The Railways of Telford – the Wellington to Severn Junction Railway (W&SJR) – Part 3 – Lightmoor Junction to Buildwas

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The featured image, from 1957, was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 8th November 2020 with the following comments: “Coalbrookdale in 1957 with the 12.48pm Ketley – Much Wenlock ‘mixed’ train. … I watched this train at Lawley station or from our garden a few times when I was a child.”

Introduction – An introduction to the W&SJR was provided in the first article about the line which covered the length from Wellington to Horsehay & Dawley Station:

https://wordpress.com/post/rogerfarnworth.com/34425

The length of the line from Horsehay & Dawley station to Lightmoor Junction Station was covered in a second post:

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/07/12/the-railways-of-telford-the-wellington-to-severn-junction-railway-wsjr-part-2-horsehay-to-lightmoor-junction

Lightmoor Press have produced an excellent book about the line from Wellington through Much Wenlock to Craven Arms, “The Wellington, Much Wenlock and Craven Arms Railway.” The author is Adrian Knowles. [1]

Before continuing our journey along the line, we note that it was built between 1857 and 1861 and in the section we are looking at, passed through the following stations: Lightmoor Platform (Junction), Green Bank Halt and Coalbrookdale, before arriving at Buildwas.

For completeness, the images below, which were included in the first two posts about the line, show the developing standard-gauge rail network around the River Severn. By 1957 the W&SJR linked Ketley Junction to Lightmoor. It was a little longer before the line made a connection with the Severn Valley Railway and eventually the route through to Craven Arms opened.

Ketley Junction to Lightmoor was open by 1857. [2]
The Severn Valley line was open by the time covered by this map. [2]
The complete route of the Wellington, Much Wenlock & Craven Arms Railway was in use by 1867. [2]
The railways in the area around what was the Wellington & Severn Junction Railway (W&SJR) as shown on the OpeRailwayMap. OpenRailwayMap (previously called “Bahnkarte”) is a detailed online map of the world’s railway infrastructure, built on OpenStreetMap data. It has been available since mid-2013 at OpenRailwayMap.org [17]

For the sake of completeness, it is worth noting (as was the case in part 2 of this short series), that there was a very significant network of plateways/tramroads in the immediate area of the line. These were essentially a private system belonging to the Coalbrookdale Company. The network from 1881 onwards is discussed in an earlier article about the East Staffordshire Tramroads owned by the Coalbrookdale Company:

https://wordpress.com/post/rogerfarnworth.com/32514

It is also worth noting again the 21st century plans of Telford Steam Railway to extend its preservation line to the site of what was Ironbridge Power Station at Buildwas. Their plans and progress can be followed here. They have called their plans ‘Steaming to Ironbridge‘.

In essence this will be a phased process and one which will have been significantly affected by the Covid19 pandemic. The first phase was to reach Doseley Halt through renewing exiting sub-standard trackwork. The next step will be to receive planning permission for a new bridge to cross the A4169 and to construct the line to Lightmoor. It will require two level crossings as well as the bridge. The bridge deck has already been supplied by Network Rail and is stored at Horsehay Yard.

Telford Steam Railway already leases the signal box at Lightmoor Junction from the rail authorities for future use, when operating the extended railway.

The main goal of ‘Steaming to Ironbridge’ is to create a Park and Ride steam service to serve the Ironbridge Gorge.

The Route – Lightmoor Junction Station to Buildwas

Lightmoor Platform as it is referred to in some sources, Lightmoor Station in others is shown on the first OS Map extract below:

This 25″ OS Map extract was included in the second article about the W&SJR. It is from the 25″ 1925 edition which was published in 1927. The double track provision from the junction towards the West is clear. The station (above the word ‘Branch’) and the first signal Box on the south side of the line opposite the goods yard can easily be picked out. The later replacement signal box was sited just to the east of the road-bridge at the east end of the station and was on the North side of the line [18]

Two images shared on the last post about the W&SJR are worth sharing again here as they show the Lightmoor Brick and Tileworks site in the early 20th century.

This picture shows part of Lightmoor Brick and Tile Works in around 1910. As we have noted the Works sat on the North side of the W&SJR very close to Lightmoor Station. There is a works tramroad evident in the image. The picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Paul Mower on 2nd April 2018. [19]
This image also shows the Brick and Tile Works and gives a much better indication of the preponderance of tramroad rails around the site. It was shared by Thomas Cooper on 17th March 2017 on the Telford Memories Facebook Group. [20]
This very grainy image is an extract from a picture first carried in the Shropshire Star and showing Woodside Estate in Madeley. The photo was taken in 1971 when much of the housing in Woodside was new. The two railway routes which meet at Lightmoor Junction can be made out entering the image from the right. The image from which this extract has been taken was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 10th February 2017 by Lin Keska. [14]
This image was shared towards the end of the previous article about this line which brought us to Lightmoor down the W&SJR. It shows the works in the condition pictured in the colour image above. The image is dated in 1967and was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on 28th February 2020, (c) G.F. Bannister. [21]
Between the Lightmoor Brick and Tile Works and the Cherry Tree Hill Brick & Tile Works there was a network of tramways/tramroads which served the two establishments and the Shutfield Brick & Tile Works a little further to the North. These were all part of the Coalbrookdale Company and the tramroads were their private network. The Tramroad ‘mainline’ to Coalbrookdale Works passed under the standard-gauge line in between Cherry Tree Hill Works and the Lightmoor Brick & Tile Works. This extract from the 6″ OS Map of 1901/2 shows the tramroad passing under the railway to the West of the Lightmoor Works. [15]
The tramroad ‘mainline’ alignment has been superimposed on this ESRI World Image extract provided by the National Library of Scotland (NLS). The Railway is marked by the red line, the tramroad by the ochre line. [22]
A Stanier 8F 2-8-0 48035 climbs out of Coalbrookdale towards Lightmoor with empty coal wagons from Ironbridge Power Station in 1967. This image was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 28th Febriary 2020, (c) G.F. Bannister. [35]
A steam railmotor recorded on the line in 1906.The photo was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 3rd July 2019. [26]
This extract from the 1901/2 6″ OS Map shows the railway and tramway following each other relatively closely and running South of the Cherry Tree Works. Immediately to the South of the Works the two sets of rails are separated by ‘New Pool’ which shows up more clearly on the 1881/2 Map extract below. [15]
The 1881/82 6″ OS Map has the water features coloured blue which makes it much easier to see the extent of ‘New Pool’. When the railway was built the pool had to be drained to allow the construction of a significant retaining wall. [23]
The same area as it appears on the 25″ OS Map of 1925 (Published in 1927) Cherry Tree Hill Brickworks has now been closed and its buildings removed. The New Pool appears to be of a smaller size. Note the two footpaths shown crossing the line on this an other images. The first is East of New Pool, the second, West of New Pool. [24]
This satellite image shows the footpath to the East of New Pool. [Google Earth, 4th April 2021]
The footpath crossing the line at the location above. The phot was taken on Sunday 12th July 2015 © Copyright Gareth James and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0) [38]
This photo shows the view along the line looking East towards Lightmoor from the public footpath crossing above on Sunday 12th July 2015 © Copyright Gareth James and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0) [36]
This photo shows the view along the line looking West towards Coalbrookdale from the public footpath crossing above on Sunday 12th July 2015 © Copyright Gareth James and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0) [37]
The footpath at the West end of New Pool crosses the railway on a footbridge. New Pool appears to have been restored to its earlier extent. [Google Earth, 4th April 2021]
The footbridge from the South next to New Pool. [My picture, 18th July 2022]
New Pool. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
The view East towards Lightmoor from the footbridge above on Sunday 12th July 2015 © Copyright Gareth James and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0) [39]
The view West from the footbridge towards Coalbrookdale on Sunday 12th July 2015 © Copyright Gareth James and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0) [40]
The same location in 2022. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
The railway under construction. The retaining wall is that shown on the colour image below. The houses above the retaining wall, can be seen on the 6″ OS Map above. Knowles draws attention to the contractor’s wagons which sit on temporary rails on top of the earthworks. He also points out the tall building next to the chimney stack which housed a beam engine known as the ‘Old Wind’. The Works which appear to the right-hand side of the photograph might be Cherry Tree Hill Brick & Tile Works, although they appear too distant on the photograph. Could they be Lightmoor Brick & Tile Works?

Although it cannot be seen in the image, the Coalbrookdale Company’s tramroad must run nearer to the camera than the picket fence in the foreground or possibly even behind the photographer. That Tramroad passed under the line of the new railway to the East of Cherry Tree Hill Works and then rose up to meet a tramroad branch which linked Cherry Tree Hill Works to the Lightmoor Brick & Tile Works and the Lightmoor Ironworks further up the valley to the right. This image is included by kind permission ©Copyright Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (Ref. No. 1984.4138).
An extract from the 25″ OS Map from the turn of the 20th century showing the immediate area of the monochrome photograph above. The ‘Old Wind’ is top-left on the map extract. The photograph is a little confusing, there seems to be significant foreshortening in the photograph which appears to bring the engine house much closer to the properties in view. This may suggest either that the photograph is taken from the lane close to the houses at the bottom-left of this map extract, or that the buildings behind the houses in the photograph are actually those immediately to the North of Cherry Tree Hill marked ‘Well’ on the OS Map. There was an inclined plane, constructed at the end of the 18th century which linked the Coalbrookdale arm of the Shropshire Canal with the Coalbrookdale Ironworks. The ‘Old Wind’ was the engine house for the incline which was operated from the engine house. The route of the incline seems to have been at the left-hand edge of this map extract. [16][1: p160]
The descent to Coalbrookdale in March 2010. There is considerably less vegetation in this picture than the earlier one taken by Gareth James. This means that the parapet of the bridge as the line crosses Cherry Tree Hill can just be made out, ©Copyright Row17 and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0)[10]
Cherry Tree Hill Bridge viewed from Cherry Tree Hill looking West toward Coalbrookdale on 12th July 2015, © Copyright Gareth James and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0) [41]
Cherry Tree Hill Railway Bridge viewed form the East. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
Cherry Tree Hill Railway Bridge viewed form the Southwest. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
18th February 1967…………Green Bank Halt, This view was shared by Carole Anne Huselbee on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 14th September 2014. It looks southwest approximately one half mile west of Lightmoor Junction. The bridge girders just after the halt carry the railway line over Jigger’s Bank. [29]
This extract from the 1901/2 OS Map shows the Coalbrookdale Viaduct snaking through the village and Works. Towards the top of the extract both Cherry Tree Hill Bridge and Jigger’s Bank Bridge can be seen. Not marked on the extract but between the two bridges was the short-lived Green Bank Halt which is shown above. [15]
Jigger’s Bank Road Bridge viewed from the South, Coalbrookdale, from http://www.geoffspages.co.uk, ©Copyright G.A. Cryer. Included here under the terms specified on http://www.geoffspages.co.uk. [13]
The same bridge in December 2020, more easily seen as vegetation does not crowd the picture as much ion the winter, © Copyright Shropshire Star, 18th December 2020. [42]
Jigger’s Bank Bridge from the South. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
Jigger’s Bank Bridge from the North. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
Coalbrookdale and its Viaduct in 1992. This image was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 29th March 2019. [28]
The Coalbrookdale Viaduct. This image was carried by the Shropshire Star on 22nd April 2019. [3]
Coalbrookdale Railway Viaduct crossing Upper Furnace Pool in 2015 © Copyright Gareth James and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0) [8]
Coalbrookdale Railway Viaduct at rail level looking North © Copyright Row17 and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0) [9]
Coalbrookdale Viaduct from the Southeast on Coach Road. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
Coalbrookdale Viaduct from the Southwest. It is interesting to note the change, in both these two pictures, of the level of the capping stones above the second arch from the camera. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
This railcar has just crossed Coalbrookdale Viaduct travelling South in 1962. This picture was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 5th September 2020. [25]
This 19th century view of the viaduct was shared by Marcus Keane on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 18th February 2014. He comments: “Railway viaduct crossing the Coalbrookdale Works. An early photograph from the 1870s.” [30]
This photo was taken in 1962 and shows a two coach passenger train travelling South alongside the Coalbrookdale Works. It was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 3rd July 2019. [26]
An aerial view (EPW034486) looking South over Coalbrookdale Works in 1930, ©Copyright Historic England. [12]
This extract is from the 6″ OS Survey of 1901/2. Station Road runs on the Western side of the W&SJR, between Captain’s Coppice and the old railway. [15]

The next series of photographs are all taken in or around the site of Coalbrookdale Railway Station. In sequence, the camera location generally runs from Northeast to Southwest.

Coalbrookdale Railway Station in 1983 from along the tracks, © Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence … (CC BY-SA 2.0). [6]
Coalbrookdale Railway Station in 1919. Colourised postcard photograph, held by Wikipedia under a Creative Commons licence. [4]
The Station building can be seen in this panorama which was photographed on 18th July 2022 from a position on Station Road. [My photograph]
This picture was taken through the trees a little further South West down Station Road. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
Metsa Vaim EdOrg shared this image from 1957 on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 8th November 2020 with the following comments: “Coalbrookdale in 1957 with the 12.48pm Ketley – Much Wenlock ‘mixed’ train. … I watched this train at Lawley station or from our garden a few times when I was a child.” [27]

Two photographs from a similar location to the colourised postcard above: …………..

This image from 1910, the photograph was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 7th July 2020. [34]
A merry-go-round train of hoppers bound for Ironbridge power station in the mid- to late-20th century. Coalbrookdale Station Building looks forlorn and in poor repair. Shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 11th April 2018 by Lin Keska [32]
The Coalbrookdale Railway Station site in September 2011. At that time, the remaining single track freight line was to the right of the wooden shed, © Copyright Nigel Thompson and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence … (CC BY-SA 2.0) [5]
A platform-side view of the former Coalbrookdale station building, albeit rather overgrown with scrub. The line is now disused since Ironbridge power station was decommissioned, and the coal trains no longer make the journey down into The Gorge, © Copyright Richard Law and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. (CC BY-SA 2.0) [11]
Looking Southwest towards Buildwas, this picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on 13th October 2020. It shows Stanier British Rail Class 8F No.48720 heading a train of empties from Ironbridge power station to Kemberton colliery in 1967. [31]
a 19th century view from the road above Coalbrookdale Station. The viaduct on the Severn Valley Railway is visible beyond Dale End and the River Severn. This picture was shared by Graham Hickman on the Memories of Coalbrookdale Iron Foundry Facebook Group on 24th November 2017. [33]
Small Woods Association national office and the Green Wood Centre are both based on the old station site. These sign boards are at the entrance to the station site off Station Road. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]

The Small Woods Association is based on the site of the old Coalbrookdale Railway Station. The Association are the UK organisation for woodland owners, workers, supporters, and social foresters. They “stand for living, sustainable woodlands alive with wildlife, people and work. Managed and used well, small woodlands are vital to thriving local economies, wildlife, and the health and wellbeing of local communities, as well as hugely valuable in the fight against climate change.” [43]

Alongside the Association offices on the station site is the Green Wood Centre. It promotes “sustainable living through a wood-based economy by running courses and events in sustainable woodland management, coppicing, crafts and related activities. … Activities at the Centre include woodland volunteering projects, fun family sessions and woody events for the whole community.” [44]

There is also an independently run café on the site, the Green Wood Café. The café is associated with Coffee With Soul and Gorge Grub. It is part of J Grant Catering Ltd; a family-run business in Shropshire. [45]

The old station site at Coalbrookdale which has been significantly repurposed by the Small Woods Association. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
A wider view of the station site showing the various buildings on the site in the 21st century. The old station building is visible on the right side of this image. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
Southwest of the railway station, the line turns to the West, crossing Station Road by means of a four-ring brick arch bridge. Almost immediately, it crosses, at level, a lane which led to an old Gravel Pit. These locations are pictured below. This is another extract from the 1901/2 OS Map. [15]
This satellite image shows the immediate vicinity of Station Road, Buildwas Road and Strethill Road. It shows the railway line crossing both Station Road and Strethill Road as shown in the photos below. [Google Maps]
Station Road Bridge from the Northeast on Station Road. [My photograph, 18th June 2022]
Station Road Bridge from the South on Station Road. [My photograph, 18th June 2022]
The level-crossing on Strethill Road, just to the North of Buildwas Road. [Google Streetview, 2011]

Apart from the location of the level-crossing on Strethill Road the railway remains on a relatively high embankment after leaving Coalbrookdale Railway Station. It turns first to the West as shown on the map extract above and then back towards the Sothwest as it heads for the River Severn.

Another OS Map extract from the 1901/2 6″ survey shows the railway crossing the River Severn on the Albert Edward Bridge. Immediately to the Northeast of the Albert Edward Bridge, the line crosses the Buildwas Road on a skew-span girder bridge as pictured below. Immediately to the Southwest of the Severn the line turned relatively sharply to the right crossing an accommodation bridge before joining the GWR Severn Valley Railway at Buildwas Junction. [15]
The skew span girder bridge which carries the railway over the Buildwas Road, looking West towards Buidlwas. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
The same bridge viewed, this time, from the West, looking back towards Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge. [My photograph, 18th July 2022]
The Albert Edward Bridge, viewed from the Northwest. It was opened on 1st November 1864 and named after the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), its design is almost identical to Victoria Bridge which carries the Severn Valley Railway over the Severn between Upper Arley and Bewdley in Worcestershire.

It was designed by John Fowler, its 200 feet (61 m) span cast-iron arch has four ribs, each of nine parts bolted together. The patterns for the radiused beam castings for the bridge were prepared by Thomas Parker at the Coalbrookdale Iron Company. Originally it was built to carry the Wenlock, Craven Arms and Lightmoor Extension Railway of the Wellington and Severn Junction Railway across the river.

Until the closure of Ironbridge power station it carried coal traffic as part of the line between Lightmoor Junction and Ironbridge Power Station. The bridge’s timber and wrought iron deck was replaced by a structural steel deck in 1933. It may be one of the last large cast iron railway bridges to have been built. Due to its age and the condition of the ironwork, traffic over the bridge is restricted to a 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h) speed limit to minimise stress. Although it carries two tracks only the one on the downstream side was still in use to supply the Ironbridge Power Station site. The line was mothballed in 2016 after the closure of the power station.

The bridge is a Grade II Listed Building, one half by Shropshire Council, the other by Telford and Wrekin District Council as the boundary is mid-span. Telford Steam Railway have aspirations to run trains over the bridge using the presently unused track as part of their southern extension to Buildwas. [46] This photograph has been released into the public domain by its author, D4nnyt. [47]
A colourised postcard view from 1912 of the Albert Edward Bridge. The postcard recognises that by this time the Prince of Wales had become King. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 10th June 2014. [55]
Another extract from the 1901/2 6″ OS Map. For a short distance the double-track line from Coalbrookdale ran parallel to the Severn Valley line. The junction was immediately to the East of an under-bridge which allowed rail access to a Pumping Station on the riverbank. [15]
Buildwas Junction Station was on the South side of the River Severn and the Village of Buildwas was on the North side of the river. The Station was a relatively busy junction The Severn Valley line was met by the line from Wellington and the line via Much Wenlock to Craven Arms. A short goods line left the station to serve a pumping station on the South bank of the Severn. This extract is from the 1901/2 6″ OS Map. [15]
The 25″ Map provides greater clarity. [48]
The site is unrecogniseable in 21st century. The power stations on the site have both been consigned to history at different times. This ESRI satellite image as supplied by the National Library of Scotland (NLS) does show remnants of the railway still in place. [49]
Buildwas Junction Railway Station in 1962. This view looks East towards Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley line. The junction for services to Wellington via Coalbrookdale was a few hundred metres beyond the station in this view. The line to Much Wenlock is indicated by the platform name board which can be seen just to the left of the water tower on the right of the image. This picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 11th May 2017 by Paul Wheeler. He comments: “The station was closed on 9/9/63 on closure of the Severn Valley line. Passenger services from Craven Arms had ceased on 31/12/51, from Much Wenlock and from Wellington on 23/7/62, but the line to Buildwas remained open from Longville for freight until 4/12/63 and from Ketley on the Wellington line until 6/7/64. However, coal traffic for Ironbridge Power Station (B Station built on site of Buildwas railway station) … continued from Madeley Junction, on the main line between Shifnal and Telford Central” until 2016. The Power Station in this photograph was Ironbridge A. This image is reproduced under a Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved] © Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse (CC BY-SA 2.0). [50]
A service for Much Wenlock sits at the station platform in 1957 in the capable hands of 0-6-0PT No 7744 . The line to Much Welock went through the combined station at a higher level than the Severn Valley line. Buildwas Junction Station was overshadowed by the Ironbridge ‘A’ power station.
Note the ‘fire-devil’ next to the water column to the left of the picture, in front of the water tower. The Fire Devil is the container with a long chimney which is beneath the water tower. It is used in freezing conditions to prevent the water column from freezing. This picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on 17th October 2020, © G.F. Bannister. [51]
A similar view from 1954, this time with a service for Wellington at the branch platform. This was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 2nd March 2020, (c) G.F. Bannister. [52]
This image of Buidwas Railway Station comes from 1961. This time the image shows the Severn Valley lines. The photographer has chosen to focus tightly on the railway station which avoids including the power station in the image. This picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 20th May 2019. [53]
This image from 1959 was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 24th February 2020. It shows an ex-GWR railcar in the East-bound platform on the Severn Valley line and a service for Wellington arriving from Much Wenlock on the branch. The relative levels of the platforms can easily be seen in this image. [54]
This image from 1932 was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 24th February 2020. [56]
This aerial image is embedded from Historic England’s Britain from Above site. It shows the construction of Ironbridge Power Station. It was taken in 1930. Buildwas Station can be seen on the left of the image which has been taken facing West. [57]

Our journey along the Wellington & Severn Junction Railway finishes here at Buildwas Junction Station.

References

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9 thoughts on “The Railways of Telford – the Wellington to Severn Junction Railway (W&SJR) – Part 3 – Lightmoor Junction to Buildwas”

  1. Alan Watkins's avatarAlan Watkins

    Congratulations on a fantastic historical railway journey through Telford.

    A good friend of mine lived on Cherry Tree Hill right next door was the footbridge to new pool. I remember him recalling that whilst watching television one night, the quietness outside was shattered by an almighty bang. He leapt out of his living room chair and down the path to the footbridge to find the footbridge had been knocked off its abutments by some sort of NW permanent way train that was carrying a digger with large jib, they had left the jib up and not realised there was an overbridge. There were voices and expletives in the dark on how they were going to explain their way out of that ! The bridge was closed for a substantial period of time until NW relocated it back on to the abutments. Circa 15 years ago.

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  2. Robert Green's avatarRobert Green

    A wonderful history. I’ve read many such histories but it takes one that includes detail that is inside one’s own memory to really become fascinating and this one certainly brings back memories for me, growing up in the are in the 1950s and 1960s. I know it’s a long time ago (history to many younger people!) but I look at some of these photos and wish I could somehow go back in time to my younger days and relive the opportunity to travel all over this area in the old steam trains!

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