Walk to Kingston Embankment Reserve

A cool but bright day on Sunday for a walk across the field to Bourn Golf Club and then back through the Kingston Embankment Reserve. The 'yellow brick road' comes to mind - arid cracked clay and weed-killed barley doesn't have the same ring.

 

The Kingston Reserve lies on  part of the Bedford to Cambridge railway line closed in the late 1960s. It is the site of the old railway bridge removed in the mid-1970s. At this stage I was running the first YOC (junior RSPB) group and we helped with the conservation work there. We cut lots of steps down to the Bourn Brook and built dipping platforms etc but all these have grown over now; however, the old railway hut looks just about the same as it did 50 years ago!!. (phone images)

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Cambridge to Macclesfield Train stops

The scheduled trains were cancelled on my journey to Macclesfield so with replacement services I ended up with a bit longer in London and Stafford than I expected so I did a bit of architectural photography as I am putting a talk together for a future date.

 

Historical Toft 1. Railway Embankment

 When I moved to Toft in 1967 trains were still running between Oxford and Cambridge. It had been operational for over 100 years. The line closed after the last day of service on 30th December 1967. The embankment in Toft is completely overgrown but part of the original fencing is still evident while horses graze undisturbed in the neighbouring fields. The hoar frost and bright sunshine gave a new feel to the woodland.

Ashby Canal

We are staying near Mallory Park for the Historic Bike Racing meet tomorrow. I took a walk along the canal after a day sitting at a meeting. Originally intended as a connection between the Coventry Canal and the River Trent (which it failed to reach), the Ashby Canal was constructed lock-free and served the coalfields around Moira and Measham.  The last image shows the former Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway. It served the village of Higham on the Hill, closed in 1931 to passengers but goods continued to pass through until 1962 when the line was closed.

Historic and Recent Shots from Oxford/Cambridge Railway Line

 When I first moved to Toft, the railway line between Oxford and Cambridge was still running. It started to run in 1862 and closed in 1968. The Track lifting began on 13th August 1968. The second image was taken in around 1969/70 showing the track bed. The path of the railway is now almost completely lost - the first image shows was where the railway ran under the road - the bridge still exists but no sign of the track. However, Google Earth map from 2020 (a dry summer) shows the track clearly across the field (also comparison with 1945). Fifth image again from 1969/70 was where the track ran through a more wooded area and is compared to the present view. The last views are along by the golf course as the track headed towards Lord's Bridge - our local station.

Switzerland 4. Schynigge Platte

Schynigge Platte is reached by gog railway built in 1893, one of the highest in Switzerland (1,983 metres). The light was very harsh with light cloud and has given some interesting textures and colour to the landscapes. There are wonderful views to many surrounding mountains, including the Eiger, Mönch and  Jungfrau. I spent most of the time in the Alpine Garden and the slopes around. On the way down, there were great views of  Interlaken and the two great lakes of Thun and Brienz.