Permissive path - Purley / Pangbourne AND Access bridges to farms and fields

[whole diary]

[Reading General]

Yes, the widening seems to vary along the line. At Twyford it's on the south, while at Kennet Mouth I believe it's on the north side of the line. Over the road to the River in Pangbourne it's either side of the original bridge

[eightonedee]

Juts found this 1878 photograph, confirming what you suggest.

More about the ferries, with a sketch map showing the connecting path, but a page (or two) missing from the on-line preview. (If my link takes you straight to the map, scroll up for details of the dispute  leading to there being two ferries.)

Thanks Marlburian

I hereby renounce my theory about the towpath crossing the Thames because of the railway!

[purley]

There were two chain ferries one next to the church and on by the roebuck. The towing path ran on the north side of the Thames between them. They simply loaded the horse onto the ferry and hauled the ferry across the river  holding on to the tow rope. On the other side they simply attached the rope back on the horse and carried on. If I can find out how to add photos I'll send you all one

[grahame]

There were two chain ferries one next to the church and on by the roebuck. The towing path ran on the north side of the Thames between them. They simply loaded the horse onto the ferry and hauled the ferry across the river  holding on to the tow rope. On the other side they simply attached the rope back on the horse and carried on. If I can find out how to add photos I'll send you all one

Welcome to the forum, Purley ... clear and obvious once you point out how it was done.  Best way to add a picture (if it's not on web space elsewhere) is to use "Additional options" and do so as an attachment. Or email me a copy and I'll put it on the server.

[Marlburian]

Oh goodee! I'm glad someone else asked. When making my original post 85, I was conscious that the two eBay links would be temporary. Thanks to Graham's answer I've now amended that post to permanently include images of the two cards.

[Marlburian]

It looks as if we've reached the end of the road when it comes to determining what the Roebuck subway was for, unless there are clues tucked away in some archival document. I'd vaguely hoped that someone might volunteer some info about that long siding from Tilehurst Station to the Roebuck. (See my post 85.) I guess that the best source would be Tony Cooke's track plans (which I found very useful into my early research into military railways in Wiltshire). But Reading Library appears not to have a copy.

 I went down this morning for another, inconclusive look, first venturing onto Platform 4 at Tilehurst Station, an hour before any trains were due. There were two ambulances on stand-by and I wonder what the crews thought. Despite having made thousands of journeys from Platform, I just wanted to see how the siding would have been accommodated. Then up to Roebuck, to see where it would have ended, and up to the gateway to the path through Skerrett Wood, peering over the wall on either side.

Not for the first time,, I wondered why the slits in the pillbox were facing across Oxford Road at an angle, rather than down it, in the direction from which invading forces would have come.

[Oxonhutch]

I'd vaguely hoped that someone might volunteer some info about that long siding from Tilehurst Station to the Roebuck. (See my post 85.)

The Signalling Record Society have a low resolution image of Tilehurst which is dated 1925. The siding you refer to was the Up Refuge Siding - used to reverse a goods train into and be overtaken - and was in use until April 1964 according to my copy of 'Reading to Didcot' by Mitchell & Smith (2002)*. Also in use from 1899 to 1924 was the Down Engine Siding also visible on your linked 25" map. Some mention was made of it being used to store a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) manager's personal railway carriage for his daily trip into town.

*ISBN 1-901706-79-6, Plate 29

[Marlburian]

I'd vaguely hoped that someone might volunteer some info about that long siding from Tilehurst Station to the Roebuck. (See my post 85.)

The Signalling Record Society have a low resolution image of Tilehurst which is dated 1925. The siding you refer to was the Up Refuge Siding - used to reverse a goods train into and be overtaken - and was in use until April 1964 according to my copy of 'Reading to Didcot' by Mitchell & Smith (2002)*. Also in use from 1899 to 1924 was the Down Engine Siding also visible on your linked 25" map. Some mention was made of it being used to store a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) manager's personal railway carriage for his daily trip into town.

*ISBN 1-901706-79-6, Plate 29

That's useful info, thanks. I guessed that must have been the purpose of the siding. I too came across the SRS plan. but it defied my attempts to enlarge it to make any sense. It took me a few minutes to work out which was north and which was south. (I appreciate that it's low resolution as the Society wishes to raise funds by selling a readable copy - fair enough.)

Adding and removing the manager's carriage must have caused some delay to trains? Reminds me of the speculation when one rush-hour HST^▸ (High Speed Train) stopped at the stations between Didcot and Reading, that this was for the benefit of a BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) manager who lived in one of the villages.

[CyclingSid]

If there is still some mileage in this path there might be some maps of interest at:
https://www.ramblers.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/dont-lose-your-way-2026/finding-historical-sources-online.aspx

[stuving]

If there is still some mileage in this path there might be some maps of interest at:
https://www.ramblers.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/dont-lose-your-way-2026/finding-historical-sources-online.aspx

It does; notably the Land registry, which I'd not used for a while. Its cadastral map shows that the narrow strip of woodland between the marina and the houses, which it seems the path north from the tunnel under the railway is preserved in, is actually part of the marina's land holding.

[Marlburian]

Another article about the proposed right of way behind houses in Hazel Road.

There must be other articles on this particular topic, but I've yet to find them - and I haven't found the inquiry's final report.