Weeds on the Golden Valley Line

[Phil from Mon]

Just back from a trip to Kemble on the Golden Valley Line. I was amazed how much weed growth there was, on the down line in particular, between the tunnels and Stroud. In places you couldn’t see the sleepers at all, and weeds were encroaching over the tops of the rails. I have seen sidings like that but never a main line - is there any particular reason why it is so bad there?

 

[Mugby]

Last time I travelled, vegetation was bad at the Swindon end too. There were trees and bushes scratching the side of the train as it rounded the curve into Swindon station.

 

[Pete_uk]

The viaduct on the Swindon end of Stroud. The one the other side where the end of the station is situated is not quite as bad.

Zoom in on the picture!

 

[Phil from Mon]

The viaduct on the Swindon end of Stroud. The one the other side where the end of the station is situated is not quite as bad.

Zoom in on the picture!

Blimey!

 

[gazthomas]

The viaduct on the Swindon end of Stroud. The one the other side where the end of the station is situated is not quite as bad.

Zoom in on the picture!

That must be damaging the fabric of the viaduct surely?

 

[Stroud Valleys]

Here's a screenshot from the railway bridge on the A419 in Chalford on the golden valley. The rails are like this for a good couple of miles in the valley between Stroud and the tunnels

 

[dk1]

MPVs have been touring East Anglian lines spraying in the last couple of weeks.

 

[daodao]

I thought the Golden Valley line was the long-closed branch from Pontrilas to Y Gelli/Hay-on-Wye, running through the valley of the River Dore in western Herefordshire close to Offa's Dyke. It was actually a misnomer, as Dore is derived from the word dŵr (Cymraeg), meaning water, rather than the French d'or.

 

[Phil from Mon]

I thought the Golden Valley line was the long-closed branch from Pontrilas to Y Gelli/Hay-on-Wye, running through the valley of the River Dore in western Herefordshire close to Offa's Dyke. It was actually a misnomer, as Dore is derived from the word dŵr (Cymraeg), meaning water, rather than the French d'or.

I think they are / were both called that.

 

[4141]

"It is widely believed that the name of the Golden Valley came from the beauty of the valley that stretched from Chalford up through Ashmeads to Sapperton. The name was attributed to Queen Victoria who in her initial days as sovereign travelled through the valley on the railway."
http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co....vid_King__Five_Valleys_history_by_David_King/

Other origins are probably available though......and the A40 between Cheltenham and Gloucester is known as the "Golden Valley Bypass", the name referring to the Staverton area...

 

[james60059]

Funny you mention weeds, coming back on the service from Leicester to Nuneaton on Thursday Evening, as we were passing South Wigston I noticed that the line running from Wigston South to Glen Parva Junctions was partly weeded over, don't think much uses it these days though ...

 

[daodao]

"It is widely believed that the name of the Golden Valley came from the beauty of the valley that stretched from Chalford up through Ashmeads to Sapperton. The name was attributed to Queen Victoria who in her initial days as sovereign travelled through the valley on the railway."
http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co....vid_King__Five_Valleys_history_by_David_King/

I have only travelled on the line via Stroud once, in 1999, when the South Wales-bound IC125 I was travelling one was unexpectedly diverted via Gloucester. My recollection is of an industrial landscape with lots of stone-built textile mills - it reminded me of the West Riding and seemed unlike the rest of the Cotswolds (yet another tautological misnomer) - I note that Stroud has a Labour MP.

 

[4141]

I have only travelled on the line via Stroud once, in 1999, when the South Wales-bound IC125 I was travelling one was unexpectedly diverted via Gloucester. My recollection is of an industrial landscape with lots of stone-built textile mills - it reminded me of the West Riding and seemed unlike the rest of the Cotswolds (yet another tautological misnomer) - I note that Stroud has a Labour MP.

Yep, that's one of the other possible origins of the name, from the wealth created by the textile trade...it's all to do with the ready supply of water, but many of those mills are now apartments!

 

[snowball]

I mentioned in a previous thread that there are numerous places in the UK called Golden Valley, possibly a dozen.

 

[Mag_seven]

I mentioned in a previous thread that there are numerous places in the UK called Golden Valley, possibly a dozen.

Maybe this one should be called "Green Valley"

 

[Dieseldriver]

Regarding the excessive weeds between Sapperton Tunnel and Stroud, apparently its due to a water course below the trackbed which means weed killing is prohibited due to it contaminating the water.

 

[Phil from Mon]

Regarding the excessive weeds between Sapperton Tunnel and Stroud, apparently its due to a water course below the trackbed which means weed killing is prohibited due to it contaminating the water.

I guessed it must be something like that. Can’t they be flamed off? If not, I suppose the only other control measure would be to pull them out - you can’t plough a trackbed!

 

[curly42]

Here's the view from Chalford Bridge,with a passing train -

https://www.flickr.com/photos/curly42/40981476925/in/dateposted-public/

 

[Crossover]

I noticed the greenery in the 4 foot when I travelled over the line a few weeks ago

 

[Mag_seven]

Regarding the excessive weeds between Sapperton Tunnel and Stroud, apparently its due to a water course below the trackbed which means weed killing is prohibited due to it contaminating the water.

But why now? I used to commute on that line in the 90's and it wasn't as bad as it is now?

 

[PHILIPE]

Bring back the ganger who with his gang was proud of his length

 

[Pete_uk]

Here's the view from Chalford Bridge,with a passing train -

https://www.flickr.com/photos/curly42/40981476925/in/dateposted-public/

No way! That's disgusting. The railway cris crosses both the River Frome and the Thames and Severn canal. There are quite a few springs which come down from the steep valley sides, under the railway then into either the canal or river.

In my picture above, if you get a little closer with a zoom camera in winter you can see where the brickwork is starting to be pushed up. The whole line from Standish Junction up at least as far as Brimscome has been subject to some heavy duty weed clearances.

 

[Envoy]

The growth is probably more induced here because the tracks are often partially shaded = damp = ideal growing conditions.

 

[PHILIPE]

No way! That's disgusting. The railway cris crosses both the River Frome and the Thames and Severn canal. There are quite a few springs which come down from the steep valley sides, under the railway then into either the canal or river.

In my picture above, if you get a little closer with a zoom camera in winter you can see where the brickwork is starting to be pushed up. The whole line from Standish Junction up at least as far as Brimscome has been subject to some heavy duty weed clearances.

That's the Chalford Forest

 

[father_jack]

The H&S reps will get involved when it gets particularly bad. Was sent this photo, platform 2 at Bristol- fixed within days.....

 

[Mintona]

The lime between Chalford and St Mary’s Crossing gets like that each summer. As noted above, it’s due to a natural water course being right below the railway, and the resultant ban on weedkiller.

I don’t think there’s any great hazard with it, once it gets to slippy season in the autumn it will have all died away again.

 

[Pete_uk]

Further to my viaduct picture up thread, I was passing the viaduct again today after a walk up the valley (and seeing more 800's than I could wave a stick at!) and saw this scene below. Who says Network Rail don't read these forums

 

[Dhassell]

Could be worse, there was Tomato Plants growing in Platform 2 track at Weston-Super-Mare Station some point last year...

(Photo taken from Twitter).

 

[4141]

Could be worse, there was Tomato Plants growing in Platform 2 track at Weston-Super-Mare Station some point last year...
View attachment 48962
(Photo taken from Twitter).

Could be worse, there was Tomato Plants growing in Platform 2 track at Weston-Super-Mare Station some point last year...
View attachment 48962
(Photo taken from Twitter).

Obviously originally naturally fertilised - a quick Google shows quite a few similar occurences, including Swindon!

 

[deltic08]

I thought vegetation was kept in check because the roots affected the performance of the ballast to move with the passage of trains.