Cheltenham Abandoned Railway Kingham Part 2

Part two of abandoned Cheltenham to Kingham junction, looking for the bypass loop. This enabled traffic to avoid the busy Kingham junction crossing above the main through line on an embankment and bridge. I always marvel at the size of the earthworks with both cuttings and embankments, since before large scale mechanisation, it was mainly done with a pick, shovel and a wheelbarrow. You have to wonder at the beauty of the brick built structures, built with great care and attention to detail, even in the middle of nowhere, where they were largely hidden from view. With a little careful searching there are a few interesting finds along the way. This bypass loop enabled faster journey times avoiding having to enter the station and reverse out. It was used mainly by freight traffic and the ‘Ports to Ports’ express.
Sit back and walk with me.

[@michaelpilling9659]

Nice walk with very interesting railway history. Super film. Thank you Ron

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

Thank you Michael. P.W.

[@paulboyle6857]

Hi Ron,as promised some info on Kingham & the Chelt/Kingham/Chippy line.I attended Kingham Hill School from 1953-59 & travelled this line at the start & finish of each term.The schools "local" station was Sarsden Halt from which we would walk along the line to "Chippy",getting off just before the station yard.At this time(mid 50,s)Chipping N had a "fleepit" cinema!The building above Kingham station used to be called the Langston Arms Hotel with direct access to the Cheltenham/Chipping Norton platform as I recall.You have,nt as yet covered the Kingham/Stow/Bourton section of this line which should be worth a look.Stow station has long been a private house & I think Bourton has gone completely.The section up the valley to Notgrove(we used to add an "S"!)is probably impassable now.I have info on the Stroud/Stonehouse area also!

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

You are a mine of fascinating info Paul. I did cover the rest of the route in a later video, struggled to find much as I remember. Take care, Ron

[@scrimperuk]

I was born in Kingham and often used the lines to Cheltenham and the other way to Chipping Norton. the embankment in the video actually caught fire and was burning underground for a heck of a long time. at the time it was claimed to be a good reason to stop using it. Kingham Station was a beautiful original GWR station until one night BR moved in and demolished it replacing it with little more than a hut. locals were horrified at the way it was done.

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

Thanks for sharing scrimeruk, always nice to get first hand stories. PW

[@andrewmerriman7133]

One of the most interesting video's on TH-cam, watched it many times, thank you for doing this one Ron as the loop tends to receive very little coverage compared to the two branches from Kingham.

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

Glad you enjoyed it Andrew, I enjoyed filming it. Ron

[@andrewmerriman7133]

@@ParkinsonsWalks Hi Ron, I have just discovered the following :- that the Kingham Avoiding line bridge crossed no less than six tracks from Kingham Station. Part of the embankment was made by using coal waste from South Wales, on one occasion that part of the embankment caught fire. The photograph @5:11 is Kingham West Junction with the Distant Signal for Kingham East Junction below the Home Signal for the Kingham Avoiding Line. Just after the point shown which is the connection between the Up and Down Lines there was a double junction to form Up and Down Lines on the Kingham Avoiding Line and Up and Down lines to Kingham Station. The track layout at Kingham East Junction was exactly the same as Kingham West Junction. Andrew.

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

@@andrewmerriman7133 Thank you Andrew, you feature again in the next Vlog script. Re the embankments, I have noticed that quite a lot of them contain coal waste, ash and clinker, it is amazing that it was stable enough to take the pounding that a railway must have given them. Yet here we are 200 or so years later and they are still standing. Unbelievable really. Take care. Ron

[@nathanbowers6364]

The "Avoiding Line" carried few passenger trains as the Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway was mostly run as separate branchlines. Banbury to Kingham and Kingham to Cheltenham St.James. The Port to Port Express (Swansea to Newcastle) used the flyover, but its' main use was by the iron ore trains running from the Hook Norton quarries to the Brymbo iron and steel works in Wales.

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

Thank you for posting Nathan, people with an interest in the history of the line will find it useful. Ron

[@callum3651]

May I ask what the book you are using is called!

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

Hi Callum - Lost Railways of Gloucestershire, a very good book and not too expensive. Ron