The Old Railway Line

[Spindles]

Ah, I LOVE Great British Railway Journeys. Portillo was a godawful politician but he's found his niche as a TV presenter.

I haven't watched it, but he was a terrible human being as a politician and having seen him once or twice on the telly he comes across very well since he left that business.  I have to confess I'd have watched the railway programmes but still can't bring myself to intentionally look at Michael Portillo for extended periods of time.

[frostypaw]

Too smug for me too. I have all sorts of issues with his ilk's determination to make time stand still in the countryside

[lucyginger]

I have a bit of love for trains and history, too. Despite an adult lifetime of hating Portillo for his politics/face/personality/toryness he is, in his defence, excellent in that bbc4 programme. And WHAT a collection of pastel suits!

I particularly like the salmon pink jacket! 

[Bisque]

Excellent info & thanks Rumble for taking the time to post that, up vote from me. I was mostly curious if any trains or tracks would have still been in place during the festival & when it closed.

[Rumblestripe]

Further to this, Michael Eavis was interviewed by Charlie Taylor of BBC Somerset about his memories of the old railway line when it was open and they take a slow ride along the line on the Festival Site. A pleasant ten minutes listen:

BBC Somerset Interview

Also here is the programme from which the above is taken (at three hours long I haven't listened, so I have no idea if there is more "Michael" in there!)

BBC Somerset Full Radio Programme

[tillyandthewall]

A great listen, ta.  I like playing Train Simulator to relax, and you can play on the route through the site.  It's user-made so it's not amazingly detailed (but you have Pennard Hill looming over it so at least that's there) but gives you an idea what it would have been like (40mph through the site and just one line for both directions).  The two crossings referred to by ME in the interview as Holts are probably those at Cockmill Lane and Sticklemill Lane.  The crossing keepers' cottages are still there on Google Maps.

[bamber]

On 16/12/2015 at 11:24 AM, Rumblestripe said:

Further to this, Michael Eavis was interviewed by Charlie Taylor of BBC Somerset about his memories of the old railway line when it was open and they take a slow ride along the line on the Festival Site. A pleasant ten minutes listen:

BBC Somerset Interview

Also here is the programme from which the above is taken (at three hours long I haven't listened, so I have no idea if there is more "Michael" in there!)

BBC Somerset Full Radio Programme

Such a beautiful man, such a beautiful story. Such a beautiful beard.

[glasto-worker]

I started going in 1979 and there was no hint there was a old line as it was well outside the festival site and there was no Station visible that we could see. It certainly was not marked on the very rough map - note at the time none of the fields were named but you can see it was tiny - I am sure I have seen a map made up by someone where the old station was marked on it but it was Outside the current wall { west side car park }

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilton_railway_station

[incident]

That's a different Pilton.. Don't think there was ever a station within the current festival site, think the nearest was a little further west, near where the line crosses the A361

[mr gumby]

There wasn't a Pilton station there, but there was one at West Pennard, and also at Pylle, part of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset_and_Dorset_Joint_Railway

[parsonjack]

There are several good photos of the line between Glastonbury - West Pennard - Evercreech on here.....but unfortunately none of the line crossing the Festival site that I can see....

http://www.3218.co.uk

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

2 hours ago, incident said:

That's a different Pilton.. Don't think there was ever a station within the current festival site, think the nearest was a little further west, near where the line crosses the A361

Apologies, I didn't really look at it as thoroughly as I should have. That'll teach me for the future.

[tillyandthewall]

Here's an old map of the area.  I've highlighted the two stations, West Pennard and Pylle, and Worthy Farm.

There were two cottages for the crossing keepers.  Here's the one at Cockmill (east of SE Corner)

Here's how it looks in Train Simulator, looking from the Glade up to Pennard Hill

Bonus of the Tor:

 

 

[LondonTom]

On 12/31/2015 at 8:49 PM, tillyandthewall said:

Here's an old map of the area.  I've highlighted the two stations, West Pennard and Pylle, and Worthy Farm.

There were two cottages for the crossing keepers.  Here's the one at Cockmill (east of SE Corner)

Here's how it looks in Train Simulator, looking from the Glade up to Pennard Hill

Bonus of the Tor:

 

 

Train Simulator Mod Idea: Glastonbury Festival Punters crossing the line!! Successfully navigate this part of the branch line while the festival is in full flow, watch out for drunken revelers as they attempt to get to the other side of the festival!

 

 

[jamesrfisher]

On 12/31/2015 at 8:49 PM, tillyandthewall said:

Here's an old map of the area.  I've highlighted the two stations, West Pennard and Pylle, and Worthy Farm.

There were two cottages for the crossing keepers.  Here's the one at Cockmill (east of SE Corner)

Here's how it looks in Train Simulator, looking from the Glade up to Pennard Hill

Bonus of the Tor:

 

 

Wrong train, should be a monorail