MORE TRAINS ALONG ROADS
After I was divorced I used to take my young son on holiday each year. One year, maybe 1985, the two of us stayed in a small village in Dorset and decided to take a day trip to the nearby town of Weymouth.
I was driving through the town centre, turned right and coming towards me was a huge diesel engine and 8 passenger carriages. My 4-yr old son was totally amazed, not only had he never seen a train travelling along a public road, but he did not know such thing were even possible.
Class 33 diesel with train passes slowly on its journey to Weymouth Harbour station, 21/07.1985. [Original photo: Steve Johnson "Cyberheritage"].
View from more or less identical position 09/2017. Chimney on the pub has been removed, yellow "no obstructing" road markings no longer in place but the rail track is still useable. The warehouse on extreme right has now been converted to residential units, the loading doors now glazed and fitted with balconies.
Known as the Weymouth Harbour Tramway or Weymouth Quay Branchline, it is unusual because for its entire length the railway follows public roads. It was in built in 1852 to allow a rail connection from Weymouth Town station to the harbour. Weymouth harbour handled all the passenger traffic to/from and import of produce from the Channel Islands to England. Thus ships could be unloaded (passengers and cargo) and transferred to trains a few metres away at the quayside. I have been unable to find the length of the rail link by using the Internet (!) but estimate it must be about 2 - 2.5km.
Passengers for or from a Channel Island ferry and train at Weymouth Harbour station, 21.07.1985. There is small flashing orange light on the lamp bracket above the left hand buffer. The loco was also fitted with a driver-operated bell to warn pedestrians; two men would walk in front of the train to get people and incorrectly parked cars out of the way. The "90" indicator on the loco front indicates the train's route - signalmen can thus set the points (switches) and signals accordingly and accurately log the time the train passed their signal box. [Original photo" Steve Johnson "Cyberheritage"].
Similar view 09/2017. The station building has not been used for many years, some windows boarded over. The platform still shows the painted white edge (a safety measure introduced during WW2 and still adopted today). All UK railway stations have a raised platform same height as carriage floor for easy access. ew buildings to the left and in the distance is the modern ferry Customs & Immigration building and car ferry terminal - the rail tracks end underneath it!
The last regular twice daily rail service was in 1987 but rail enthusiast trains did run 1st April 1995 and finally, 2nd May 1999.
I was driving through the town centre, turned right and coming towards me was a huge diesel engine and 8 passenger carriages. My 4-yr old son was totally amazed, not only had he never seen a train travelling along a public road, but he did not know such thing were even possible.
Class 33 diesel with train passes slowly on its journey to Weymouth Harbour station, 21/07.1985. [Original photo: Steve Johnson "Cyberheritage"].
View from more or less identical position 09/2017. Chimney on the pub has been removed, yellow "no obstructing" road markings no longer in place but the rail track is still useable. The warehouse on extreme right has now been converted to residential units, the loading doors now glazed and fitted with balconies.
Known as the Weymouth Harbour Tramway or Weymouth Quay Branchline, it is unusual because for its entire length the railway follows public roads. It was in built in 1852 to allow a rail connection from Weymouth Town station to the harbour. Weymouth harbour handled all the passenger traffic to/from and import of produce from the Channel Islands to England. Thus ships could be unloaded (passengers and cargo) and transferred to trains a few metres away at the quayside. I have been unable to find the length of the rail link by using the Internet (!) but estimate it must be about 2 - 2.5km.
Passengers for or from a Channel Island ferry and train at Weymouth Harbour station, 21.07.1985. There is small flashing orange light on the lamp bracket above the left hand buffer. The loco was also fitted with a driver-operated bell to warn pedestrians; two men would walk in front of the train to get people and incorrectly parked cars out of the way. The "90" indicator on the loco front indicates the train's route - signalmen can thus set the points (switches) and signals accordingly and accurately log the time the train passed their signal box. [Original photo" Steve Johnson "Cyberheritage"].
Similar view 09/2017. The station building has not been used for many years, some windows boarded over. The platform still shows the painted white edge (a safety measure introduced during WW2 and still adopted today). All UK railway stations have a raised platform same height as carriage floor for easy access. ew buildings to the left and in the distance is the modern ferry Customs & Immigration building and car ferry terminal - the rail tracks end underneath it!
The last regular twice daily rail service was in 1987 but rail enthusiast trains did run 1st April 1995 and finally, 2nd May 1999.