The Hospital railway, known locally as Puffing Billy used to deliver coal 10am every day and again in the afternoon. The local children used to watch the shunting in the station yard from the railway bridge. Trains did not run on Sundays so they went blackberrying on the line. You could walk along the rails up to the hospitals. There was a bridle path that went from (car park - now Richard's Field) to Hook Road with a foot-bridge over railway where they used to play and make a noise and the woman who lived in the cottages would shout at them. The Hospital Railway used to go over Hook Road, by a row of Cottages where they sold ice creams.(Still there?) Later the railway went under the road. There was a siding around where Edward Thomas' Coaches are now where trucks were left, certain children would uncouple a few and let them run down the slope under the Hook road bridge. On one occasion an engine collided with a truck at full speed. There was another siding near the entrance to Hook arena.
A history of the light railway can be found at http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/13/horton_estate_light_railway.htm
|
Hospital Railway
Posted - 30 Mar 2005 : 04:52:05 AM
