hi from a newbie who joined yesterday
having previously explored the lower end of this line and part of the high marnham test track
friday took me to boughton on a car valeting job so on my way home i decided to try and find boughton brake tunnel for an explore on the hoof as it were.
so following the road from boughton to walesby a right turn back towards the railway brought me to a bridge and there it was my hearts desire boughton brake tunnel .
after trying 2 sides of the bridge which were too steep to climb down as this is in a sandstone cutting
and at 50 yrs old im a little past the batman routine i finally found a way down the third side entered the track a walked towards the tunnel.
the tunnel itself is quite long at 350 yds but is surpisingly litter free and fairly well lit by daylight even in the middle a 25 mph sign at the other end of the bore and a 15mph sign for the tunnel were vandalised with the usual graffiti as is the tunnel entrances.
retracing my steps i could see the tunnel was brick lined with a concrete arch and sandstone further in both portals having cracks in the brick work due to subsidence the recesses were still white painted with white painted metal shims still fastened to the wall to denote the recesses the tunnel being a mix of modern concrete and timber sleepers and a fixed distant signal painted on a board
wanting to see more i walked up the line to a sign which stated stop end of line noting that some of the keys had been replaced by the track gang.
curiosity getting the better of me the line beyond has become quite overgrown with brambles and is impassable as my legs will tell you so again retracing my steps i followed the line beyond the board via the ajacent farmers grass field beyond the board despite the growth there were clear sections where the track could be seen .
dodging under a fence past a sign warning me i was now on a nottinghamshire police dog training area i continued a little further to the disused walesby LB5 bridge where a farm ahead prevented any further exploration but the track seems intact all the way to bevercotes colliery site.
having walked around a mile or so i retreated back to the car expecting to hear a woof of a police dog
or the boom of a shotgun i indeed found empty cartridge shells in the farmers field which hurried my progress somewhat.
according the wikki the line is part of the high marnham test track but hasnt been used since 2012
thus 3 years of growth and burnt tyres.
there is talk of turning the hmtt into an extension of the robin hood line which could see passenger trains between shirebrook and tuxford indeed the bevercotes branch could have stations at boughton and walesby and possibly be a branch line on the extension or a nice little heritage railway.
however like the sherwood forest theme park this is still just talk it took us around 5 years to get a decent bus station in worksop so untill that happens the bevercotes branch lies quietly awaiting the return of trains.
having previously explored the lower end of this line and part of the high marnham test track
friday took me to boughton on a car valeting job so on my way home i decided to try and find boughton brake tunnel for an explore on the hoof as it were.
so following the road from boughton to walesby a right turn back towards the railway brought me to a bridge and there it was my hearts desire boughton brake tunnel .
after trying 2 sides of the bridge which were too steep to climb down as this is in a sandstone cutting
and at 50 yrs old im a little past the batman routine i finally found a way down the third side entered the track a walked towards the tunnel.
the tunnel itself is quite long at 350 yds but is surpisingly litter free and fairly well lit by daylight even in the middle a 25 mph sign at the other end of the bore and a 15mph sign for the tunnel were vandalised with the usual graffiti as is the tunnel entrances.
retracing my steps i could see the tunnel was brick lined with a concrete arch and sandstone further in both portals having cracks in the brick work due to subsidence the recesses were still white painted with white painted metal shims still fastened to the wall to denote the recesses the tunnel being a mix of modern concrete and timber sleepers and a fixed distant signal painted on a board
wanting to see more i walked up the line to a sign which stated stop end of line noting that some of the keys had been replaced by the track gang.
curiosity getting the better of me the line beyond has become quite overgrown with brambles and is impassable as my legs will tell you so again retracing my steps i followed the line beyond the board via the ajacent farmers grass field beyond the board despite the growth there were clear sections where the track could be seen .
dodging under a fence past a sign warning me i was now on a nottinghamshire police dog training area i continued a little further to the disused walesby LB5 bridge where a farm ahead prevented any further exploration but the track seems intact all the way to bevercotes colliery site.
having walked around a mile or so i retreated back to the car expecting to hear a woof of a police dog
or the boom of a shotgun i indeed found empty cartridge shells in the farmers field which hurried my progress somewhat.
according the wikki the line is part of the high marnham test track but hasnt been used since 2012
thus 3 years of growth and burnt tyres.
there is talk of turning the hmtt into an extension of the robin hood line which could see passenger trains between shirebrook and tuxford indeed the bevercotes branch could have stations at boughton and walesby and possibly be a branch line on the extension or a nice little heritage railway.
however like the sherwood forest theme park this is still just talk it took us around 5 years to get a decent bus station in worksop so untill that happens the bevercotes branch lies quietly awaiting the return of trains.
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this oughta be good ....
Here we go again ...... 
it must be worth at least half a dozen pics .
