MSO9229 - West Somerset Mineral Railway (Monument)
Summary
Please read the caveat document.
Type and Period (1)
Protected Status
Full Description
The West Somerset Mineral Railway was designed primarily to carry iron ore from the Brendon Hill mines to an outlet port at Watchet, but also carried passengers. It received Royal assent in 1855, and work started on it in 1856 and was completed in 1861. It ran successfully until 1898, when failure of the mines caused its closure. It was briefly reopened in 1907, and was finally closed in 1916; its rails being commandeered by the Ministry of Munitions in 1917. Stations on the line were Watchet, Washford, Roadwater, Comberow, Raleigh's Cross, Luxborough and Gupworthy, with many of the mines having their own sidings. [1] This feature was recorded as part of the Brendon Hills Mapping Project, carried out by the Aerial Survey section of RCHME. [2] Much of the railway and its buildings are shown on the Ordnance Survey 25 inch maps. [4,5] Several ideas and projects were mooted before the actual line was sanctioned. [6] It was also planned to extend the line to Eisen Hill in 1864, but this was never built. [7] Parts of the trackbed to the north of Burrow Farm mine and the incline were scheduled on 3/9/2004. [9] Part of the line to the south of Carnarvon New Pit was scheduled on 14/1/2005. [10] The whole of the course of the incline and the winding house have been recently purchased by ENPA, who hold copies of the detailed surveys mentioned above. [11] The history of the railway has been described at great length [1], and the remains of the incline have been recorded in considerable detail, by Mike Jones, for the Exmoor National Park Authority. The incline runs for over 1 kilometre from ST0292 3528 to ST02333 3446, with a gradient of 1 in 4. The principal building was the winding house (ST0233 3446), which had a cottage - Drum Cottage - inserted into one side. [12] The railway is referenced on the National Transport Trust's website (see External Links). [14]
Sources/Archives (14)
- <1> SMO5787 Monograph: Sellick, R.. 1970. The West Somerset Mineral Railway and the Story of the Brendon Hills Iron Mines. David and Charles Limited. Second.
- <2> SEM7355 Report: Dyer, C.A.. 1998. National Mapping Programme: The Brendon Hills Mapping Project, Devon and Somerset. SS93SE. AF1118137.
- <3> SEM6707 Aerial photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 -1948. Vertical Aerial Photography. CPE/UK/1944/3142-8. 23/01/1947.
- <4> SEM7190 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1902-1907. County Series, 2nd Edition 25 Inch Map. 1:2500. 1903-1904. Sheets 36(9), 36(13), 47(4), 58(3), 58(2) and 58(1).
- <5> SEM6703 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1868-1901. County Series; 1st Edition 25 Inch Map. 1:2500.
- <6> SEM7036 Article in serial: Jones, M.H.. 1977. The Prehistory of the West Somerset Mineral Railway. Journal of the Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society. 20. P.4-14.
- <7> SEM7037 Article in serial: Bye, R.A. + Lovell, T.H.. 1977. A Proposed Extension of the West Somerset Mineral Railway to Eisen Hill. Journal of the Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society. 2. P.24-26.
- <8> SEM7171 Aerial photograph: Griffith, F.. 1980s-1990s. Oblique aerial photographs of the Devon part of Exmoor National Park. DAP/VT 20, 24-36, DAP/VU 0-2, 4-30, -/03/1993. DAP/WD 20-36a, DAP/WE 0-9, -/03/1994.
- <9> SMO4073 Index: Scheduled Monument Notification . 23/09/2004.
- <10> SMO4073 Index: Scheduled Monument Notification . 07/02/2005.
- <11> SMO5111 Unpublished document: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. Field Investigators Comment. Riley, H., 1999.
- <12> SEM7046 Report: Jones, M.H.. 1995. Notes on some of the Brendon Hills Iron Mines and the West Somerset Mineral Railway.
- <13> SEM6762 Article in serial: Olszewska, M.. 2009. The West Somerset Mineral Railway. The Old Mineral Line. Exmoor Visitor.
- <14> SEM340786 Website: National Transport Trust. National Transport Trust website. See External Links.
Location
Grid reference | Centred ST 01 38 (10799m by 9348m) (Centred on) |
---|---|
Map sheet | ST03NW |
Civil Parish | WINSFORD, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET |
Civil Parish | BROMPTON REGIS, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET |
Civil Parish | CUTCOMBE, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET |
Civil Parish | EXTON, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET |
Civil Parish | LUXBOROUGH, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET |
Civil Parish | NETTLECOMBE, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET |
Civil Parish | OLD CLEEVE, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (26)
- Parent of: Brendon Hill Yard (Monument) (MEM15330)
- Parent of: Bridge at bottom of The Incline (Monument) (MEM15320)
- Parent of: Bridge at Comberow Station (Monument) (MEM15295)
- Parent of: Bridge at Roadwater Station (Monument) (MEM15314)
- Parent of: Bridge north of Traphole (Monument) (MEM15298)
- Parent of: Bridge south of Manor Mills (Monument) (MEM15312)
- Parent of: Bridge south of Orchard House (Monument) (MEM15313)
- Parent of: Bridge south of Wayside (Monument) (MEM15310)
- Parent of: Bridge south of Wreyland (Monument) (MEM15311)
- Parent of: Bridge west of Temperance Hall (Monument) (MEM15299)
- Parent of: Comberow Station (Monument) (MSO7820)
- Parent of: Comberow Station Master's House (Building) (MEM15293)
- Parent of: Culvert 17, The Incline (Monument) (MEM15300)
- Parent of: Goods Yard and Shed, Roadwater Railway Station (Building) (MEM15308)
- Parent of: Gupworthy / Goosemoor Railway Station (Monument) (MSO8966)
- Parent of: Gupworthy Bridge (Overbridge 4) (Monument) (MEM15304)
- Parent of: Langham Hill Pit (Monument) (MSO7476)
- Parent of: Level crossing 7, Gupworthy (Monument) (MEM15303)
- Parent of: Railway Bridge, Pit Lane (Building) (MSO10513)
- Parent of: Roadwater Level Crossing (Monument) (MEM15307)
- Parent of: Roadwater Railway Station (Building) (MSO7848)
- Parent of: Stables, Comberow Railway Station (Building) (MEM15294)
- Parent of: The Incline, West Somerset Mineral Railway (Monument) (MEM15203)
- Parent of: Timwood bridge (Monument) (MEM15296)
- Parent of: Underbridge 17, Withiel Bridge (Monument) (MEM15326)
- Parent of: Underbridge at The Incline (Monument) (MEM15319)
Related Events/Activities (1)
Related Articles (1)
External Links (2)
- http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=948654 (Pastscape entry: 948654)
- https://www.nationaltransporttrust.org.uk/heritage-sites/heritage-detail/west-somerset-mineral-railway (Listing on National Transport Trust's website)
Other Statuses/References
- National Monuments Record reference: LINEAR103
- National Park: Exmoor National Park
- Pastscape HOBID (was Monarch UID): 948654
- Somerset SMR PRN (Somerset): 34374
Record last edited
Oct 14 2020 3:04PM
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