| On this day myself and Andy Wilson began to tidy up the line around Park Hall Halt as it looks an eyesore to the Orthapedic Hospital, Gobowen. As well as tidying up the line, I decided to walk the line as far as possible towards Gobowen Station. When I mean as far as possible I mean to the boundary fence between Network Rail and Shropshire County Council. Part of the problem of going into Gobowen station is that it needs a new deviation line to be built. A small section of the Gobowen - Blodwell Quarry line up to the Council boundary is used by Timber trains as a reversal to run around the trains. Many people have mentioned to me that the Cambrian Heritage Railways of Oswestry should concentrate on rebuilding the line to Gobowen from Oswestry but as we see in these pictures it's far from easy. |
A view from Park Hall Halt looking towards Gobowen after some intial clearance by Andrew Wilson. 2592x1944 |
A view from Park Hall Halt looking towards Oswestry and Blodwell Quarry. Park Hall Halt itself is covered in vegitation and this is situated to the left. 2592x1944 |
The heavily but unwalkable track going through Park Hall Halt towards Oswestry. The Park Hall overbridge can be seen ahead. We'll go up there on the next picture. Foggy Dewhirst of Last of Summer Wine would have a field day hiding here from the Japanese troops in Burma. 2592x1944 |
A view from Park Hall overbridge looking towards Gobowen. 2592x1944 |
In a zoomed in view from Park Hall overbridge looking towards Gobowen, we can see volunteer Andrew Wilson tidying up the line. 2592x1944 |
A view from Park Hall overbridge looking towards Oswestry, Llynclys and Blodwell Quarry. 2592x1944 |
A zoomed in view shows there's just about a railway here. Look at the shiny rails. 2592x1944 |
A view of the Park Hall name board posts. 2592x1944 |
We're now starting our walk at Park Hall Halt and we're going to walk the overgrown line as far as is possible to Gobowen. 2592x1944 |
Walking the track from Park Hall Halt towards Gobowen. In this view the undergrowth here is thick but due to local people using the line as a walk, it's just about possible to get through. 2592x1944 |
Walking the track from Park Hall Halt towards Gobowen. In this view the track is still heavily overgrown but thankfully as local people have the walked the track it's just about possible to get through. 2592x1944 |
Walking the track from Park Hall Halt towards Gobowen. At last the undergrowth from here onwards has eased off. According to a few sources, timber trains used to run in recent years to this point so this is possibly the reason behind the vegitation being less. 2592x1944 |
Walking the track from Park Hall Halt towards Gobowen. At long last we can see a railway rather than a jungle. 2592x1944 |
In this view we can see the sleepers are no good. In a public consulation meeting in Oswestry, my dad and brother heard from the late Councillor David J Lloyd that the sleepers from the A5 Level Crossing to Gobowen were last replaced in 1949 and this view here shows this. This here shows in our unofficial debate that running trains to Gobowen first is wrong. The sleepers from Oswestry to Gobowen will all be needed to be replaced. However, since we've not walked and looked at the sleepers from the A5 Level Crossing to Oswestry we can't really completely close the debate. We'll have to walk that section ASAP. 2592x1944 |
We're now approaching the end of our walk and at long last we can see a tidier railway. No "Alun the spray" hasn't been here before anybody thinks that. 2592x1944 |
We're now approaching the end of our walk and at long last we can see a tidier railway. No "Alun the spray" hasn't been here before anybody thinks that. The track is clear due to the fact in recent times timber trains have run beyond here to do their running around. The fence in the distance marks the boundary between Network Rail and Shropshire County Council. 2592x1944 |
We're now at walks end. We're not allowed beyond the green fence as this Network Rail property. If we did go beyond the gence it would mean we're committing criminal trespass. The reason why this fence is here is due to the fact timber trains use the line to this point to run around trains. A new deviation line will have to be built I'm guessing to the left. 2592x1944 |
With a buffer stop on the Network Rail boundary the rail has been cut here so technically the line to Oswestry and Blodwell Quarry is no longer connected to the national network. 2592x1944 |
A view from the Network Rail buffer stop looking towards Gobowen. 2592x1944 |
A zoomed in view from the Network Rail buffer stops looking towards Gobowen. To see a view of where this line ends up look at http://alunsphotos.fotopic.net/p57799383.html 2592x1944 |
A view looking from the Network Rail and Shropshire County Council looking towards Oswestry and Blodwell Quarry. 2592x1944 |
