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View Full Version : Archived: Great Central Railway Helmdon Station - Helmdon Cutting (PIC HEAVY) March 2010



Tankman
07-03-2011, 07:29 PM
The GCR is one of my favourite UE's:thumb
It always comes up "Top Trumps" when I choose a section of line to walk. And you never know what you are going to find! Myself and BK decided to "Walk the Line" on a nice Sunny, Sunday afternoon.

History:
It was the last complete mainline railway to be built in Britain until section one of High Speed 1 opened in 2003. It was also one of the shortest-lived Main Line railway lines, lasting around 80 years.
Mr. Beeching waved his stick at the GCR as non profitable and closed one of the best main lines in Britain.
Express trains from London to destinations beyond Nottingham were withdrawn in 1960, and the line was completely closed to passenger trains between Aylesbury and Rugby on 3 September 1966. "Helmdon" fell into this catagory along with a load of other small country stations including the big Marshalling Yard at Woodford Halse!

We decided to start at one of the GCR's numerous bridges, half a mile before the station.
As with most of my reports I like to do a then & now comparison:thumb

http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/44552/2912837260033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2912837260033241453CkRdUk)

The date is 1897 and the bridge has just been completed. Note the wide cutting that was distinctive of the GCR, which built there line to the Continental Gauge.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Helmdon%20-%20Great%20Central%20Railway/DSCF5720.jpg

The same bridge today:thumb Nature has claimed the embankment but the wide cutting can still be seen.

We headed North for about half a mile and soon Helmdon station came into view.

http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/45207/2409624630033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2409624630033241453FQmWNU)

Helmdon Station under Construction:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Helmdon%20-%20Great%20Central%20Railway/DSCF5724.jpg

The same look today! In traditional GCR style country station were built around the "Island" Principle, the booking office was located on the platform, and access was from the road bridge down onto the platform. The windows are part of a Lamp room that was built into the bridge.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Helmdon%20-%20Great%20Central%20Railway/DSCF5729.jpg
We walked up onto the Platform which is very much overgrown.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Helmdon%20-%20Great%20Central%20Railway/DSCF5708.jpg
Inside the lamp Room on the Platform.

The station Buildings were quickly demolished in 1966 soon after the line closed.

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/45047/2517641780033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2517641780033241453YNJLBH)

Helmdon in its heyday:thumb

http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/45863/2452129920033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2452129920033241453XsJIqG)

A North Bound freight passes through Helmdon circa 1963.

The Station Masters house is now a private residence, but we were in for a surprise when just beyond the Platform, we came across the remains of the the Goods yard, although derelict and overgrown it still has a presence!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Helmdon%20-%20Great%20Central%20Railway/DSCF5695.jpg

The Goods shed is still standing along with the remains of the Weigh Bridge:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Helmdon%20-%20Great%20Central%20Railway/DSCF5702.jpg

Trackside!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Helmdon%20-%20Great%20Central%20Railway/DSCF5691.jpg
The weighbridge was still standing in 1998. since then the roof has collapsed:(

Around the yard are numerous railway remains the Coal dock languishes in the hidden undergrowth along with:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Helmdon%20-%20Great%20Central%20Railway/DSCF5749.jpg
You don't come across many of these! The remains of a once familiar shape, a railway telegraph pole languishes in the undergrowth.

http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/44532/2340857060033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2340857060033241453HLNbdb)

We walked on a further mile and came across Helmdon;s famous 9 span viaduct.

http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/46342/2014875430033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2014875430033241453ICWUpg)

The same spot as above but circa 1897. Helmdon Viaduct is having its banking dressed by the navies that lived in a make shift village below the Viaduct.

http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/29904/2125908420033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2125908420033241453ADvNzs)

The navies village below the viaduct 1897. This location would make a great Time Team explore:thumb

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/46783/2603213900033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2603213900033241453VJQwWf)

The same location today. There must be stuff left down in the valley?

We walked along the Viaduct and shortly came across:

http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/45505/2384978180033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2384978180033241453EkQaHk)

The remains of a Platelayers Hut slowly basks in the sun:thumb

We continued on a bit further and found further remains of this once proud mainline, but I have taken up enough bandwidth so I will not post up any further pics:thumb
Unless you want more!
Thanks for looking and hope you enjoyed the post:coffee