Plym Valley Trail

Yelverton Church

A change of pace following all the coastal walking of the previous few days. On this particular day the weather forecast looked particularly poor and yet there was a short window of opportunity to walk so long as I made an early start.  I decided therefore to take a trip down memory lane and walk the old railway path between Yelverton and Plymouth.  This was one of my favourite winter walks while I was at University in the city since it was one of the few walks I could do easily without a car and/ or extensive planning.

Drakes Leat

The Plym Valley Trail follows the former Great Western Railway line from Plymouth to Tavistock.  The town of Tavistock managed to have two rail connections to Plymouth (the other was run by the London and South Western Railway) and yet both were severed by the Beeching Cuts of the 1960s.  This particular route was closed in 1962 and converted into a cycle path from Marsh Mills on the outskirts of Plymouth (at the site of the old junction) to Yelverton some years later.  Such was the popularity of the path that it has been extended as The Drakes Trail to Tavistock, but on this occasion there wasn’t time to look at the northern section.

Dartmoor View

I parked just outside the church in Yelverton.  There are plenty of facilities in the village to stock up with refreshments before heading off.  I followed signs for the West Devon Way, a long distance footpath that heads through Yelverton and coincides with the Drakes Trail for a short distance.  I soon picked up the trail of Drake’s Leat, a rather strange watercourse that was (as the name suggests) built by Sir Francis Drake to supply water to Plymouth from the upland parts of Dartmoor.  There was no water in the leat, the supply from Dartmoor now merely ends up in Burrator Reservoir, rendering this section rather redundant.

Meeting the Railway

After following the leat for a short distance I turned downhill along the West Devon Way to reach the embankment of the former railway.  Sadly it is not possible to walk this section at the route is far too overgrown.  The path maintains a course almost parallel to the railway for a couple of miles and in a couple of places it is possible to access the trackbed and inspect the line.  As I had thought with the Wye Valley Railway, this particular line was surely closed a few years too early.  If it had managed to hang on even just a few more years it would surely have been scenic enough to attract the attention of a few preservationists.  As it happens there is a small preservation project going on some distance to the south of here, but it seems doubtful that they would ever make it this far along the line.  More about that project later.

River Plym

The path initially followed the railway quite closely, usually at the edge of the former boundary but as it approached Clearbrook the railway took a higher level course, while the path dropped down to follow the River Plym more closely.  This is a delightful part of the walk and it was helped by some weak misty sunshine which added to the atmosphere of the woods.  Alongside me the River Plym babbled and spluttered down through the wooded valley.  The woods though were surprisingly quiet, very few birds around which was rather surprising.

Clearbrook

At Clearbrook the railway once had a station, although it was pretty modest and only consisted of a small platform and metal shelter.  The path I was taking was some considerable distance from the railway now and could only be seen in the distance.  I very much doubt whether the station is still in existence now.  I did admire the small hump backed bridge that crossed the river at this point and as I crossed the field opposite a couple of curious horses waded the river to come and say hello.  Eventually half a mile or so further on I was able to finally join the railway itself as it crossed a road.

Clearbrook Bridge

I seemed to recall that the surface of the railway path had once been compacted stone for most of the northern section but as the rail route started properly here it had a tarmac surface from this point onward.  This would make walking both a blessing and a curse.  Although it makes for nice clean walking, tarmac is quite hard on the feet after awhile and it is much easier to cycle on.  I was slightly disappointed not to have brought my bike, for I could have cycled the whole route from Tavistock then.  However, it isn’t so easy to stop and look at stuff then.

Shaugh Tunnel

Shortly after joining the track I came across my first proper railway feature – Shaugh Tunnel.  When I last walked this way entering the tunnel was a slightly scary prospect as the tunnel is built on a slight curve, meaning that it is impossible to see one end from the other.  Back in the late 1990s the tunnel had no lighting and it was a very dark and damp experience walking through.  Now, knee high lighting manages to deal with most of the health and safety requirements without causing a nuisance to the bats that have been roosting here since trains ceased running.

Drake's Leat Crossing

At the other end of the tunnel the line is crossed by Drake’s Leat once again via a well engineered bridge.  I am not clear whether this was provided by the railway company when the line was constructed or whether it was a much later inclusion when the authorities refurbished the Leat in case it was needed during World War II.  The line continued southwards on a shelf like part of the slope of the valley, largely through woods that at least afforded views outwards towards the higher moorland beyond.

Shaugh Bridge Halt

Soon after and I passed the only intact station left on the line at Shaugh Bridge.  This was only ever a halt station and opened in 1907, some 46 years after the line opened.  I am not sure that there were any more facilities during the period it was open than there are now!  Heading south and the next feature on the line is the massive 6 arched Ham Green viaduct.  This carries the line high above a small tributary valley of a stream that flows into the River Plym.  On the left hand side of the viaduct the stumps of a former viaduct can be seen.  I imagine these were from an earlier wooden structure – such features are quite commonplace in Devon and Cornwall.

Ham Green Viaduct

Last time I headed this way there used to be a very annoying diversion at a point just south of the viaduct where it met the road that served Bickleigh Station.  Then it was necessary to head up the road a short way and loop around to meet back with the railway.  Now thank goodness that palaver is no more as a new route around the site has been constructed.  Although off the line of the railway, most people wouldn’t really notice as it runs just a few yards to the east and to all intents and purposes is just a continuation of the route.

Site of Bickleigh Station

For a short section through the cutting to the south of the site of Bickleigh Station the path acquires some road markings.  The need for these was amply demonstrated by a dog walker in a disabled buggy.  Apparently the markings are to remind people that this section is used by these kinds of vehicles.  Perhaps that is why the surface has been tarmacked?

Viaduct with Stumps

Heading south and the line became a lot more wooded as I entered Plymbridge woods.  The line headed across two more large viaducts and on each occasion I took the opportunity to have the best look of them that I could.  The problem with walking across these structures is that although perfectly possible to appreciate their engineering it is almost impossible to appreciate their design without looking from a different angle.

Plymbridge Woods Section

I could tell that I was now reaching the end of the line as there were by now many runners using the line.  I should imagine that it is a good route for running.  The surface is even but the route far more interesting than pounding the pavements around the city.  The section through Plymbridge Woods is delightful, perhaps the most scenic along the whole route.

Cann Viaduct Viewing Area

The next viaduct on the route at Cann is probably the most interesting.  The viaduct itself is made of brick rather than the stone of the others crossed so far.  Alongside the trackbed are also some ruins from the former quarrying operations that were carried out here.  It made for an interesting diversion from the route as I wandered around and tried to picture how the quarry must have operated.  It produced slate, but of a much lower quality than material from Wales, which eventually replaced it.  Judging from the ruins there must have been quite an operation though.  On the viaduct itself a couple of National Trust people were set up to offer a look at the peregrine falcons that nest high up on the cliff faces of the quarry.  They had no shortage of takers to look through their telescope at the birds.

End of the Line

Just south of Cann Viaduct the line is joined by the trackbed of the Lee Moor Tramway and the Cann Canal, even older transport systems designed to get raw materials out of this former industrial heartland.  Both systems have long been abandoned – in the case of the canal about 180 years ago, although some traces of it can still be seen.  I soon reached the scenic river crossing at Plymbridge and from here on are the most apparent changes to the route since I last walked it 15 years ago.  In recent years the Plym Valley Heritage Railway, just a seed of an idea in the late 1990s, has now reopened the line as far as Plymbridge.

Plym Bridge

The onward path then doesn’t follow the line as it used to since it is now reoccupied by a railway!  The halt at Plymbridge still looks a bit wobbly and the track looks a little mad, but it is early days and I wish the project success.  There was sadly no opportunity to ride the trains – the next one apparently isn’t scheduled to run until July!  As I wandered around the site I soon heard the unmistakable sound of a mechanical street sweeper.  This must be one of the more scenic parts of his round, although the surroundings belie how close you are to the built up area of Plymouth.  He parked in the station car park, suggesting that this is a popular place for a tea break.

Fake Signal

Onward and my path took a route down the side of the railway to Marsh Mills, crossing by level crossing about half a mile south of Plymbridge station.  I was amused by the fake signals along the line, none of which were capable of being moved.  By now the weather that had already turned grey from the early morning sunshine was taking a turn for the worse.  I quickened my pace over the last section and felt that it was on the whole a lot less satisfying than I had remembered.  The Plym Valley Railway was mostly on an embankment above me, which meant that many of its features were not visible.  On the other side was what looked like a boat yard of some sort, with moulds for new fibreglass hulls?  There was quite a lot of activity going on, suggesting that maybe business is still doing reasonably well.  Rolling stock on the railway could be glimpsed but was firmly kept behind some fierce looking fencing.  I imagine this helps protect the stuff from unwanted visitors from nearby housing estates.

Plymbridge Crossing

I finished my walk at Coypool by what is now the park and ride site.  When I was a student I used to continue my journey by foot down the side of the Plym Estuary near Saltram House.  This time though I took the rather easier option of getting the park and ride bus into the city, a decision made rather easier by the fact that the bus was already waiting for me.  Almost as soon as I got on the heavens opened and rain remained the order of the rest of the day.  I felt smug, knowing I had cheated the weather front!

Plym Valley Railway HQ

Weymouth Harbour Tramway

Harbour Station

 After a summer dominated by Olympic and Paralympic activities I had one more place that I wanted to visit before all the decorations came down.  I had deliberately saved the next stage of doing the South West Coast Path for when the Olympics came to Weymouth.  In that regard I was slightly late as the Paralympic Sailing had finished two days before my visit.  However, as it was the day before the Games officially finished I was able to see Weymouth still bedecked in all the Olympic flags before they were taken down.

Redundant Signal

My main focus for the day was to complete the section of coast path from Weymouth to Lulworth but as I was not pressured for time I decided that I would take a look at another former railway before I got going.  This former railway is one with a difference though, since most of the infrastructure is still in place, including stations, track and signalling!  In fact I am not even sure that the Weymouth Harbour Tramway has ever closed, although no trains have run over it since 1999.  Theoretically the line could be used again with a minimum of preparation work, although it looks increasingly unlikely since the local Council has asked for its removal and Network Rail have not contested the request.  The ferry dock is also currently closed, while repairs to some serious structural problems are resolved.  The long term future of the port must be in question after the ferry service decamped to Poole for the entire 2012 season.  Nothing came of an attempt to reinstate the tramway as a transport route for the Olympics and this probably represented the last realistic chance of a revival.

Weymouth Marina

I arrived on the train at Weymouth Station and it was immediately obvious that trains that had gone to meet with the ferries must have reversed out of the main station or by-passed it entirely, since the junction is just north of the throat of the platforms.  This section is the only part of the entire line that is not embedded into the roadway and is pretty overgrown.  With some fairly recent retail development on one side, I should imagine that retaining this narrow corridor of rail was probably quite a nuisance.  It is still controlled by a colour light signal, albeit these days continually on red.

'New' Curve

Once the tramway enters the road network it is clear that running trains along it now would be fraught with problems.  The first section of road that it travels along is a very busy access road for the town centre and car parks.  The idea that a train crew armed with flags could walk along in front of a train along this stretch of line seems rather ludicrous now, but that is exactly what happened until 1987 when regular passenger services finally stopped.  A few railtours ventured this way in the 1990s, with the last of all in 1999.  An idea of how incongruous the line would be in today's network is illustrated by an excellent film I found on You Tube from 1994

Open for Business

This part of the railway is probably the least interesting now, as apart from the tracks embedded in the road there is little of the original character of the line left.  I crossed the road and took a look at the old 1930s bridge that would once have brought town centre traffic into Weymouth.  While it still looks in pretty good shape, its former importance has now been taken from it and the bridge now has a rather melancholy air.

Town Bridge

Further down the road and the old line takes a wider curve around the harbour wall.  Apparently the curve here was eased slightly back in 1938/39 to enable better rail adhesion.  A set of points are still in place, although I am not sure that the second line was anything more than a siding.  I suddenly became aware of how much boat movement there was in the marina as I rounded the corner as it soon became clear that the queue of boats were waiting for the lifting bridge to be opened.  I am not sure if this is by demand or at a scheduled time, but clearly there were plenty wanting to get out on such a sunny day! 

Weyfish

I watched the bridge open with a degree of fascination and the queuing boats all passed through fairly slowly in convoy fashion.  I should imagine that this bridge could cause some serious hold ups – no wonder that other bridges have now been made available.

The George Inn

The next part of the tramway is the one most photographed from operational days.  The route passes along the quayside on the narrow road in front of the former fisheries and harbour buildings, many of them now converted to other uses such as restaurants and pubs.  The harbour still has something of a buzz about it though, with plenty of fishing boats still lined up.  With the added dimension of the Olympics and all the decorations that came with that, I thought that the old place still looked really good.

Sharkys

Eventually I came upon the Harbour Station.  The first part of it was a platform only on one side of the double track formation.  I think this platform would originally have been used for transferring goods from ship to train, as tomatoes and other fresh produce from the Channel Islands was once brought in through this port.  The main passenger station is just beyond and adjacent to the ferry terminal where cross channel ferries once left from.  The only French service that has operated in recent years has been an extension of the Channel Islands service, presumably because of the difficult access for vehicular traffic.  However, Condor Ferries ran a seasonal Channel Island service from the port until 2011.  The port is temporarily closed now after the discovery of some very large cracks in the quayside, which rendered the terminal as unusable until repairs are effected.  Given the scale of the cost of repair, the long term future of the port must be in doubt.

Harbour Master's Office

Whatever the future as a ferry port, the station itself has been mothballed for 25 years.  Yet despite the length of time that has elapsed since the final services ran, the station itself is in remarkably good health.  Maybe it is because of the sea air that suppresses weed growth, or maybe because of maintenance, but the station is still pretty weed free.  It is obviously derelict though and would take some investment to get going again.  How long this station will remain in this state is anybody’s guess.  I would imagine that the showcasing that Weymouth got during Olympic year, inward investment may result and places like this that aren’t earning their keep must surely be ripe for redevelopment.

Goods Platform

Weymouth and Portland Council took over the line in 2009, stating that they wanted to close it since there were no viable plans for its use as a railway.  Since acquiring the trackbed though there seems to have been no plans brought forward.  It remains an oddity of the national rail system, but for how much longer?

Olympic Decorations

West Eifel Railway

Neuerberg Tunnel Northern Portal

 This year for the first time with our children we headed to the Eifel Region of Germany, a small rural corner of the country that borders Luxembourg and has a continuation of the Ardennes hills that characterise this part of Europe.  The Ardennes had a very important role in World War II, for it was here that the German Army launched a counter-offensive in the last winter of the war, with disastrous consequences as far as casualties were concerned.  It is difficult to believe now, for this area is very peaceful and full of picturesque villages among the rolling wooded hills and fast flowing streams.  It is also a good area for the railway walker to explore, for many of the old lines that once served many of these towns are long since defunct, but thanks to German efficiency have been turned into wonderful cycle tracks.

Inside Neuerberg Tunnel

In order to get a taste for what was on offer we walked a very short stretch of the former Neuerberg branch line, which once ran to this small village where we were staying from Prüm.  Prüm seems to have been something of a railway hub in days gone by, but virtually all the lines that radiated from here are now closed, although there is a preserved railway that still serves the town where the trains run to Gerolstein nearby.

Neuerberg Level Crossing

Our walk though began at the other end of the line in Neuerberg (translated as Newcastle).  The line finally succumbed to closure in 1969 to passengers and 1989 to goods traffic.  Sadly there is no trace of the former station as the flat piece of land on which it was located was just too valuable to leave derelict in this narrow valley.  The station area is now occupied by an Aldi store, but the area must have been quite large when it was an operational railway for there is plenty of room for the store and associated car park.  Pictures of what it once looked like can be found at http://www.drehscheibe-foren.de/foren/read.php?17,5406223.

Nicely surfaced

The trail itself starts immediately north of the store and the reason we even discovered it was because of the rather obvious and decorative tunnel mouth!  We thought it would be rather fun for the children to walk through the tunnel, which was on a slight curve therefore not allowing sight of one end from the other.  Although they were initially a bit apprehensive when they got inside they soon realised that it was alright as it was lit throughout.  Of course echoing shouts also helped with the entertainment value!

Picnic Areas

On the other side of the tunnel we initially walked through a heavily wooded section of track, shielded from view of the village.  The track was asphalt – no mucking about with crushed stone or any other kind of rough surface that seems to be the norm for such paths in Britain.  In fact this railway path seemed to have had a significant amount of money lavished on it.  As a result it was undeniably popular on this hot July day, with plenty of families passing us en route.

Enz Valley

We crossed the main road by level crossing protected by gates.  This must have held up the traffic when the cleared line was operational but now it would be us waiting our turn to cross.  On the other side the line took a route high above the River Enz and we were pleased to see that the trees on the river side had been allowing views of the sweep of the valley.  There was an obvious incline as the line headed northwards, which must have been a struggle for steam engines when the line first opened in 1909.

Meadowsweet

 All along the track were wild flowers and we enjoyed looking at the different shapes and colours.  Some of the flowers we recognised as they were the same as British ones, while others were new to us.  The air was full of the sound of buzzing bees and hoverflies, all servicing the myriad of flowers. 

Typical Eifel Scenery

At various intervals picnic areas had been created, making this truly a tourist attraction in itself.  We were mightily impressed – I think our next visit to this part of Germany might have to include bicycles in our luggage so that we can make this for a more comprehensive trip than the little taster we had.  We walked only about four kilometres along the track, turning back principally because we were very hot and bothered but also to ensure that the little legs of the children still had enough stamina for the return journey!  We needn’t have worried – they were too busy telling us stories to notice the distance!

End of the Line For Us