An excellent Picasa shot of Henstridge, published here.
This is three years after closure and there's an eerie stillness, magnified by the fact that soon this section of track will be lifted, not to return for perhaps 50 years or more!
Again, sorry to pick fault but according to records and the book Sabotaged and defeated the demolition squads (state vandals!)came through here sometime late summer 1967,by Sept 67 even Templecombe lower had gone. 1966 and 1967 are not years to be proud of really, those who wax lyrical about England and the World cup would do well to remember that was a 5 min wonder, the S& D was built to last but killed on the altar of politics. Interestingly I wonder how much of Marples and Beechings information on the closures plus side effects were buried under a Hundred year rule? 2063 could be an interesting year!
Corrections are always welcomed! I thought myself that perhaps this was a little earlier - I don't think the photographer was first and foremost an S&D fan because in his Templecombe 1967 shot he claims that 'trains hadn't run here for several years' wheras of course it had only been a year since the line closed.
Again, sorry to pick fault but according to records and the book Sabotaged and defeated the demolition squads (state vandals!)came through here sometime late summer 1967,by Sept 67 even Templecombe lower had gone. 1966 and 1967 are not years to be proud of really, those who wax lyrical about England and the World cup would do well to remember that was a 5 min wonder, the S& D was built to last but killed on the altar of politics. Interestingly I wonder how much of Marples and Beechings information on the closures plus side effects were buried under a Hundred year rule? 2063 could be an interesting year!
ReplyDeleteCorrections are always welcomed! I thought myself that perhaps this was a little earlier - I don't think the photographer was first and foremost an S&D fan because in his Templecombe 1967 shot he claims that 'trains hadn't run here for several years' wheras of course it had only been a year since the line closed.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots though!