Unfinished Lines: Rediscovering the Remains of Railways Never Completed

by Mark Yonge

Overview

Mark Yonge had, for many years, wanted to write a book about railway projects that were started but never completed. The physical evidence of these works throughout England although rapidly vanishing, can still be seen in places to this day. The reader can view several examples which include viaducts, earthworks, bridges, partially completed tunnels, an abandoned tunnel boring machine and the beginnings of a major London airport. Behind all these tales are stories of intrigue, manipulation, interference by the armed forces and sometimes great sadness brought about by personal ambition and ruin. These remaining assets are in the main, not protected by legislation and are thus at risk of demolition at any time. It is to be hoped that this record of their existence in the 2020s may go a little way towards recording some of our more interesting and neglected features of railway history for the benefit of future generations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399018548
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	04/04/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	83 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Mark Yonge, spent most of his working life in the agrochemical industry and latterly was involved in weed control, particularly on railways. With the advent of strict environmental legislation, he won a top Railtrack Award for innovation with his design for a rail mounted spraying vehicle which fitted with GPS navigation, prevented the contamination of water courses. As a keen historian, he supported the Kent & East Railway, once as chairman and was a founder member of the Rother Valley Railway. His written work indicates a fascination for railways that were never completed and the complex historic affairs of this fascinating industry.

Table of Contents

Foreword 7

Acknowledgements 9

Preface 10

Chapter 1 The Cranbrook & Paddock Wood Railway 12

Chapter 2 The Ouse Valley Railway 31

Chapter 3 The Mysterious Second Tunnel Portal near Cowden Station 46

Chapter 4 The Chessington to Leatherhead Railway 55

Chapter 5 Kent's International Airport Railway 63

Chapter 6 The First Channel Tunnel 70

Chapter 7 The Qidcot, Newbury & Southampton Junction Railway 103

Chapter 8 Edgware to Watford - Trains, Films and Military Planes 116

Chapter 9 The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway 131

Chapter 10 The South Devon Atmospheric Railway 150

Chapter 11 George Hudson's Virgin Viaduct at Tadcaster 171

Chapter 12 The Birmingham & Oxford Junction Railway 180

Chapter 13 Isambard Kingdom Brunei's Hidden Dream 189

Chapter 14 Railways, Stations & Tunnels Beneath London 200

Chapter 15 The Collywell Bay Railway 215

Chapter 16 The Mistley, Thorpe & Walton Railway 220

Chapter 17 The East Kent Light Railway 230

Chapter 18 The Cleveland Extension Mineral Railway - Paddy Waddell's Railway 240

Chapter 19 The Battles of Saxby 255

Sources 266