GWR at Radstock/Mells - Somerset Oct 2011

Hi All,

My first derelict report! Hope you all enjoy a little bit of my work!

Following on from Munchh excellent report on this part of the GWR:

[ame="http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=17320"]http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=17320[/ame]

I decided to go a bit further a field and find the tracks meeting place with the main line at Frome, then with my intrepid exploring children make my way back toward Radstock.
it was quiet poignant for me as 30 years ago I trended these tracks with my mother, so bringing my children along was heart warming.

The track itself was still in use up to 1988 feeding the Marcroft Wagon Works, based on the GWR at Radstock. The GWR itself through Radstock was disconnected in the 60's with the decline in the local Pitts and the Beeching Report.
There are some concerted efforts to re-establish the track towards Frome as both a commuter/freight and leisure line. Most of the trackbed is still in place although nature is working her way through metal and stone.

I tend to shoot in B&W from scratch and don't post edit, sorry about this!!

The track bed leading off from the main line

DSC_0393 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr

DSC_0406 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr


DSC_0419 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr

One of the few remaining Engineer's sheds

DSC_0423 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr

The abandoned brake van

DSC_0417 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr


DSC_0414 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr


DSC_0413 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr


DSC_0412 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr


DSC_0431 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr


DSC_0432 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr


DSC_0434 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr

Hope you've enjoyed!

I like the B&W, works well when photographing old things

So yes I did enjoy your post.

Nice set of pics and a good follow on for the original thread. I like the black and white too.

Did you go up as far as the tunnel that runs up to the quarry at Chantry?

Very nice - I hope one day they bring this line back to life. I remember walking this line on a very hot summers day in 1997.

Nicely done , nice finds

Thankyou to everyone who has taken the time to view and reply, feel like I'm on hallowed turf as I've been enjoying your labours for years!

Munchh, I did indeed, the first picture is taken from the junction point and the tunnel is just a bit further to the left over the horizon. The track bed for the GWR is in a pretty bad way close by and subsidence is heavy. We then walked towards Mells and stopped just south of the now defunked station, although the platform is still present.

I recently walked the incline at Kilmersdon and the line back to the Pitt, unfortunately my camera battery wasn’t charged so I missed out. I was amazed how much incline cable is still lying around. I’m currently tracking down some footage of this in operation; it was on TV over a decade ago. Do you remember it? It showed the father/son combination operating the incline, Precious footage.

I’m back in Radstock for a further explore tomorrow, I have my eye on a site that is still virginal!

Some great remains there. Your photos are a delight, L. The b&w works beautifully...pic 9 looks almost like an enchanted forest. Good stuff.

Plenty of railway goodness love it keep um coming no where near like we have round here tracks are long gone be lucky to get a bridge. Are those carriages still sat on the tracks? I so love railway porn cheers bud

Foxylady said:

Some great remains there. Your photos are a delight, L. The b&w works beautifully...pic 9 looks almost like an enchanted forest. Good stuff.

Click to expand...

Thanks Foxy, nice to receive a compliment from someone who does such good posts herself!

Think the "enchanted forest" comes from the fact the trees were in their autumn outfits and giving much more depth to the B&W. It was actually tipping it down by then and the mini urbex's were not HP!

alex76 said:

Plenty of railway goodness love it keep um coming no where near like we have round here tracks are long gone be lucky to get a bridge. Are those carriages still sat on the tracks? I so love railway porn cheers bud

Click to expand...

Love the railway porn bit!!

The brake van is sat on a bit of isolated track, she's in a pretty poor way and would love someone to rescue here, sad to see heritage rotting so openly!

Lost_In_Normandy said:

Thankyou to everyone who has taken the time to view and reply, feel like I'm on hallowed turf as I've been enjoying your labours for years!

Munchh, I did indeed, the first picture is taken from the junction point and the tunnel is just a bit further to the left over the horizon. The track bed for the GWR is in a pretty bad way close by and subsidence is heavy. We then walked towards Mells and stopped just south of the now defunked station, although the platform is still present.

I recently walked the incline at Kilmersdon and the line back to the Pitt, unfortunately my camera battery wasn’t charged so I missed out. I was amazed how much incline cable is still lying around. I’m currently tracking down some footage of this in operation; it was on TV over a decade ago. Do you remember it? It showed the father/son combination operating the incline, Precious footage.

I’m back in Radstock for a further explore tomorrow, I have my eye on a site that is still virginal!

Click to expand...

Good man. I can't see a tunnel without wanting to enter it. Bet you thought about it too, it's very inviting.

I didn't see the TV footage, wish I had as I love this place now I've been there. It's the sheer amount of track still about. I must get back to the incline, do you know exactly where the pit head was? I think I've spotted it's location but I'm not 100% sure. The rumour is that the runaway loco was shoved down there for it's sins.

Will love to see the footage if you find it and looking forward to the virginal site. If you want some company, let me know by PM.

Munchh said:

Good man. I can't see a tunnel without wanting to enter it. Bet you thought about it too, it's very inviting.

I didn't see the TV footage, wish I had as I love this place now I've been there. It's the sheer amount of track still about. I must get back to the incline, do you know exactly where the pit head was? I think I've spotted it's location but I'm not 100% sure. The rumour is that the runaway loco was shoved down there for it's sins.

Will love to see the footage if you find it and looking forward to the virginal site. If you want some company, let me know by PM.

Click to expand...

We'll have to go up to the Coombe Down tunnel south portal then
I had a feeling the pit head was on the industrial site but haven't ventured n yet, may do tomorrow, never heard that story about the loco, fascinating if it's true!
there is a tiny bit of footage on you tube of the incline, not sure if I'm allowed to post the link though?

You might want to edit that else it might not remain that way for much longer.

Of course you can post youtube footage!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q8nb-EM1LA[/ame]