Taunton Stopline – South Chard section – July 2010

[Munchh]

A bit of history and info.

This Stop Line ran from the north coast of Somerset down to Seaton, Devon and the installations were built by private contractors and Army personnel in the weeks following the Dunkirk evacuations.

"The Line, of over 300 pillboxes plus machine gun emplacements, anti-tank gun emplacements, anti-tank ditches, infantry trenches and many other defences, ran down from the Pawlett Hams in the north of Somerset, along the River Parrett and then, following the east bank of the Bridgwater and Taunton canal southward, to Creech St. Michael where it joined and followed the dried-up bed of the old Taunton & Chard Canal. South-west of Ilton the Line traced the route of the Great Western Railway southward. North of Chard Junction the Line left the G.W.R. and followed the route shared by the Southern Railway and the River Axe, briefly crossing over into Dorset in a couple of places, finally following the Axe into the seaside town of Seaton, Devon, where the Stop Line ended."

This was a nostalgia trip for me. I first visited this section as a kid in 1976 and this is the first time I've been back. You would not stumble across it.

After parking my car in a lay by, I made the 2 mile trek to the southern end of the section near Forton bridge (demolished long since). Along the way, I decided to check out the thick-walled type 24 on The Drift. An old drovers lane running between windwhistle hill and Forton hill. This is what I found;



And inside;







Beautiful condition, zero graffiti! and totally overgrown.

Next up, the old railway itself. Will follow up with more later but for now as a taster of what's here;

A rail block





and it's partner



surrounded by about 30 anti-tank cubes in dense undergrowth



and a gaggle of Tetrahedra



Also, a tank trap array on the track bed, a concrete platform 25 feet long just up-line from the rail block;



with mine sockets



Hairpin sockets





More will follow, but in the meantime, here's an elevated 24, 50 yards back from the track bed about ¼ mile from the rail block array,



and a thick-walled type 24 which was originally disguised as a station building at the Forton station.







This is a very well hidden part of the TSL and is virtually undisturbed as a result. This report features the more rare installations on this extant section of the stopline and I hope you have enjoyed this brief look.

[Munchh]

Some great old relics there, wish we had more stuff like that around here, them mine sockets are real cool

Yeah, it's refreshingly nice to see the sockets in place although the pics don't do this array justice. I plan to go back and survey it and will add a plan view to this thread to give you a better idea.

Cool stuff, i always like to see what would have stalled the germans had they invaded.

This rail block array was designed to both stop tanks crossing and/or using the railway line to progress so quite a stronghold.

Good to see this. That first pillbox is in great nick!

Particularly when you consider that this PB is on a lane well known locally. Guess the locals just have the right level of respect.

nice, thats really cool, is the first pillbox meant for a heavier weapon like a AT gun or a PIAT or something as those cutouts are quite big for a bren lol!

That's pretty much it mate, hence the hinged shutters to the embrasures, lowered for LMG, raised for AT. Although I wouldn't have wanted to be inside when they cracked off a Boyes in there LOL.

Thanks to all who have left comments. The TSL is one of the stoplines I'm exploring at the mo, so expect more.

[Tankman]

Nice one
Its good to see these stop lines as they are now, most people only see the odd pillbox and don't follow the reason up why they are sited where they are.

It would be good to follow up a stop line around where I live
On my To Do list! You have inspired me!
look forward to further reports

[Munchh]

Nice one
Its good to see these stop lines as they are now, most people only see the odd pillbox and don't follow the reason up why they are sited where they are.

It would be good to follow up a stop line around where I live
On my To Do list! You have inspired me!
look forward to further reports

Thanks for that.

Yeah, it's a very important piece of our WW2 history which was fortunately never used in reality. A recent TV documentary on the subject ran a simulated invasion wargame which proved the potential effectiveness of the defences.

Glad to have been an inspiration, if you need any help with locating artefacts in your area drop me a line. Also, you can google the Defence of Britain Project and the Archaeology Data Service.

[Munchh]

munchh do you go on the PSG forum at all?

Yeah I've referred to it on occasion although I find it a little frustrating as scrolling through loaded pages seems really sluggish. For site location, I prefer to use the DOB google earth overlay instigated by a member of another UE forum. Having said that, the PSG has been useful particularly where the mine sockets are concerned. It's just a bit annoying to use.

What's your take on it?

[Sandman]

That's proper bo' Sir.
The original idea of the Taunton stopline was to slow the invading hun so that the locals could paralise them with sales of cider from the roadside thus rendering them easy targets for the home guard to pick off at will.

Weather this is true of other stoplines is unlikley.

[Munchh]

That's proper bo' Sir.
The original idea of the Taunton stopline was to slow the invading hun so that the locals could paralise them with sales of cider from the roadside thus rendering them easy targets for the home guard to pick off at will.

Weather this is true of other stoplines is unlikley.

LOL, Let the Hun drink our Cider??...................only when they prise it from our cold dead hands

[Munchh]

Great stuff Munchh

How did the railblock work? The stoplines around here are rivers - this mechanical stuff looks a lot more interesting.

Thanks for that.

Basically, the rail block and road block worked in the same way and were manned by the Home Guard. One side had an enclosed slot approx 20” high by 10” wide the other had a similar slot which was open at the top (you can see this in the pics). When an alert was given, steel girders (like RSJ’s) were fed into the closed end then dropped into the open end and a pin hammered in to complete the block. These were surrounded by fixed installations such as cubes, AT ditches PB’s etc and were collectively intended to stop armoured vehicles long enough for a more concerted response to be launched by rushing British armoured units and regular Army to the area.

The track bed arrays consisted of hairpins (bent sections of track) posts or spikes(sections of track) and AT pressure mines in pre cast sockets on a concrete platform and again surrounded by fixed installations. The array was assembled and the mines armed once alert was issued by GHQ. This was regularly practiced and was carried out surprisingly quickly.

You may not have these but you do have the Lincolnshire 3 bay, your very own and exclusive pillbox.