The Humble Railway Fence
Michael L Roach
Michael L Roach
GREAT WESTERN FENCING Michael L. Roach
For much of its existence the Great Western Railway used post and wire fencing to mark its boundary and keep out people and animals. The wire would have been bought in from a supplier but the wooden fence posts were made in house from second-hand timber sleepers. The sleepers were cut in half longitudinally and mitred at one end. The fence had the advantage of being easy to erect and individual wires and posts could be replaced as necessary.
In the 1930s the GWR started experimenting with precast concrete fence posts instead of timber, and this type later became the standard fence posts after nationalisation. British Railways erected millions of concrete fence posts in the 1950s and 1960s and timber posts gradually disappeared from the railway scene. However Great Western timber post and wire fencing can still be found in a few places mostly on disused railway lines. In the attached photos we see a typical Great Western post and wire fence still extant in 2015 on the approach to a bridge over a main line.
For much of its existence the Great Western Railway used post and wire fencing to mark its boundary and keep out people and animals. The wire would have been bought in from a supplier but the wooden fence posts were made in house from second-hand timber sleepers. The sleepers were cut in half longitudinally and mitred at one end. The fence had the advantage of being easy to erect and individual wires and posts could be replaced as necessary.
In the 1930s the GWR started experimenting with precast concrete fence posts instead of timber, and this type later became the standard fence posts after nationalisation. British Railways erected millions of concrete fence posts in the 1950s and 1960s and timber posts gradually disappeared from the railway scene. However Great Western timber post and wire fencing can still be found in a few places mostly on disused railway lines. In the attached photos we see a typical Great Western post and wire fence still extant in 2015 on the approach to a bridge over a main line.
All photographs are the Copyright of Michael L Roach
Many Thanks Michael
Vegetation Report
Cowley Bridge
Paul Barlow
Cowley Bridge
Paul Barlow
A couple of shots to show how vegetation has obscured some view points at Cowley Bridge Junction. 39 years separates the photographs. In 1981 I managed to catch the trip working from Lapford to Exeter Shellstar /UKF fertilizer train. This was off the Ince and Elton to Friary working. In 2020 from the same position it is virtually impossible to see anything of the railway at all!
Hope all is well, Kind regards, Paul Barlow
Your message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Cowley Bridge 15 July 2020
20 July 1981 33 UKF fertilizer Lapford Cowley Bridge Junction
Hope all is well, Kind regards, Paul Barlow
Your message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Cowley Bridge 15 July 2020
20 July 1981 33 UKF fertilizer Lapford Cowley Bridge Junction
20 July 1981 33013 Shellstar fertilizer Lapford to Exeter Cowley Bridge Jct . Copyright Paul Barlow.
Cowley Bridge Junction 15th July 2020. Copyright Paul Barlow.
Very many thanks Paul
The cats at
Grogley Halt
Andrew and Diane Jones
Grogley Halt
Andrew and Diane Jones
Dear Keith and Valerie, please find a slightly quirky article from the Cornish Guardian.4th August 1960.Best wishes Andrew and Diane
Grogley Halt as seen on the 1st June 1974 Copyright Trevor Tremethick. Unfortunately no cats and no shelter.
The important point is, were the cats still about when the line closed to regular traffic or did they suffer a catastrophe!!
Many thanks Andrew and Diane.
Many thanks Andrew and Diane.