C3 versus the old Waterrow Viaduct

[CaptainK]

I was talking to Chuffers recently about railway stuff and mentioned the old Taunton to Barnstaple Railway that used to run through my village back in the day, complete with old station building still there and the old track bed visible. I've been slowly going out and finding bits and bobs of it over the years for a bit of fun. Part of the B road that leads to my village is also the old trackbed so I drive it often, and a roundabout on there used to be the location of another station. There are also some old tunnels nearby, and also the fantastic Waterrow Viaduct which is not far away at all. Inspired by speaking to Chuffers, I thought I'd get a recent photo.

This is one of the "shorter" piers that are still there, as its on the West side of the valley and has a small road next to it. On the East side you can park up nearby and walk to see the Bathealton tunnel and the piers from the other side. Photo'd with my C3 for scale.



How they looked back in the day:


For more info see:
Taunton to Barnstaple

I have other photos, but annoyingly I think they are on an old laptop.

 

[CaptainK]

My old daily Focus parked near an old railway bridge near Nunnington Park, not far from the Viaduct above. You can walk along the trackbed up there.


Dulverton Station on the nice side of the bridge - you can see the old station buildings have been converted to homes:

And on the not so nice side of the bridge:


I really need to find the other photos of the Viaduct, wherever they have gone.

 

[CaptainK]

Wiveliscombe station building. To the right (out of photo) is an old goods loading shed complete with ramp. The carpark was where the platform was. The trackbed is behind the camera and is just overgrown wasteland.


p.s. that's not me in the photo - but is what I'll look like in 30 years time (its my dad).

 

[Chuffer]

Great photos CaptainK . It`s very interesting exploring the remnents of Britains many lost railways . Continuing your Vettes and Viaduct theme , here is my Vette in the shadow of the largest brick built viaduct in Britain . Thankfully Harringworth Viaduct to us locals but more correctly called Welland valley Viaduct still exists and quite often sees steam hauled specials to this day . I was on the footplate of A4 class Pacific 60009 `Union of South Africa ` crossing it en route from Kettering to York in 2003 .
I have a long disused railway line at the bottom of my garden as you know and many grand bridges in deep cuttings fortunately still exist and form part of our village Pocket Park . Good old Engineering Blue Bricks last for ever !! I obtained a cast iron bridge plate when the line closed completely in 1967 and now addorns my garden shed that stands right on the edge of the old track formation .

 

[Roscobbc]

Facinating history about the earlier growth of the UK's railway network........even more facinating to read about the expansion (and frequent demise of branch lines) from perhaps unwise investments by business people convinced of a quick and generous return........vs......the reality of insufficient passenger numbers. People may blame the Beeching report for axing many supposedly unprofitable lines......but the reality was that many other lines had already failed and closed in between WW1 and WW2 and earlier.
My grandfather was an Underground driver on Londons District Line before and after WW2. He would be shocked today at the wages the drivers are now getting (and still striking for more!). We have a small single track branch line that runs from Romford (main Liverpool Street line) , 5 or 6 miles to Upminster (on the Fenchurch Street- Southend line) where the District Line also terminates. Original Upminster Station building - built 1885 when the line ran on further to Tilbury (then and now)

Not as exotic by any means as other railways history.......

 

[Chuffer]

As you said Ross , the expansion of the railways ran riot in the early years of railways with many businessmen and chancers out to make a fast buck by capitolising on the nations desire to be connected by rail . There were so many duplicated railway routes built by the railway comapanies all trying to out do each other . During the `Railway Mania` period as it became known in the 1840`s , thousands of miles of railways sprung up with stations built every few miles in some cases serving villages that were often several miles away from the nearest station . Between 1845 and 1900 £3 Billion was spent building railways . But at least the Victorian engineers built them far quicker and more efficiently than we do today . HS2 a case in point !!!
Many lines were unprofitable from day one and Beeching was brought in to clear up the mess . The Stratford upon Avon & Midland Juction Railway ( SMJR ) and known as the ` Slow Miserable & Jolty ` that ran through my village opened in 1866 and just about all the village stations lost money every day from day one . All passenger services ceased on the line in 1952 and freight traffic lingered on untill early 1960`s . My village of Tiffield even had its own halt that opened in 1870 but closed after less than two years . Hardly surprising considering there are only about 300 residents even now and back in 1870 there were probably only 30 and a dog ! However ,the powers that be were a bit too extreme and some routes were closed with indecent haste that have since be relaid and re - opened to suite todays needs . The Oxford to Cambridge route being one and the Waveley Route in Scotland , not to mention many new stations re opening . The fact that the Minister for Transport on the early 1960`s was Ernest Marple who owned road construction businesses might have had something to do with !!
It is good to see the old and current photos of Upminster Station . I well remember speeding through there on the footplate when I was on support crew duties back in 1999 . We were operating regular steam hauled services from Fenchurch Street to Tilbury and Southend and back . Two round trips a day over two days being based at Stratford Depot in East London over night . The timetabled schedule was pretty tight to fit in with the electric train commuter services so we had some pretty spirited running to say the least . The loco I was on was 80079 that actually worked the route in its early days and was based at Plaistow Loco Depot . Joe Brown of Joe Brown and the Bruvvers was a young fireman on it before he became a rock n roller star . Here is photo of us waiting to depart Fenchurch Street and then approaching Southend .

 

[James Vette]

Very cool.

 

[CaptainK]

It seems my photo of Dulverton station from the nice side of the bridge seems to have disappeared (more likely an upload fail by me):


And how it was roughly from the same viewpoint:

 

[CaptainK]

Continuing your Vettes and Viaduct theme

That is an excellent theme name there

I can't top the Purple Peril at that huge viaduct, but I'll have to see if I can get some other viaducts with the C3 in the future.

 

[Chuffer]

It seems my photo of Dulverton station from the nice side of the bridge seems to have disappeared (more likely an upload fail by me):
View attachment 22372

And how it was roughly from the same viewpoint:
View attachment 22373

Great pics Captain . What a wonderful steam era scene at Dulverton Station ( the platform sign board reads " Change for Exe Valley Line " by the way ) Obviously taken pre 1966 as the station closed in that year . Classic ex GWR locos with a Churchward Mogul on the Taunton to Barnstable line passing another train going the other direction and a Collett 0-4-2 Push Pull Tank Loco in the bay platform with probably only one Auto Coach on the Exe Valley line service to Tiverton and on to Exeter . Auto fitted trains ( push pulls ) could be driver either from the loco or a specially fitted cab in the coach to save having to change ends with the loco each time on branch lines . Love the Bedford coach waiting in the car park too . Those were the good old days !

 

[Chuffer]

Very cool.

The last thing the footplate is is `cool` James but for the pose value its priceless . That will be my right arm sticking out the firemans side of the cab window trying to get some fresh air . Try shovelling several tons of coal into the firebox of this beast going full chat as seen here leaving London en route to Bristol . I was firing the first leg of the journey and was then relieved by another fireman . Had to save my energy for later when hauling the empty carriages back from London to Alton in Hampshire and then taking over as driver from Alton to the carriage sidings at Ropley . Finally hit the sack at about 3.30 am totally knackered . I had blisters burnt and bloody on my hands and the hairs singed off my arms up to the elbow !

 

[Chuffer]

That is an excellent theme name there

I can't top the Purple Peril at that huge viaduct, but I'll have to see if I can get some other viaducts with the C3 in the future.

Here is somewhere worth exploring down your way . Came across it whilst on holiday in Westward Ho . Instow Signal Box is beautifully restored on the very scenic line from Barnstable Junction down to Bideford and Haleill Junction . It runs beside the Torridge Estuary and River Torridge inland ( Tarka the Otter country ) . It closed post 1963 and is now a footpath / cycle way .

 

[James Vette]

@Chuffer

 

[CaptainK]

View attachment 22374

I accidentally hovered my mouse over this photo and noticed in the hover tooltip the name of "Ottery St Mary" (where I was brought up in Devon). The brain goes "Ottery St Mary has changed a lot since I was little....." then to "Errr durrr that has to be the name of the locomotive".

It was then I realised that in the photo the locomotive is numbered "34045", but the filename (hover over tooltip) says its "34035".

 

[Chuffer]

I accidentally hovered my mouse over this photo and noticed in the hover tooltip the name of "Ottery St Mary" (where I was brought up in Devon). The brain goes "Ottery St Mary has changed a lot since I was little....." then to "Errr durrr that has to be the name of the locomotive".

It was then I realised that in the photo the locomotive is numbered "34045", but the filename (hover over tooltip) says its "34035".

Sorry to cause the brain fog Captain . Yes `Ottery St. Mary ` numbered 34045 is not really the loco in the photo . It is actually 34027 ` Taw Valley` masqurading as long since scrapped sister loco `Ottery St. Mary . Phil Swallow who owns 34027 just fancied a change at that time . Number 34035 must be a typo because that was named `Shaftersbury` which was withdrawn from service in June 1963 and cut up for scrap . They were all Bullied West Country Class Pacifics named after places in the West Country that were served by Southern Railway . Interesting coincidence that Ottery is where you grew up . Just to prove there is a link within a link here , the West Country Pacifics regularly hauled the ` Atlantic Coast Express ` referred to in the history of Instow Signal Box and we sometimes recreated that famous train to please the entusiasts when I was driving `Taw Valley ` on the SVR . Here is a shot filling the tender up with water at Bridgnorth Station . If you are ever down Bideford way it is well worth exploring around Instow and on the other side of the River Taw ( as in `Taw Valley` ) is Braunton ( 34046 `Braunton` also preserved in working order ) and there an exellent fish & chip shop in Braunton .

 

[CaptainK]

If you are ever down Bideford way it is well worth exploring around Instow and on the other side of the River Taw ( as in `Taw Valley` ) is Braunton ( 34046 `Braunton` also preserved in working order ) and there an exellent fish & chip shop in Braunton .

I know Braunton a small amount from a long time back. Not been there in ages. Bideford I've been to a few times recently. My parents in law have a barn conversion holiday home thingy near to Okehampton which my wife and I occasionally use and then explore from there.