The Stafford to Uttoxeter Railway Line linked Stafford to Uttoxeter 15 miles away. The line passed through the beautiful undulating Staffordshire countryside with little stations at unspoilt villages like Salt, Weston and Stowe by Chartley and the hamlet of Grindley. In more leisurely days, before the household car became affordable and a necessity, the Stafford to Uttoxeter Railway Line, or the Clog and Knocker as it was known locally, was a vital transport link and means of communication for the farming community and the villagers. In the early morning local dairy farmers from farms all along the line brought their milk in churns to one of the stations and dropped them off to be picked up and put on the early morning Milk Train to Derby. From there they were taken with hundreds of others to Finsbury Park in London for the London from The old track goes past Weston Hall, , Loxley Hall, the ruins of Chartley Castle, Chartley Moss and is in spitting distance of the old wartime Hixon airfield.
While I was living in Uttoxeter for five years I travelled every day by car to my place of work in Stafford. I became interested in the local places along the road - the A518 - and found them so interesting that I decided to write a book about the places. In the end it became three books - The Road to Chartley Parts 1,2 and 3 which unfortunately are out of print. If I win the lottery ......... The old railway track follows the road quite closely. It goes under it near Loxley and then runs alongside it for about ten miles but at a distance until Weston when it once again goes under the road and crosses the River Trent on its journey through Salt, up to Hopton and on to Stafford where it once joined the main London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly.
One very hot Saturday in August 1995 I decided to go for a walk along the old line from Bramshall often referred to on the old line as Bromshall but is obviously a misspelling by someone from outside the area. On my walk I took the following photos which I would like to share with others interested in the old Clog and Knocker and I hope to add more over the years. Quite a few people have walked the old line and I will add more on those at a later date. Someone once told me that a young German man had once walked the whole 15 mile length. I wonder how he got interested in it. I really am amazed at the number of people who are interested in the old line and hopefully as this blog develops I will be able to add their comments and photos.
While I was living in Uttoxeter for five years I travelled every day by car to my place of work in Stafford. I became interested in the local places along the road - the A518 - and found them so interesting that I decided to write a book about the places. In the end it became three books - The Road to Chartley Parts 1,2 and 3 which unfortunately are out of print. If I win the lottery ......... The old railway track follows the road quite closely. It goes under it near Loxley and then runs alongside it for about ten miles but at a distance until Weston when it once again goes under the road and crosses the River Trent on its journey through Salt, up to Hopton and on to Stafford where it once joined the main London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly.
One very hot Saturday in August 1995 I decided to go for a walk along the old line from Bramshall often referred to on the old line as Bromshall but is obviously a misspelling by someone from outside the area. On my walk I took the following photos which I would like to share with others interested in the old Clog and Knocker and I hope to add more over the years. Quite a few people have walked the old line and I will add more on those at a later date. Someone once told me that a young German man had once walked the whole 15 mile length. I wonder how he got interested in it. I really am amazed at the number of people who are interested in the old line and hopefully as this blog develops I will be able to add their comments and photos.
5 comments:
Inspired by looking at the photos online and given my proximity to the line, myself and my Dad decided to re-investigate the line 13 years on from your walk to see what had changed. I have the photos to share but I can't seem to find your email address to pass them on. If you can get the email address to me, I can send you our mini homage to the line. We are a couple of sections short as the old Grindley station is a private house which is up for sale (£300k but tempting!) and we couldn't gain access plus we didn't have time for the Doxey Marshes end, but we have committed ourselves to going back in the winter when the vegetation is less dense.
Highlights include unearthing the bridge number stencil of the Salt bridge, finding an original cast iron rail chair for holding down the track by the dismantled bridge across the Trent Canal at Weston (now a very nostalgic door wedge!)and finding the platform retaining walls at Chartley, my nearest station.
As I say, I can send you the photos to add to your picasa album, if I knew where to send them!
Hi Adam
So sorry I've just seen your comment nearly two years later !! Normally you get an email to say someone has commented. Hopefully you will read this. Yes if you make a comment on the Picasa Album I will see that. Would love to see your photos and add them. Otherwise put another comment up here and we can try and contact each other.
Hi Adam
It's my own fault as I didn't tick the box for email follow-up comments. I've now done so.
Fingers crossed.
Jim
It has been a long time since I posted on here! I have been back since with my dad and managed to blag a couple of original bridge drawings from work. Next on the list is a visit to the south portal to Bramshall Tunnel which I think is still there? Anyway, my email is adam.checkley@btinternet.com so if you drop e a line to that I will try and dig out those photos for you.
Great to be in touch. Sent you an email this evening and look forward to hearing from you and seeing your photos. Talk about patience and and staying power.
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