Post by TheOneKEAPost by Ronnie ClarkAh, pleasant news! Dare I ask of the state of viaducts? I know Bracklet
viaduct was taken down a long time ago, but what of others, like Helmdon,
Catesby etc.?
I'd be very interested in hearing about this too - Mac Hawkins' book
states that the spray-can brigade (even in 1990!) had been busy
knocking coping stones off of the various viaducts (ISTR that Helmdon
was intact).
I can't speak for the areas south of Rugby, but the River Sence viaduct
(structure 395) between Blaby and Whetstone is remarkably intact, with
minimal damage and missing coping stones (although a large hole has been
pushed through at one point). One irony with this viaduct is that on the
inside of the parapets there is an absolute proliferation of graffitti -
which consequently has prevented the erosion of mortar and so kept the
parapets in a good state.
The River Biam viaduct (384) is also in a very good condition, as it is
retained as part of the Great Central Walk, running south from Leicester.
Coping stones have been removed, and the parapet wall has been built up
higher than originally in places.
The south viaducts through Leicester (374) are also in good condition, with
the exception of the girder bridge at Braunstone Gate.
Indeed, of the remaining GCR viaducts I've seen, the one in the worst state
is probably Stanford Viaduct (318) over the river Soar, just north of
Leicester and now a part of the GCR(N). Looks like BR were slightly worse at
looking after the structures than mother nature :)
Post by TheOneKEASomeday I'll get up into that area; I'd like to see Rugby Central and
Catesby sometime...
I can provide some photos, if you wish, from Nottingham down to Rugby. It's
a complete record as far as Ashby Magna (the limit of my cycling distance
when I lived in Loughborough!), with only limited photos from Lutterworth
and Rugby. Hopefully now the trees are bare I can persuade someone to give
me a lift further afield and get some more photos.
Post by TheOneKEAPost by Ronnie ClarkAny chance of any photos? I'd be more than willing to put up a load of mine
(Nottingham-Rugby) in exchange.
I'd like to know if the GC alignment south of Leicester is only
surface-obliterated; if it's not, then if CR can prove themselves,
perhaps they can be persuaded to build a spur to Leicester Central and
reopen it...
Basically, the formation is pretty much intact from Leicester Central as far
as Rugby Central. I've been no further south than that, though David Splett
said that not much has changed since "Then and Now" was done.
Notable exceptions are:
Leicester Central (374) to Braunstone gate (still 374), about 300 yards
totally redeveloped.
Starting at overbridge 379, which takes the MR over the GCR formation, there
is infilling of the cutting. Bridges have been left standing, but the
cutting has been filled in, leaving Parapets jutting above the ground. A
small industrial unit has been built on the line between 379 and 380, but
other than that the infilled formation is clear. The GCR left the cutting
just south of bridge 382 and emerges from the in-filling. This all forms
part of the "Great Central Walk" (or is it "Way"? Cannae remember).
The formation becomes indistinct again at Blaby, where a combination of
filling and redevelopment make it hard to trace the formation for about 300
yards between bridge 389 (which I couldn't find) and bridge 393 (span
missing, but footings still there).
At Whetstone, immediately south of bridge 396 over the Nuneaton-Leicester
line, a commercial estate has redeveloped where the embankment used to be,
but on the other side of the road from the estate the embankment remains as
far as the site of Whetstone station.
At Whetstone station, a housing estate has been put on the re-landscaped
embankment , the road slowly sloping up to reach track level. At the
southern end, the broadening of the formation at the station approach is
still very visible.
Beyond Whestone, the formation is intact again down to Cosby (except for
bridge 400, where the span has been removed but abutments remain). This
includes the M1 bridge, although access onto this bridge is difficult.
The span and southern abutment over Cambridge Road (402) at Cosby have been
removed.
There is then a long stretch intact down to bridge 412, where just the span
has been removed (Bridge 410 was closed before the M1 was built). It should
be noted, though, that between 407 and 411 there is intermittent infilling.
413 was Ashby Magna station (bit of a misnomer if you ask me, seeing as it
is much closer to Dunton Bassett), which has not quite been completely
obliterated. The bridge is back-filled, the goods yard is now the M1 and
there is now a timber merchant on the land south of the station, but there
are plenty of remains here.
414 was as far as I went by bike - Dunton Basset tunnel. It's still in good
condition, but rather over-grown.
As far as I can tell without making a detailed journey, it's the same story
as far as Rugby - bits missing, other bits partly redeveloped, bit of
infilling, etc., but essentially still intact. Lutterworth station is a
problem, as it is now a housing estate on the flat land left by the station
and goods yard, although the actual station bridge itself is still there and
intact.
Rugby Central (and the surrounding areas are well preserved, being a part of
Rugby's "Great Central Walk". The station platform itself is well kept, with
a wildlife pond now on the down side where the track used to be.
I may fulfil a double goal and go down to Rugby soon. I can try and video
the last of the loco-hauled on the WCML, as well as go a bit further south
on the GC. Bike on stand-by.
Ronnie
--
Volunteer guard on the Great Central Railway, Loughborough, Leicestershire
Visit the world's only double track preserved steam railway!
http://www.gcrailway.co.uk