By Bill Reid.
The southern edge of Midsomer Norton asseen from the top of the tunnels.
An old war time Pill Box.
The tunnel and track bed was within the trees on the right Track bed running down to Midsomer Norton South station.
Tunnel Lane, above the south entrance.
The tunnel is used by a shooting club and is completly fenced off. You have to get through a fence to the right and into the
field running down the edge of the track bed for some yards until coming across an openning just beyond the shooting
club's fence to get back onto the track bed to start walking southwards towards Chilcompton.
Passing the northern edge of Chilcompton. From the track bed.
Chilcompton village from the track bed.
Cropped image from the photo above. Without realising it at the time I was looking directly over to the station site. The track bed curves on the far left, following
the line of trees and runs below Bakers Lane over bridge at the centre of the photo and on to the station site on the far right.
It is difficult to get a clear view of the tunnel entracnce due to it being fenced off and quite heavily over grown.
These photos are taken poking the camera over wooden the fence.
South end of the tunnel. You should be looking directly at the tunnl but the back-fill and overgrowth blocks the view.
Ditto. Showing that the way if fenced off.
Start of walk southwards towards Chilcompton.
Towards Chilcompton
The main centre of Chilcompton is seen on the right.
Passing the northern edge of Chilcompton. From the track bed.
Chilcompton village from the track bed.
Cropped image from the photo above. Without realising it at the time I was looking directly over to the station site. The track bed curves on the far left, following
the line of trees and runs below Bakers Lane over bridge at the center of the photo and on to the station site on the far right.
There is a gated way to get through.
Another wartime Pill box.
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Extra photos here
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START
End of the present Midsomer Norton running track. Towards the station.
End of the line. For now!
To continue southwards you cross over this style and immediately start climbing the back-fill that leads up to the buried
north tunnel entrance and walk up and over the tunnel to where you get off the field and onto Tunnel Lane.
The back-fill leading up to the tunnel. Shows how deep the back-fill is and how much requires clearing out should the line continue
to Chilcompton station once again. Not impossible but the ease depends on what sort of back-fill was used.
Looking backwards down the back-fill to the end of the present day track from Midsomer Norton staion.
The darker grassy ridge in front of me is a sign that this is diectly above the North tunnel entrances. Shows the amount of back-fill
that requires to be removed if the railway is to reach Chilcompton once again.
Revrerse view from the photo above. The tunnel entrance is immediately below. You get out of the field by climbing over a gate up
where the Cows are feeding. The Cows were qurious and watched me as I passed them to reach the gate. They just ignored me.
However, you should always take care. I kept well over to the right then followed the fencing up to the gate and did the reverse when
returning.
Cropped from the photo above. The gate is just to the right of the Cattle and can just be made out in this photo. I'm not sure if the
footpath exits elsewhere as I could'nt imagine the two elderly women that had just passed me climbing over that gate!.
A pill box just off side (West) and above the tunnels.
Above the tunnels. Towards Midsomer Norton South station.
Chilcompton Tunnels south portals. On Tunnel Lane.
Gun Club air vent. The site is heavily fenced off and you can't see much from the footpath alongside.
A you get back ot the track bed the way up to the tunnel entrance is both back-filled and heavily over grown
Gate leading off the trck bed. West Side and north end of Chilcompton.
Scenry from the track bed. Looking westwards.
Looking back towards the tunnel south entrance.
There is a wooden gate way to get through just before you pass the old Pill Box.
The end of the track bed walk at the top of the railway bridge on Frys Lane.
The steps leading down to road level.
Steps down to Frys Well Lane where the track bed ends as a walking route. Continue walking ahead along to the junction with
Baker Lane.
Looking northwards along Frys Lane. The Redan Inn is just up around the corner. This leads you back up to the
main road.
From Frys Lane the railway is seen running within the trees northwards
towards Midsomer Norton.
An Ex small Chapel at the road junction.
Looking up Bowden Hill and onto Baker Lane by the small chapel.. The railway over bridge is just a few yards up the hill.
This old church is now a private dwelling.
Left: he village memoria and Ex church.. Right: The church is now a priavte dwelling (Epworth House).
Dedicated to the coal mine that once was.
Fry's Well site that the road takes it's name from.
You turn southwards into Bakers Lane that takes you up Bowden Hill to the main road.
The railway under bridge on Bakers Lane. Shows the angle at which the lne ran below the bridge towards the station.
North side of the bridge. Looks down into a short cutting but is densley over grown. The Down distace signal stood just
up ahead.
It really is quite dense and will be quite a job to clear out if the line is ever reopened.
The Ex railway over bridge on Bakers Lane isn't instantly recoginisable as a railway bridge and you have to watch for it.
You can look over both sides of the bridge but the track bed is wildly over grown and you don't see much. This is
looking towards the station site.
This is looking towards the station site.
Again. Looking towards the station site.
The next opening ahead, on the right is Sawyers Close that leads to the station forecourt site. It's a modern housing
estate.
The station site is at the end of what is now Station Mead. The station was on the northern edge of the village.
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To: MIDSOMER NORTON NORTH TO RADSTOCK (B&NSRailway)
Other railway walks:
The Dundee & Newtyle Rlwy Walks Opened in 1831 the route had three incline planes. The first was from the terminal station on Ward Street, up the Dundee Law, where there was
also a tunnel. The second was the Balbeuchley incline at Rosemill and the third at Hatton that ran down to Newtyle station. It was also the very first passenger train service in Scotland.
Worked by Horse over the levels until the first steam engine was purchased in 1833. Came under the Caladonian Railway with it's terminal moved to Dundee West station. Passengers
service ended in 1952 and the line totally closed in the mid 60's. The inclines were by-passed in the 1860's.
The Cromford & High Peak Incline railway in Derbyshire has been luckier in having much of it's buildings, including an Engine House preserved. This is what could have happened with
the D&N, indeed, should have happened with at least one of the D&N inclines. However, the C&H gives an excellent comparison of what the D&N would have looked like, albeit the
inclines were only single track.
Boddam To Ellon Branch (Walks) By Bill Reid. Ex GNSR branch line.
Dyce To Fraserburgh and Peterhead Walks. Ex GNSR
Bath To Wellow Rlwy Walks Ex Somerset & Dorset Rlwy.
The Test Valley Railway Walk. (New Mills To Hayfield).
All My Web Sites (Web Pages, Flickr and Videos).
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