Bennerley Viaduct at Awsworth (near Nottingham), which carried the Great Northern Railway’s line from Awsworth to Ilkeston over both the Erewash Valley, and the Midland Railway’s Erewash Valley line. The viaduct is to open again in Spring 2022 carrying a cycle pathway (Bob Prigg)
A view of the main station buildings at Alton Towers from the trackbed. Note the canopy and well enclosed waiting area, which would have provided passengers with reasonably effective shelter in bad weather – contrast this with the bus shelters now installed on many rural stations throughout the UK (Bob Prigg)
Alton station in Staffordshire, which was renamed Alton Towers in 1954 – only to close ten years later. The station was designed by Augustus Pugin (1812-1852), an English architect of the Gothic revival who is better known for his church designs and his work on the interior of the Houses of Parliament. The trackbed is used as a railway path linking Oakamoor to the north and Denstone to the south (Bob Prigg)
This three-storey tower at Alton originally contained the Earl of Shrewsbury’s suite of private waiting rooms (Bob Prigg)
Redbrook, Gloucestershire, used to be served by the GWR branch line from Monmouth to Chepstow, although its station was on the ‘wrong’ side of the river, i.e. in Monmouthshire, Wales. The railway’s girder bridge over the River Wye, officially known as Penallt Viaduct, still stands and is now used as part of the Wye Valley Walk, which uses the trackbed for the next two miles south, as far as Whitebrook (Bob Prigg)
A close-up of Penallt Viaduct, looking from Monmouthshire towards Gloucestershire. Nowadays, villagers and walkers use the viaduct to reach The Boat Inn on the west bank of the river. Redbrook received its name on account of the local reserves of iron ore, which used to impart a dark red colour to the brook which ran through the village. Note that, even in this soil-free location, small shrubs and trees are taking root in the old timber decking. July 2008. (Bob Prigg)
Longbridge Signal Box at the closed Rover Plant. Members of the Chasewater Railway visiting the site in 2007 (Phil Mullarkey)
The station approach road at Titley Junction, where railway artefacts are much in evidence thanks to the efforts of the owners and dedicated volunteers – 2008 (Bob Prigg)
The bay platform at Titley accommodates this finely restored 1930s LMS observation coach, which had been converted into a luxurious camping coach. The vehicle once formed part of the Coronation Scot express service, which travelled non-stop between London and Glasgow. 2008 (Bob Prigg)
Norton Branch Junction, just north of Pelsall. The bridge depicted here, at SK 033052, once carried the Norton Branch over the the Wyrley and Essington Canal. 2009 (Phil Mullarkey)
At Norton Junction, Pelsall, the South Staffordshire Line continued towards Lichfield, crossing the Wyrley & Essington Canal. 2009 (Phil Mullarkey)
A close up of the iron panels seen in the rail-over-canal bridge illustrated above. 2009 (Phil Mullarkey)
Here’s a rare sight on an old railway – a set of in situ level crossing gates. They were located where the Littleton Colliery branch crossed Micklewood Lane, which links Penkridge with Cannock. 2011 (Chris Parker)
A substantial overbridge on the M&SWJR just west of the site of Swindon Town station. The view is looking up the grade towards Swindon Town. 2014 (Jeff Vinter)
A view of Poulton Farm Bridge as the railway path approaches Marlborough. At this point, the railway is about to start a long horseshoe curve which took the line into Marlborough’s M&SWJR station. 2014 (Jeff Vinter)
Cirencester Town station – centrally located and always the busiest of the town’s two stations – was served by a short branch from Kemble, which closed on 6th April 1964. Photo 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
Between South Cerney and Cricklade, no fewer than four viaducts of this design carry local roads over the old trackbed. This example is just south of South Cerney. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
A view of the trackbed, look north west towards South Cerney. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
This overbridge is situated on the LNWR’s route from Leamington Spa to Rugby. The unusual features are the two surviving smoke deflectors. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
The most impressive feature on the old Leamington-Rugby line is this huge viaduct just west of Marton Junction which carries Ridgeway Lane high above the now empty trackbed. Marton Junction was where a separate line diverged to Weedon via Southam and Daventry. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
The viaduct at Marton Junction is constructed from wrought iron with trussed lattice girders; its construction has been described as ‘pioneering’. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
Bennerley Viaduct at Awsworth (near Nottingham), which carried the Great Northern Railway’s line from Awsworth to Ilkeston over both the Erewash Valley, and the Midland Railway’s Erewash Valley line. The viaduct is to open again in Spring 2022 carrying a cycle pathway (Bob Prigg)
A view of the main station buildings at Alton Towers from the trackbed. Note the canopy and well enclosed waiting area, which would have provided passengers with reasonably effective shelter in bad weather – contrast this with the bus shelters now installed on many rural stations throughout the UK (Bob Prigg)
Alton station in Staffordshire, which was renamed Alton Towers in 1954 – only to close ten years later. The station was designed by Augustus Pugin (1812-1852), an English architect of the Gothic revival who is better known for his church designs and his work on the interior of the Houses of Parliament. The trackbed is used as a railway path linking Oakamoor to the north and Denstone to the south (Bob Prigg)
This three-storey tower at Alton originally contained the Earl of Shrewsbury’s suite of private waiting rooms (Bob Prigg)
Redbrook, Gloucestershire, used to be served by the GWR branch line from Monmouth to Chepstow, although its station was on the ‘wrong’ side of the river, i.e. in Monmouthshire, Wales. The railway’s girder bridge over the River Wye, officially known as Penallt Viaduct, still stands and is now used as part of the Wye Valley Walk, which uses the trackbed for the next two miles south, as far as Whitebrook (Bob Prigg)
A close-up of Penallt Viaduct, looking from Monmouthshire towards Gloucestershire. Nowadays, villagers and walkers use the viaduct to reach The Boat Inn on the west bank of the river. Redbrook received its name on account of the local reserves of iron ore, which used to impart a dark red colour to the brook which ran through the village. Note that, even in this soil-free location, small shrubs and trees are taking root in the old timber decking. July 2008. (Bob Prigg)
Longbridge Signal Box at the closed Rover Plant. Members of the Chasewater Railway visiting the site in 2007 (Phil Mullarkey)
The station approach road at Titley Junction, where railway artefacts are much in evidence thanks to the efforts of the owners and dedicated volunteers – 2008 (Bob Prigg)
The bay platform at Titley accommodates this finely restored 1930s LMS observation coach, which had been converted into a luxurious camping coach. The vehicle once formed part of the Coronation Scot express service, which travelled non-stop between London and Glasgow. 2008 (Bob Prigg)
Norton Branch Junction, just north of Pelsall. The bridge depicted here, at SK 033052, once carried the Norton Branch over the the Wyrley and Essington Canal. 2009 (Phil Mullarkey)
At Norton Junction, Pelsall, the South Staffordshire Line continued towards Lichfield, crossing the Wyrley & Essington Canal. 2009 (Phil Mullarkey)
A close up of the iron panels seen in the rail-over-canal bridge illustrated above. 2009 (Phil Mullarkey)
Here’s a rare sight on an old railway – a set of in situ level crossing gates. They were located where the Littleton Colliery branch crossed Micklewood Lane, which links Penkridge with Cannock. 2011 (Chris Parker)
A substantial overbridge on the M&SWJR just west of the site of Swindon Town station. The view is looking up the grade towards Swindon Town. 2014 (Jeff Vinter)
A view of Poulton Farm Bridge as the railway path approaches Marlborough. At this point, the railway is about to start a long horseshoe curve which took the line into Marlborough’s M&SWJR station. 2014 (Jeff Vinter)
Cirencester Town station – centrally located and always the busiest of the town’s two stations – was served by a short branch from Kemble, which closed on 6th April 1964. Photo 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
Between South Cerney and Cricklade, no fewer than four viaducts of this design carry local roads over the old trackbed. This example is just south of South Cerney. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
A view of the trackbed, look north west towards South Cerney. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
This overbridge is situated on the LNWR’s route from Leamington Spa to Rugby. The unusual features are the two surviving smoke deflectors. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
The most impressive feature on the old Leamington-Rugby line is this huge viaduct just west of Marton Junction which carries Ridgeway Lane high above the now empty trackbed. Marton Junction was where a separate line diverged to Weedon via Southam and Daventry. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)
The viaduct at Marton Junction is constructed from wrought iron with trussed lattice girders; its construction has been described as ‘pioneering’. 2015 (Jeff Vinter)