Shortwood Sidings

[buxton4472]

As a lad of 10 or so I recall often seeing from the Gloucester - Bristol train a string of mineral wagons on the Coalpit Heath branch from Westerleigh North Jcn. When did the colliery close? If prior to 1961 then by that year the branch would have been used just as a repository for wagons from Westerleigh Sidings.
But what was the purpose of Shortwood Sidings, a mile or so south of westerleigh? Being in close proximity to the same coalfield did they originally serve a long-gone colliery? I seem to remember that the signalbox lasted until the early 60s although probably open intermittently.

[tonyperks]

The sidings left at shortwood were i belive for the brickworks, which were midway between the westerleigh yard and Mang' north Junction.

[horace]

Shortwood sidings were as Tony says adjacent to Shortwood brickworks, but also adjacent to around three collieries in the same area.

This is a link to one of a set of photographs taken in the area in the 90's

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mao_zhou/3 ... 4460669493.

But they were also an integral part of the junction, all of them were south of shortwood bridge. There was also a siding that came off the up line of the pines line (the mangotsfield avoiding line) that branched into the carsons chocolate factory.

I am sure that in the early part of the 20th century it was very busy.

All i remember them for is a place where excursion coaches were stored in the early 60's.

[bristolian]

Here's a shot of a boarded crossing at Shortwood which was still in-situ, complete with rail in the 1990s.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re ... 138740887/

[horace]

I am assuming that the pic in the last posting is a section of the line that ran into the brickworks, that is north of the sidings i am referring to. The line into the brickworks came off of a single siding alongside the down line.

[bristolian]

I am assuming that the pic in the last posting is a section of the line that ran into the brickworks, that is north of the sidings i am referring to. The line into the brickworks came off of a single siding alongside the down line.

Hello Horace, the crossing was double-track, both sets of rails can be seen, albeit cut each side of the crossing, I was stood in the 6'.

[horace]

The shortwood sidings i am referring to.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebor ... 716802684/

This must have been taken from the road that ran alongside the pub that was adjacent to the bridge.

[buxton4472]

So which side of the line was Shortwood Signal Box - up or down? - I have to admit I can't remember!

[horace]

down you can see it in the photo i posted a link to in my last posting

[Robin Summerhill]

If I'm being a nit please tell me - I can take it

The photo linked to on Flickr shows Mangotsfield North Junction box. Shortwood box was more or less equidistant between Mangotsfield North and Westerleigh South boxes - the WTT shows it as 73 chains south of Westerleigh South and 68 chains north of Mangotsfield North.

Am I missing something?

[bristolian]

If I'm being a nit please tell me - I can take it

The photo linked to on Flickr shows Mangotsfield North Junction box. Shortwood box was more or less equidistant between Mangotsfield North and Westerleigh South boxes - the WTT shows it as 73 chains south of Westerleigh South and 68 chains north of Mangotsfield North.

Am I missing something?

That was indeed a shot of Mangotsfield North Junction, with Carsons visible in the background. The 'Pines' can be seen heading straight on in the image.

[horace]

Sorry, to me that is shortwood, the bridge inn was always shortwood, I will have a look at my mapping and see if I can locate a box further up the line.

[buxton4472]

down you can see it in the photo i posted a link to in my last posting

I am certain Shortwood box was not in such an open situation. but it was 50 years ago and my memory's not what it was! And that junction signal in the photo must be Mangotsfield North Junction's - Shortwood had nothing so fancy - so I think this photo is of Mangotsfield North Junction, not Shortwood!

SORRY! - Whilst writing my reply and trying to verify my claim, I seem to have been pipped to the post by Robin who also feels certain that the view is of Mangotsfield North Jcn. And as he says, Shortwood was almost a mile north of North Jcn, out in the sticks so to speak.

So - my question still remains unanswered - Shortwood S/Box - up or down side?

[horace]

My mapping shows a box located adjacent to brandy bottom and new pit on the down side, which is to the north of the brickworks, and then another box just north of the parkfield colliery over bridge, the southern end of westerleigh sidings, again on the down side.

[Robin Summerhill]

Sorry, to me that is shortwood, the bridge inn was always shortwood, I will have a look at my mapping and see if I can locate a box further up the line.

The Bridge Inn is indeed in Shortwood, but in railway terms the location is/was Mangotsfield North. And the box in the photograph, as thought by me and as confirmed by Rob Tarling, is Mangotsfield North box.

As I said in my previous post, the WTT shows a further box at Shortwood Sidings, and Shortwood sidings aren't the ones in the photo. They are at Mangotsfield North (in railway terms, not in geographical terms, if you like )

I looked at the Old Maps website to see if I could see any sign of a box between Mangotsfield North and Westerleigh South but I couldn't see one. That said, the eyes aren't what they used to be... But there was certainly one up there - it says so in the WTT.

Incidentally, in the 1959 WTT Shortwood box is shown as opening at 1000 on weekdays and closing at 1330 Monday to Friday and 1440 SO. It was closed on Sundays.

Mangotsfield North box was open continuously from 0440 on Monday mornings until 0550 on Sunday mornings, then open again between 1030 and 1240 on Sundays. These substantial differences in opening times shows clearly that Shortwood box is not the one in the photograph, as the use of the Bath line would have ensured that the box stayed open for the longer period as shown in the WTT