The history of Britains stoplines are well known to us PB hunters. For those wishing to know more about this particular one, this thread will tell you;
[ame]http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=16334[/ame]
Picking up from where I left off with the Forton Anti Tank Island, I ventured further south along the old Chard branch line track bed to explore the stretch between the dismantled Forton rail bridge and Lower Coombes near Tatworth. The railway is long gone but our anti invasion defences linger on gracefully and lend themselves to all manner of wildlife and nature as homes or playgrounds.
I explored this area of the stopline as a child without knowing quite what these strange concrete structures were, only that they provided hours of summer fun. As an adult my appreciation of their purpose gives me a feeling of pride in my grandfathers generation. On a different level, the joy of youth revisited.
It struck me, as it always does on this sort of venture, that when hunting down stopline defences you get to appreciate countryside you just wouldn’t see under normal circumstances. One of the pleasures of this somewhat obsessive pastime I guess.
As usual the headings contain the original 1940 serial numbers for each PB along with its type. DOB numbers are also given for reference where available. A GE map shot of the area is shown below.
And on with the pics. Along the trackbed itself there are a large number of AT cubes as shown on the map shot. These are interspersed with AT ditches to just beyond Blackland lane weir.
Forton rail bridge
All that remains of the dismantled rail bridge
AT cubes at Blackland Lane
The Weir, couldn't resist
AT cubes and Roadblock at the Farm entrance
You can just see the slot in this one for positioning the steel beams in the roadblock
AT Wall
Pillbox M 26, Type 24
Not accessible unfortunately but camera through the embrasure usually does the trick.
A Railblock and more AT cubes, showing the slot for the beam. It's partner has gone AWOL I'm afraid.
Pillbox M44, Type 24 – S0002982
I love the way this one dominates you as you stand in the cutting looking up and from here you can see along the old line for a hundred yards in both directions. The most undergrowth free section I've seen in a while.
Corrugated iron shuttering still in place on the ceiling.
Pillbox M 27, Type 24
That’s all for this time folks. Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for looking in.
[ame]http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=16334[/ame]
Picking up from where I left off with the Forton Anti Tank Island, I ventured further south along the old Chard branch line track bed to explore the stretch between the dismantled Forton rail bridge and Lower Coombes near Tatworth. The railway is long gone but our anti invasion defences linger on gracefully and lend themselves to all manner of wildlife and nature as homes or playgrounds.
I explored this area of the stopline as a child without knowing quite what these strange concrete structures were, only that they provided hours of summer fun. As an adult my appreciation of their purpose gives me a feeling of pride in my grandfathers generation. On a different level, the joy of youth revisited.
It struck me, as it always does on this sort of venture, that when hunting down stopline defences you get to appreciate countryside you just wouldn’t see under normal circumstances. One of the pleasures of this somewhat obsessive pastime I guess.
As usual the headings contain the original 1940 serial numbers for each PB along with its type. DOB numbers are also given for reference where available. A GE map shot of the area is shown below.
And on with the pics. Along the trackbed itself there are a large number of AT cubes as shown on the map shot. These are interspersed with AT ditches to just beyond Blackland lane weir.
Forton rail bridge
All that remains of the dismantled rail bridge
AT cubes at Blackland Lane
The Weir, couldn't resist
AT cubes and Roadblock at the Farm entrance
You can just see the slot in this one for positioning the steel beams in the roadblock
AT Wall
Pillbox M 26, Type 24
Not accessible unfortunately but camera through the embrasure usually does the trick.
A Railblock and more AT cubes, showing the slot for the beam. It's partner has gone AWOL I'm afraid.
Pillbox M44, Type 24 – S0002982
I love the way this one dominates you as you stand in the cutting looking up and from here you can see along the old line for a hundred yards in both directions. The most undergrowth free section I've seen in a while.
Corrugated iron shuttering still in place on the ceiling.
Pillbox M 27, Type 24
That’s all for this time folks. Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for looking in.
