What it Looks Like Today:  Scott's Quarry Siding

     Those of you that read my previous article, What it Looks Like Today: Bampton Station, will remember that after looking around Bampton,my little gang and I didn't return home,but instead went to investigate the old siding that linked Scott's Quarry to Bampton Station.

If you walk down towards the industrial estate in Bampton,you will come to a footpath that leads to the housing estate that was built on the old quarry works,suitably called Scott's.If you walk down this path,after you have walked down the winding bit,you will come to a long straight section.You are now on the old siding.

       "How do you know that that is the old siding?",I hear you cry.Well,I know it's the old siding for various reasons,but mainly because,unbelievably, there is still a length of track there!(Thanks to my son Cai who discovered it).You can find this old piece of track for yourself,by looking off the path to the right, when facing the housing estate.Be careful when doing this though,as there are still inconsiderate and illegal dog owners,who allow their dogs to foul this area without cleaning it up(one of my pet hates,can you tell?).I believe that this piece of track was part of the old passing place or loop(see diagram).

scottspassingplace

This photo is obviously from sometime between 1880 and 1904,as the siding is there,but only the bridge over the Batherm has been built.It would be interesting to know when and why the other bridge was built.Note the passing place.

 

siding

       There has been quarrying in Bampton,probably since Roman times and this peaked towards the end of the Victorian times.If you study the 1889 map you will notice that there is no siding to the quarry works.Compare this with the 1904 map and you will now notice that the siding has been added and so have two bridges.Out of interest you may also notice that there is also an old tramway going into Bampton Woods.I haven't discovered this yet,but maybe I will one day.

1889 map with no siding

1904 map with siding and bridges added.Note also how extensive the quarrying is in Bampton

bampton1904

 

Comments   

0 #3 railwest 2019-03-09 21:02
Given the relatively short length of the siding to the quarry, I doubt that the 'loop' would have been needed as a passing loop. I suspect that it was simply the 'exchange' sidings - incoming (empty) wagons would be placed on one line and outgoing (full) wagons collected from the other line. This would avoid the need for the quarry engine (if they had one?) to enter the GWR goods yard, or for the GWR engine to have to enter the quarry area.
0 #2 railwest 2019-03-09 20:59
Quoting The Great Steamer:
It is interesting to see that the signal box is so far away from the actual station. Why was this ?

Probably because it was deemed to be the best location for visibility of shunting operations and/or reducing the length of point rodding needed to be run all the sets of points.
0 #1 The Great Steamer 2015-10-21 14:22
It is interesting to see that the signal box is so far away from the actual station. Why was this ?

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newslogo44Every now and then when I talk to people and they hear of my interest in the Exe Valley Railway,they tell me little bits of information or recall an old memory.It always amazes me how even today,more than 50 years after it's closure,the fondness with which people remember the railway and how fresh the memories seem to be to them.

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24/4/19These interesting pictures of Dulverton Station were sent in by Fred Gillard, who visited in about 1970 to take some pictures for a model railway project that he was building. The station buildings were bought by the Carnarvon Arms (now closed down) and used as staff and overflow guest accommodation,before being converted into residential housing. Thank you very much Fred for taking the time to share your pictures.

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