I’m running a little behind at the moment, but it’s a good thing. I’ve been out and about, filming at the locations for Yeovil Town and Hendford.
It’s put me a little behind on new blog posts and videos, but again, it’s a good thing. I’ve a lot of new image from the past to share, and a lot of new ‘then and now’ images as well. Here is a sneak peak of an image I managed to take at Hendford Halt.
In the ‘then’ photo, a Collett 22xx 0-6-0 tender engine stands with a freight train on the end of the long siding, waiting for a path to Pen Mill. Meanwhile, a pannier take arrives on the branch with steam shut off, as the board is at danger ahead; the signal can be seen in the distance beyond the freight train on the left. Image by R. Lumber.
The ‘now’ photo shows that the site is a petrol station for a supermarket. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, there’s a sense of irony that a railway halt is replaced by a petrol station for cars. Cars were just one of the main causes of the collapse of the railway network. Such a shame.
Behind the Scenes at Yeovil Town
I was able to film at Yeovil Town a couple of years ago, but when I found a new set of image, I had to take a set new modern day photos.
There is a local beauty spot called Wyndham Hill, and I’ve never been up there. As the weather was nice, I decided to walk to the top.
Now, I’m not the fittest of people at the best of times, and the weather was more than good, it was also hot, very hot.
The combination of my lack of fitness and the hot weather, I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it to the top! However, I pushed on and made it. I’m not sure if you have ever been up there, but the view is very impressive. Here is a 360 photo, so you can have a look around yourself.
I’m not going to share images of the railway here, as I will save them for another post.
Filming at Hendford
Just to the west of where Yeovil Town was, was Hendford station, and Hendford Halt.
The halt at Hendford is sadly no longer there. In fact, there is nothing at all to tell where any of it was. Looking at this map, which I will go into in more detail when I make a post about Hendford. Make sure you sign up the newsletter to know when.
The nice thing about where Hendford was, is that’s now a beautiful walkway, for everyone, dog walkers, joggers, and cyclists. The area is called Nine Springs and I have been there many times for a walk and taking photos.
This time around, I was taking photos of bridges and what little remains on the line.
I always think it incredible that these bridges where made, well over 100 years ago, without any A.I. or computers. They had only brilliant minds and relentless hard work, and the bridges still standing today prove it.
Up Next
I’m currently working on the blog post for Hendford and Halt, and it will be online very soon.
A big thank you to the Western Gazette for running an article about my search for details about the Yeovil to Taunton line.
I had a few emails, and had some interesting stories through. I also had an email from a man named Andrew. He is based in Somerset and he had some interesting artifacts from the Yeovil to Durston branch line.
On top of that, he also had a collection of signal boxes in his back garden!
I meant up with him recently and had a nice cuppa tea as he showed me around his incredible collection of signal boxes, old signals and a lot more about the history of the railways from the around the UK. He is currently tidying up the boxes, and making them as good as new; like they were on a railway line and ready to let a train through.
I didn’t have the time to take many photos, but I will be working on a blog post and video about his incredible collection at a later point. As they say, watch this space.
