Disused Rail Freight Terminal Near Chippenham

[RichmondCommu]

Hi everyone,

I'm travelling by train towards Bath from Swindon and have just passed by what appears to be a disused rail freight terminal. Can anyone tell me when it was last used and who used it?

Many thanks,

Angela

 

[The Planner]

Thingley?

 

[RichmondCommu]

Possibly!

 

[DelW]

Information from various websites suggests that Thingley sidings were originally used by the MoD, then in the 1990s for storage of redundant rolling stock, then for p-way use up until about 2010.

 

[Right Away]

Sidings were initially provided at Thingley (and nearby Lacock, hence the wartime Thingley west chord) for holding munitions trains. Box Tunnel quarry was a vast underground store as was Monkton Farleigh, both having rail connections. The former Thingley MOD sidings were last used for recycling track materials brought in by occasional trains. This work ceased with the opening of the Track Recycling Centre at Westbury in 2010. Only one siding is now connected to the main line, the others having their connections severed as part of the construction of the substation for the GWML electrification.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Thanks for all your responses! Are they planning to leave the last siding in place? I'd noticed that there were lots of sleepers piled up.

 

[Phil G]

The other sidingd have been lifted now. As a teenager I spent many, many days on the bridge over looking Thingley. Almost never saw anything use it (70's) then suddenly there was a class 50 stored there and it was announced it would be used for loco restoration. Sadly never happened.

 

[FOCTOC]

The other sidingd have been lifted now. As a teenager I spent many, many days on the bridge over looking Thingley. Almost never saw anything use it (70's) then suddenly there was a class 50 stored there and it was announced it would be used for loco restoration. Sadly never happened.

Ah that would have been 50017, then owned by Dr. John Kennedy. Also owned the 25 of the same name.