Another installment from my West Country abandoned railway explores in the 1980s. This time a visit to Meldon Junction.
Meldon Junction - looking west. August 19, 1982. Fourteen years after closure. There was no station at Meldon Junction just a signal box and a house for the signalman. The location marked the junction between the Plymouth - Exeter mainline (via Tavistock) and the North Cornwall Line (via Halwill Junction).
The overgrown formation of the North Cornwall Line to Padstow via Halwill (closed October 03, 1966) can be seen curving away to the middle right of the picture beyond the fence. The line to Plymouth closed on May 06, 1968.
The trackbed was partially metalled - hence the road surface to allow lorries to gain access to Meldon Quarry - via Meldon viaduct during the construction of Meldon Reservior which was completed in 1972.
This part of the railway is today the Granite Way Cycleway and footpath.
Meldon Junction - August 19, 1982 - view east towards Meldon Viaduct and Quarry from Meldon Junction. Where this photo was taken there were three sets of tracks. The up and down mainline and a loop on the right known as the exchange siding. Here trains from Plymouth and Tavistock could be drawn clear of the mainline and then changed direction west-wards along the North Cornwall Line or vice versa.
Bridge 614 - the marked the start of the "live" railway beyond the gate. The Meldon Quarry houses can be seen in the background. August 19, 1982,
View over the gate at bridge 614 - August 19, 1982. The faded British Railways Western Region notice warns that the track bed is "strictly private", Just beyond can be seen the buffer stop on the up line which extended across the rather spectacular Meldon Viaduct which happily still survives. The downline was removed to facilitate road vehicle access to Meldon Quarry during the construction of Meldon Dam which was completed in 1972.
View west from bridge 614 towards Meldon Junction - August 19, 1982. The full three track width of the formation can be clearly seen. The exchange Siding would have been on the right. Also to be seen on the left is the roof of the Meldon Junction signalman's house. Whilst the box was removed after closure the house remained.
Meldon Junction - looking west. August 19, 1982. Fourteen years after closure. There was no station at Meldon Junction just a signal box and a house for the signalman. The location marked the junction between the Plymouth - Exeter mainline (via Tavistock) and the North Cornwall Line (via Halwill Junction).
The overgrown formation of the North Cornwall Line to Padstow via Halwill (closed October 03, 1966) can be seen curving away to the middle right of the picture beyond the fence. The line to Plymouth closed on May 06, 1968.
The trackbed was partially metalled - hence the road surface to allow lorries to gain access to Meldon Quarry - via Meldon viaduct during the construction of Meldon Reservior which was completed in 1972.
This part of the railway is today the Granite Way Cycleway and footpath.
Meldon Junction - August 19, 1982 - view east towards Meldon Viaduct and Quarry from Meldon Junction. Where this photo was taken there were three sets of tracks. The up and down mainline and a loop on the right known as the exchange siding. Here trains from Plymouth and Tavistock could be drawn clear of the mainline and then changed direction west-wards along the North Cornwall Line or vice versa.
Bridge 614 - the marked the start of the "live" railway beyond the gate. The Meldon Quarry houses can be seen in the background. August 19, 1982,
View over the gate at bridge 614 - August 19, 1982. The faded British Railways Western Region notice warns that the track bed is "strictly private", Just beyond can be seen the buffer stop on the up line which extended across the rather spectacular Meldon Viaduct which happily still survives. The downline was removed to facilitate road vehicle access to Meldon Quarry during the construction of Meldon Dam which was completed in 1972.
View west from bridge 614 towards Meldon Junction - August 19, 1982. The full three track width of the formation can be clearly seen. The exchange Siding would have been on the right. Also to be seen on the left is the roof of the Meldon Junction signalman's house. Whilst the box was removed after closure the house remained.
