|
Menu
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
145
|
146 |
147 |
148 |
149 |
150 |
151 |
152 |
153 |
154 |
155 |
156 |
157 |
158 |
159 |
160 |
 |
|
Above: An LNWR gradient post on the former Clydach Gorge line, more commonly known as the 'Heads of the Valleys' line. West of Abergavenny, between Llanfoist and Brynmawr, 8 miles of this extravagantly engineered route now form a new railway path and cycle trail – arguably one of the finest rail trails anywhere in the British Isles. Grid reference SO 244140. November 2008. (Tim Hewett) |
 |
| Above: Looking west (uphill), passing through rare beech woods at grid reference SO 226125. It is a long way down to the right, about 300ft. in fact, although the trees hide it. A small viaduct crosses a gully in the distance. Apart from the most dramatic section about half a mile ahead, the entire route has this excellent tarmac surface.. November 2008. (Tim Hewett) |
 |
| Above: A superb panorama of the Heads of the Valleys Line taken from the old tramroad (now a public road) on the other side of the gorge. Just hover over the picture to see an annotated version which highlights the modern railway path, built from a combination of old railway and tramway; the latter being used used to avoid going through the railway's upper tunnels. (The railway and tramway share roughly the same course for much of their length.) The tramway section includes a footbridge over a section where the trackbed has collapsed down the hillside, while further on it is a public highway. One of the tunnels on the railway is still open, but you will need a torch due to the curve. If you forget one, then you'll have to feel your way along the walls – there really is no light no matter how long you wait for your eyes to adjust. In the photographer's view, the section below the cliff (highlighted in red ) is railway path building at its boldest. 'How they managed to get the steels in place to support the footbridge is a mystery – I suspect they took cues from the builders of Stonehenge – and that they even bothered trying deserves applause.' November 2008. (Tim Hewett) |
 |
| Above: This is the section where the old tramroad traverses the cliff, with the aforementioned footbridge in the foreground. November 2008. (Tim Hewett) |
 |
| Above: A wider shot showing the scale of the railway in the gorge, again taken from the level tramroad high up on the other side. As with the previous picture, hover over the image to see the course of the old railway. November 2008. (Tim Hewett) |
 |
| Above: We are now at the end of the level tramroad on the other side of the gorge, looking back across the gorge's mouth. You can see the line of the trackbed cutting across the hillside opposite just below the line of the pylons, passing just below the white house on the right.. Once again, hover over the image to see the course of the old railway. November 2008. (Tim Hewett) |
 |
| Above: Okehampton station, Devon, after arrival of a Dartmoor Railway train from Meldon. The carriage on the left started life as part of a 4CEP electric unit on the Kent coast lines out of Victoria. The station shares similarities with Swanage and has been restored similarly as an outpost of the Southern Railway. Dartmoor Railway services currently link Okehampton with Sampford Courtenay to the east and Meldon to the west, but are planned to go through to Yeoford on the Exeter-Barnstaple line before the end of the year. The station is also the start of the scenic Granite Way to Lydford – just turn left out of the station building, walk down the station approach, cross the road and you can't miss it. July 2009. (Ron Strutt) |
 |
| Above: The view to the east from the little known Lake Viaduct, which is situated on the Granite Way near the village of the same name, a mile or so north of Bridestowe station – now privately owned and not accessible to the public. Lake Viaduct crosses a steep-sided wooded valley, which makes it difficult to photograph, so this view possibly makes a more satisfying composition than one of the partially obscured, stone-faced viaduct. (If you wish to see the viaduct, just hover over the picture.) The white specks on the hillside are sheep, which are the only inhabitants hereabouts. July 2009. (Ron Strutt) |