With every best wish to everybody for the coming year, especially to the many who contribute with high quality material. The website is kept going by your entries so please keep them coming. Many thanks to all of you and the best of health for 2022.
Grogley happenings
Andrew and Diane Jones
Andrew and Diane Jones
Please find attached recent photographs taken at Grogley. Cornwall Council has continued to upgrade the Camel Trail and the pre Christmas flail has truly uncovered the original profile of the railway formation.
Grogley Halt appeared in 1906 relatively late in railway history adjacent the hamlet of nearby Brocton. Lightly used at the best of times it mainly served the numerous market gardens and small farms. I suppose Grogley was more famous for its junction with the Ruthernbridge Branch line which survived for almost a century closing in 1933, however but for fate a useful direct link to Fowey would have been possible, but at considerable cost and difficult to justify even in the Railway Mania period.
The original mainline connection was altered in 1888 when a northern short deviation through a rock cutting reduced the flood risk.
Photograph 1 illustrates the original southerly route to the left of the prominent tree and the later deviation to the right.
A considerable amount of excavation was required for the deviation and photograph 2 shows the rock cutting and depth. No mean feat even in the 1880’s, I have often wondered why it was not tunnelled, but given that the whole of North Cornwall’s difficult terrain only had one at Trelill I suppose it must have been cheaper to excavate.
I can remember even in railway days this cutting was very wet and the drainage was always difficult. Cornwall Council has recently ditched and improved the original run off but the area is still vulnerable to flooding.
Bee hives were kept in the quarry opposite the halt even throughout railway operation.
To finish with, just a little bit of New year fun, a near neighbour has built a not to accurate replica of Grogley Halt for a wood shed, the original was situated 800 yards behind, but unfortunately only the platform still exists minus its original soil access slope and gate.
Due to a recent mishap parking at Grogley is no longer permitted but pedestrian access is still possible over the Ruthernbridge railway crossing
Very best wishes Andrew and Diane
Grogley Halt appeared in 1906 relatively late in railway history adjacent the hamlet of nearby Brocton. Lightly used at the best of times it mainly served the numerous market gardens and small farms. I suppose Grogley was more famous for its junction with the Ruthernbridge Branch line which survived for almost a century closing in 1933, however but for fate a useful direct link to Fowey would have been possible, but at considerable cost and difficult to justify even in the Railway Mania period.
The original mainline connection was altered in 1888 when a northern short deviation through a rock cutting reduced the flood risk.
Photograph 1 illustrates the original southerly route to the left of the prominent tree and the later deviation to the right.
A considerable amount of excavation was required for the deviation and photograph 2 shows the rock cutting and depth. No mean feat even in the 1880’s, I have often wondered why it was not tunnelled, but given that the whole of North Cornwall’s difficult terrain only had one at Trelill I suppose it must have been cheaper to excavate.
I can remember even in railway days this cutting was very wet and the drainage was always difficult. Cornwall Council has recently ditched and improved the original run off but the area is still vulnerable to flooding.
Bee hives were kept in the quarry opposite the halt even throughout railway operation.
To finish with, just a little bit of New year fun, a near neighbour has built a not to accurate replica of Grogley Halt for a wood shed, the original was situated 800 yards behind, but unfortunately only the platform still exists minus its original soil access slope and gate.
Due to a recent mishap parking at Grogley is no longer permitted but pedestrian access is still possible over the Ruthernbridge railway crossing
Very best wishes Andrew and Diane
1 Original formation to the left of tree and deviation to the right looking towards Wadebridge. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones
2 Grogley deviation looking toward Bodmin and the halt showing depth of rock cutting. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones
3 General view of Grogley from the Halt looking west towards Wadebridge. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones
4 Isn't this charming? A near neighbours Grogley Halt replica used as a wood shed. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones
Many thanks indeed to you Andrew and of course to Diane.
Long may you keep up your contributions to our website - they are very much appreciated by one and all. Happy 2022.
Long may you keep up your contributions to our website - they are very much appreciated by one and all. Happy 2022.
Westerns on Shed
New Years Eve 1975
Roger Winnen
New Years Eve 1975
Roger Winnen
751231a D1041 Western Prince still with us today (preserved) at Long Rock Shed. Copyright Roger Winnen
751231b D1051 Western Ambassador in Long Rock Shed on 31st December 1975. Copyright Roger Winnen
New years Eve 2021
Long Rock
Dennis Clarke
Long Rock
Dennis Clarke
A few pictures from Long Rock taken this lunchtime. 57603, 43010 and 43094 present. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy 2022. Really appreciate all the work that goes into the website, Best Regards, Dennis
Long Rock -31st December 2021 Copyright Dennis Clarks
Long Rock -31st December 2021 Copyright Dennis Clarks
Long Rock -31st December 2021 Copyright Dennis Clarks
Many thanks Dennis
Long time ago - 1981 - near miss at
Bristol
Paul Barlow
Bristol
Paul Barlow
Our very good friend and contributor was out and about and sharp eyed enough to capture a near miss at Bristol Temple Meads. On the 23rd July 1981 a near miss occurred when at Bristol Temple Meads 45004 Royal Irish Fusilier on 0637 Leeds to Paignton was wrongly platformed on a collision course with a class 33. A quick thinking driver avoided hitting 33012 waiting to depart for Cardiff 0853 ex Southampton service. The Peak reversed out and re-entered into platfform 10/11. could have been a very serious incident for both trains and indeed had an impact occurred for Paul himself being so close.
1981_07_23 Near miss Bristol Temple Meads 45004 Royal Irish Fusilier on 0637 Leeds to Paignton. A quick thinking driver avoided . 23rd July 1981. Copyright Paul Barlow
Many thanks for bringing this to our attention - keep up the good work and a very Happy New Year to you and Alison.
Radley
Ron Kosys
Ron Kosys
47540 and 50026 are seen at Radley with the 1F14 11.15 Sundays Paddington to Oxford on the 18th June 1989. Copyright Ron Kosys.
Many thanks to you Ron. Here's wishing you a return to completely good health in 2022.
More Railway Civil Engineering
Richard Watts
Richard Watts
Dear Keith,
I’m glad you liked the video. The female voice at the beginning and end were of John Bolton’s (the producer’s) wife, Mandy. She records talking books and professional voiceovers.
If you wish to sample two of our previous railway-connected civil engineering videos (if you haven’t already seen them), you can find them via the following links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNqc09qilfw "The Gulf Oil Refinery Branch Line”
deals with the practical and more technical aspects of the work.
https://youtu.be/zEPnBQQ5C64 "Gulf Oil Line Part 2 - Tales of the Past"
contains interviews with some of the people who worked on its construction and some of the less official goings-on.
Best wishes for 2022.
Richard
- - - - Just in case you missed our first mention of the video "Cowley Bridge Junction Railways Rivers and Floods". Here is the link once again DON'T MISS IT -a superb video.
We have now completed our video, “Cowley Bridge Junction: Rivers, Railways & Floods”. It is now on YouTube; the link is:
https://youtu.be/KIPyESW5S70
We hope you find it interesting and that you will be able to post the link on the Cornwall Railway Society website. I assume it will be relevant to the Society’s interests!
With best wishes for 2022,
Richard Watts & John Bolton.
I’m glad you liked the video. The female voice at the beginning and end were of John Bolton’s (the producer’s) wife, Mandy. She records talking books and professional voiceovers.
If you wish to sample two of our previous railway-connected civil engineering videos (if you haven’t already seen them), you can find them via the following links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNqc09qilfw "The Gulf Oil Refinery Branch Line”
deals with the practical and more technical aspects of the work.
https://youtu.be/zEPnBQQ5C64 "Gulf Oil Line Part 2 - Tales of the Past"
contains interviews with some of the people who worked on its construction and some of the less official goings-on.
Best wishes for 2022.
Richard
- - - - Just in case you missed our first mention of the video "Cowley Bridge Junction Railways Rivers and Floods". Here is the link once again DON'T MISS IT -a superb video.
We have now completed our video, “Cowley Bridge Junction: Rivers, Railways & Floods”. It is now on YouTube; the link is:
https://youtu.be/KIPyESW5S70
We hope you find it interesting and that you will be able to post the link on the Cornwall Railway Society website. I assume it will be relevant to the Society’s interests!
With best wishes for 2022,
Richard Watts & John Bolton.