A Virtual Stroll Along the Mickle Trafford-Shotton Railway

A photograph of the Mickle Trafford- Shotton Railway
Just a few yards on from the previous picture,
and things have opened out a little as we leave the shade of the trees around Newton Lane Bridge.
This view illustrates the line at a point where it is at its widest, clear of mature growth and away from the vicinity of bridges. This stretch seemed to be in good condition and fairly clear of litter and rubbish deposits.

On the right you can see the backs of houses in Woodlands Drive and the grounds of Newton Primary School are on the left.

In April 1999, the first of a series of meetings intended for residents to express their objections to the planned busway was planned to be held at this school until it was cynically sabotaged by the CDTS project manager, as described here.



flowers by the cycletrackBy contrast, here is the scene a short distance on from the above photograph, photographed just fifteen months later, in late July 2000. The derelict railway has been transformed into a truly idyllic setting for a Sunday bike ride!

At this time, the SUSTRANS cycletrack had only been open for six weeks or so but was already well used and very much appreciated by a growing number of Chester families, who previously had virtually nowhere at all to go to cycle and stroll in peace and safety.
It may be readily appreciated why so many of these people are outraged about the proposal by Chester City Council to construct a two-lane bus route along the left-hand side of the path (as we view the picture- the right-hand side of the top picture)

They are also somewhat mystified about how is it to be made to fit onto the old railway line without the total destruction of everything that makes the new cycletrack so very attractive...




We thought you'd like to see this evocative photograph of the same area as it appeared on a snowy day back in February 1955 as locomotive 62661 roars towards us after passing under Newton Lane Bridge...

(Thanks to Ralph Hodgkinson- who once drove trains along this route- for the picture).

Railway Stroll Introduction | Site Front Door | Chester Walls Virtual Stroll | Newton Lane Bridge | Brook Lane