The Order of the Bed Planning: WVR Part 2

Part 2: Through trees on a ledge above the River

Warning - The Order of the Bed Planning Department does not draw basic plans to scale.

This is Part 2 of the Order of the Bed's plans for reopening the Wye Valley Railway

Throughout the four principle articles of this section we will feature three ways to re-open the line. Option 1 is a simple system of four steps, around which these webpages were orientated. Option 2 is a simple case of re-opening the entire line in one go, which is merely provided in stages to fit in with the page format. Option 3 is a confused mess made worse by our decision not to restructure the pages for it. These are example plans which anyone trying to re-open the Wye Valley Railway is welcome to nick providing you let us join in the fun. They are not by any means on the verge of being implemented.

Part 2 is the Shorn Cliff section. Picking up where the track gives out, it extends north along a stationless section of railway to Tintern Junction (for the Wireworks Branch) and Tintern Tunnel. The continuous trackbed from Wye Valley Junction ends abruptly at the Northern end of the tunnel, as the bridge over the River Wye has been removed, creating the first major construction job for re-opening the railway

Option 1: Construction could then commence on a line to a station in the centre of Tintern (Tintern Central). At the end of the old path from the tops a station called Tintern Riverside would be constucted, in order to prevent the old path from being cut off by the scheme, as well as provide a good stopping point to go down to the river from. Stations would also be provided at Tintern Junction (by Tintern Tunnel south portal) in anticipation of the opening of the extension to Tintern Old Station (carried out in earnest in the next section), and near Tintern Quarry. This station would be called Tintern Quarry North Halt and would be at the point where the public footpath now leaves the trackbed. The rail service provided would be operated to replace the public footpath.

Option 2: With a firm foundation in place at Tidenham, the line would extend Northwards. The public footpath along the trackbed here would be closed and diverted. The railway would then pass through Tintern Tunnel and cross the Wye into Tintern station. Platforms would be provided at Tintern Quarry North Halt and Tintern Junction.

Option 3: With a section of railway in place between Wye Valley Junction and Tintern Quarry and Tintern station and Brockweir, work would be carried out to link the two lines up. As Tintern Quarry would still be in use for stabling stock, trains would not run further south than Tintern Quarry North Halt. This rail service would be operated to replace the public footpath. An extension to Llandogo could then begin.

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Tintern Quarry North Halt (Proposed Site of). This halt would be built for people using the path on the right to be able to join a train here. The halt would probably be upgraded to a station later if levels of traffic allow it and all services at the beginning would be scheduled to stop here.

No halt was ever located here in the Old Days although there was briefly a halt for Tintern Quarry further south near the point where the line now terminates. It is a moot point as to which location is better. The older halt is near the current public footpath and an underbridge for a riverside walk. This location is on the path which people use and has more space for a decent platform. In both cases the climb to the nearest road is steep and unsuitable for vehicles.

Tintern Junction (Proposed site of). A platform would be built here where the trees are today. Wye Valley trains would go through the tunnel on the right. Trains to Tintern would follow the branch on the left. This was originally a junction for a branch line to Tintern Wireworks. The works was continuously changing hands, each time with a change of motive power. Starting with a small side tank engine from the Taff Vale Railway (running north of Cardiff to Merthyr), this was withdrawn when the works changed hands and replaced it with a vertical-boilered locomotive known locally as "The Coffee Pot". This was replaced later by horses until the line closed due to a very hot summer in 1935 which caused the rails to buckle - global warming is no new thing! Dismantled in 1941 for the needs of the war, the line was never re-opened, partly because of a clause in the original contract saying that the Wye Valley Railway was not allowed to charge for its use.

If the branch was not reopened then the trees could mostly remain in place, since a platform could probably be accommodated without having to remove all of them.

Tintern Riverside (Proposed Site of). If built, this would be the sole intermediate station on the branch from Tintern Junction. Here a short, single platform would be built on the right of the line beyond the fence. This platform would be built to enable people coming down along the path behind the fence on the right to join the train. Services would run to meet up with those on the main Wye Valley Railway.

Tintern Central (Proposed Site of). A single platform would be built here into the hillside. A loop would be provided if the strength of the bridge behind this photograph allows locomotives to make use of this station. This would be the terminus of the short branch from Tintern Junction. The level crossing would be to just where the gate is today. The former Wireworks branch continued through the gate on the other side of the road and headed up the valley on the left.

It is quite likely that a combination of the state of the bridge and the sharp curve on the approach would force the railway to terminate on the other bank of the river, with a smaller terminus and definitely no loop.

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17/07/09

	Tintern Quarry North Halt (Proposed Site of). This halt would be built for people using the path on the right to be able to join a train here. The halt would probably be upgraded to a station later if levels of traffic allow it and all services at the beginning would be scheduled to stop here. No halt was ever located here in the Old Days although there was briefly a halt for Tintern Quarry further south near the point where the line now terminates. It is a moot point as to which location is better. The older halt is near the current public footpath and an underbridge for a riverside walk. This location is on the path which people use and has more space for a decent platform. In both cases the climb to the nearest road is steep and unsuitable for vehicles.
	Tintern Junction (Proposed site of). A platform would be built here where the trees are today. Wye Valley trains would go through the tunnel on the right. Trains to Tintern would follow the branch on the left. This was originally a junction for a branch line to Tintern Wireworks. The works was continuously changing hands, each time with a change of motive power. Starting with a small side tank engine from the Taff Vale Railway (running north of Cardiff to Merthyr), this was withdrawn when the works changed hands and replaced it with a vertical-boilered locomotive known locally as "The Coffee Pot". This was replaced later by horses until the line closed due to a very hot summer in 1935 which caused the rails to buckle - global warming is no new thing! Dismantled in 1941 for the needs of the war, the line was never re-opened, partly because of a clause in the original contract saying that the Wye Valley Railway was not allowed to charge for its use. If the branch was not reopened then the trees could mostly remain in place, since a platform could probably be accommodated without having to remove all of them.
	Tintern Riverside (Proposed Site of). If built, this would be the sole intermediate station on the branch from Tintern Junction. Here a short, single platform would be built on the right of the line beyond the fence. This platform would be built to enable people coming down along the path behind the fence on the right to join the train. Services would run to meet up with those on the main Wye Valley Railway.
	Tintern Central (Proposed Site of). A single platform would be built here into the hillside. A loop would be provided if the strength of the bridge behind this photograph allows locomotives to make use of this station. This would be the terminus of the short branch from Tintern Junction. The level crossing would be to just where the gate is today. The former Wireworks branch continued through the gate on the other side of the road and headed up the valley on the left. It is quite likely that a combination of the state of the bridge and the sharp curve on the approach would force the railway to terminate on the other bank of the river, with a smaller terminus and definitely no loop.