Exploring Old Railways

I've got a certain inquisitiveness about Industrial Archeology, an interest in transport with something of a current specialization in rail - so it's no surprise that I'll spot odd railway-like structures dotted around the countryside and wonder "what is/ was that?". The old water tower at Druid's Lodge set off learning about the Larkhill Military Light Railway - you can find pictures from Druid's Lodge, from Ratfyn Junction and from Larkhill elsewhere on our site (follow the links), together with comments from correspondents who have written after finding the pages.

View from A345 alnong trackbed towards Ratfyn

View from A345 alnong trackbed towards Ratfyn

Yesterday, I found myself heading back from Salisbury and not wanting to rush, and I decided to see if I could find some more signs of the railway which was built during the first world war, and only survived for a few years. North from Amesbury, past the A303, and it crossed over the road, probably on the level. And indeed, this gateway and track are almost certainly its former course where it dropped away towards the river, crossing over on a bridge to meet the main network.

Sign, Larkill Military Railway trackbed

But further exploration in this direction was forbidden - and this is very common with old railway lines. Much has reverted to private ownership (or in this case, it would appear, public ownership but not open to the public - ironic!) and that private ownership should be respected. Frankly, I have no business case for finding out more about this particular railway and I would reluctantly accept a desciption of "nosey" were it applied to me. But if it doesn't hurt anyone, why should I not be nosey? Were there a serious interest, no doubt I could find more about who is the contact for this land and write to ask if I might look ...

Military Railway became bridelway

In contrast, across the road from the gate that was shut against me was a bridleway, leading onto a path that ran between two high hedges - almost level, gently curving through the countryside, giving me the clue that I was indeed ... and legitimately ... on the course of the old railway.

From the A345 towards Larkhill, the old trackbed is a bridleway

From the A345 towards Larkhill, the old trackbed is a bridleway

After the best part of a hundred years, little remains but the trackbed as a path. Indeed, I couldn't spot any artefacts and wouldn't have expected to do so. A few minutes looking around (less time than it is taking to write this item!) and we were on our way.

Many rail enthusiasts are all for retaining and preservation of the past at all costs. I'm not one of them; it was probably sensible for this line to be ripped up when its purpose was done. For sure, it would make an excellent tourist attraction today, adding a beautiful countryside run from the Countess Roundabout on the A303 up to Larkhill, where the line passed somewhere close to the Church of St Alban the Martyr (or perhaps that church was built over the trackbed?). But in general, preserved railways can be sad nostalgia - as I have commented before [link] - and they will progressively struggle more and more as their stock goes from old to ancient, and their band of enthusiasts ages beyond the point an which they can drive trains.

Integrated Public Transport

Here's - perhaps - a vision of rail for the future. Hedge End station was opened in 1990, to serve the population of the new-growing area there abouts. Services have risen to hourly, with passenger journeys rising year on year. A good local bus service integrates road and rail, and car parking is available at 2 pounds a day for those who don't wish to use the bus or are not on the bus route. And good footpaths take you to many of the closer houses too. I look at Hedge End, and I see much we can learn for Melksham - much positive. But that's a story for another day.

(written 2009-10-24) 7c1d

Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles

M204 - Well House Manor - Salisbury District
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Z501 - Public Transport - Rail
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  [3501] Santa Claus - on the train from Melksham on 4th December 2011 - (2011-10-30)
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  [2556] Railway Station Survey - please complete today or tomorrow - (2009-12-30)
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  [2522] Integrated public Transport - what could be done for Melksham - (2009-12-01)
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  [2042] Wiltshire Rail Service Update - (2009-02-15)
  [2026] Melksham Climate Friendly Group - (2009-02-05)
  [2024] Carry on Training - in spite of the weather - (2009-02-03)
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  [1966] Background to the TransWilts Train Fiasco - (2008-12-29)
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  [1964] Why hasnt the fiasco been put right - (2008-12-29)
  [1905] A Gold Star for First Great Western Customer Service - (2008-11-24)
  [1858] Camera with night vision, youth with no vision - (2008-10-28)
  [1848] 30th November - Santa Trip from Melksham - (2008-10-19)
  [1757] Preserved railways - struggling to the future? - (2008-08-17)
  [1729] Back from the future - (2008-07-30)
  [1708] A Train Service Update for Melksham Party in the Park - (2008-07-13)
  [1616] Not daring to be an anorak - (2008-04-19)
  [1567] Melksham - Swindon. Train v Bus v Car - (2008-03-07)
  [1558] Getting somewhere with the train service - (2008-02-28)
  [1530] Railway Acronyms and Abbreviations - (2008-02-03)
  [1452] Santa on the train to Melksham - (2007-12-01)
  [1428] Travel Across Wiltshire - the game - (2007-11-11)
  [1424] Closer than you think - the next step - (2007-11-08)
  [1382] First Great Western - information for customers - (2007-10-07)
  [1358] Look forward with a new broom - Wiltshire Train Service - (2007-09-19)
  [1314] Business travel by train in the USA - (2007-08-22)
  [1303] Heading Upstate New York - (2007-08-14)
  [1291] Day trip to Weymouth - (2007-08-05)
  [1274] Radio coverage for railway issues - (2007-07-23)
  [1273] Melksham or Weymouth? Meal or day out? - (2007-07-23)
  [1228] Some progress on the train campaign - (2007-06-10)
  [1139] Overcrowded trains around Bristol - (2007-04-08)
  [1097] Train and business balls all in the air! - (2007-03-02)
  [1093] Wiltshire Train - can YOU come on 5th March? - (2007-02-25)
  [1076] Save the Train - an update - (2007-02-12)
  [1069] Rail trouble forced me to buy hotel - (2007-02-07)
  [1063] Bradford-on-Avon - 150 years of passenger trains - (2007-02-03)
  [1045] Bang! Train campaign hits home - (2007-01-19)
  [1044] Call for appropriate train services - Swindon, Bristol, Bath, West Wilts, Severn Beach etc - (2007-01-18)
  [1033] Empty at Easleigh, Missing at Melksham, Overflowing at Oldfield - (2007-01-14)
  [976] Santa at the station - (2006-12-09)
  [974] The last commuter train through Melksham - (2006-12-09)
  [952] Coming from London to Melksham by train for a course - (2006-11-28)
  [877] Yes, but what do we do now?? - (2006-09-24)
  [814] Melksham Railway Calendar 2007 - (2006-07-25)
  [803] Not shouting - (2006-07-16)
  [790] Shadow Transport Minister to visit Melksham - (2006-07-02)
  [697] For any North and West Wilts and Swindon Readers - (2006-04-23)
  [688] Are you free on Friday evening? - (2006-04-18)
  [648] West Wilts Railway Users Group and trains to Lacock - (2006-03-16)
  [634] Real chance to make a difference - (2006-03-05)
  [632] Moral dilemma - (2006-03-04)
  [527] Greater Western Franchise Awarded - (2005-12-13)
  [524] Santa comes to Melksham - (2005-12-11)
  [521] Proof needed? Please just use common sense! - (2005-12-08)
  [488] Looking for railway groups and users - Swindon, Salisbury, Southampton - (2005-11-06)
  [486] Rail services under threat - Swindon, Melksham ... and Newquay and Bicester too - (2005-11-05)
  [447] Tomorrow's meeting. - (2005-09-19)
  [434] Through public transport connection, Chippenham to Salisbury, to cease - (2005-09-02)
  [428] Swindon - Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge - Westbury train service - (2005-08-29)
  [154] Railway train service, Melksham station - (2004-12-17)

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