ParkinsonsWalks Friday Vlog + Ashchurch to Malvern Abandoned Railway
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.พ. 2024
- This week, info coming from all directions Sharpness, Cornwall, Switzerland, what are you waiting for, start viewing!
Home to the adventurous subscriber. As well as films we have a bi-weekly Vlog to keep up to date on the previous and next week’s videos, and a chance for all to air their views on a variety of subjects, why not join in.
My passion has been walking, a while ago I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and walking does not come naturally any more, however the more I walk the easier it gets, for now anyway. I hope these videos will inspire others to keep going and hanging on in there. I try to cover variety of subjects, such as old abandoned railways, and canals. I love the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, with its rich history and I usually take my camera whenever we holiday in the southwest and Cornwall. The rugged coastal paths are a magnet for anyone who loves dramatic scenery. I live close to the Cotswolds Hills and have done quite a lot of walking around there, recently, following some of the lovely rivers. Hill walking on the Malvern’s is a challenge but worth the effort. I try not to let Parkinson’s get me down and take every opportunity to get out with my camera and film, I hope you enjoy watching. P.W. - บันเทิง
Terrific music choices today, Ron! Another fascinating exploration, with some good finds. It's always interesting to see how nature is reclaiming all the abandoned infrastructure, and I guess in a few more decades there'll be almost nothing left to see at all of many places you've shown us.
Too true Jim, but I don't think that will bother us! Look after yourself, and keep flying. Ron
I have Been Fascinated by the Concentration of Civil Engineering in this Area since Childhood. The A38 Southbound out of Worcester during the 60’s/70’s, was our Route to many Adventures both Great and Small before Dad had a Car Robust enough to handle the Pace of the newly completed M5 - (I seem to remember it ending at Strensham Services with Disarray of Oil Drums, Barriers and Piles of Earth)☺️ - Amazing How Quickly all the Engineering gets Reclaimed by Nature, Absorbing Gateposts and Lifting and Separating Tons of Brickwork - Such Beautiful countryside, and if I get given the Choice in Future Lifetimes, I’m Sure I will choose South Worcestershire All over Again. Many thanks Ron 🙏🏻🙌🏻✨
Donni, what a wonderful post, thanks for sharing. Ron
Thank you. How splendid the view from the windows would have been..Great choice of music for the winter landscape and oh, nice hat 😊
'Where did you get that hat'. Glad you enjoyed it Christina. Go gently. Ron
Another excellent ‘matters arising’, Ron. Then your epic Ashchurch to Malvern explore, which I really enjoyed. Plenty of finds on the route and some fine music to accompany us on the journey. Well Done. Stay dry☔️ Ron.
Hi Ron, filmed when it didn't rain every day. I'm sat here now watching the precipitation. Take care. Ron
This was truly excellent 👌👍😊one of your very best Ron.
Thank you for the mention - hopefully we will get some dry days!!
The Cinema Club was absolutely fantastic. I have seen bits of this line in various wanders, but never done the whole thing - I didn't realise that there was so much to see. I did stop off at Ripple last year on the way back from Ross-on-Wye - beautiful village and so good that the station has been restored there.
You ended at most favourite station at all - I did a Christmas video from Malvern and I was delighted to see the station has been completely repainted - it look fabulous.
Your music choices were the icing on the cake - beautiful, moving and very appropriate.
Well done
Take care,
Paul
Hi Paul, hat line deserves the 'West Country Wanderings' treatment. These days you would probably have asked permission to film Ripple station. I chickened out. February gone, surly the weather has to pick up soon. Fingers crossed. Ron
As always, Well done.
Hi Charles, February done with, soon be getting warmer. Take care. Ron
Hello Ron. Yet another interesting walk. This time on a decent path with not too many brambles and trees to negotiate. Plenty of railway relics along the way. Always nice to find the edge of an old station platform. Great walk, with some lovely bridges. I haven't been out with the camera much lately, due to the constant rain.
Hi Both, a nice walk without rain. Like you I haven't been out much lately, rain, rain, rain. Still, February gone at least the rain will get warmer! Take care.. Ron
There was a brick viaduct across the rugby pitch took down not that long ago. Malvern station is a gem . Great entertainment again started watching your videos whilst getting over hip operation helped pass the time regards Sam Woodward
Hi Sam, glad to be of service, hope you keep progressing well. Ron
Moring Ron. Hope all is well. A very enjoyable explore. It's great to see some of your old adventures again and always something new to see. Just about to take Syd out for his morning walk in the rain . Needless he's much more enthusiastic than me. Stay safe Pete
Hi Pete, when I am out walking I don't seem to see anyone out without a dog. They must be good for the nations health. Keep walking. Ron
Really enjoyed this Ron.
Great stuff thanks for watching. Ron
What a lovely video, Ron. I think you may have shown this one a while ago, because I remember you mentioned the girls school entrance from that absolutely beautiful station. And I know the benedictus and Sanctus sounds so much like faure, but its actually Karl Jenkins, but you probably realised that! Great video, as usual!
Hi Michael, film club has sort of changed to film archive, I was struggling to find film club material. Seem to be working alright. Glad you enjoyed it, well spotted with the music. Ron
Another brilliant vlog. thanks for bringing the English countryside to life for those who can’t get there right now. Thanks again
It is a real pleasure to have you along Brentie. Hang in there. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks thanks Ron. Always nice to see you
Lovely, leisurely video, rather like the railway journey must have been, judging by that old photo of a train on the bridge over Severn. Was that the best route to approach the Malverns by train, I wonder? It seems likely that Upton would have been more accessible by the public transport than it is today. Looking forward to your riverbank ramble next week!
Hi Malcolm, like so many of the abandoned railways, they would be valuable today. I'm not sure if it would have been affected by floods, there is a lot of it about around here. Stay heathy. Ron
Hello Ron - greetings from a very spring like Poland
What a lovely video, and how nice to revisit one of your old adventures. A superb walk to Malvern and bearing in mind the line closed in 1961, how mother nature has reclaimed everything. Mans intervention in many places removing embankments and bridges is progress?
Hi Michael, glad you enjoyed it again. We have a few signs of spring as well, Really lifts the spirits doesn't it. Take care. Ron
I did enjoy the last two videos very much thank you Ron. Loved to see some shots in Switzerland. What impressive railways there. Nothing stops or gets in the way of their constructors. Gets surprisingly hot there too. Ashchurch is a great spot if you are lucky enough to have a steam train going through as there is such a long straight line of vision each way. I did have to quickly get Side by Side Maps open when you started but have suddenly realised I can pause you so I did and left you standing there for a couple of moments. I was impressed with your findings and you found far more than we ever did. Is really helpful to see the ‘then and now’ pictures. I did see the Railway inn in Ripple but it was months after the devastating July 2007 floods and it was like a ghost town there. There’s a steam train stopping at Macclesfield next Saturday but now it’s going through an hour earlier than first advertised and I’m a bit slow in the morning. Have fun.
Hi Marilyn, nice to hear from you, glad you liked the videos, always nice to know. You can pause me anytime, I don't mind as long as it is not raining.
I know what slow in the mornings feels like, with my Parkinson's I'm so slow I even annoy myself. Keep smiling. Ron
Hi Ron, a nice visit as usual and a great video as usual too! That's a walk I'd love to do sometime, if I can ever get back to England. The weather here has been quite strange. The news reported that the temperature dropped 10C in 17 minutes yesterday when a cold front went through. Well, it's that time of year again...off to Oak Ridge Tennessee with the rowing team for a week of spring training. I admit, I'll miss you-know-who and she'll likely find several spherical objects in my luggage on my return. I'll keep an eye out for any unusually grumpy men when I'm down there. I'm really looking forward to the 14 hour bus trip. The 50 teenage boys in the seats behind me are always very well behaved...yup...very...Have a good week Ron, I'll try my best to as well.
A 10c drop, sounds like someone left the door open. I hope the boys, and Jim, aren't too hard on you, try to hang on to the tiny bit of sanity that you have left. Thinking of you. Ron
That tiny bit has exited the building, I'm afraid Ron...@@ParkinsonsWalks
Another nice trip down memory lane - thanks. Is it just me but I get quite teary at the sight of some well preserved blue engineering bricks which look as if they were only laid yesterday. Upton is one of my favourite places (when it isn't under water) and in all the years that I have been visiting I never realised that once it had a railway station. So - never too late to learn something. Stay well and dry
Hi Peter, we love to stir up memories, they need taking out and airing now and then, and yes they can bring a lump in the throat, especially when you realise those days have now gone forever. Keep your chin up. Ron
Really enjoyed this one Ron and not just because it's on my patch again (I've spent many a cold morning waiting for a train on Ashchurch for Tewksbury station platform). I'm not sure how you feel about converting old railway lines to cycle tracks but from my perspective it would be great to cycle to Malvern without all the road traffic. Mel
Hi Mel, I'm all for conversion to cycle/walk ways. If we can't afford to reopen the line then at least give us access. Look after yourself. Ron
Used to regularly walk from Burnley to Howarth...Some lovely sights...When the rhododendrons were in season, it was beautiful...
Thanks for the post. Ron
Good morning Ron. Thanks for a very entertaining “matters arising” and for today’s video. When I first came across your channel I went back and looked at all the videos you had produced and I remember this one especially as, having lived in Worcester from 1983 to 1993, I got to know the history of the railways around there including the line from Ashchurch to Great Malvern. At the time of watching this one I was not posting comments to the channel, so I thought I would take the opportunity to do so today, and give some background to this line’s history.
The line was built in two stages. Firstly, the section from Ashchurch to Tewksbury was completed fairly early on in railway history in 1839. However, it was initially used for transporting construction materials for the main Birmingham and Gloucester (B&G) line which runs through Ashchurch. The first passenger service to operate was a special taking spectators from Tewksbury to Ashchurch to see the first train to run following the opening of the Bromsgrove to Cheltenham section of the B&G on 24th June 1840. However, It was not until the following month, on the 21st July, that the branch opened to regular traffic. At this time horses were being used as the motive power and it was not until the 18th/19th July 1843 that the first steam locomotive was seen on the branch when it hauled passengers between Tewksbury and the town’s race course for a two day meeting. After this event, the line reverted to horse power once again with regular locomotive hauled services not starting until 18th February 1844. The opening of the B&G caused most of the daily stage coaches that served Tewksbury to be withdrawn, thus causing a serious loss in trade to the town. This was partly offset by a rail extension to the quay to facilitate water/rail interchange (I won’t cover extension this today as it warrants an article all of its own!). The original Tewksbury station was in the High Street but this was closed when the Midland Railway (MR) extended the branch to link up with the GWR at Great Malvern. A new station was then built on this extension.
In considering the rest of the line featured in the video, it is easier to understand its genesis by working backwards from Great Malvern to Tewksbury. The Tewksbury and Malvern Railway (T&MR) received it’s Act of Parliament to build the a line to Ripple (the station immediately before Tewksbury) on 25th May 1860. The first section from Great Malvern to Malvern Wells was opened on 1st July 1862. The point at which the line departed Great Malvern and headed south west was known as Malvern & Tewksbury junction. Initially, it was worked temporarily by the West Midland Railway (WMR) with permanent operation being by the Midland Railway once the line was completed through to the Midland’s main line at Ashchurch. The line was finally opened throughout to passengers on 16th May 1864. On 1st July 1877, the T&MR was invested in the MR, giving the MR running powers to Great Malvern and Malvern Link stations. The start of closures on the line came early in the 1950’s. The section from Great Malvern to Upton-On-Severn was closed to passengers on 1st December 1952. The track from Malvern Wells to Upton being lifted in September 1953. The passenger service between Upton and Ashchurch was withdrawn on 14th August 1961 and freight services ceased on 1st July 1963.
Turning to the line and stations themselves now. The impressive station at Great Malvern was designed by E.W. Elmslie and is Grade 2 listed. The single story station building was constructed of “Malvern Rag”, the local stone. Apart from the removal of the spire and clock turret in the 1950’s, the station has ben little altered. The whole station sports interesting features, such as the different flowers and leaves on each of the capitals of the columns supporting the canopy. The waiting room windows are unusual in having coloured glass, and another unusual feature is a subway direct from the Down platform into the adjacent hotel. At one time there was a siding at the Up end of the Down platform where trucks of coal could be turned on a wagon turntable and taken, through a tunnel parallel to the pedestrian subway, to the hotel boiler room. This siding was taken out of use on 21st October 1956. Trains for the Ashchurch branch normally used the bay at the southern end of the down platform. They travelled about half a mile along the main line towards Hereford before branching off at Malvern & Tewksbury junction. At this point the there was also an engine shed and turntable. The shed was built in 1864 and closed on 14th September 1931. Also at the junction were Malvern sidings, re-named New Midland sidings in 1946. After leaving Great Malvern the line descended on a gradient of 1 in 81 to Malvern Wells. This was renamed Malvern Hanley Road on 2nd March 1952 to avoid confusion with a station of the same name on the Hereford line. The station had several sidings and a goods shed for freight traffic. Malvern Hanley Road station closed to passengers and goods on 1st December 1952. After Hanley Road the descent continued at 1 in 75/80 to Upton ( renamed Upton Upon Severn in April 1889). Upton had substantial buildings in red and yellow brick. There was no run round loop and shunting was done by a complex method of train movements using tow ropes which were kept in the signal box. Following the closure of the section to Great Malvern it became the terminus of the branch from Ashchurch. Shortly after leaving Upton the line crossed a lane on the 24 yard (22 metres) long Berry End viaduct. A short distance later the river Severn was crossed by a 145 yard (133 metres) viaduct. Originally, the viaduct had a chain operated lifting section over the deepest channel to allow the passage of tall-masted sailing ships. A little way after the river crossings came Lode sidings. These were brought into use on 2nd May 1938 to serve an Air Ministry installation. The next station on the line was Ripple. The buildings here were of similar design to those at Upton, but differed in having a glass canopy over the exit from the booking hall and a heavy protruding gable over the booking hall doorway and platform. Ripple had a passing loop and short siding leading to a wagon turntable, which was used with a short section of track leading from it to bring stone from a very small quarrying business. No goods facilities were provided at the station. After leaving Ripple the line continued mainly in a south westerly direction before entering the 420 yard (380 metres) Mythe tunnel. This was followed by a long embankment over the flood plain before entering Tewksbury “new” station at 13.5 miles (21.7km) from Great Malvern.
Well, I’ll leave it there for today Ron. I hope the foregoing is of interest and I look forward to next week’s video of the old Victorian causeway from your local area. Best wishes to you and Pauline and all the PW family. Regards Trev.
My gosh Trev, this line has a lot of history. This is compulsive reading for anyone contemplating a visit to any part of it. (I think Paul is interested) The information you provide deserves a larger audience than my channel, I wish I could find a way to do it to reward you for your efforts. Thanks for your support, take care of yourself. Pauline & Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks Hi Ron. Yes, indeed there is a lot of history to this line and I could write even more about it's day to day operation, it's rolling stock and the events leading to it's decline. Then there's the history of the original Tewksbury station and the quay branch......... No need to find other ways of increasing the audience or rewarding me Ron, I really enjoy doing the research and putting it out for the PW family to enjoy(?). It is win-win, you give me a subject and off I go!
@@757trev Thanks Trev. Ron
@@757trevHi Trev, thanks very much for adding in all these details it is very much appreciated and enjoyed. How fascinating that there should be a waggon turntable leading into a small tunnel directly into the hotel boiler room at Great Malvern station. Also interesting was the chain driven lifting section over the Avon I was trying to work out how it swung in the photo but couldn't quite see it.
We're away for a few days in the hills, it's cold and wet but wonderful winding roads through cork and oak tree forests!!
All the best!!
@@davidberlanny3308 Hi David. I hope your time away is enjoyable despite the weather. Driving through those forests sounds wonderful. I'm sorry my description of the bridge over the Avon at Upton wasn't worded very well. The section of the bridge to allow tall vessels through didn't actually lift or rotate. It slid aside horizontally, but as for the actual detail of how this was achieved with railway track on it, I am unable to ascertain! All I know is that it was chain driven. Have a great week. Regards Trev
Good Morning Ron, just been reading about the Stroud canal. They now have planning permission to restore the canal from the A38 all the way to Junction. There was a concern from the Council about flooding. Really? Better have a word with the man upstairs about that! Golf courses still closed and not getting out is making me rather rotund.
Hi Simon, did you mean 'cuddly' Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks I'm getting a bit round round the middle!
@@thehairygolfer As I said Simon, 'cuddly', ask Suzanne
Mornin' Ron, Great Vlog, schools out at the moment and we are on our travels deep in the countryside where the best mountain ham grows on trees!! I'll catch with the rest of the video later. All the best!!
Thanks David, enjoy your break. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalksHi Ron, that was a real tour de force. A fantastic climax at Great Malvern station. Lots and lots of details all along the way. What I liked about the route is that although parts of it have been obliterated you always seemed to be in view of the continuation, as if the line was saying "don't forget about me". Even the new fire station was sited on the old railway station!!
Did that bridge have a swing section? the photo seems to say no but I don't think you can see the whole bridge.
Even Trev dropped in to say hello!!
I recognised the last music track from the film Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (40 years ago now), what I didn't know was the composer Ryuichi Sakamoto also starred in the film.
We are in the province of Huelva right now, which borders with Portugal. The zone is famous for the mountain ham, whilst I did say it grows on trees it's actually pretty close to the truth. Well the best hams, apart from being of a particular breed, must be allowed to range freely in the forest gorging themselves on acorns for the three months. The bark of the trees is harvested for the cork, it's quite a sight. On the way over we stopped at the remains of the Roman City of Italica complete with one of the largest ampitheatres!!
Look forward to seeing the causeway next week. Have a great weekend!!
Hi David, I seem to remember that was a nice couple of days out filming that. Yes the bridge did have a swing section as at the time of building boats with sails were still navigating the river.
Your tour sounds interesting, I hope Nuria finds it as fascinating as you do. Take care of you both. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks That must have been quite a sight seeing the swing bridge opening and a sailing boat pass through. Nuria's enjoying herself, she loves the mountain ham especially the good ones!!
She also enjoyed the trip round Italica, well we both did, made all the more memorable by the guide who took us around
The walk from Burnley to Gorple Road was always eventful...But once you hit the old Roman Road, it is incredible...And not a pothole in sight...lol
Thanks for the post. Ron
Many thanks for your interesting and well made video. It is a great shame that this line was closed, imagine what an attraction it could be today with perhaps steam trains running between Tewkesbury, Upton and Malvern three tourist locations. Some years ago both ends of the Mythe tunnels were open and one could walk through to the nature reserve. Some forty years ago I used to ride my cycle through the tunnel, it was in superb condition. Even if they did not want to keep the lines running they should have been 'mothballed' for possible future use. regards John.
Hi John, I'm glad that it provoked some of the old memories. Happy days. Ron
We actually never "Stuck to the path"...And found some amazing things...
Thanks for the post. Ron
Sorry, just ranting on...But they were amazing times...And still would be for anyone willing to do the walk...
Thanks for the post, no worries. Ron