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Trivia: Disused Railway Infrastructure that is still visible today

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Dr_Paul

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Perhaps we might refine the list to railway infrastructure that became disused prior to 1900 and can still be seen. Otherwise we'll be here all year.

One I know from my young days is the remains of the Barnes Bridge to Mortlake curve at Barnes. There is still an arch over a back alley between Archway Street and Brookwood Avenue, although most of the embankment was removed after the line was abandoned in 1869. This map shows the curve in situ; this map shows the disused arch.

An even older one is the Great Chesterford to Six Mile Bottom formation, some of which can still be seen, as on this map. Opened in 1848, this line was abandoned in 1851 when it was decided to run services to Newmarket via Cambridge. It must rank as one of the shortest-lived lines.

The last time I was up in North Wales, quite a bit of the Gorseddau Tramway's formation was visible; this map shows most of it. It ran westwards from Porthmadog and turned to the north to serve quarries. Nearly all this line had closed by 1900; the eastern end was incorporated into the Croesor Tramway.
 
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Trainfan2019

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I'm sure the platforms are still in place at Killamarsh Central station which closed in the mid 1960s.
 

joebassman

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While it's an interesting survivor, I think Barmouth bridge might rate more highly in the wooden viaduct category :)

It's the only wooden trestle bridge still surviving. There were some in Devon and Cornwall apparently but they are no more
 

Cletus

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Barmouth Bridge was described as "Trigger's Broom" on the Yesterday channel's Railway Architecture programme the other week :smile:
 

oddiesjack

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There is quite a lot of the old Peak Forest Tramway between Buxworth and Peak Dale still around, including many stone sleepers, and the 2nd oldest railway tunnel in the world, though this is under threat.
Not far away, in the Whaley Bridge area, there is quite a lot of the Cromford & High Peak infrastructure still visible, including on the Shallcross to Ladmanlow section that closed in the 1890s
 

Railwaysceptic

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A year or so ago I was in Woodford Halse and the overhead railway bridge was still in place. The GCR station has completely gone, replaced by housing in a small close. I wonder why the bridge has been left untouched.
 

507 001

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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

Quite a bit of the Former Ballachulish branch remains. There is the Connel bridge as you have mentioned, the pillars of the originally rail-only Creagan bridge (now with a new road deck), a fair bit of the track bed, station buildings at Creagan, Kentallen and Ballachulish, most of the bridges, platforms at Appin and Creagan etc.
 

_toommm_

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Penistone Station is an interesting one, with the disused pair of platforms (previously part of the Woodhead Route from Sheffield Victoria to Manchester London Road (now Piccadilly)) still in existence behind the station. They’ve been fenced off but still clearly visible, with the line now used as part of the TransPennine Trail, and the old station building being used as offices and a wine cellar IIRC. There’s some history on it in this article:

 

FGW_DID

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In Witney, on the GWR Fairford Branch, the old Station Master’s house is still standing and in use as a private residence. They have a “totem” style nameplate next to their gate.
Also still standing is the former Goods Shed built by the Witney Railway. This area was the original station. There is nothing left of the “new” station which was built on the extension of the line to Fairford.

C3DA59F2-E425-489A-8E6C-9B11464DAAAB.jpeg54AA0BEC-7217-42AB-822E-F2F43C76C628.jpegD1E818D7-74B9-4D5F-8A78-97A67B76B60F.jpeg
 

Ash Bridge

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Lots of redundant electrification masts from when the Woodhead Route existed. Most of the railway used to be four-track so there are vast swathes of unused gantries, including going round to Guide Bridge Yard and (at least a small way) to Stalybridge.
There’s also clear remnants of where Hadfield used to be two platforms, and where Dinting used to be four.

And if I may add, just beyond Hadfield station in the former Sheffield direction is a still standing multi aspect colour light signal now almost lost in the overgrown foliage waiting patiently for that class 76 that will never again come....
 

Jagdpanther

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How about something that is still there but no longer standing? Lands/Haggerleases Viaduct in Co Durham took the Bishop Auckland to Barnard Castle/Stainmore line over the S&D Haggerleases branch. When the line closed the girder structure was removed but several years later the supporting stone pillars were deemed unsafe and blown up by the army. The huge abuttments and one pillar remain but the destroyed pillars still lie strewn across the valley floor
 

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alex17595

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Theres an engine house and platform building at Dinting. The shed was last used by the Dinting Railway centre in 1991. Platform building is nothing more than a ruin and theres some other random buildings dotted around the site.

0Lhev1R.jpg

ef2QpSo.jpg
 

Mcr Warrior

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And if I may add, just beyond Hadfield station in the former Sheffield direction is a still standing multi aspect colour light signal now almost lost in the overgrown foliage waiting patiently for that class 76 that will never again come....
Interesting! Not seen that. Any pics available?
 

Bobdogs

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There is quite a lot of the old Peak Forest Tramway between Buxworth and Peak Dale still around, including many stone sleepers, and the 2nd oldest railway tunnel in the world, though this is under threat.
Not far away, in the Whaley Bridge area, there is quite a lot of the Cromford & High Peak infrastructure still visible, including on the Shallcross to Ladmanlow section that closed in the 1890s
Your mention of stone sleepers reminded me of a walk I did along the line of the Brinore tramway which led from Tal-y-Bont on Usk wharf on the Brecon canal over the Beacons to Trefil.
From the wharf you can follow a public football where you can still see the original stone sleepers
 

james60059

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Part of the embankment of the Hinckley - Stoke Golding line is still visible alongside the A5, where the current Nuneaton - Leicester line crosses, is still visible, part of the formation is still visible alongside the Tesco Hinckley RDC too.
 

PeterC

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One of my favourite walks includes part of the alignment of the tramway that served the Blorenge Quarries near Abergavenny. As these ceased production around 1805 it is probably one of the oldest features in an area rich in industrial archeology.
 

Mcr Warrior

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I can't ascertain exactly when this image (forth one down) was taken and I do recall that foliage had rather more but not completely obscured it when I last visited but this is the gantry in question.

That'll be about where the Longdendale Trail, which now runs along the former Woodhead Line trackbed (i.e. to the East of Hadfield station) now starts. Will have a look next time I'm in the area, but as you say, anything remaining is likely to be shrouded in over three decades' worth of vegetation.
 

Ash Bridge

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That'll be about where the Longdendale Trail, which now runs along the former Woodhead Line trackbed (i.e. to the East of Hadfield station) now starts. Will have a look next time I'm in the area, but as you say, anything remaining is likely to be shrouded in over three decades' worth of vegetation.

If you do manage to get up that way at some point I would appreciate it if you could give an update on the current situation at Hadfield @Mcr Warrior cheers!
 

AMD

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How about a railway cutting dug in 1847, but never saw any rails?
 

Merle Haggard

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I hope this doesn't duplicate an earlier posts- couldn't see one. The Towcester - Ravenstone Wood Jct line (Northamptonshire) later part of the S.M.J. had a service for about 3 months ca 1870s - using loco and stock hired from the LNWR. It is a sparsely populated area, but well built stations were provided at Stoke Bruerne and in Salcey Forest/Yardley Chase. The one at Stoke Bruerne still survives as a private house; I think that the one in the forest (in a very remote spot) similarly remains it was certainly there in the 1960s.
 

4COR

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How about a railway cutting dug in 1847, but never saw any rails?

Similarly there's various remnants of the never completed Ouse Valley Railway (LBSCR) from the Brighton Main Line to Uckfield (and thence beyond to Polgate). Construction (including bridges (or bits of them!) and embankments still extant) started May 1866; abandoned Feb 1867.
 

Worm

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I read a post somewhere in this thread where the poster mentioned that there are derelict tracks in the woods around Todmorden, anyone know of any pictures of these?
 

trainmania100

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West Grinstead station was closed in 1960s from beechings axe
The platforms are still there, part of the downs link bridleway.
A semaphore signal has been erected, and replicate platform station signs fitted. Just at the end of the platform, a short tunnel.
A short walk away, a MK1 coach sits peacefully, miles away from the Arun valley line.
Was planning on going last week but turns out the carpark at west Grinstead is being resurfaced...
 

adc82140

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The Newton Abbot signal gantry in the Brunel retail park. I'm not sure if this is exactly in its original position, but the retail park is built on the site of the old sheds.

2902080_0b790675.jpg

(not my image)
 

Mcr Warrior

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Always have wondered how much disused rails are worth as metal scrap; there's still lots of abandoned track around the network that's never been lifted (with trees and shrubbery growing through the sleepers) for example on the Manchester Victoria -> Leeds line, near Todmorden.
I read a post somewhere in this thread where the poster mentioned that there are derelict tracks in the woods around Todmorden, anyone know of any pictures of these?
That was me. Reckon that it was a section of old sidings in the triangle between Todmorden Viaduct Junction and Hall Royd Junction. Anyone able to assist?
 
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