry linking Southwold
with Walberswick. From 1st October each year, the ferry is normally
timetabled to run only at weekends, but daily crossings were
resumed after the bridge closure. At the time of writing it
was not known for how long this would continue, and intending
visitors are advised to consult the ferry's website at http://www.walberswickferry.com.
(Greg Ball)
October 2018. Chapeltown Central, South Yorkshire.
Chapeltown's ex-GCR station was sold recently at auction (see
here) and raised £390,000, well
over the guide price of £250,000. Our correspondent has
recently heard from a friend of the son of the previous owner
that the building is to become a wedding venue, which hopefully
will ensure that it is retained and restored. (Richard Lewis)
October
2018. Ross-on-Wye to Monmouth, Gloucestershire. We
reported in August 2016 that
Lydbrook Viaduct (at grid reference SO 587177) on the former
GWR line from Ross-on-Wye had been closed as unsafe following
an inspection by engineers working for Gloucestershire County
Council, but we are pleased to report that the viaduct is now
open again. An application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for
a grant to finance repairs was unsuccessful in July, but during
work to make the bridge safe for river traffic and walkers passing
underneath, good access to the structure allowed engineers to
re-assess the structure’s condition. Since then, they
have added a temporary walkway using the remaining columns and
beams, which was planned to open on 24th September. (Tim Chant)
September-October
2018. 'Walking
Britain's Lost Railways',
Channel 5. This six-part television series, presented by Rob
Bell, was the latest in a number of series featuring Britain's
disused railways, and comprised the following episodes:
- Friday
21st September: Scotland (featuring the Moray Railway)
- Friday
28th September: Sheffield
- Friday
5th October: Dartmoor
- Friday
12th October: Lake District
- Friday
19th October: The Somerset & Dorset Railway
- Friday
26th October: Wales
The Club
provided a lot of input to the programmes, which should –
as our Membership Secretary observed at this year's AGM –
'create another Julia Bradbury effect on our membership'. Like
Ms Bradbury's 'Railway Walks' series, we can expect this series
also to be repeated many times! (Graham Lambert)
September
2018. Kirkby Stephen to Warcop, Cumbria. A planning
application has been submitted which threatens the linear integrity
of this route, which has a preserved railway at each end. The
Cumbrian Railways Association reports as follows: 'It has been
brought to the attention of both the Eden Valley Railway Trust,
based at Warcop, and Stainmore Railway Company, based at Kirkby
Stephen East, that a planning application has been submitted
to the Yorkshire Dales National Park for outline permission
for a dwelling to be erected on the trackbed between the two
locations. If this application were to be approved it could
scupper any chance the two groups would have of joining up in
the future.
'Because the timescale
to object is very short, 25th September, we are using this route
[i.e. the Internet] to bring it to the attention of as many
interested people as possible in the hope that those of you
who have an interest in seeing the line restored may not have
heard about it and would like to object as well. If you do,
please ensure you enter the planning application number in your
e-mail subject line. E/16/8/PIP.' Full details are available
here.
Any objection should mention
that the proposed development would reduce significantly the
chances of the railway being reinstated; the potential of a
restored railway to act as a feeder to/from the immensely popular
and successful Settle-Carlisle line; the potential of the line
to help transport tourists, e.g. visiting the Appleby Horse
Fair; the desirability of a sustainable alternative to locals
roads; and the financial health of the two railway preservation
groups. If this planning application succeeds, it will be almost
impossible for the line to be reinstated due to the additional
costs in purchasing the site, whose value would go up at least
fourfold with outline planning permission, and even more if
a dwelling were erected on it. (Paul Stewart, Branch Line Society)
September
2018. Wrexham, Clwyd. In the Autumn
edition of the club magazine ('Railway Ramblings' No. 159),
member Keith Holliday enquired
about a 'tramway' on the west side of Wrexham. Our correspondent
believes that this was the former GWR standard gauge Moss Valley
branch, which is now a footpath/cycleway from the Maelor Hospital
car park (formerly Croes Newydd marshalling yard) to beyond
Gatewen, where it passes over the GCR Brymbo branch, also a
'greenway' at that point which gives access to Moss Valley Country
Park. The grid references for these routes are as follows:
- The GWR Moss Valley
line: SJ 320503 to SJ 311521 (1¼ miles); and
- The GCR Brymbo branch:
SJ 311516 to SJ 313521 (¼ mile), crossed by the GWR
line at SJ 312519.
Our correspondent is
not aware of any tramways in the immediate vicinity, and can
find no record of any in the usual reference books. Also, Wrexham
County Borough Council's guide to Moss Valley Country Park talks
only of 'railways' in the area. We have been lucky enough to
find the Railway Clearing House's 1905 map of Oswestry, Gwersyllt,
Plas Power and Wrexham (click here),
which we have annotated to show the routes in question; the
dots in flourescent green identify the walkable sections of
track. The author died over 70 years ago, so this material is
in the public domain. (Chris Parker with map annotated by Jeff
Vinter)
September
2018. 'Underneath the Arches', Nationwide.
On 11th September, the media was full of the news that Network
Rail had agreed to sell all of its railway arches to private
equity companies Telereal Trillium and Blackstone for £1.46
billion. NR heralded the sale as an opportunity to raise money
for essential improvements to the rail network which would not
impose an extra burden on the public purse, while Telereal and
Blackstone claimed that they would be long-term owners of the
estate who would respect the character of the arches and their
surrounding communities. The pair claimed to have adopted a
'tenants first' approach, which would be guaranteed by a 'tenants'
charter'. However, private equity firms are not charities and
exist to make money, so tenants such as bars, bakeries, breweries,
garages and hairdressers are steeling themselves for rapid rent
increases. (Tim Chant) |
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Above:
Breamore station, on the western edge of the New Forest,
was the first stop north of Fordingbridge on the former LSWR line
from West Moors to Salisbury. In recent years, the station –
which now adjoins a short railway path maintained by Hampshire
County Council – has been used as a holiday let. As can
be seen, the roof and canopy are now being repaired. August 2018.
(Richard Lewis) |
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Above:
Breamore has also acquired a replica running-in board,
although it is not authentic, being both too small and of GWR
inspiration. The original board can be seen in one of the photographs
on this
page from the excellent 'Disused Stations' website. August
2018. (Richard Lewis) |
August
2018. Rhondda
and Merthyr Tunnels, Mid Glamorgan. A recent report on the website
of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council brings good news about these two
long tunnels (see also here), although
it calls the latter 'Abernant' Tunnel, presumably because it is
near Abernant on the former GWR line from Merthyr Tydfil to Hirwaun
and beyond. Essentially, the Welsh Government has allocated
£250,000 to RCTC to develop plans to re-open both tunnels
in partnership with the other organisations involved, the funding
coming out of Active Travel grants totalling £10.36m which
are spread across Wales. Andrew Morgan, Leader of the Council,
said: 'This package will be split to support the progression of
both of these projects in undertaking a more detailed inspection
and analysis of the work necessary to make the re-opening of both
tunnels a reality. It will allow us to carry out further reviews
on the viability of both schemes and, providing the reports find
that there are no major issues, will inform bids for more significant
funding from a range of potential funders to be taken forward
in the next financial year. Both projects are still in their infancy,
of course, and there is still a considerable amount of work left
to do before we are in sight of the finishing line.' Rhondda Tunnel
is 3,443 yards long, and Merthyr (Abernant) Tunnel 2,497
yards long. Re-opening of the latter would provide a traffic-free
connection between the rail trails around Hirwaun, and the Taff
Trail north and south of Merthyr. (Chris Parker) |
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Above:
The former rail overbridge near Holmsley station (now
The Old Station Tea Rooms) in the New Forest. The road in the
foreground, the C10 from Sway to Burley, occupies the old railway
trackbed, with the A35 Southampton-Dorchester road passing above.
As can be seen, the C10 is closed, with men working on the south
abutment who would not let our correspondent any nearer. On talking
to them, they said that one side of the bridge had subsided and
they were making temporary repairs. They added that the new bridge
will be built alongside the old one, and only when the new one
can be used will the old one be demolished. For further details,
see the story below. 15th August 2018. (Tim Chant) |
August
2018. Holmsley, Hampshire. When we last
reported on the fate of the old railway overbridge which carries
the A35 over the former Brockenhurst-Ringwood railway line, now
part of the C10 road from Sway to Burley, Hampshire County Council
was considering four different options of varying expense and
engineering complexity. Now, a decision has been made …
and it is to replace the bridge in a £5.5 million scheme,
funded by some other agency which we take to be Highways England.
(The report in the 9th August edition of Bournemouth's Daily Echo
failed to mention this rather significant detail!) It will be
a pity to see another piece of old railway infrastructure vanish,
but the distressed appearance of this structure suggests that
it is overdue for replacement, and has received little maintenance
since the last train passed beneath its span in 1964. Detailed
plans for the replacement bridge have not yet been released, possibly
because they have not yet been drawn up. (Tim Chant) |
|
Above:
A wintry scene at the GCR's former station at Chapeltown
Central, also known as Chapeltown & Thorncliffe, which has
just been sold by auction (see story below). The station was on
the Blackburn Valley line from Tinsley to Wombwell. Date of photograph
unknown, but possibly spring 2018. (Jane Ellis) |
August
2018. Chapeltown Central, South Yorkshire.
Further to last month's report on the
Chapeltown Greenway and the surviving Meadowhall & Wincobank
station, the next station on the line to the north – Chapeltown
Central (ex GCR) – is now up for sale by auction with
Rightmove, with offers invited in the region of £250,000.
The agent's web page included a selection of interesting pictures;
several original features survive, including the booking office
window, a large fireplace and the canopy on the platform side.
(Richard Lewis)
August
2018. Stubbins Junction, nr. Ramsbottom, to
Accrington, Lancashire. It is not since
November 2016 that we had anything to report on Lumb Viaduct,
but Lancashire County Council has now proposed a new path on
Railway Paths' land north of the viaduct. Railway Paths has
agreed that LCC can adopt the viaduct on completion, because
this was the only way in which an extension to the existing
trail (which leads on to the viaduct from the south) could obtain
funding. Both Railway Paths and the council have been keen to
develop this route, but the stumbling block has been funding
– or the lack of it. (Paul Thomas)
August 2018. Chepstow
to Tintern, Gwent (Monmouthshire). Another project, last reported
in October 2017, which is moving forward is that to re-use the
scenic former railway up the Wye Valley. Extra impetus has come
from the National Diving & Activity Centre (NDAC) taking
over the south end of the line, where Sustrans used to hold
a licence from Network Rail. The centre wants to extend the
route northwards as well, over land owned by Railway Paths,
to link up with the existing footpath which extends from Tintern
down to just south of Black Morgan's Wood Viaduct (believed
to be at grid reference ST 538987), near the disused Tintern
Quarry. The proprietor of NDAC is a former soldier, who is extremely
keen for the centre to have traffic-free access from north and
south. (Howard Jones)
August
2018. Bennerley
Viaduct, Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire. Sustrans and Railway Paths
are now trying to put together a £½ million package
which will open this historic Grade II* listed viaduct to walkers,
with ramped access at the west end, off the towpath of the Erewash
Canal. Some of the funding is in place already, so everything
depends on the two charities, supported by local communities
and other agencies, being able to make up the shortfall. (Jeff
Vinter)
July
2018. Stockton on Tees, Cleveland. NCN1 in Stockton
on Tees has been extended by half a mile from grid reference
NZ 426187 (Oxbridge) to NZ 431180 (Hartburn), thereby increasing
the length of accessible NER trackbed running south from Redmarshall
Junction towards Thornaby to 3 miles. If one starts out in Stockton
along this route travelling north, it is now possible to walk
or cycle almost entirely on disused railways as far as Seaham
in County Durham, a distance of about 25 miles; places along
the way include Thorpe Thewles (see report below), Station Town,
Shotton Colliery and South Hetton. (Phillip Earnshaw)
July
2018. Thorpe
Thewles to Redmarshall Junction, Cleveland. The 20 arch Thorpe
Thewles Viaduct was demolished in 1979, following which users
of NCN1 heading south from County Durham towards Stockton-on-Tees
had to take an off-trackbed diversion around the viaduct's site.
However, a visit by our correspondent in November 2017 found
that paths have been established which follow the viaduct's
approach embankments before descending/ascending to cross the
Thorpe Beck. The path on the north embankment is unofficial
and steep, therefore unsuitable for cyclists, but that on the
south embankment is official and climbs up its eastern side
gradually. (Phillip Earnshaw) |
|
Above:
Meadowhall & Wincobank station on the Chapeltown
Greenway, seen on a rather uninspiring day in late winter. Since
this photograph was taken, vegetation has sprung up to obscure
this view. 9th March 2005. (Gregory Deryckère used under
the terms of the Wikimedia
Commons Licence) |
July
2018. Meadowhall
Station (Sheffield) to Chapeltown, South Yorkshire. A visit
by our correspondent in December last year established that
the 4 mile long Chapeltown Greenway can now be walked throughout.
However, the trail featured a mixture of different surfaces,
which presumably reflected the fact that money was required
– but not available – to finish it off. The 2 mile
section from SK 391913 to SK 370939 has a tarmac surface and
is easy going for bicycles and wheelchairs, but the following
two miles to SK 358968 are a mixture. The trouble spot for cyclists
is the approach to the industrial estate at SK 365952, where
their machines would carve up the fragile surface. (Phillip
Earnshaw)
June 2018.
Carmarthen to Aberystwyth, Wales. Further to our December
2017 news item regarding the proposed re-opening of this
line, the Cambrian News newspaper understands that a draft report
resulting from the feasibility study is shortly to be considered
by the Welsh Government. The project is supported by local members
of both the Welsh and Westminster Parliaments, but some opponents
argue that re-opening would be unrealistic due to projected
costs, while others believe the money could be better spent
on improving trunk roads. (Chris Parker)
June 2018. Havant
to Hayling Island, Hampshire. Following our gloomy report in
January this year about the financial
difficulties affecting the Hayling Island ferry – intended
as an integral part of the Havant-Portsmouth cycle trail, which
uses the old Hayling Island branch line – we are pleased
to report that the skipper has said there is a 'glimmer of light
on the horizon' as discussions continue to make the service
viable. Interested parties are working together to develop a
business plan which will secure the ferry's future. (N.J. Hill
from the June 2018 edition of 'Cruising Monthly')
Update: One
of the problems besetting the ferry in recent years has been
the absence of a connecting bus service to either the Eastney
(Portsmouth) or Hayling Island ferry terminals. However, on
Thursday 12th July, Portsmouth's local paper, The News, reported
that Havant councillors had voted in favour of a community
bus trial worth up to £20,000, which would provide a
bus service to the west end of Hayling Island at Ferry Point.
During the council meeting, Councillor Pike also revealed
that First Bus in Portsmouth had agreed to extend their service
15 to serve the ferry's Eastney landing stage. Subsequently,
in early September, the BBC reported that the Langstone Harbour
Board had agreed to halve its per-passenger fee for a year
in order to help a revived ferry service to get established.
(Webmaster)
June
2018. Craven Arms to Llanelli (Shropshire/Powys/Dyfed).
Much progress has been made since we reported plans to develop
a long distance path broadly following the Heart of Wales railway
line in January last year; now,
it even has its own website at www.heart-of-wales.co.uk/trail.htm.
To summarise progress, the path's official name is now the 'Heart
of Wales Line Trail', and the following sections have been opened
officially:
- Shropshire:
Craven Arms to Bucknell, October 2017 (although
Craven Arms to Broome had already opened on 4th July 2017).
- Carmarthenshire:
Cynghordy to Ammanford, 26th June 2018.
- Southern
Section: Ammanford to Llanelli, 27th March 2018.
At the risk of stating
the obvious, please remember that this is not a trackside walk,
but a long distance path linking stations on the Heart of Wales
line; therefore, the only legitimate physical access to the
still operational railway is at the numerous stations and halts.
(Chris Parker)
June
2018. Usk to Little Mill Junction (nr. Pontypool),
Monmouthshire. Further to our reports in December
2016 and June 2015, plans have
been submitted to Monmouthshire County Council to convert the
disused railway line between Little Mill and Usk into an off-road
cycle route. If successful, this would create a new multi-use
trail of about 4 miles, which could be linked to the towpath
of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, plus existing cycle
trails to Blaenavon, Pontypool, Cwmbran, Newport and the Brecon
Beacons. However, the project has a few hurdles to jump yet,
including opposition from The Woodland Trust, which objects
to damage to the 'edge habitat' of local ancient woodland, and
a local farmer who believes that the proposed trail does not
adequately meet the needs of his farm, which has used the old
trackbed for years for the movement of livestock, tractors and
machinery. (Tim Chant)
June 2018.
Foryd Harbour, Clwyd. There are plans to restore a disused railway
bridge at Foryd Harbour in order to improve cycling routes between
Rhyl and Kinmel Bay. Vale of Clwyd MP Chris Ruane said: 'To
build a new bridge would cost tens of millions of pounds –
yet we have the perfect bridge already sitting there waiting
to be used. Network Rail are very excited about the potential
of breathing new life into the bridge as well as deprived parts
of both towns. It could provide an excellent new route not just
for walkers and cyclists, but also for residents in Rhyl looking
to access employment opportunities across the river in Tir Llwyd
industrial estate or in Kinmel Bay, seeking employment training
at Rhyl College.' The bridge in question is that which crosses
the River Clwyd at grid reference SH 997802. To be precise,
this is two parallel bridges which used to carry quadruple track
for the Chester-Holyhead Railway, prior to being reduced to
triple track in 1970 and double track from 14th January 1973.
Each bridge then carried one of the remaining tracks until 5th
October 1986, when they were re-aligned so that only the northern
span was used – leaving the southern one redundant and
decaying until now. (Chris Parker and BLS members Kevin Driscoll,
Paul Jeffries, Dave Plimmer and Mike Addison).
June 2018. Princes
Risborough to Chinnor, Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire. On Wednesday
15th August, an additional platform at Princes Risborough station
came into use for trains on the preserved Chinnor & Princes
Risborough Railway, thus making it the closest preserved line
to London with a mainline connection. In the station's heyday,
it was the hub of lines which radiated out in five directions,
and the arrival of the C&PR will bring that number back
up to four. The 'lost' line is that to Oxford, which now accommodates
The Phoenix Trail, part of NCN57, from east of Bledlow to Thame;
the acquisition of this old railway by Sustrans was financed
by this club. (Roger Rowe)
June 2018. Blackburn
to Rose Grove via Padiham, Lancashire. Not far from the recently
re-opened Martholme Viaduct (reported previously), a new railway
path of just over half a mile has been opened near Simonstone
on the former East Lancashire Railway's trackbed between Simonstone
Lane (grid reference SD 774336) and Gooseleach Wood (SD 767339),
where it meets a north-south public footpath. The work involved
providing access from Simonstone Lane, removing two skipfuls
of rubbish (including two sheds), and replacing two missing
underbridges, which were constructed by students from University
Centre at Blackburn College, with help from Martholme Greenway,
the British Horse Society, Sustrans and the Friends of Padiham
Greenway. Much of this line is now open to the public, including
sections either side of Great Harwood, and from east of Simonstone
to Rose Grove. It looks as if the long term objective is to
create a continuous route, although not all landowners are in
favour. Nonetheless, it is good to see something new being done
on the ground in these times of continuing austerity, when so
little is being invested in new railway paths. (Tim Chant)
June 2018.
Bradford to Keighley, West Yorkshire. At the moment, the Great
Northern Trail has re-used old viaducts at Hewenden, Thornton
and Cullingworth on this former Great Northern route, but now
there is a move to develop it further. Jeff McQuillan, a volunteer
who chairs the group responsible for the trail, acknowledges
that it is no longer a priority with Bradford Council due to
spending cuts, but recently asked councillors in the Worth Valley
to support ambitious proposals to extend the trail to connect
Keighley, Halifax and Bradford. He said, 'We now want to link
Bradford up with Keighley and Halifax, as well as the smaller
communities in between, using as much of the former Great Northern
Railway as possible. We’ve worked with Bradford Council
and the national sustainable transport charity Sustrans on building
sections of the trail at Cullingworth and between Thornton and
Queensbury. We have a lot of experience and expertise and what’s
appealing about this trail is that it’s off-road and makes
it easy and safe for people to get into the open countryside.'
He added that the route would not only attract leisure journeys,
but also had the potential to be used for off-road commuting
journeys into local centres. His current objective is to encourage
parish and town councils to work together in support of a section
of the planned route between Keighley and Denholme, and he hopes
that a partnership can be 'up and running' by the end of the
summer in order to maintain the project's momentum. The further
development of the trail should have a positive effect on plans
to restore Queensbury Tunnel (currently threatened with infilling)
because, if restored, it would become the trail's principal
engineering feature and an attraction in its own right. (Graeme
Bickerdike) |
|
Above:
Warmley signal box is passed now only by walkers and
cyclists on the Bath to Bristol Railway Path, but in former days
saw all manner of trains rumble past, including the famous Pines
Express plying between the Midlands and Bournemouth West. This
year, it celebrates its 100th birthday; for further details, see
the story below. 25th August 2017. (Jeff Vinter) |
June
2018. Bath to Bristol, Avon. Further to our report
last month about planned improvements to this trail-blazing
railway path, it was in the news again – this time for
the 100th anniversary of the Grade II-listed signal box at Warmley.
This old box on the Midland Railway's former 'Bath branch' from
Mangotsfield to Bath Green Park is now looked after by the Warmley
Signal Box and Community Garden Group, which arranged an afternoon
of special events from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday 10th June.
These included talks and demonstrations by Graham Darby, the
last signalman to work the box (who also refurbished the signalling
equipment), plus a fly-past by an ex-RAF Spitfire. As our correspondent
remarked, 'Not many signal boxes get a Spitfire fly-past to
celebrate their 100th birthday!' (Robin Benton)
May 2018.
Blaenau Ffestiniog to Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd. Further to our report
in January, when the scheme to re-open
this line appeared to have failed, the Blaenau Ffestiniog &
Trawsfynydd Railway Society (which supported the Trawsfynydd
Railway Company) has 're-grouped' and hopes to revive the project.
Recently, Society officials held preliminary discussions with
Network Rail about a new contract, which will be an essential
first step given that NR still owns the line. Secretary Rob
Bradley was reported in the local Daily Post as saying, 'With
a new steering committee established, the society expects soon
to be able to ask its members to approve a new management committee.
Then we can start the huge task of getting all the legal agreements
and safety and environmental systems in place to start again
on the task of refurbishing the line, eventually to offer local
residents and visitors a heritage visitor centre and train services
… We plan to ask residents and councils affected by the
line for their input at every stage. Things will be quiet whilst
this consultation and the setting up of systems and agreements
takes place.' Meanwhile, Companies House has issued a 'First
Gazette' notice to to the Trawsfynydd Railway Company, which
sets out its intention to strike it off the Register of Companies
for failing to file its Annual Confirmation, the updated form
which recently replaced the old Annual Return, AR01. (Jeff Vinter).
May
2018. Treherbert to Port Talbot, Mid Glamorgan/West
Glamorgan. The re-opening of the Rhondda Tunnel to walkers and
cyclists has moved a step closer. Tunnel examination experts
from Balfour Beatty’s rail business, working on behalf
of the Rhondda Tunnel Society, have started to examine the tunnel
prior to preparing a repair specification and report into its
condition and safety. Commenting on this work, Balfour Beatty’s
rail business Examining Engineer, Richard Storey, said: 'The
examination is particularly challenging for the Balfour Beatty
team as the tunnel has been sealed since 1980; and, aside from
some flooded areas and historic defects, which led to its original
closure, its condition was largely unknown. Heavy water ingress
in certain areas also proved particularly challenging. However,
it is a privilege to work alongside the committed and enthusiastic
volunteers from the Rhondda Tunnel Society'. Rhondda Tunnel
Society's Project Secretary, Tony Moon, remarked, 'Balfour Beatty
has been working in harmony with volunteers from the Rhondda
Tunnel Society and we are thrilled as the examination work marks
a significant step in the tunnel’s re-opening. We are
looking forward to the completed report that will help convince
the Welsh Government that this Victorian masterpiece can be
restored to become a major attraction to cyclists and walkers.'
If this part of the project goes well, the next major step will
be to transfer ownership from the Historical Railways Estate,
part of the Highways Agency, to a Welsh Government body, which
must understand what it is taking on beforehand. (Neil Hebborn)
May 2018. Prestatyn,
Clwyd (Denbighshire). The club's editor, who is a fan of signal
boxes, will be delighted to learn that the disused signal box
at Prestatyn has been saved from demolition following a petition.
With the cooperation of Network Rail, it will now be converted
into a community centre, possibly with a link to the nearby
railway path to Dyserth. (Jeff Vinter)
May 2018.
Clare, Suffolk. Further to our report in May
last year, we have learned that the southbound platform
buildings and old goods shed at Clare station (now part of Clare
Castle Country Park) are to be restored with the aid of a £1½
million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Track is to be
re-laid in the station 'for visual impact'. (Jeff Vinter)
May 2018. North
Queensferry, Fife. We readily admit that this is not a report
about a railway path, but hope it will be of interest to readers
nonetheless. North Queensferry, on the north side of the Forth
Bridge, acquired quite a tangle of railways, with the North
British, Caledonian and Forth Bridge companies all in evidence.
Most of the lines are still operational today, but the south
end of the NBR's short branch to North Queensferry Goods was
closed in 1954. This included a 459 yard tunnel which extends
beneath both the A9000 (the highway which uses the Forth Road
Bridge) and the B981. A recent survey by engineers found that
this structure had 'degraded' in places, but – rather
than infilling it with concrete – the contractor used
… expanded polystyrene! A report
from the New Civil Engineer gives further details: 'To minimise
future maintenance and support the arch, the 420m long, 4.3m
wide, 5.1m high structure was lined with a hydrocarbon resistant
membrane and filled in with 21,342 expanded polystyrene (EPS)
blocks. The blocks were manufactured to a specific compressive
strength capable of resisting the weight of the rock and tunnel
lining in the event of a localised failure. Contractor Amey
said unlike concrete or aggregate material, the EPS blocks could
be removed if the tunnel needed to be re-opened.' What an inventive
and constructive solution! (Jeff Vinter) |
|
Above:
The overbridge carrying The Lynch (a road) over the
former railway line from Yatton to Cheddar, now part of the
'Strawberry Line'. Bristol Water has installed a new water main
– to support planned development in the area – beneath
the old trackbed, and has made good with a brand new surface
for the trail. It will not take long for the lineside verges
to recover. 23rd May 2018. (Irene Threasher/Mandy Brading) |
|
Above:
The interior of the unlined Shute Shelve Tunnel, where
the trail now has a sealed surface and reflectors fitted. Lighting
will be installed when a suitable specification has been agreed
with Bristol Water. For further details, see the story below.
23rd May 2018. (Irene Threasher/Mandy Brading) |
May
2018. Yatton to Cheddar, Somerset. Over the last couple
of years, Bristol Water has been installing a new water main
beneath part of the popular Strawberry line, which links Yatton
with Cheddar. The work didn't quite go to plan (see here
for an example) and has taken much longer than expected, but
the route was finally re-opened throughout just in time for
the second May Bank Holiday this year. Bristol Water's reinstatement
work is not fully complete, but the company has given a commitment
to continue with this over the coming months. (Irene Threasher
and Mandy Brading, Strawberry Line Society)
Update: On
31st May, heavy rain caused an embankment to 'collapse' between
Winscombe (grid reference ST 419576) and Ilex Lane Bridge
(ST 418585), as a result of which North Somerset Council has
closed the Strawberry Line between these two points. We do
not know yet when it will be re-opened, or at what cost. (Keith
Holliday)
May 2018. Bristol
to Portishead, Somerset/Bristol. Plans to re-open the Bristol
to Portishead railway as part of a new metro system for Bristol
were published in 2008, but there is currently a funding shortfall
of £47 million which prompted North Somerset Council to
apply to the Department of Transport for a grant. Unfortunately,
on 17th May, the council learned that the Minister of Transport,
Chris Grayling, rejected its bid and will instead devote £173
million to three new road schemes. A petition has been launched
to challenge this decision, prefaced by the following remarks:
'Grayling failed to deliver on his promise to open the project
"sooner rather than later" and the 2017 Conservative
Manifesto's promise to "launch new services to places which
are poorly served or host major new housing projects".
Portishead is the fastest growing town in Europe and 74.5% of
its residents currently commute to work via car. This means
that Portishead is becoming more and more congested, facing
daily gridlock – no wonder its local MP, Dr Liam Fox once
called it "the biggest cul-de-sac in Britain".'
You can support the petition by clicking the link here.
(Tim Chant)
May 2018. Bath
to Bristol, Avon. It is now 40 years since the first section
of the famous Bath to Bristol railway path was opened, and it
has now developed into possibly the busiest traffic-free route
in the UK. Over the next 12 months, Sustrans – in collaboration
with local communities – will develop a range of designs
for key improvements to the path. These will include widening
where necessary, improvements to protect / enhance wildlife
areas, new spaces for people to pause and rest, and measures
to slow traffic. The charity will also develop a 'vision' for
the path, which will address how future maintenance work will
be financed. (Jeff Vinter)
May 2018. Binton,
Warwickshire. Binton station was on the Stratford-on-Avon &
Midland Junction Railway's line from Broom (just south of Alcester)
to Stratford, but now Duchy Homes wants to develop the site
for housing. According to the April-May edition of 'Rail' magazine
(which mis-reported the station as Bidford-on-Avon, of which
no trace remains), 'the main building is largely intact, and
it is hoped that a preservation group might be persuaded to
take it away'. What made us suspect that Bidford-on-Avon was
not the location was the reference to a 'main building':
Bidford was a single platform halt with an old coach body used
as a waiting room (hardly a main building!), as you can see
here
on the website of the Warwickshire Railways group. A visit by
our second correspondent confirmed the magazine's error. (Jeff
Vinter and Barry Bubb)
May 2018.
Buxton to Bakewell and Matlock, Derbyshire. Peak Rail and local
mineral companies including Tarmac and Breedon Aggregates are
planning a feasibility study into re-opening the Peak line,
now largely used as the Monsal Trail, to convey freight traffic
from their quarries. The study will be privately funded and
will assess the engineering requirements, administrative challenges
and construction costs, but, at this stage, the plans are for
a freight rather than passenger rail service. Paul Tomlinson,
the Project Director for Peak Rail, said, 'Network Rail and
Transport for the North are looking for ways to speed up passenger
journeys on the Hope Valley line linking Sheffield with Manchester.
By rerouting freight traffic, you could reduce congestion and
the government would not need to pay for it.' (Jeff Vinter)
May 2018. Braunton
to Barnstaple Junction, Devon. Anyone who has driven through
Barnstaple will know that it can be a gluepot for traffic, and
some local residents have reached the conclusion that building
ever more roads in the area is not the answer. Thus, 'Taw Link'
has been launched, a project designed to bring a light rail
system using battery-powered trams to the southern end of the
former Ilfracombe branch. Intermediate stops would be provided
at Velator, Wrafton, Chivenor, Ashford, Pottington Business
Park, Barnstaple Park and Ride, Barnstaple The Strand, and Barnstaple
Mainline, i.e. the current Network Rail station. Of these, Wrafton
and Chivenor are ex-BR stations, the rest being new. The promoters
have already made a commitment to retain the Tarka Trail, which
will be relatively easy because the light rail system will require
only half of the original double track formation. For further
details, see the links here
and here.
(Jeff Vinter)
April
2018. Folkestone Harbour, Kent. We don't often have
much to report from Kent given that so few of the county's railways
were closed in the carnage of the 1960s and 1970s, but members
of our Southern Area might like to make their way to the Kent
coast to behold the wonderful transformation that has overtaken
the former derelict station at Folkestone Harbour. Where the
rails once stood, there are now pathways – and the formerly
ruinous station is in a gleaming state that would have filled
Sir Herbert Walker of the original Southern Railway
with pride. The work has included the installation of a path
over the approach viaduct (grid reference TR 233360), and our
only disappointment is that we cannot find a conventional map
of the project to illustrate what is planned. However, the web
pages here
and here
provide an excellent opportunity to compare the initial architects'
drawings with the new reality. The project is being supported
with a £5.1 million grant from the Regional Growth Fund.
(Jeff Vinter)
April 2018. Middlebere,
Dorset. An extra quarter mile of trackbed at the north end of
the Middlebere Plateway can be walked thanks to the Poole Harbour
Trail. RR walks have always started or ended at grid reference
SY 963853 on the unnamed lane from Norden to Ridge, but the
trackbed can now be walked officially for a further quarter
of a mile up to the gate to Middlebere Farm at SY 966857, where
a hairpin bend in the trail takes it abruptly south to South
Middlebere. This extends the walkable section of trackbed to
2¼ miles, running from SY 966857 at Middlebere Farm to
SY 951835 on Norden Heath. The one place to be careful when
following the route is SY 954847 at the west end of Hartland
Moor, where the Poole Harbour Trail goes straight ahead but
the trackbed curves away to the left. (Keith Holliday)
April 2018.
Yapton, West Sussex. Further to our report in February
2011, which described an arson attack on Yapton railway
station on the Coastway West line between Ford and Barnham,
scaffolding has now been erected around the remains of the historic
building, but it is difficult yet to determine whether it will
be repaired or dismantled. For a short history of the station
and some historic photographs, click the link here.
(Jeff Vinter)
Update: By
May, a smart new slate roof had been installed on the main
building, so we can safely say that this piece of Sussex railway
history is being restored. (Jeff Vinter)
April 2018. Ross-on-Wye
to Monmouth, Gloucestershire. Further to our report in August
2016 about the closure of Lydbrook Viaduct (at grid reference
SO 587177) on the former GWR line from Ross-on-Wye to Monmouth,
we are pleased to report that Gloucestershire and Herefordshire
County Councils have applied for lottery funding of £1.77
million to repair it, and support some local community projects.
The structure, known as Stowfield Viaduct or Black Bridge, is
an important crossing on the Wye Valley Walk and was being used
by 20,000 walkers per year before it was closed. The councils
will be told if their bid was successful in July. Further details
are available on the BBC
Gloucestershire website. (Keith Holliday)
March
2018. Gilmerton to Shawfair, Midlothian. The official
opening for this new route, established by Sustrans, Railway
Paths and local authority partners including Edinburgh City
Council, was planned provisionally for the morning of Sunday
27th March, but has now been postponed due to 'unforeseen difficulties'.
The Gilmerton-Shawfair section extends by 1¾ miles the
existing 3 mile trail from Roslin to Loanhead and Gilmerton,
and is intended to provide residents of Shawfair new town with
high quality, green travel options. (Jeff Vinter)
Update: We
missed the date of the deferred official opening, but noticed
in the Spring 2018 edition of 'the Hub', Sustrans' magazine
for supporters, that the new trail is now open throughout.
(Webmaster)
March 2018. Thoresby
Colliery to Thoresby Colliery Junction, Nottinghamshire. Network
Rail is to lift the 1¼ mile Thoresby Colliery branch
(near Ollerton) following its closure in April 2014 after the
owners, UK Coal, ran into financial difficulties. As a precursor
to this, HHA coal hoppers stored at Thoresby Colliery Sidings
were removed by rail on 8th February. The colliery site is to
be developed by Harworth Estates, which claims its scheme –
featuring a zip wire and sports pitches – will create
at least 500 jobs. Could the branch be re-used as a trail? Possibly,
because a bridleway passes beneath it near the junction, but
much will depend on the developer's plans, and how much of a
destination the re-generated colliery site becomes. (Jeff Vinter)
March 2018. Whitwell
& Reepham, Norfolk. The Whitwell & Reepham Railway Preservation
Society, which has now been running for over 10 years, plans
to reinstate over 2 miles of track back to Lenwade, but needs
to clarify whether a series of Victorian Railway Acts still
require it to be available for national rail use. [We doubt
it. Webmaster.] Richard Bailey, the society’s safety manager,
has set up a public petition to the government which asks for
the term 'railway land' within the Lynn & Fakenham Railway
Acts 1876-81, the Eastern & Midlands Act 1883-85, and other
railway amalgamations up to the arrival of Network Rail to be
clarified. The society has emphasised that it will keep Marriotts
Way, which uses the former trackbed, open for the benefit of
walkers, cyclists and horse riders. (Tim Chant)
February 2018.
Elstree & Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. It is 150 years since
the railway arrived at Elstree & Borehamwood (whose station
was then called plain 'Elstree'), and to commemorate the event
Elstree & Borehamwood Museum is staging an exhibition entitled
'All Change!' until 21st July. What makes this unusual is that
the museum – at 96 Shenley Road, near the station –
has turned itself into a railway station for the purpose.
Simultaneously, the town is running a 'First Impressions' project
which is adding to the 18 plaques originally installed by The
British Film Institute in 1996 to commemorate the town's long
association with this country's film industry. The route of
the trail linking these plaques can be viewed by clicking the
link here.
We realise that this report is not about a railway path (as
it ought to be to appear in these pages), but thought this would
be of interest to members in our Chilterns Area, not to mention
our Yorkshire Area Organiser who is a keen film enthusiast.
(Bob Redman)
February 2018.
Radstock-Great Elm, nr. Frome, Somerset. This is the
railway-based part of Colliers Way (NCN24) between Radstock
and Frome. Railway Paths Ltd will start work 'shortly' on replacing
the damaged and leaning parapet walls on Kilmersdon Bridge,
which is believed to be the overbridge at grid reference ST
699525). The masonry will be replaced with new metallic parapet
rails. (Paul Thomas)
February 2018.
Chapeltown to Ecclesfield, South Yorkshire. We reported
a northern planned extension to NCN67, the Chapeltown Greenway
(from Meadowhall), as long ago as 2010, but progress has been
glacially slow. Recently, Sheffield City Council completed work
to secure and protect the underbridge on Loicher Lane (grid
reference SK 365943), which must bring this project a little
closer to fruition. (Paul Thomas and Jeff Vinter) |
|
Above:
Bennerley Viaduct is such a large structure that it is
extremely difficult to photograph in its entirety, except from
a drone. This photograph shows the western end, with the spans
over the Erewash Valley railway line in the distance. Beyond that,
the approach embankment has been removed, leading to a steep descent
on to the towpath of the Erewash Canal. 15th February 2018. (Jeff
Vinter) |
February
2018. Bennerley Viaduct, Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire.
Following the disappointing
news in December that the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) had
declined Sustrans' application for a grant to help restore Bennerley
Viaduct, the charity is now hoping to develop a more modest
scheme which will open the viaduct initially to walkers only.
This was the approach adopted for Torksey Viaduct (Notts/Lincs),
which has been a great success both for the communities on either
side, and local ramblers who are now enjoying many new route
opportunities. The long term plan for both viaducts is to extend
public access to cyclists when levels of use and popularity
are established, and – perhaps – a different government
adopts a more generous approach towards walking and cycling
schemes. (Jeff Vinter)
February 2018.
Chepstow to Tintern, Gwent (Monmouthshire). Plans to
build a multi-use trail along the former GWR branch line from
Chepstow to Tintern moved a step forward in early January when,
after scuppering the scheme by just one vote when funds were
available from Sustrans' millennial Connect2 scheme, Monmouthshire
County Council finally agreed to support them. Jennifer Goslin,
co-ordinator at the A-B Connecting Communities group, commented:
'There was no discussion about whether it is going to happen,
it was about how it is going to happen'. (Graeme Bickerdike) |
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Above:
The running-in board on the up platform at Okehampton
station, which has been restored as though the 1923 Southern Railway
was still in charge. 6th April 2014. (Jeff Vinter) |
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Above:
Okehampton may see the return of a daily train service
within the next few years, although local reports have not made
it clear whether these will run to/from the historic station pictured
here, or a new Okehampton Parkway station proposed for the east
side of the town, where most of the new development is taking
place. A new station on a new site would allow more space for
a car park (210 places are planned), plus the installation of
modern access facilities such as ramps. For further details, see
the story below. 6th April 2014. (Jeff Vinter) |
February
2018. Yeoford to Okehampton, Devon. In late January,
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling ordered the West of England
franchise holder, Great Western Railway, to prepare for the
reinstatement of a regular rail passenger service to Okehampton,
which was withdrawn in June 1972. Mr Grayling told West Country
MPs, by letter, of his department's instruction to GWR 'to prepare
plans to introduce regular train services to Okehampton, with
the objective of securing a credible and costed plan for delivering
an all-week, all-year train service between Exeter and Okehampton
as soon as reasonably practicable'. The re-opening of this route
will make it easy for walkers and cyclists to access the popular
Granite Way (Okehampton to Lydford) without having to rely on
a car. In the letter, Mr Grayling added that developing an alternative
route to the 'vulnerable' Dawlish main line remained his number
one priority, so possibly in time we will see The Granite Way
accompanied by a reinstated single track railway that continues
from Okehampton to Bere Alston and Plymouth. (Graeme Bickerdike)
February 2018.
Various locations, Norfolk. The county of Norfolk already
contains a good number of railway paths, but members of the
county council's Policy and Resources Committee have just agreed
that several former railways in the county should be developed
as multi-use trails for the environmental and public health
benefits. Tom McCabe, who holds the council's development portfolio,
said: 'It is recommended that officers investigate the feasibility
of using disused railways and other underused parts of the transport
system to improve cycling and walking links … Three disused
railways will be investigated as a pilot, [the] Weaver’s
Way [Cromer to Great Yarmouth], King’s Lynn to Fakenham
and King’s Lynn to Hunstanton.' A £350,000 feasibility
study will now run over the next 12 months, and will consider
also the development of a county-wide network of such routes.
(Graeme Bickerdike)
February 2018.
Laughton Common to Thurcroft Colliery, South Yorkshire.
A recent visit by our correspondent to the Thurcroft Colliery
branch found that a little more can be walked than reported
in Vinter's Railway Gazetteer, which states that the
route runs for 2 miles between grid references SK 507864 (Laughton
Common) and SK 503889 (Thurcroft Colliery). The second of these
grid references was published incorrectly as 502889,
although the error – fortunately – should be small
enough for no one to get lost. That aside, allowing for the
presumably permissive paths at either end, the branch can actually
be walked between SK 507860, on Todwick Road in Laughton Common,
to SK 499892, within the site of the now landscaped Thurcroft
Colliery. These 'extras' add half a mile to the recent cycle
trail, which runs between the points identified in the gazetteer.
The colliery closed in 1991, so now only locals in their thirties
have any recollection of the days when Thurcroft village was
dominated by the pit. (Phillip Earnshaw)
February
2018. Yatton to Cheddar, Somerset. Parts of the Strawberry
Line have been closed intermittently for a couple of years now,
thanks to Bristol Water using the old tracked as the route of
a new water main. (The old main was inadequate for the planned
development in the area.) Running the main through Shute Shelve
Tunnel has been a particular problem, due to engineering problems,
the presence of a small population of bats, and the 'Law of
Unintended Consequences'. BW's engineers found that they could
not install a single large main through the tunnel so had to
opt for two smaller mains instead. The bat roosting season coincided
with this work, so, in an attempt to persuade the bats, humanely,
to roost elsewhere, Bristol Water installed bright lights in
the tunnel … which attracted moths, which attracted bats!
As a result, Shute Shelve Tunnel has had a larger bat population
this winter than for many years, but the good news is that all
parties are cooperating to get the route re-opened throughout
in time for Easter. With the Shute Shelve diversion taking trail
users on to the busy A38, the old railway has been sorely missed.
(Strawberry Line Society)
January 2018.
Brent to Kingsbridge, Devon. A group has been formed with the
aim of developing a railway path along the former Kingsbridge
branch. They state that, so far, they will be able to re-use
the old line for approximately a mile north from Kingsbridge,
including passing through Sorley Tunnel. Given the antipathy
of some local landowners to such schemes in the past, the group
will need staying power and very good negotiating skills. They
have made contact with the specialist officer at Devon County
Council who has been responsible for many of Devon's recent
railway paths, and have received a positive email from the Historic
Railways Estate about Sorley Tunnel; it may have helped that
one of their number is a planning consultant. (Barry Day and
Jeff Vinter)
January 2018. Attlebridge,
Norfolk. Attlebridge is situated on the popular Marriott's Way
railway path, which links Aylsham with Norwich. Unfortunately,
a girder bridge there, which takes the trail over the River
Wensum, is in urgent need of repair, and the bill has been put
at £150,000. If the bridge is not repaired, the popular
26 mile trail would have to be split in two, but cabinet members
at Broadland District Council were told at the start of the
month that it would be cheaper to fund the repairs than spoil
the route and lose the economic benefits which it brings. Broadland
DC is considering asking North Norfolk District Council and
Norfolk County Council to share the costs, which – with
other bridges on the route also requiring repair – are
expected to come to £640,000 overall. (Tim Chant) |
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Above:
Looe
Harbour at dusk, with the East Looe River as still as a millpond.
If the Looe Development Trust has its way, this historic fishing
town could be served by a network of new trails; for further details,
see the story below. 25th October 2016. (Jeff Vinter) |
January
2018. Liskeard to Looe, Cornwall. About 25 years ago,
the Cornwall Mineral Tramways project started to convert the
Duchy's abandoned tramways into a substantial network of off-road
walking and cycling routes. Now the Looe Valley Trails Project,
led by Looe Development Trust, has been researching the cost
of creating new cycle links to Lanhydrock, Liskeard, Looe and
Plymouth via the Cremyll Ferry, which crosses the Hamoaze from
Admirals Hard in Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon to Cremyll in Cornwall.
The intention is to do for east Cornwall what the Mineral Tramways
have done for west Cornwall, and reduce the tendency of tourists
to whizz past the area as they head for the far west. The project
aims to create 70 kilometres (43½ miles) of new trails
at a cost of £8.3 million, including one up the Looe Valley
alongside the scenic Looe branch line. A report published in
the Plymouth Herald on 9th January (click here)
gives further details, and even name-checks the Liskeard &
Caradon Railway, whose extensive remains – together with
those of associated railways such as the Kilmar Railway and
the Kilmar Junction Railway – sprawl across Bodmin Moor,
mostly on open access land. (Tim Chant)
January 2018. Bristol
to Bath and Midsomer Norton, Avon. A public exhibition of plans
to build new office space and residential units in Bath was
publicly announced early this month. The design of this development
will allow access to the former Midland Railway bridge (situated
directly behind a redundant warehouse, which will be demolished)
for cyclists and pedestrians to cross the River Avon, thus connecting
the Bath to Bristol Railway Path with the more recent Two Tunnels
Trail, which – beyond Midford – continues along
much of the old Somerset & Dorset line right through to
Midsomer Norton. The developers have stated that they are very
keen to make their plans cycling- and walking-friendly, and
linking these two railway paths will meet that objective handsomely.
The double-track girder bridge is currently owned by the Historic
Railways Estate of Highways England, and would need an inspection
by bridge engineers before its proposed restoration and conversion
could hopefully be taken a stage further to accommodate bicycles.
The developers, Merrion, organised a public exhibition which
was held at Bath Green Park Station on Wednesday 24th January
from 12 noon until 7 pm. (Matt Skidmore)
January
2018. Preston to Longridge, Lancashire. BBC
Lancashire has reported that Preston Trampower Ltd has appointed
Eric Wright Civil Engineering to build the Preston Tramway.
It is early days yet, but this project will affect – between
Deepdale and Grimsargh – the railway path which occupies
part of the old Longridge branch. We hope that the project will
provide a new facility for walkers and cyclists along the same
corridor, as has happened elsewhere when old trackbeds have
been re-used, e.g. between Bathgate and Drumgelloch in Scotland;
but this railway path is in England, so will the same fairmindedness
apply? (Keith Holliday)
January
2018. Havant to Hayling Island, Hampshire. BBC News
for Hampshire has reported that the ferry linking the west end
of Hayling Island with Eastney on the eastern edge of Portsmouth
is in financial difficulty. The service closed down in 2015
but was reinstated on 5th August 2016 under new owners. The
ferry is an integral part of NCN2, the South Coast Cycle Route,
which accesses Portsmouth via the former Havant–Hayling
Island branch line. As we observed in 2016, the loss of the
ferry would require residents and visitors travelling from the
island to Portsmouth to take a very long detour via Havant,
travelling north initially when they really needed to go west.
We suspect that the problem is the 'seasonality' of the service;
personal visits suggest that it is well used in the summer months,
but it must be a different story in the dead of winter. (Keith
Holliday and Jeff Vinter)
January
2018. Blaenau Ffestiniog to Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd. Further
to previous reports, especially that from September
2016, an article in the Daily Post newspaper of 3rd January
suggests that the scheme to restore the railway between Blaenau
Ffestiniog and Trawsfynydd Lake Halt is now in severe jeopardy.
Clearance work on that section has been suspended because a
bridge near Trawsfynydd Lake was damaged during operations in
August last year, resulting in a public footpath being closed
on safety grounds. It was hoped that it could resume following
completion of a Network Rail investigation; instead the licence
to carry out clearance work issued to Trawsfynydd Railway Company
has now been revoked. The newspaper understands that a 10 tonne
digger may have been used whereas no machinery heavier than
5 tonnes had been authorised. Blaenau Ffestiniog & Trawsfynydd
Railway Society, which provides the volunteers, feels that the
company should step down and allow the society to take the lead
in the project. If all this comes to nought, the route would
make a superbly scenic trail. (Chris Parker) |
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