Mystery Photo

[AlanMoore]

Does anyone know where this grain siding is. I suspect it may be Chettisham near Ely in Cambridgeshire, but I have no record of the slide. Alan

[52D]

I can confirm it looks like Chettisham the land in the foreground is now Holoseal Glass the buildings in the background are now sub divided into industrial units. There are sidings still hidden in the undergrowth at this site.
I was told that the building was a cold store for meat with the granary behind. I service two cranes here, next time on site i or a colleague will take a picture for comparison.

[AlanMoore]

Excellent, Many Thanks. haven't been that way for years so it would be nice to see a comparison photo. Alan.

[jwealleans]

The building looks like Chettisham to me as well. I lived in Littleport until about three years ago. I can't recall the rail connection, though, so I don't know how well the track layout corresponds to what was there.

[R. pike]

Yes it is Chettisham. In the late 70's to early 80's the grain wagons came out from March on the 8J09, Whitemoor - Chettisham - Whitemoor.. There are some shots of this working on the net but i can't find them at the moment. There are two shots taken by the same person of this working leaving and arriving at March. The wagons are different but the loco's are the same, as you would expect, however they are the other way round. This was the only regular booked working to go right round the West Curve at Ely North Junction. Although my avatar is not that clear it is a picture of the route set on Cambridge panel for a March to March working at ENJ, in this case to turn a ballast cleaner..

[geoffshumba]

If you put Chettisham into Google maps I believe you will find it about 1000ft NE of the peg marker, close to the railway. Look very much like it anyway.

[AlanMoore]

Thanks everyone for all the interesting info on Chettisham. I also found this picture in my collection. It shows 08862 somewhere near Ely West Junction or West Curve heading in the Chettisham direction with grain wagons. It is dated September 1979. I presume it has some connection with the working Richard describes above, but would an 08 travel all the way from Whitemoor with this load?

[R. pike]

The wagons sometimes came in from Ely, tripped out by the pilot, and collected by a later down freight. This is what's happening in your photo. The pilot could run round any wagons to be tripped back to Ely in the sidings at Chettisham. The train could be propelled out onto the down main and then use the crossover to gain the up main. This crossover was only signalled for use in one direction. No5 disc is the only signal reading over the crossover. To pull No5 lever you had to obtain a 'line clear' on the block to Ely North Junction.

http://richard2890.fotopic.net/p44096701.html

It is interesting to note there are wagons other than grain wagons on this train. I wonder what they are. Another brilliant shot Alan. Any chance you could nip backin time and take a picture that includes the telegraph pole that would have been on the left of your shot? I know how many wires were on the poles nearer Queen Adelaide but not beyond West Junc. With this information i could probably work out the circuits used for the point motors etc here. Ely West Junction had a motor point and a motor driven switch diamond installed in 1931. The point in the down main was always a spring point set to divert anything running away in the wrong direction onto the West Curve thus protecting the flank of an up train using the junction.

[52D]

Hi,
I was visiting Elean Power Station so i called in on monday evening ,talked to the manager at Holoseal Glass who turns out to be an enthusiast he took me down to the still existing granary and showed me track still in situ apparently the whole area was redeveloped with the track just concreted over in places. Please check this link for further information. http://www.signalbox.org/branches/dg/chettisham.htm

[AlanMoore]

Once again thanks very much everyone for all the interesting info. It's a real shame this sort of traffic has now all but disappeared. Alan