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Ross-on-Wye

Ross to Rotherwas Junction

The railway ran north-west out of Ross eventually terminating at Rotherwas Junction. These are a few of the more obvious remnants.

Cawdor Railway Arch

The Cawdor Railway Arch is near the site of the old cattle market, which is now a Housing Association estate, at the joining point of Greytree Road and Homs Road.

Railway Bridge Ross-on-Wye
The upper side of the bridge
(Click for a larger image)
Railway Bridge Ross-on-Wye
A 2nd angle of the upper side
(Click for a larger image)

Railway Bridge Ross-on-Wye
The lower side of the bridge
(Click for a larger image)
Railway Bridge Ross-on-Wye
A 2nd view of the lower side
(Click for a larger image)

The A40 Bridge along Homs Road

A40 bridge Ross-on-Wye (27-7-06)
The A40 bridge
(Click for a larger image)

Along Homs Road the A40 dual carriageway (built in around 1960) crosses at high level using a double arch bridge. The first arch was for Homs Road and the second was built to allow the railway to pass underneath. It was only used briefly because the railway closed very soon after the bridge was completed. There are now houses built on the line of the track bed in this area.


Here we see 6330, a Mogul '43xx' class 2-6-0, pulling the Grange Court to Rotherwas Junction train. It is leaving Ross towards Hereford and has just passed under the "newly" built A40.

6330 under the A40 (27-7-06)
Train pulled by 6330 under the A40
[Photo: J.C.Coombes]
(Click for a larger image)

The line from Ross to Backney

Ross-on-Wye to Backney (28-1-07)
The site of the line at Blackfields looking towards Backney
(Click for a larger image)
Ross-on-Wye to Backney (28-1-07)
The site of the line at Blackfields looking towards Ross
(Click for a larger image)

Here we see some remaining sections of the line in the Blackfields area of Ross (the area between Greytree and the River) and towards Backney.

Ross-on-Wye to Backney (28-1-07)
The site of the line at Blackfields looking towards Backney
(Click for a larger image)
Ross-on-Wye to Backney (28-1-07)
The site of the line at Blackfields looking towards Ross
(Click for a larger image)

Backney Bridge

Backney Bridge (11-3-07)
The top of the bridge piers at Backney (Click for a larger image)

Here we see the remains of the bridge crossing the River Wye at Backney. The piers have the distinctive brick built top section and are carefully shaped to aid the water flowing past them.

Next the the embankment is the remains of a domed, corrugated workers hut.

Backney hut (11-3-07)
A railway hut by the bridge
(Click for a larger image)

Backney Bridge piers (11-3-07)
The top of the bridge piers at Backney
(Click for a larger image)
Backney Bridge (11-3-07)
The upstream side of the Backney Bridge
(Click for a larger image)

Backney Bridge from the North
Backney Bridge piers left (9-5-10)
The left side of the Backney Bridge piers
(Click for a larger image)
Backney Bridge piers right (9-5-10)
The right side of the Backney Bridge piers
(Click for a larger image)

Backney Bridge piers top (9-5-10)
The top of the Backney Bridge piers
(Click for a larger image)
Backney Bridge piers top close up (9-5-10)
Close up of the top of the Backney Bridge piers
(Click for a larger image)

The top of the bridge piers are being pushed apart by the trees that are growing on them. The views of the River Wye are fantastic from here and there were a lot of swans on the river when we visited.

Tree damaging the pier top (9-5-10)
Trees damaging the top of the pier
(Click for a larger image)
River Wye at Backney Bridge (9-5-10)
River Wye at Backney Bridge
(Click for a larger image)

Backney Halt

Backney Halt
The Backney Halt sign
(Click for a larger image)

Just beyond the bridge, towards Hereford, was Backney Halt. In the Kidderminster Railway Museum is the name board from Backney Halt.


Ballingham Bridge

The Ballingham Railway Bridge (09-04-12)
The Ballingham Railway Bridge (Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Bridge (also known as Fawley viaduct) runs north from Fawley Tunnel towards Ballingham station. The only remains are the piers as seen in the photos.


The Ballingham Railway Bridge (09-04-12)
The Ballingham Railway Bridge
(Click for a larger image)
Ballingham Railway Bridge piers (09-04-12)
Ballingham Railway Bridge piers
(Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Station

Site of Ballingham Railway Station (09-04-12)
Site of Ballingham Railway Station
(Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Station has been rebuilt as a private house (dated as 1973) but it can be seen that the platform still exists.

Holme Lacy and Fawley were the originally the only stations between Ross and Hereford; Ballingham and Backney Halt were later additions.


The causeway and track bed are clearly visible when looking south from the road bridge that is just below the station.

Track bed south of Ballingham Station (09-04-12)
Track bed south of Ballingham Station
(Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Tunnel

The start of the cutting on the north end of Ballingham Railway Tunnel (09-04-12)
The start of the cutting on the north end of Ballingham Railway Tunnel
(Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Tunnel is 1208 yards long and is the region's longest (32nd longest disused tunnel in the UK). The tunnel is straight except for a slight turn to the east close to the southern end.


The north end of the tunnel is not too difficult to access and the cutting has been cleared making it even easier to get to. The tunnel mouth is completely open.

The north end tunnel mouth of Ballingham Rail Tunnel (09-04-12)
The north end tunnel mouth of Ballingham Rail Tunnel
(Click for a larger image)

The deterioration at the north end tunnel mouth (09-04-12)
The deterioration at the north end tunnel mouth
(Click for a larger image)
The face of the tunnel mouth has started to deteriorate and has begun to collapse. The mouth is stone faced but the bricks show clear signs that there have been significant repairs made when the tunnel was in service.

The view looking north up the cutting is an impressive view.

Looking out of the north end tunnel mouth (09-04-12)
Looking out of the north end tunnel mouth
(Click for a larger image)

North end brick liner (09-04-12)
North end brick liner
(Click for a larger image)

Looking south it is clear to see that there is a brick liner to the tunnel at this point.


The brick liner does not extend that far into the tunnel and is in a good condition. The rest of the tunnel is lined with what looks like local sandstone.

End of the brick liner (09-04-12)
End of the brick liner
(Click for a larger image)

Original brick reinforcements (09-04-12)
Original brick reinforcements
(Click for a larger image)

At a number of points at the north end some brick reinforcements have been added to the tunnel walls. These are substantial structures and are also in good condition.


Inside Ballingham Tunnel looking north (09-04-12)
Inside Ballingham Tunnel looking north
(Click for a larger image)
Ballingham Tunnel looking north from further in (09-04-12)
Ballingham Tunnel looking north from further in
(Click for a larger image)

The walls of the tunnel have a number of brick patches in them that were made either during the building or when in service.

Patches in the tunnel walls (09-04-12)
Patches in the tunnel walls
(Click for a larger image)

Roof of Ballingham Tunnel (09-04-12)
Roof of Ballingham Tunnel
(Click for a larger image)

The roof of the tunnel has the usual brick strip used to reinforce the centre.


The tunnel is not fully stone lined as the builders have clearly has to work with particularly large intrusions of harder bedrock and have built these into the walls.

Ballingham Tunnel wall (09-04-12)
Ballingham Tunnel wall
(Click for a larger image)

A refuge in the tunnel wall (09-04-12)
A refuge in the tunnel wall
(Click for a larger image)

All of the refuges are of a similar design with a red brick caps. Some are brick lined, some are stone lined and others are cut straight into the bedrock. This one has used both brick and bedrock as part of its surround.


There are a number of small collapses in the refuges. These photos show that the bricks in this refuge have begun to push out and another refuge the red and green marl has flowed out into the tunnel.

Bricks collapsing in a refuge (09-04-12)
Bricks collapsing in a refuge
(Click for a larger image)
A refuge collapsed into the tunnel (09-04-12)
A refuge collapsed into the tunnel
(Click for a larger image)

There are a number of places where water is seeping into the tunnel, predominantly near to the tunnel mouths and some calcite deposits have formed on the walls. The roof has a few small stalactites but overall the water ingress is appears to be relatively low and there is not a large amount of hanging water on the floor of the tunnel or significant gullies where water has run.

Calcite deposits on the walls (09-04-12)
Calcite deposits on the walls
(Click for a larger image)
Calcite deposits on the roof (09-04-12)
Calcite deposits on the roof
(Click for a larger image)

Calcite deposits (09-04-12)
Calcite deposits
(Click for a larger image)
Calcite deposits around a refuge (09-04-12)
Calcite deposits around a refuge
(Click for a larger image)

When looking out the south tunnel mouth it is clear that the cutting is in a poor condition at this end. There have been a number of collapses and landslides into the cutting and it is very overgrown.

Looking out of the south end tunnel mouth (09-04-12)
Looking out of the south end tunnel mouth
(Click for a larger image)
Collapsed cutting at the south end (09-04-12)
Collapsed cutting at the south end
(Click for a larger image)

The south tunnel mouth is in good condition and shows no sign of deterioration or previous repairs. It also appears to be more ornate than the northern tunnel mouth. The southern end is stone lined from the mouth inwards and no brick liner or reinforcements have been used.

South end tunnel mouth (09-04-12)
South end tunnel mouth
(Click for a larger image)

Bridge over the Road

Just to the north of the tunnel is this bridge over the road (GCT 138M-16). The bridge is well maintained and gives a 12' 9" clearance for the vehicles to pass beneath.

Road bridge - east side (09-04-12)
Road bridge - east side
(Click for a larger image)
Road bridge - west side (09-04-12)
Road bridge - west side
(Click for a larger image)



next Old pictures and photos from Ross Ross to Grange Court previous


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