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Trivia: Disused Railway Infrastructure that is still visible today

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mailbyrail

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The oldest railway bridge in the world is still standing - Causey Arch in Co Durham- completed 1727
A most impressive feature - My wife wasn't too impressed when I told her our destination for the day but she, like me, was blown away when we got there!
 

Jamesrob637

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The Plym Valley Railway towards Yelverton. Lovely cycle ride when the weather's not Devonian!

2nd for the Fallowfield Loop. Done it several times in each direction. Just a bit of a pity you can't go under the Wilmslow Road and have to cross a busy road on the level.
 

PeterC

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The oldest railway bridge in the world is still standing - Causey Arch in Co Durham- completed 1727
A most impressive feature - My wife wasn't too impressed when I told her our destination for the day but she, like me, was blown away when we got there!
I was thinking of Hill's Tramroad but that beats it by a century.
 

4COR

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- Disused trackbed (for a railway co. I can't remember) which joined the line through Oxford at what is now the Up Carriage Sidings.

There is a significant piece of history that this line (the Buckinghamshire Railway) connected to that's still in place - namely the Rewley Road Swing Bridge. Designed by George Stephenson, opened in 1851, it allowed access to/from Rewley Road Station (now the site of the Säid Business School) - the station building is now at Quainton.

It's a scheduled monument, though it's in a pretty poor state. It's been transferred from NR to the Oxford Preservation Trust who are looking to repair/restore it.
 

Peter C

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There is a significant piece of history that this line (the Buckinghamshire Railway) connected to that's still in place - namely the Rewley Road Swing Bridge. Designed by George Stephenson, opened in 1851, it allowed access to/from Rewley Road Station (now the site of the Säid Business School) - the station building is now at Quainton.

It's a scheduled monument, though it's in a pretty poor state. It's been transferred from NR to the Oxford Preservation Trust who are looking to repair/restore it.
Ah yes - I've seen that a couple of times. I never knew it was designed by Stephenson or that it was that old - thanks!
I hope they do manage to restore it. It's such an interesting part of the railways in Oxford.

-Peter :)
 

High Dyke

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Like many other examples of closed lines there is usually a visible reminder of the line of route. The former Barkston South - East alignment is still visible from both ends. However, the track was lifted and just left stacked up on the line-side.
 

rgwwfc

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there is a seemingly well maintained semaphore signal guarding a long since removed bridge to hayling island.
 

4COR

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there is a seemingly well maintained semaphore signal guarding a long since removed bridge to hayling island.

Similar vein: I have a feeling there is a semaphore (distant?) standing in a field just north of the old Uffington station site on the route of the old Faringdon branch line which shut Dec 1964 - unless my memory is playing tricks on me?
 

gimmea50anyday

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Gateshead shed and the freightliner terminal still have operational signals protecting access to the railway even tho both the shed and the terminal have long gone
 

Llanigraham

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Just thinking of the area around here:
The old head quarters of the Cambrian Rlwy, in Llanidloes.
Llandinam Station.
Dolwen Station.
Tylwch Station.
Cerist Station House on the Van Rlwy
Bridge over the Afon Dulas at Penpontbren Junction, between the Cambrian Rlwy and Manchester & Milford, and earthworks of the latter towards Llangurig.
Glanyrafon Holt, where the road now uses the railway bridge over the Rhydyclwydau Brook
 

CaptainHaddock

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The bridge over the river Trent at Torksey - it last carried a train in November 1959 but it is still there. https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3033304,-0.7475168,560m/data=!3m1!1e3

And a few miles South of Torksey is Fledborough Viaduct, now a cycle route over the Trent.

1897951_0afdc628.jpg


I went over it on Saturday and it's not only very impressive but also a great way to avoid the dangerous A57!
 

Springs Branch

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Just north of Wigan, close to built-up areas but well hidden from view, are the remains of two substantial viaducts known as Twenty Bridges and Thirteen Bridges. These used to carry two different railway lines across the same part of the River Douglas valley.

Twenty Bridges was on the Whelley Loop, south of Standish Junction.
I believe the whole bridge deck is still intact, but overgrown, un-maintained and fenced off. Picture of viaduct in happier days at this link: https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=3&id=5268

The nearby Thirteen Bridges was on the Boars Head to Adlington line.
The bridge deck has now gone, but substantial brick pillars are left, known locally as "the dominoes". This is shown here: https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=8&id=14334

Apparently both bridges are now difficult to photograph in their entirety due to encroaching trees.
 

Meole

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A 5 level crossing by Park Hall between Gobowen and Oswestry.
Pemaenpool station and signal box on the Dolgellau/Morfa cycle route.
 

Islineclear3_1

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Loads of old goods sheds sold to private companies

There's an old signal post just north of Newhaven Town that was probably last used in the 1960s or 1970s

A concrete signal post near the Arundel triangle

I think there is still an old semaphore junction bracket in situ at Stone Cross, in advance of an old triangle of lines near Eastbourne

Lots of redundant signal boxes too: Canterbury East, Ramsgate, Berwick and Bexhill spring to mind - sure there are hundreds more
 

6026KingJohn

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Around 1850 when the GWR extended its services to Birmingham it was intended to use Curzon Street Station jointly with the LNWR and a viaduct was constructed from Bordesley towards the station. The LNWR objected to this, partly on congestion grounds, but mainly due to the difference in gauge (GWR still being 7'). The GWR then continued into Snow Hill station (originally known as Livery Street).
This is a screenshot from Google Earth showing the viaduct today. Not only was it never used, I don't think track was even laid. So this is probably not so much disused but unused.
Disused viaduct.jpg
 

AM9

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How about this:
Sedgford Station in west Norfolk: Street view of Sedgeford Station It is difficult to see the station and signal box now but the picture on the Wikipedia article is better: Wikipedia Page for Sedgeford Station
The station was in use for passengers in 1952 and the line used for freight until 1964. I sort of know the people who live there who have kept the structure of the signal box in good condition.
 

Mikey C

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The Millwall Viaduct on the Isle of Dogs. Closed in 1926, reopened in 1986 for the DLR Island Gardens Branch, then closed again when the line was sent under the river in a tunnel!
 

vlad

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There is a lot of disused railway infrastructure still extant - this thread could go on for years if we kept coming up with examples. ;)

How about disused railway infrastructure that's now used for other purposes? For example, Newton Cap Viaduct on the line from Bishop Auckland to Durham now carries the A689, whilst Swainsley Tunnel in the Manifold Valley now has a minor road running through it.
 

GLC

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There is a lot of disused railway infrastructure still extant - this thread could go on for years if we kept coming up with examples. ;)

How about disused railway infrastructure that's now used for other purposes? For example, Newton Cap Viaduct on the line from Bishop Auckland to Durham now carries the A689, whilst Swainsley Tunnel in the Manifold Valley now has a minor road running through it.
In this vein, Connel Bridge was originally used for railway traffic, but is now a single lane road bridge

1200px-Connel_Bridge_by_Memestorm.jpeg

Picture taken from Wikipedia
 

Crawley Ben

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Crawley signal box still stands despite being taken out of use in 1986.

I believe it's now in the care of a preservation society who hold/have held open days (not currently for obvious reasons)

Ben
 

Trainfan2019

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Must be loads of unused forgotten railway bits and pieces around.

Some that spring to mind are:

Overgrown siding at Congleton
Numerous long overgrown sidings around Stoke and Longport stations
Platforms still present at the long abandoned hope valley station (Buxworth?)
Platform still present (and a 'way out' sign) at Ramsline Halt station in Derby
Overgrown sidings/tracks (Sheffield bound side) at Grindleford and Edale
VT 4/5 car sign on Kidsgrove platform 2 (did Virgin ever stop here?)
 

Altrincham

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I’m intrigued to find out how much infrastructure is still in place (but hidden by undergrowth) on the line from Skelton Junction to Partington. I remember the line when it was still used by freight in the late 1980s as I had a great view of it from South Trafford College.
 

joebassman

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Wooden viaduct at wickam bishop's near witham in essex on the old malden branch line which I believe is the only surviving wooden viaduct in the uk. It has recently or will be fully restored
Wickham_Bishops_railway_viaduct.jpg

Malden East station. For years was used as a restaurant. Now used as industrial storage

maldon-east-station-1.jpg

Overgrown platforms at Laxden in Suffolk on the mid Suffolk light railway closed in 1952

Laxfield_railway_station.jpeg

Viaduct in Haverhill fir the colne valley railway which carried trains to Haverhill south station which closed to passengers in 1926 when all passenger trains were diverted to haverhill north

PRODPIC-709.jpg
 

joebassman

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Clare railway station suffolk on the stour valley railway now used as a rangers station

Clare_railway_station_in_2008.jpg

Framlingham station building. Now used as offices next to the railway pub. The goods shed was still standing in a dilapidated state but I believe this has now been knocked down to make way for housing

1280px-The_Former_Railway_Station,_Framlingham_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1909559.jpg
 

DelW

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Wooden viaduct at wickam bishop's near witham in essex on the old malden branch line which I believe is the only surviving wooden viaduct in the uk. It has recently or will be fully restored
While it's an interesting survivor, I think Barmouth bridge might rate more highly in the wooden viaduct category :)
 
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