look what i found today

[MikeE]

As a matter of interest were you aware the only surving part of the pole route still survives near bridge 19?

[AlanL]

WOW! I would expect the W K markings are the makers - like "HWD" "Henry Williams Darlington" who made a lot of railway gear.
When I walked the line in 1978 I seem to remember the little telegraph poles in situ south of Burdale.

[sproke]

Where is the exact location of the B & W photo above? ie where is that gatekeppers house? Is it still there?

[AlanL]

Where is the exact location of the B & W photo above? ie where is that gatekeppers house? Is it still there?

It WAS Wetwang Green Lane, half way between Wetwang and Sledmere & Fimber and it is long gone.

[MikeE]

The picture of Wetwang Green Lane was taken from the brake van of the pick up goods on the 3rd of May 1957 looking towards Sledmere and Fimber, the hedge line behind the pole route is the B1248 to Malton, I dont have a demolition date but the rubble remains beneath the vegetation.
I have yet to find a picture of Garton Baulk gatehouse but I believe it was identical to Wetwang Green Lane, does anyone know if a pic has survived??

[MikeE]

Another gate and another pic of Green Lane on the same day as the previous.

[AlanL]

Obviously not the same gate which had 3 "Z"s at Green Lane as opposed to 2 on the existing gate.

[MikeE]

Correct Alan, one at the roadside which has been moved and one in the distance behind still in its original location, you can see the NER post and rail fence showing the site of the trackbed

[AlanL]

Looking more closely at the old WGL photo it seems to differ from the 1920 OS map which shows it more or less hard up against the track, and that it seems to have been extended at the end nearest the crossing - noticeably different roof line.
Also on the other side of the track there's a corrugated iron hut with a diagonal striped "TELEPHONE" plate on it, and the NER enamel nameplate has it's "hoop" above it to hold the Telegraph Fault oval sign.
Presumably the telephone hut was for car drivers or farmers?

[MikeE]

Yes I was wondering about the telephone, usually there are two plungers which when pressed ring a bell in the gatehouse to summon the crossing keeper and if the phone was for the crossing keeper to contact Fimber station I would expect it to be at the house side, the only other possibility I was pondering was if you look carefully through the gate, is that a rail motor run off?? if so then the box could house the plug post as well as the phone, also can you see the steel tube under the crossing that would have had a signal wire through it, I wonder if it had worked distant signals at some time?? in which case there should be a ground frame somewhere.