History and info
Taunton Stopline
“A World War 2 anti-invasion stop line, facing west, built between July and November 1940. The stop line runs for approximately 50 miles from the mouth of River Brue to the mouth of the River Axe in Devon (with some infrastructure in Dorset). Some rear positions were prepared to the E of line. It connected to the ‘GHQ Line Green’ running East along River Brue.
The line followed the River Parrett to Bridgwater where it joined the Bridgwater to Taunton Canal. From Creech St Michael it followed the old Chard Canal until SW of Ilton where it joined the Great Western Railway. The line left the GWR to the north of Chard Junction from where it followed the Southern Railway and River Axe running south into Devon.
The planned infrastructure (most of which was built) included 233 pillboxes, 61 medium machine gun emplacements, 21 anti-tank gun emplacements, 83 road blocks, 22 railway blocks and 46 demolitions.
The anti-tank obstacle consisted of about 24 miles of waterways, 7 miles of improved water obstacles, 11 miles of anti-tank ditches and 8 miles of artificial obstacles (eg cubes).
From autumn 1940, twelve locations were prepared for all-round defence as ‘anti-tank islands’ of which 9 were in Somerset - Bridgwater, Durston, Creech St Michael, Wrantage and Crimson Hill, Ilton, Ilminster, Chard, Forton and Perry Street.”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Chard Canal
From Wikipedia;
“The Chard Canal was a 13.5 miles (21.7 km) tub boat canal in Somerset, England, that ran from the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal at Creech St. Michael, over four aqueducts, through three tunnels and four inclined planes to Chard. It was completed in 1842, was never commercially viable, and closed in 1868. The major engineering features are still clearly visible in the landscape.”
My thanks and acknowledgment once again to Krela for providing the photos of the original construction plans and other 1940/1941 documentation included in this report.
Wrantage and Crimson Hill. Jan 1941
Wrantage and Crimson Hill. Present day
GE map shots legend
Orange – AT ditches
Yellow – Scarping
White – AT posts
Blue – Barbed wire
Black – Railway
Light blue - Canal
This section of the line also forms the western flank of the Wrantage Anti tank Island.
Starting at the north end of the line, the first thing I came across was the disused Canal aqueduct;
N 86 – Type 24, modified – 51° 0'0.53"N, 2°59'29.43"W
From the DOB – “An unusual pillbox based on a type 24 but which has subsequently had another chamber added along the outside of the rear wall. Inside the rear wall retains its loops and the chamber has a loop for a bren gun. The new door is on the left side at the end of the added chamber. Presumably added as part of the anti tank island defences when its rear would be exposed."
M AT 601 – Drg. No. TL55, Gun Emplacement - 50°59'57.70"N, 2°59'24.10"W
Bit of a find as it’s not on the DOB, another one for the Capn to add. In excellent condition too.
M AT 602 - Drg. No. TL55, Gun Emplacement – S0007199 - 50°59'48.82"N, 2°59'12.75"W
In a farmyard atop the canal bank
M 1b – Type 24 LMG emp – S0000370 - 50°59'47.19"N, 2°59'11.59"W
Again atop the canal bank across the dismantled aqueduct from M AT 602
AT Cubes – Crimson Hill - Starting above the canal tunnel entrance 50°59'38.30"N, 2°58'57.59"W and running south east, 18 in total – S0000278
Some of our colleagues from another forum took 3 inflatable boats up the canal tunnel a while back.
In 1940 it was used for storing mines.
The muddy lane I had to wade through to get here. The things we do!
M 61 – Type 24 – S0000280 - 50°59'33.87"N, 2°58'56.29"W
Dug well in to the hillside. Some corrugated iron shuttering lying in the entrance.
MV 1 – Vickers HMG – S0000288 - 50°59'33.72"N, 2°58'48.77"W
The first of the pair and in top condition. Seriously steep climb to get to but worth it for the view at the end.
MV 1a – Vickers HMG – S0000286 - 50°59'33.15"N, 2°58'49.79"W
The view from the top of MV 1. Best part of the day, just the walk back now.
Thanks for looking in.
Taunton Stopline
“A World War 2 anti-invasion stop line, facing west, built between July and November 1940. The stop line runs for approximately 50 miles from the mouth of River Brue to the mouth of the River Axe in Devon (with some infrastructure in Dorset). Some rear positions were prepared to the E of line. It connected to the ‘GHQ Line Green’ running East along River Brue.
The line followed the River Parrett to Bridgwater where it joined the Bridgwater to Taunton Canal. From Creech St Michael it followed the old Chard Canal until SW of Ilton where it joined the Great Western Railway. The line left the GWR to the north of Chard Junction from where it followed the Southern Railway and River Axe running south into Devon.
The planned infrastructure (most of which was built) included 233 pillboxes, 61 medium machine gun emplacements, 21 anti-tank gun emplacements, 83 road blocks, 22 railway blocks and 46 demolitions.
The anti-tank obstacle consisted of about 24 miles of waterways, 7 miles of improved water obstacles, 11 miles of anti-tank ditches and 8 miles of artificial obstacles (eg cubes).
From autumn 1940, twelve locations were prepared for all-round defence as ‘anti-tank islands’ of which 9 were in Somerset - Bridgwater, Durston, Creech St Michael, Wrantage and Crimson Hill, Ilton, Ilminster, Chard, Forton and Perry Street.”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Chard Canal
From Wikipedia;
“The Chard Canal was a 13.5 miles (21.7 km) tub boat canal in Somerset, England, that ran from the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal at Creech St. Michael, over four aqueducts, through three tunnels and four inclined planes to Chard. It was completed in 1842, was never commercially viable, and closed in 1868. The major engineering features are still clearly visible in the landscape.”
My thanks and acknowledgment once again to Krela for providing the photos of the original construction plans and other 1940/1941 documentation included in this report.
Wrantage and Crimson Hill. Jan 1941
Wrantage and Crimson Hill. Present day
GE map shots legend
Orange – AT ditches
Yellow – Scarping
White – AT posts
Blue – Barbed wire
Black – Railway
Light blue - Canal
This section of the line also forms the western flank of the Wrantage Anti tank Island.
Starting at the north end of the line, the first thing I came across was the disused Canal aqueduct;
N 86 – Type 24, modified – 51° 0'0.53"N, 2°59'29.43"W
From the DOB – “An unusual pillbox based on a type 24 but which has subsequently had another chamber added along the outside of the rear wall. Inside the rear wall retains its loops and the chamber has a loop for a bren gun. The new door is on the left side at the end of the added chamber. Presumably added as part of the anti tank island defences when its rear would be exposed."
M AT 601 – Drg. No. TL55, Gun Emplacement - 50°59'57.70"N, 2°59'24.10"W
Bit of a find as it’s not on the DOB, another one for the Capn to add. In excellent condition too.
M AT 602 - Drg. No. TL55, Gun Emplacement – S0007199 - 50°59'48.82"N, 2°59'12.75"W
In a farmyard atop the canal bank
M 1b – Type 24 LMG emp – S0000370 - 50°59'47.19"N, 2°59'11.59"W
Again atop the canal bank across the dismantled aqueduct from M AT 602
AT Cubes – Crimson Hill - Starting above the canal tunnel entrance 50°59'38.30"N, 2°58'57.59"W and running south east, 18 in total – S0000278
Some of our colleagues from another forum took 3 inflatable boats up the canal tunnel a while back.
In 1940 it was used for storing mines.
The muddy lane I had to wade through to get here. The things we do!
M 61 – Type 24 – S0000280 - 50°59'33.87"N, 2°58'56.29"W
Dug well in to the hillside. Some corrugated iron shuttering lying in the entrance.
MV 1 – Vickers HMG – S0000288 - 50°59'33.72"N, 2°58'48.77"W
The first of the pair and in top condition. Seriously steep climb to get to but worth it for the view at the end.
MV 1a – Vickers HMG – S0000286 - 50°59'33.15"N, 2°58'49.79"W
The view from the top of MV 1. Best part of the day, just the walk back now.
Thanks for looking in.
Last edited:
I was attacked by every piece of vegetation known to man and I've got the scars to prove it.
) and reports as always, Munchh. Great to see some canal goodness too...love the viaduct.
