Good afternoon Ron. Five years on from your video, today I finally made it to Foss Cross station. Happy to report, the roof is watertight, little has changed, and some kind soul has sympathetically trimmed back tree branches near the platform. Goodness knows how you found the station yard gate- it took be 40 minutes! But for your report I would never have ventured to such a fascinating site. Many thanks.
Sir, you don’t have to apologise when undergrowth, etc., stops you visiting railway archeological remain on our behalf. I’m just pleased you can do it because my country walking days are long over! Many thanks for your excellent presentation. If you smelt a whiff of cigar smoke it was probably Sir Sam Fay’s spirit standing close by ....admiring your remarkable efforts. Sir Sam certainly lifted this railway up into a profitable concern. It would be an incredibly useful route nowadays between Southampton and the Midlands. Best wishes, Rob In Bournemouth.
Rob Thanks for the comment, it's a pleasure to be of service. With my Parkinson's my walking days are numbered but I haven't given up yet. Thanks for watching. P.W.
I remember it less overgrown when I visited many years ago, the doors weren't bricked up and a poster inside the building warning to shut the carriage doors.
I have just voted this your best video yet. Leastways of those I`ve seen. A platform with a building, brilliant. Re the first "bracket" you saw sticking out of the building wall, methinks that had you pulled it out it would turn out to be a coat-hook - possibly. Very nice.
I walked from Kemble back to Towcester using disused railways back in 1980, came across Foss Cross and was amazed how complete it still was. Looks much like the video so it hasn't really changed which is great to see.
The abandoned building was probably the lamp room. The concrete slab would have held a 45 gallon drum of paraffin. The shelf was sturdy enough to hold several filled lamps, with spares left already filled, trimmed and ready to light. You would light them and let them burn for a while before a final trim and carrying out to location.
@@ParkinsonsWalks Further on in the video you showed a lamp-post with a hook. The station probably also had paraffin Tilley lamps as its platform lighting. So there would have been an allocated time-slot for lamping duties during the darker evenings and mornings; a really horrid job in driving rain / snow in open countryside. Quite how the lamps met their hooks is a bit of a puzzle because there doesn't seem to be any remnants of a hoisting system. As ever it'll most likely be a method that would give present-day aficionados of H&S severe palpitations :)
@@ParkinsonsWalks I've been steadily following your adventures and it's my way of showing my gratitude for you posting the results. It's not as easy as it looks. My knowledge and experience of the line starts at Ludgershall and Tidworth going South. I'll never forget the surprise appearance of a Bullied Pacific with 10 up full of squaddies going past Tidworth Down school as we boys played cricket, (train stopped play: sorry) long after that stretch of line closed, and the anticipation of its inevitable return. So, I'm enjoying learning about what went on beyond the end of the World (Swindon) ;)
I couldn't match the couple of deer on my visit today, but there were a couple of large hares chasing each other! The two photos inside the station building have gone, but the ticket is still faithfully clinging to the door! Otherwise it all still looks pretty much the same.
Hi Keith, thanks for the update, I sometimes wonder how nature is getting on taking it over. Makes you wonder when you consider it was once a hive of activity. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks it then goes into cirencester through "watermoor station" long gone through cirencester but track bed there from edge of cirencester to swindon-marlborough-andover-southampton...
Hi Matt You were right, I have filmed parts of the track bed from Foss Cross to Ciren, it's now added to the 'waiting for edit' list. Will be out some time in the new year, Thanks for that.
Where the men’s urinals are, am I correct in thinking there would’ve been some kind of wall or something blocking view? Can’t imagine passengers going in to get tickets and there in the corner are a few gents relieving themselves!
Hi Laurence, Yes there was evidence of a wall, I don't think they were that broad minded! The wall was probably removed by the farmer who was storing things in there for a while. The door was to the right as you look at them. P.W.
Good question. I took the road to the left of the pub and found good parking outside the recycling centre and walked in parallel to the track bed. Trouble is this route is gated as there are businesses down there. I don’t expect the gates are closed during business hours but not ideal. The road to the right of the pub is I think public access, but looks private. The station site itself and track bed probably still belongs to Network Rail. You pays your money .....................
Wonderful to see Foss Cross station. The photographs you used brought what we were looking at, back to life. A brilliant film. Thank you
I have to say it's a bit 'spooky' there. P.W.
Excellent video. I love this remote spot. You explore in a very similar way to us. More to come I hope.
Handbag at the ready.
Another interesting walk, fantastic to see Fosse Cross station in such great shape.
Thanks Rob. Unfortunately the roof is starting to crumble so it might deteriorate quite quickly from here.
Good afternoon Ron. Five years on from your video, today I finally made it to Foss Cross station. Happy to report, the roof is watertight, little has changed, and some kind soul has sympathetically trimmed back tree branches near the platform. Goodness knows how you found the station yard gate- it took be 40 minutes! But for your report I would never have ventured to such a fascinating site. Many thanks.
Brilliant Rodney, well done you. Ron
This is part of my childhood. I sat and watched trains at various parts of the line but I never travelled on it.
Happy days. P.W.
Great video, recent follower of your walk's and they seem to get better & better! Thank you.
Glad you like them Brian. Ron
Sir, you don’t have to apologise when undergrowth, etc., stops you visiting railway archeological remain on our behalf. I’m just pleased you can do it because my country walking days are long over! Many thanks for your excellent presentation. If you smelt a whiff of cigar smoke it was probably Sir Sam Fay’s spirit standing close by ....admiring your remarkable efforts. Sir Sam certainly lifted this railway up into a profitable concern. It would be an incredibly useful route nowadays between Southampton and the Midlands. Best wishes, Rob In Bournemouth.
Rob Thanks for the comment, it's a pleasure to be of service. With my Parkinson's my walking days are numbered but I haven't given up yet. Thanks for watching. P.W.
I remember it less overgrown when I visited many years ago, the doors weren't bricked up and a poster inside the building warning to shut the carriage doors.
Hi Mark, I would have loved to have included that poster in the film. P.W.
What a gem and so remote..
I think being remote killed the passenger traffic but it did well on freight for a while longer. Ron
I have just voted this your best video yet. Leastways of those I`ve seen. A platform with a building, brilliant. Re the first "bracket" you saw sticking out of the building wall, methinks that had you pulled it out it would turn out to be a coat-hook - possibly. Very nice.
Thanks Hazel, I feel very honored. P.W.
I walked from Kemble back to Towcester using disused railways back in 1980, came across Foss Cross and was amazed how complete it still was. Looks much like the video so it hasn't really changed which is great to see.
Hi Carl, Kemble to Towcester, what an amazing adventure, beyond my capabilities for sure. P.W.
Wow, that sounds like a fun and challenging enterprise; how long did it take?
Great walk, One i have not done yet, But after seeing this I will do so , Thankyou
Wear long trousers Gary, don't make the same mistake as me.
The abandoned building was probably the lamp room. The concrete slab would have held a 45 gallon drum of paraffin. The shelf was sturdy enough to hold several filled lamps, with spares left already filled, trimmed and ready to light. You would light them and let them burn for a while before a final trim and carrying out to location.
Thanks for that info, it fills in the 'blanks', P.W.
@@ParkinsonsWalks Further on in the video you showed a lamp-post with a hook. The station probably also had paraffin Tilley lamps as its platform lighting. So there would have been an allocated time-slot for lamping duties during the darker evenings and mornings; a really horrid job in driving rain / snow in open countryside.
Quite how the lamps met their hooks is a bit of a puzzle because there doesn't seem to be any remnants of a hoisting system. As ever it'll most likely be a method that would give present-day aficionados of H&S severe palpitations :)
Wonderful, that adds so much more interest to the video, thank you. P.W.
@@ParkinsonsWalks I've been steadily following your adventures and it's my way of showing my gratitude for you posting the results. It's not as easy as it looks. My knowledge and experience of the line starts at Ludgershall and Tidworth going South. I'll never forget the surprise appearance of a Bullied Pacific with 10 up full of squaddies going past Tidworth Down school as we boys played cricket, (train stopped play: sorry) long after that stretch of line closed, and the anticipation of its inevitable return. So, I'm enjoying learning about what went on beyond the end of the World (Swindon) ;)
Superb informative video
Glad you liked it. P.W.
I couldn't match the couple of deer on my visit today, but there were a couple of large hares chasing each other! The two photos inside the station building have gone, but the ticket is still faithfully clinging to the door! Otherwise it all still looks pretty much the same.
Hi Keith, thanks for the update, I sometimes wonder how nature is getting on taking it over. Makes you wonder when you consider it was once a hive of activity. Ron
From fosse cross to cirencester there is around mile of wide open track bed and inuse bridges still....worth a walk
Thanks Matt, I'll add that to the list
@@ParkinsonsWalks it then goes into cirencester through "watermoor station" long gone through cirencester but track bed there from edge of cirencester to swindon-marlborough-andover-southampton...
Thanks Matt you are very kind. I'll do some research and have a look. Thanks once again.
Hi Matt
You were right, I have filmed parts of the track bed from Foss Cross to Ciren, it's now added to the 'waiting for edit' list. Will be out some time in the new year, Thanks for that.
@@MrMattsmith1985 @ParkinsonsWalks: Watermoor Station is no Waitrose, as you probably know.
Where the men’s urinals are, am I correct in thinking there would’ve been some kind of wall or something blocking view? Can’t imagine passengers going in to get tickets and there in the corner are a few gents relieving themselves!
Hi Laurence, Yes there was evidence of a wall, I don't think they were that broad minded! The wall was probably removed by the farmer who was storing things in there for a while. The door was to the right as you look at them. P.W.
I'd love to visit this place. How is it best accessed?
Good question. I took the road to the left of the pub and found good parking outside the recycling centre and walked in parallel to the track bed. Trouble is this route is gated as there are businesses down there. I don’t expect the gates are closed during business hours but not ideal. The road to the right of the pub is I think public access, but looks private. The station site itself and track bed probably still belongs to Network Rail. You pays your money .....................
15:00 the ghost of 2807 departing Toddington. . . . . .
Thanks Bernie
Lamp room on the end of the platform.
Thanks Norris, that what it looked like. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalksspent many an hour in the lamp room, at Wincanton on the S&D in the early sixties. Got on your wick after a time Ron.
Brilliant Norris. Ron@@norriskiddle3434
Sorry to be a pest, but according to Clinker's Register, Foss Cross closed to traffic on 11th September 1961
I wouldn't dare argue with you Bernie. P.W.