Gradient profiles of Heritage Railways - List in Post 1

As to the snowdrifts - I can well believe it.

I used to live in Banchory, about 20 miles inland from Aberdeen, on the road to Balmoral. One Good Friday, people in Banchory were sunbathing on the banks of the River Dee when a council snowplough went past, with the crew all equipped with full cold weather gear, and drove up the Cairn o'Mount Road, which heads pretty much due south towards Fettercairn, and goes above 1500 feet. On the high ground, there are massive wooden posts about 10 feet tall set into the verge on either said of the road, so that when the snow drifts, you can see where the road is (and not drive into the ditch on either side!).

Hours later, the snowplough returned. They hadn't even made it to the summit, as the (still falling) snow had drifted deep enough to bury the posts, so they couldn't see where the road was. On Easter Saturday, with people still sunbathing in the park, the snowplough crew tried again. The wind having changed direction, they made it to the summit - only to find, when they looked back, that the (still falling) snow had completely filled in the channel that they'd dug, and buried the posts again!

So the dejected crew carried on south to Fettercairn to get back onto the coast road, and drove home via Stonehaven.

On the Sunday (with the suntanners getting quite brown in the park!) they finally got the road re-opened - having risked hypothermia and frostbite all day to do it!


Jack

 

I think this picture taken from the engineers sdgs shows quite well where the gradient on the through line at Wittersham Rd changes.

 

Golly! That really does show what a switchback the line is, doesn't it? Thank you for posting this, Wenlock. Considering how long I worked on the line, I have very few photos, so I'll save this one to my computer.

Thanks again, and best regards,

Jack

 

That is a small crop from a much larger view of the tree clearance. Hence the foreshortening. The fallen trees on the left were across the ground frame.

 

While researching the history of my Snowplough NER 18 I came across this historical note.

In North West Durham the town of Consett is 800 ft above sea level with a nearby railway summit of 1445ft at Weatherhill. Consett is known for being greatly affected by snow.

From the Durham County Advertiser 11th May 1883 “The railway between Park Head and Bolts Law was blocked with snow on Wednesday forenoon so that the snowplough had to be brought into requisition. The snow in some of the cuttings was from three to six feet deep.” In MAY!

 

I've lived in Buxton, now, for 12 years. The heaviest snowfall I've seen was in April, 2012, when there were snowdrifts on the Cat & Fiddle Road high enough to top the roof of a double deck bus. As if that wasn't bad enough, a friend who lives near Bolton came to Buxton in June, 1976, to watch Lancashire play Derbyshire at what was then the county cricket ground. He complained bitterly to me that he had to return home without seeing any cricket played, as the match was snowed off. I dunno - some people just have no sense of humour, do they?

(and we have had light snow showers in July and August)

On the subject of rain; Buxton's annual average is about 4 feet 4" of rain - but in 2012 we had 5 feet 2". Not that it causes the locals any problems, as their kids are born with webbed feet and gills . . .

 

Another view of the gradients of the Minehead Branch.

Barnstaple Junction is approx 75ft above Ordnance Datum, Crowcombe approx 392ft OD, Washford approx 150ft OD and Minehead approx 25ft OD.

Steve

 

Thanks both - added to the permanent listing on page 1 of this thread.

Tom

 

Although, given how squishy Minehead is -built on drained sea marsh with the water table only inches below the surface, it's only 24' above datum near 53808 and 53809!

Robin

 

Chinnor to Princes Risborough ?
Which now has a permanent connection and before which managed some through trains with passengers
over a temporary one. Have any other lines managed that? Not unknown to bring in stock but passengers.

 

A gradient profile of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway between Cheltenham Race Course and Laverton is now included on their online map of the line, available here: - https://www.gwsr.com/planning_your_visit/finding_us/Map_of_the_Line.html

 

Thanks - added to post #1 of the thread.

Tom

 

Whats all those 3 figure numbers?

 

They're not all three figure numbers; there are some L's in there, as well.

 

Gradient profile for the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway can be found here:

http://pbrly.co.uk/#/page?id=27

 

Do you have any flat bits?

 

That's a bit personal

Robin

 

Thanks - added to the list on page 1. That's steep!

Tom

 

Only the one flat bit on the main line - at Blaenavon High Level, anything with three figures is considered "more or less level"...