NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 17
Halberton Halt 03.10.1964
Michael L. Roach
In Part 16, I described how I travelled from Plymouth to Tiverton on Saturday 3 October 1964 to witness and photograph the last day of passenger services from Tiverton Junction. The branch was originally broad gauge, 4¾ miles long and was opened in 1848 by the Bristol and Exeter Railway. Journey time was 12 minutes. Roughly half way between the town of Tiverton and the Junction was the village of Halberton, then on the A373, and half a mile north of the railway. The village had to wait 79 years after the opening of the branch before a halt was eventually provide to serve the village. It was the Great Western Railway which provided the short platform during their great halt-building era, to counter road competition.
The unstaffed platform was 109 feet (33 metres) long and had two relatively rare and unusual features. The platform and its waiting shelter were placed directly beneath an overbridge carrying a minor road south from the village, which provided a good walking or cycling route from village to halt. Immediately to the west of the halt, between the track and the railway fence was an orchard extending westwards for several hundred metres. Whether the orchard was deliberately planted or resulted from a regular passenger throwing their apple core out of the window at a similar spot each day is not known. I suspect the latter.
I stayed at Tiverton Station for half an hour and then set out to walk the 2¼ miles (net) to Halberton Halt, probably staying on the minor roads to the south of the railway line. A couple of shots from occupation bridges and then I was at the halt. There was room for the halt under the bridge because the overbridge had been built wide enough for double track which never materialised. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon with lots of sunshine. To the west of the halt the line was in a shallow cutting which has now been filled in and restored to the field it was before construction of the railway. The road bridge remains in-situ. All the trains in this part consist of 1450 and one auto-coach (W228).
The unstaffed platform was 109 feet (33 metres) long and had two relatively rare and unusual features. The platform and its waiting shelter were placed directly beneath an overbridge carrying a minor road south from the village, which provided a good walking or cycling route from village to halt. Immediately to the west of the halt, between the track and the railway fence was an orchard extending westwards for several hundred metres. Whether the orchard was deliberately planted or resulted from a regular passenger throwing their apple core out of the window at a similar spot each day is not known. I suspect the latter.
I stayed at Tiverton Station for half an hour and then set out to walk the 2¼ miles (net) to Halberton Halt, probably staying on the minor roads to the south of the railway line. A couple of shots from occupation bridges and then I was at the halt. There was room for the halt under the bridge because the overbridge had been built wide enough for double track which never materialised. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon with lots of sunshine. To the west of the halt the line was in a shallow cutting which has now been filled in and restored to the field it was before construction of the railway. The road bridge remains in-situ. All the trains in this part consist of 1450 and one auto-coach (W228).
In this photo I am stood on an occupation bridge about one third of a mile west of the Halt and the train is going away from me towards Tiverton. Note the apple trees and the shallow cutting. The time is 3.39pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
I have moved eastwards to a second overbridge and am looking east towards the Halt, and again the train is going away from me. The cutting is a bit deeper here, and was necessary because just behind me a short distance away the railway passed beneath the Grand Western Canal dating from 1814. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The auto-train enters Halberton Halt on the 4.15pm from the Junction to Tiverton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The same train leaves the Halt for Tiverton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1450 propels the 4.15pm away from the Halt. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Halberton Halt looking east towards Tiverton Junction. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1450 approaches Halberton Halt with the 4.35pm from Tiverton which I caught back to the Junction. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A Western Crossing
The Royal Albert Bridge 9th Feb 1974 Roger Winnen
The Royal Albert Bridge 9th Feb 1974 Roger Winnen
740209zd The up Cornishman coming off the Royal Albert Bridge. Copyright Roger Winnen
Swindon Works 19th May 1979
Michael Adams
Michael Adams
Hello Roger, here are two pictures taken by Michael Adams at Swindon works, firstly showing D1041 ‘Western Prince’,the loco’s.home now on the East Lancashire Railway. Copyright Michael Adams
Now we see D7029, this loco is currently under restoration at the Severn Valley Railway. Copyright Michael Adams
Many Thanks Michael
Clay in the valley
Jon Hird
66131 leads the Goonbarrow - Fowey clay down through the Luxuylan Valley on 19.11.2024. The recent high winds have removed most of the autumnal leaves from the trees. In the distant skyline, the Great Treverbyn Sky Tip is visible, a landmark created as a byproduct of centuries of china clay quarrying in the area. Copyright Jon Hird.
A wet day at Kemble
Ken Mumford
1Q15 [Derby to Swansea via 'the world'] consisting of units 43357 (leading) and 43391 (bringing up the rear) speed south through the station 15 minutes late. 19.11.2024, copyright Ken Mumford.
3S32 Cheltenham (Lansdown Road) to Swindon Transfer Yard via Severn Tunnel Junction, Chepstow, Lydney, Gloucester and Kemble spraying the track to clear the tracks of autumn leaves AND dirty the locomotives! Locomotive 67027 leads whilst 66846 brings up the rear. 19.11.2024, copyright Ken Mumford.
3S32 Cheltenham (Lansdown Road) to Swindon Transfer Yard via Severn Tunnel Junction, Chepstow, Lydney, Gloucester and Kemble spraying the track to clear the tracks of autumn leaves AND dirty the locomotives! Locomotive 67027 leads whilst 66846 brings up the rear. 19.11.2024, copyright Ken Mumford.
3S32 Cheltenham (Lansdown Road) to Swindon Transfer Yard via Severn Tunnel Junction, Chepstow, Lydney, Gloucester and Kemble spraying the track to clear the tracks of autumn leaves AND dirty the locomotives! Locomotive 67027 leads whilst 66846 brings up the rear. 19.11.2024, copyright Ken Mumford.
1Q15 has been down to Swindon and reversed - it seems that this was done in platform 1 AND NOT east of the station at the Cockleberry Sidings probably because this train was running late - 15 LATE at Kemble heading south, 4 LATE in the Swindon area and passed me returning towards Gloucester 7 EARLY! 19.11.2024, copyright Ken Mumford.
1Q15 has been down to Swindon and reversed - it seems that this was done in platform 1 AND NOT east of the station at the Cockleberry Sidings probably because this train was running late - 15 LATE at Kemble heading south, 4 LATE in the Swindon area and passed me returning towards Gloucester 7 EARLY! 19.11.2024, copyright Ken Mumford.
Many thanks, Ken - well done for braving the weather.