Where was I today? 2nd December 2016

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

A railway overbridge.

[Western Pathfinder]

Sea mills ? Either that or it might be near Taunton !....

[JayMac]

Sea mills ? Either that or it might be near Taunton !....

Not Sea Mills.

[bradshaw]

Langport bridge, where the Taunton - Somerton road passes over the old YVJ TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) track bed.
I remember being on the last passenger train over the line many years ago.

[JayMac]

Langport bridge, where the Taunton - Somerton road passes over the old YVJ TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) track bed.
I remember being on the last passenger train over the line many years ago.

Spot on. Another mileage plate remains on this bridge.



I guess the plates are kept 'fresh' as the bridge upkeep remains with BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))'s successor Network Rail. Can anyone confirm? Or are the mileages/line names just used as an identifier for the local authority who have taken over ownership?

This overbridge is adjacent to the site of the former Langport West station, now Westover Trading Estate. There are many images of the station prior to closure at the following link:

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/taunton-to-yeovil.html

[rogerpatenall]

But is Yeovil really 154 miles 26 chains from Langport??? 

[grahame]

But is Yeovil really 154 miles 26 chains from Langport??? 

Depends  how you go ...

"The night we went to Birmingham by way of Beachy Head" - G K Chesteron

"The night we went to Glastonbury by way of Goodwin Sands." - ditto

"The night we went to Bannockburn by way of Brighton Pier." - ditto

"The night I went to Paddington by way of taxi to Hereford" - GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Bristol based driver friend on Facebook

[stuving]

But is Yeovil really 154 miles 26 chains from Langport??? 

If you were on the road underneath, you'd apply the conventions for mileposts on roads, and that would be right. And it would be a railway overbridge. Standing on top of it, it's a road underbridge, and different rules apply to the mileposts. Or even laws - according to railsigns.uk:

The Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845 required that the railway companies provide markers at quarter mile intervals along the trackside. Section 94 of the Act read:

    "The company shall cause the length of the railway to be measured, and milestones, posts, or other conspicuous objects to be set up and maintained along the whole line thereof, at the distance of one quarter of a mile from each other, with numbers or marks inscribed thereon denoting such distances."

One reason for compelling the railway companies to have mileposts installed was that it allowed passengers to verify that they had been charged an appropriate fare for the length of their journey. Usually the mileposts are placed on only one side of the line, but occasionally there may be mileposts on both sides. The stated distance is measured from a defined point of origin, usually an important station or junction.

Of course on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) all roads lead from Paddington (via Swindon and Westbury).

[JayMac]

If you were on the road underneath, you'd apply the conventions for mileposts on roads, and that would be right. And it would be a railway overbridge. Standing on top of it, it's a road underbridge, and different rules apply to the mileposts.

Are you saying I was wrong to call this bridge, a public highway over a railway, a railway overbridge?

[stuving]

If you were on the road underneath, you'd apply the conventions for mileposts on roads, and that would be right. And it would be a railway overbridge. Standing on top of it, it's a road underbridge, and different rules apply to the mileposts.

Are you saying I was wrong to call this bridge, a public highway over a railway, a railway overbridge?

No - it was my mistake entirely, misreading the situation. You were of course right.

[bradshaw]

This bridge, like many others no longer in railway use, is still part of BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))!

http://governmentbuildings.co.uk/properties/view/833251

Hence the distance is measured from Paddington, in this case via Melksham and Yeovil.

It is quite fascinating to look at this site. I have just searched Loders, nr Bridport, and the two Bridport branch bridges are part of BR Residuary Ltd, which accounts for seeing the occasional NR^» (Network Rail - home page) inspection team here.

[grahame]

It is quite fascinating to look at this site. I have just searched Loders, nr Bridport, and the two Bridport branch bridges are part of BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Residuary Ltd, which accounts for seeing the occasional NR^» (Network Rail - home page) inspection team here.

BR Residuary has been abolished ... https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brb-residuary-ltd-has-been-abolished - but the sentiment of left-overs from past rail activities being looked after by the rail industry remains.

[JayMac]

Ahh, so the maintenance of this overbridge, and many many other legacy railway structures, are now the responsibility of the Highways Agency Historical Railway Estate.