Long-lost line near Pilning

[Techniquest]

Hi gang.

Just been looking at the best way to tick off Pilning on Friday, as well as getting some new bus numbers and a bit of unit bashing. Whilst looking this lot up, I found this map of Pilning:

http://uk.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=355500&Y=185000&width=500&height=300&gride=355513&gridn=185145&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=&zm=0&scale=10000&out.x=7&out.y=9

On there is a dotted line with the words "dismantled railway". What I am wondering is this:

What line was this dismantled railway? Where did it go to? I must admit I've never seen any evidence of it when I've been up and down the line there, and I've done it hundreds of times!

Anyone in the know on this? I'd appreciate any information on this. Hopefully I'll get some photos of anything I can see down that way when I go on Friday too.

Regards,
WSXFan

 

[Met Driver]

There used to be a railway bridge which crossed the Severn at that point, which served as a useful diversionary route when the Severn Tunnel was closed. The dismantled railway on the map is the former connection. You can see the remnants of the bridge quite clearly when travelling between Caldicot and Chepstow.

 

[Techniquest]

Ahh! Thanks for that Seth. Can't say I've ever noticed that bridge, but then I've never really looked either! I'm usually too busy updating my fleet lists or reading on that route.

 

[Met Driver]

I'm gonna have to apologise here..... the bridge I was thinking of is (or rather was) actually further up stream between Sharpness and Lydney (:roll. I guess the mystery continues...

 

[Techniquest]

Oh right!

Well I'll see what I can see on Friday when I do Pilning then. Hopefully my camera will work properly...

 

[AlexS]

It was a branch that left the mainline just before Pilning, went to a station called Pilning Low level, then had another junction passing below the mainline over to Severn Beach on one arm, or off to New Passage Pier on the other arm.

 

[Techniquest]

Oh right! That's how that HST (or was a LHCS train? Can't remember) I saw photted got from Severn Beach to the mainline!

Many thanks for that AlexS!

 

[bluecont]

Well, almost, that branch is somewhat disused, Im guessing Beeching, but I could be wrong. Anything going from Severn Beach Branch to the mainline, goes via Chittening and Hallen, on the Avonmouth Goods route.

 

[Jim]

The best way/time to bash it is a school day

Get the train from BTM & you have around 15 mins to walk to Pilning School, where you catch a Leyland Lynx to Parkway IIRC

 

[AlexS]

yeah, that branch isn't exactly passable

 

[Sprog]

Got here too late!

You guys have jst about summed it all up!

but cummom, Pilning hock:...what ya wanna go to that desolate waste land for!?

If you do decide to take the plunge dude, gimmie a shout, ill probably beable to meet up with yer at either Pilning (BOOOOO!) or BPW!

 

[Techniquest]

Hi Sprog.

I decided I would skip this idea on Wednesday, when I was in Tesco facing a tough decision. Buy Family Guy Season Four or wait until Friday to go to Pilning. You can guess which option I went for! Family Guy rules!

As for why I'd want to go there, it is purely to both tick off the station (it's currently stopping me having all stations from Milford Haven and Fishguard Harbour to Didcot Parkway marked off as visited!) and to film some HSTs, 180s, WSX units, 60s and 66s on freight runs. Yesterday's gen also played a hand here, none of the 60s or 66s I wanted (didn't look too much at the FL ones though), nor 57003, was due to run this way all day, so it would have been expensive to waste money like that, what with the expensive bash this weekend!