Common Lane Level Crossing in 1969 Copyright Derek Buttivant.
Derek kindly gave us the above picture saying that he had come across the crossing when on a walk with friends in the Stalbridge area. However it wasn't at Stalbridge itself as the station there had double level crossing gates. Further detective work using 'Google Earth Street View' resulted in Common Lane Crossing, this is north of Stalbridge station site, about a mile south of Templecombe being a likely location. However, the house currently at Common Lane does not match with the property above - it is much bigger. A letter to the Gartell Light Railway brought a quick reply from John Penny which makes very interesting reading and is reproduced below.
Dear Keith, Your letter was passed onto me and I can definitely confirm that it is COMMON LANE CROSSING, the first crossing south of Templecombe. It is taken looking south , the house unfortunately did not survive as during rebuilding the walls became unstable due to there being no foundations!!! However a replica house was constructed, but double the size with two gables and a replica porch in the same location as the old. The GLR now crosses the road at the old location on our new northern extension , I attach a photo of the same location today. The other location you were thinking of PARK LANE CROSSING on our southern route still has the gate posts, one kissing gate but unfortunately the house is long gone. Also in the picture above is the sleeper built PW hut, it was only two years ago when we installed a new gate that we finally removed the last of the sleepers that formed the rear wall of the hut.
Regards C.J.Penny GLR Many thanks to John for this information and for both of the photographs below.
Dear Keith, Your letter was passed onto me and I can definitely confirm that it is COMMON LANE CROSSING, the first crossing south of Templecombe. It is taken looking south , the house unfortunately did not survive as during rebuilding the walls became unstable due to there being no foundations!!! However a replica house was constructed, but double the size with two gables and a replica porch in the same location as the old. The GLR now crosses the road at the old location on our new northern extension , I attach a photo of the same location today. The other location you were thinking of PARK LANE CROSSING on our southern route still has the gate posts, one kissing gate but unfortunately the house is long gone. Also in the picture above is the sleeper built PW hut, it was only two years ago when we installed a new gate that we finally removed the last of the sleepers that formed the rear wall of the hut.
Regards C.J.Penny GLR Many thanks to John for this information and for both of the photographs below.
This is a photograph of a photograph taken by John Penny in 1972. Already the weeds have started to take a firm hold. Note the post which appears in both views. Copyright
A much more recent view of Common Lane Level Crossing which is once again a level crossing as the 2' gauge metals of the Gartell Light Railway stride out northwards over the crossing towards their new station at Tower View. Copyright John Penny.
Another visit by the Cornwall Railway Society to the Gartell Light Railway is already in our provisional programme for 2016.