I grew up in adderbury,remember seeing trains on this stretch,they used the line up to adderbury as a siding,we used to play in the station,and in later years I walked the Hooky tunnel,makes me feel old when I can remember all the bridges and structures in place, memories,thanks for your time and interest in our little piece of history.
@@ShaunieDale You KNOW this man REALLY loves his wife, following him through the muck and brush to view industrial wastelands. A lovely couple! I never miss.
Back on my old stomping grounds for this video! Walked all three tunnels in the late 70s, all of which were accessible back then - though, at that time, the northern end of Chipping Norton was completely bricked up, with just a crack in the brickwork allowing a view of the tree-lined cutting beyond. We did back-track and made it to the northern end by means of a decent map and a bit of luck, but my tunnel diary records that "the journey is not one I would recommend anyone try twice". It was also pretty wet even back then; the diary also somewhat poetically records that, from the outside of the northern portal, "one could hear the timeless dripping of water echoing in the subterranean darkness". Teenage Eng Lit students eh?
Paul & Rebecca I was fortunate enough to secure a mint copy of J.H.Russell’s - The Banbury & Cheltenham Railway 1887-1962 and thus have all of the station layout plans. This is a great work and well worth seeking out!
Love this video. Been inside chipping norton tunnel and that culvert a few times. The chipping norton tunnel has now got a fence above it and a new gate...with no lock or signing. Would definitely recommend going down there now while you can.
Looking at the way the Hook Norton tunnel has been closed off with lots of holes in the upper parts in both portals I'm guessing that it's a bat roost, which may be why both ends are nature reserves
Even know you didn't get into the Tunnels, it still a lovely Tunnel video, the culvert was a lovely find and also the Class 67 Locomotives on the test train, 67023 and 67027 (only two painted in Colas Railfreight livery lol) was a beautiful capture as well.
Facinating railway. It's a massive tourist area. Remember visiting Bourton on Water a few years ago. It was a hot summer Thursday not in the school hols. The large carpark was just about full when we arrived. There was an hourly bus service I believe roughly on the route of the line. The buses we saw were full.
Love the tunnels and the portals, even if you can't get in to them! That culvert was in perfect shape and so many bricks to build it too! Didn't even look like there where spiders!
Brilliant video, Guys. Unfortunately that section of the line is deteriorating and would benefit from some tree clearance to let more sunlight through. The big land slip nearest the tunnel occurred in 1958 and ultimately brought about the closure of the section of line between Chipping and Hook Norton. The tunnel was still accessible in the 1970’s, but now only bats get to venture inside. Despite their decline those revetment walls are a work of art and a tribute to all those involved in the building of this railway. By the way, if you live in Swerford, it’s the ‘Swerford Park’ tunnel🙂👍Memories also of the magnificent Dowdeswell Viaduct, just west of the Sandywell Park tunnel. That was blown to pieces in 1967 as part of an A40 road widening scheme.
That was fabulous. What a shame all those ghastly gates. Loved that little blue tunnel it was gorgeous. Thanks for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care
Thanks for the video love these tunnel pics it's like going into the underworld and then back out into this beautiful green paradise with both of you!!😎🚂🚃🚃🇬🇧
Functional, and from what I can tell, well built tunnels. Looks like 8 brick rings, so no cost cutting there! Probably why the linings are still in good shape and true. Most approaches are clearly in damp areas, the cuttings acting as drainage ditches, some making the tunnels look more like canals! Three more tunnels that I previously knew nothing about even though they are only a stones throw from where I was brought up. Well done, thank you, another enjoyable video. Cheers 👍
8:53 Good to see, NetworkRail helping to match colors in your video (nice and lucky catch). BTW, those tags Paul&Rebecca at the map really helps understanding where you are.
Another fine video from yourselves, with high production and editing standards, it's great to see you both getting out again. Did you see the remains of the viaducts at Hook Norton?
Brilliant vlog as usual. Tunnels amazing. Nature reserves beautiful. Very interesting how they built the tunnels with portals last. Love culverts.thank you so much.
I love that delightful line - not to mention the tunnels. I have taken pictures of the first two. Didn't find Sandywell Park, though! Lovely video - thanks!
I'm surprised they didn't put an opening covered with a grate on the bottom of those brick walls closing off the tunnels to let water out. And that culvert! It was built with the same craftsmanship as the tunnels. But while the tunnel at Chipping Norton wasn't very ornate, the builders looked like they were busy making the station the most ornate in the world! The gingerbread on the eves looks fantastic! I can just imagine what it would have looked like in color, carefully painted and planted with flowers everywhere.
You definitely chose a nice day for this. Really enjoyed that location, in the valley type thing. Would make some awesome photos. Wish you could get in that tunnel. But not the end of the world, it didn't take away from the video at all. Some lovely lovely shots too. And nice to see the combine harvester out because summer is commminnggggg!!! Also..better get that cough checked out hahaha. Anyway, enough rambling...Great video Paul, really enjoyed the vibe.
I walked the Sandywell Tunnel last in probably 2010 from the eastern end. I was staying on the land fishing the Lake above. As a Land Rover owner I was astounded to see the the tunnel full of this type of vehicle. The farmer couldn't tell me much about this but did tell of a local legend of a spur tunnel off the main one's western end. (going northish) During the initial construction the tunnel collapsed burying a cart, a pit pony and 5 men. Their ghosts are said to haunt the area. The spur was therafter abandoned and never completed. He also told me that the line was used to take soldiers from The Midlands down to Southampton to embark on ships to The Western Front. Whether true or not it certainly spiced up the night fishing sessions thinking about ghosts under my feet.
I saw them too had to rewind just to make sure I'm guessing it's to do with the private estate at the other end they said you could not access possibly they have stored cars in there as a underground car park
hi paul and rebecca , i really enjoyed this one , you two always bring a smile to my face , thank you so much for the video's you make for us , well done :)
The Banbury & Cheltenham Railway as looked at by the locomotive department was divided into two routes. Blue: Banbury to Kingham maximum axle loading 17tons 12cwt on any one axle. Designated by the restraints of the Hook Norton Viaducts. Red: Kingham to Cheltenham, this allowed a maximum axle loading of 20 tons axle weight. Now you can see why the “Manors” where ideal for this route.
Oh, did they use Manors? I know the 43xx was the mainstay of the earlier express passenger working, and, I think, Bulldogs before that, while 28xx were used for goods. Do you know which Manors worked the line?
Not far from Milton Keynes where I grew up. I used to zoom for miles around the counties on my BMX as a kid, often with the Redway as my starting point, which is partly an abandoned railway. What I did not know back then was the A5 or Watling Street near here was the front line between the viking ruled Danelaw and the Saxon kingdom of Mercia. We just got told about 1066ad etc. Netflix changed that for me. Now when I see videos of out in the woods et cetera I wonder if the vikings camped or fought there and all that. I wonder if any relics may be lurking in the mud. Perhaps even a hoarde of silver. When I was a kid all I did was look for trains when we went for a drive etc. Obsessed with them. Was hardly a line I did not know about. Castles too. All ranked lower than football though of course. MK red since 1979.
You guys should think seriously about making DVD,s on your expeditions, would be great to buy these from stores. Have you any info on the disused lees moor tunnel near Keithley, would be great to see some footage on that.
Hi Paul & Rebecca, great vid thanks for covering my local line as it was, did you tick off Andoversford station a stones throw from the tunnel at Sandywell Park tunnel 😆. Also the ‘slip’ at Hook Norton was reputed to be the one that closed the line from Chipping Norton to Adderbury. Really enjoy your vids thanks once again.
@@julianlane8313 Bourton station was supposed to be dismantled and moved to the Glos/Warks Railway refurb at Broadway. Instead it was just demolished. Anyone know where it ended up?
Is the Sowerby Bridge - Rishworth branch line on your list? Some impressive cuttings, nice old bridges and the Rishworth station platforms can still just about be found.
Paul and Rebecca, have you heard of Ravenscar ? - There is a very beautiful video on it on the Sky shots channel. Beautiful and has an abandoned railway to Whitby.
Thankyou for the video, I have always enjoyed the content, and can’t wait for another video, always great content, and as a long time subscriber, I genuinely recommend that people subscribe , as I have only ever seen great content and video, take care everyone and best of luck with your futures x
Yea, I believe so...The dowdeswell estate to the east. I live in cheltenham and have always wanted to see the tunnel in person but this video does a excellent job explaining the history/geography of the area in a fun and relaxed way imo. Love the content btw thanks:)
That's what I believe to be the case but wasn't sure if they were all still sitting there. In any case they probably aren't going anywhere any time soon lol
If you have a look at my channel 'John M Warr' and watch a short film of stills called 'Closed Cotswold Railways' you will find images of the portals of Sandy Park Tunnel which I took in the late 1960s when I walked towards Cheltenham from Andoversford Junction station. Both ends of the tunnel were accessible but blocked by brickwork. I did travel the line from Andoversford in about 1954 or 1955 through the tunnel and across the Dowdswell viaduct, and my Mum used it daily to get to Cheltenham teacher training centre in the late 1920s. Long gone, but not forgotten!
You didn't mention the huge viaduct near Sandwell that was blown up/destroyed/taken down way back...there are pics somewhere on line. Note also that the Hooky/Chippy line joined at Andoversford with a line from Swindon old Town. So in theory at one time you could get from Oxford to Swindon, walk up to old town station and catch the train to Andoversford, switch to the Banbury train and go back to Oxford that way......or go on to Cheltenham and catch the other line direct to Oxford.
The object and financial prospectus of: The Banbury and Cheltenham Direct railway. Connect London the Midlands, the southwest and the Eastern Railway companies and construct a short direct route between the South Wales Coalfield. It was expected to ship 10,000 tons daily! The transhipment of iron ore being the priority. The GWR agreed to work the line and finance the costs. Passengers were not the priority here.
Top marks for effort in getting to those tunnel portals! Love that culvert! Was it just for flood prevention or did it once carry a stream? As you say its unusual to find such a dry culvert. Enjoyed seeing the 67s on the Network Rail test train to!
I've been down there a few times in kingham. There is a stream in that area and water was running through the culvert last time I was there(a little bit though).
The water movement in the second tunnel must have be quite fast, as the noise of the water rushing through is very load. You make a boring subject interesting and that is what keeps me interested in viewing your channel. And yes the pun was intentional!
What a disaster losing this line from Banbury and the connections surrounding Cheltenham (possibly the GWRs longest branch line?) or the Grand Plan Link Bristol to the Wash. This would have made a serious heritage line and a massive tourist attraction by way of tourism. Doomed to fail by its reliance on ironstone & mineral traffic.
Excellent stuff! Would love to find more tunnels in central France. Sadly it's very flat around here and the tunnels that I know about are still very much in use.
Brilliant video as always, I have to say that you’re both remarkable people and certainly have some difficult challenges to overcome along your exploits. I would like to ask a question and hope you can provide the answer, which is; what old / disused railway maps do you use and are they available online to view free of charge? Thank you very much for your assistance and hoping that you’re able to help me, kind regards and best wishes to you both from a Whitewick subscriber.
Ello, can you come down to Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire? We have a greenway, you could say which is a bike path similar to this, however you can find a abandoned platform, a bit of a train station building. This used to be a old line which ran from Bradford to Dewsbury. There is also an bridge near Tesco, which visibly looks like a train tunnel. May not be in London, but it’s still a abandoned railway. There is actually two platforms, one small and one big, the big platform is on top of the biggest bridge in town, and the second platform is right next to the Tesco entrance. I can send a email possibly, showing you all of the locations from maps?
Do like the way the quality of the videos and graphics gets better and better ! One question: what's with the "Great pyramids of Oxfordshire " 0:38 , you lost me there I'm afraid.
Hey Paul & Rebecca another great video as usual and I was wondering why my name is not in ur end credits in the RU-vid membership I love all ur vids and long may they continue.john
Have you checked out The Old Photographs Series: The Midlands & South Western Junction Railway book, couple of pictures of Sandwell tunnel, also Dowdeswell viaduct.
It looks like a good candidate for a future canal, it honestly looks like it's in perfect condition for conversion. That's just one old mans opinion. :)
Very interesting as usual. I would love to know what the old vehicle was inside the dark tunnel that you could just get the camera through. Very mysterious.
Paul, great video as always, but was that landslip not much older? I think it was the same one that really sounded the death knell for that part of the line. Perhaps about 65 Yrs ago
Often played in this tunnel as a child...never saw a single bat..........but then they invented the bats and we were told to keep out....or we might disturb the bats....on second thoughts maybe they were immigrant bats who came in on dinghies. This would have been mid to late 60's.....also used to be able to sit on the edge and look out over the viaduct...but then came H&S. oh well. Chippy tunnel was fun as well but always needed wellies for that one. My mother told me that I had been over the viaduct several times on a train as a baby??? but definitely carried over....people used to walk over after the line was closed. There was a much quicker and easier way from the road to the southern Portal...any local could have showed it to you. The sound of water you can hear is small breaches in the brick wall and nice waterfalls ensue...the water was so sweet and pure (back then). Hooky tunnel also had one of these breaches.
Fascinating to learn what's still there to find and see almost on the doorstep of my adopted home, thank you! P.S. didn't you mean heading WEST to the last tunnel of the day? ;o)
As well as cattle creeps, there are also sheep creeps, these are a smaller version of the cattle creeps. For a farmer to get his flock to traverse the creep a sheep dog must be used as its almost impossible for a human to negotiate a sheep creep.
"So you join us on" or "So you join us today on" It's like your catchphrase now. Don't change it. Britain must have gone through an amazing revolution in the 1860 - 1910 period. Not just railways & industry but a massive house building program during this period too. My house built in 1895, Yes, we all love a tunnel video. great stuff.
Ironically I visited Hook Norton nature reserve yesterday - the water trickling out of the side of the cutting was idyllic! Managed to walk through HN Tunnel a few years ago in the winter. There was a hole in the side of the wall about mid way through where there was a great jet of water gushing out which flooded (and still is flooding) the 2nd half of the tunnel. Not audible yesterday but It sounded just like CN tunnel sounds now! Didn't see any bat evidence.
Was this line a single track narrow gauge enterprise? I think I've asked about the matter of drainage before but the original engineers must have accounted for necessary grade to keep tunnels and rails dry. Seeing flooded tunnels indicates that something happened after the line was discontinued to allow for water accumulation. I point this out since the best way to protect these masonry structures for posterity (besides severely pruning the overgrowth) is to restore the drainage channels.
The line was single track, 4ft 81/2 inch gauge. They has major problems with unstable ground in the deepest cutting, a combination of shale stone and many springs meant lots of drainage. Unfortunately silt and rotted leaf mould has greatly compromised the track bed and water sits on the surface for most of the year.