Claydon Junction 8.12.15
A very pleasant morning spent exploring the remains of the Oxford to Bletchley line which was closed to freight traffic some 25 years ago, and to passengers much before that. Wisely, the line was mothballed as the excesses of the slash and burn policies of Beeching were starting to become apparent. Now the line is set to rise again as an important west to east link, and I was intrigued to find what exactly was left. What I was not expecting was to find a red MAS signal on what was clearly a derelict line, but after a while the penny dropped. Claydon Junction is the intersection with the old GCR, which is still used for refuse trains from London infilling the old clay pits at Calvert brickworks. This section is part of the headshunt for the returning empty stock, hence the requirement for the signalling - mystery solved!
Claydon Junction 8.12.15
A very pleasant morning spent exploring the remains of the Oxford to Bletchley line which was closed to freight traffic some 25 years ago, and to passengers much before that. Wisely, the line was mothballed as the excesses of the slash and burn policies of Beeching were starting to become apparent. Now the line is set to rise again as an important west to east link, and I was intrigued to find what exactly was left. What I was not expecting was to find a red MAS signal on what was clearly a derelict line, but after a while the penny dropped. Claydon Junction is the intersection with the old GCR, which is still used for refuse trains from London infilling the old clay pits at Calvert brickworks. This section is part of the headshunt for the returning empty stock, hence the requirement for the signalling - mystery solved!