John o gaunt Viaduct
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- join me as I explore this beautiful old viaduct in the leicestershire countryside. Sat idle for 60 years this brilliant red brick structure was once a listed building but has now been left to crumble slowly away
What a lovely viaduct. I do hope that it gets the repairs that it needs. Thanks so much for the video.
Thank you for watching. Hopefully it will but I imagine it's quite low priority unfortunately.
I hope it gets repaired its a shame so many bridges and viaduct s and tunnel s get destroyed its our heritage!! Thanks middy another great video
Thanks for watching. I fear this one will go the same way as others unfortunately.
Thanks for revealing another gorgeous piece of architecture. It’s a travesty that £37b can be wasted on a failed Covid track and trace system when just a very small fraction of that money could help restore this viaduct to its former glory. Keep ‘em coming!
Thanks David and there's plenty more coming. That's exactly what I was saying when I was there! We seem to be able to waste money on all sorts but heritage and history is a no go.
As I always say you make some wonderful discoveries I hope that it doesn't crumble away it's so sad that all the hard work gone into sections of railway just get completely abandoned when they are still so wonderful to see 👏😄
Thanks as always for watching. I agree. Really sad that some of these wonderful things are left to just crumble or are demolished in the name of progress. This one was listed until they did a survey and it was deemed it needed too much work so they took the listing away! I thought that was the point of listed buildings!!
Sadly, this structure was 'de-listed' some time ago - a process which is perfectly possible for any listed structure - which has always worried me about its future. It's a glorious testament to the navvies and a monument to the railways and the countryside. Blends beautifully.
Thanks for watching. It really is, as are many, a testament to the skill and hard work of our forefathers. A real shame that we can't complete basic maintenance to keep this historical structure.
Gorgeous structure but you do have to worry for it's future , good that you have it on film for posterity if the worst was to happen .
Great vid as ever .
Thank you and thanks for watching. Yes it's in pretty poor shape and I can't see anyone spending money on it
@@MiddyExplores Unfortunately a structure like this needs a lot of money to maintain and in truth it does not generate anything back . So sadly it's plight is inevitable . Guess we are luck to be around to see the ones that are left .
That is a lovely viaduct one what seems quite a remote location. It must have been a fairly long construction time to build this structure. Considering the line has been closed since 1964, it has weathered very well, just a pity that it can't be walked over. I don't know if there was another joint line of these two railway companies - the Great Northern & London & North Western joint, in Eastern England. May the viaduct never be brought down, even though it's listing has been withdrawn. Many thanks for this video.
Thanks for watching. I couldn't find details on the construction unfortunately. There are a few lines in the area which I will be visiting in the future
Great video Middy, I have now added myself as a subscriber. As Andrew says, it is possible to walk over it from the Marefield end. There is a field path that takes you up onto the trackbed. You can't get as far as the site of John O'Gaunt station as it is blocked off. By the look of it it won't be long before authority decides it's no longer safe and has to come down. There was a shorter viaduct at East Norton, further back down the line , which had to be demolished about 15 years or so ago because it was no longer safe. But do take a look at East Norton tunnel which is still able to be walked through from the northern end. Used to be able to, anyway ! The station at John O 'Gaunt was originally named Burrow( sic) and Twyford but renamed after a local fox covert following pressure by the locals way back in 1883. I was lucky enough to travel over this viaduct in 1961 as a small child on an excursion from Leicester ( Belgrave Road) to Mablethorpe and back.
Thank you for watching and for the information. A beautiful old viaduct and I agree a shame it will probably face the bulldozers before too long. The farmer was in the field when we were there and watching us like a hawk so I will probably go back another day!!
Great video as always, you can actually get onto the trackbed at the Marefield Junction end, worth a look if you ever go back, also you have to check out East Norton Tunnel, not too far away from the viaduct!! 👍😃
Thanks for watching. East Norton tunnel is on my list! We were going to go up on the viaduct but the farmer was in the field where the path is and was watching us like a hawk!! Perhaps another day!!
@@MiddyExplores lol it’s a shame when the farmers butt in to what you’re trying to do
@@andrewspence1300 tbh I had heard there had been some idiots riding motorbikes etc, graffiti etc. So I suppose he is just protecting his land.
I have walked over it as a young teenager, as friend lived in a house the other side of the road from the station.
Marefield was pronounced by my father who was born in the area and worked at Lowesby farm, Marfield, not like the female horse.
Thank you for watching and for the information. It's so difficult to pronounce these towns correctly as different people say it in different ways! Thanks for putting that right👍
I grew up next to the GNR line just East of Humberstone Station. Watched the route being run down and closed and have some B&W photos of steam trains on the line and the removal of the track and bridges at Humberstone Road and Coleman Road. We used to go to Skegness and Mablethorpe for day trips from Humberstone Station in the 50s and early 60s passing over John o'Gaunt viaduct on the way to Melton Mowbray North, which was a very large station on the joint line (GN&LNW).
John o'Gaunt was a very remote station named after a nearby fox covert! The only source of traffic I seem to recall was a dairy somewhere near the station. I can't remember the name but there was a pub close to the station at one time where a loco crew from Leicester GN depot spent time between shunting and were somewhat the worse for wear when it was time to set off again. A long and interesting story told me by the fireman involved. There would be a much more serious view taken in todays world than the dressing down they got on return to the depot!
Good to see the viaduct is still standing as until recently I thought it had probably been demolished.
Thanks for the video and the memories. Much appreciated.
Thanks for watching and the background story. I always hear stories of how people years ago enjoyed the pub either between shifts, at lunch or during work! A practice that would be frowned upon now but somehow it all worked perfectly well and everyone was a lot happier at work!! A beautiful old viaduct that in terms of what I have seen so far is 'hanging on' some of the cracks in the brickwork are terminal and unless someone pits some time and effort in it will probably lose a few arches in the next decade. A crying shame .
@@MiddyExplores Those cracks along the edge of the arch are typical of frost action. The infill above the arch gets soggy through poor drainage and in a very hard winter can freeze solid, putting pressure on the side walls and leading to cracking. It's more prevalent in a stone viaduct with brick arches but as this structure has stood since 1966 or thereabouts with no maintenance and no track it is particularly liable for it to become waterlogged. As you say, without repair it could eventually cause the demise of the structure. A sad reflection on how we look after the infrastructure that our forefathers invested their time, money and efforts in building for us. They invested in the future whilst we just let their investment fall into ruin.
@@rodsmith3911 we were left a legacy of railways which would have served this country for hundreds of years, but we wasted it in the name of profit.
Rod, did you use to work at Wreake Valley College? Apologies if I have you mixed up with another Rod Smith.
@@petersharp7644 Yes, I was technician in the Science Department from before the opening until I moved to North Yorkshire in 1973 to Teesside Polytechnic. I eventually worked on the railways and volunteered on NYMR. I ended up working for them and did some more study to get further civil engineering qualifications. Had to take early retirement after having two cancer treatments and an autologous stem cell transplant which left me with damage to the nerves in my feet. I've now gone back to cycling to keep fit as I can ride far better than I can walk
Were you involved with Wreake Valley College? Seems like another lifetime ago since those days. Several jobs and two marriages seem to put a lot of distance between my youth and today. Mind you it's about 50 years ago that I was in Leicester so not so surprising!
Very weathered, but to think it's been standing exposed to the elements for 143 years with all the hard winters of the past, I think it's done well. What a stunning structure. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching. With no maintenance since the mid 60s it's amazing really that it's still there.
I grew up in Melton Mowbray from the age of five after the family came over from Ireland, I ended up playing football for Melton Town and whenever we played Market Harborough we used to travel past that structure. It used to amaze me even as a youngster, so about 18 months ago I took a trip there and was lucky enough to get up close and get some photos, I even managed to get up onto the track bed, but the viaduct was well sealed off, there's an old Platelayers Hut up there. Great video.
Thank you for watching. It really is a lovely old viaduct such a shame it's now in a poor state. I never saw this line working it must have a been very scenic.
@@MiddyExplores Absolutely, it's so lovely walking in that area, a train journey must have been a real pleasure.
What a lovely viaduct Middy, but the state of it is concerning. I'm no expert but it does look like a terrific amount of work that would need doing to bring it up to some kind of decent standard, hence the the listed status being lifted.
Thanks for watching. I think it's a terrific amount of work that won't be done. I fear this one will be resigned to the history books in the near future
The condition it's in now makes you wonder why they didn't build in the oft used GCR blue brick?
Thanks for watching. As I said in the video the red brick is much softer and more porous and this really shows on this viaduct. A shame but I would imagine cost/availability came into it.
Ah the warm days of summer. Shame it’s in poor repair. No one responsible to repair/maintain or even demolish
Thanks for watching. It was certainly a warm day!!! A real shame but like you say no one cares about them and maintenance is out of the question. I think they will simply let it crumble.
It's a pity you couldn't get up upon the viaduct and film
Thanks for watching. Couldn't on the day as the farmer was watching our every move! Perhaps in the future I will go back
@@MiddyExplores I hope you can ❤
You always impress me with your videos. I went to this one a while ago, it's absolutely amazing. I went to one of the junctions too. It would be outrageous to demolish this, plus, what would be the point in a place like this. The huge crack was there when I went but I'm sure it wasn't as wide.
Thank you as always. I was told before I went don't stand underneath for long! From a distance I thought it looked superb but up close it has some real issues. Strange how they removed the listed status in 1999? I suppose they didn't want to repair it? Beautiful old viaduct but I don't know how long it will all last.
Is the top not accessable anywhere ?
It wasn't when I was there. It was sealed off.