IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Romney Close, GLOUCESTER, GL1 5NT

The house on the left is typical of many in this part of this mainly residential square. The building on the right replaced a house demolished when a 'plane crashed into it on the 27th March 1963. A twin engined Vickers Varsity aircraft crashed onto the house. The three elderly occupants survived unhurt apart from shock and scratches, however the house and the neighbouring property that the Drury family also owned were flooded with aviation fuel. The plane was on a training run from Staverton Airport and tragically the crew of two were killed. See:- http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19630327-0 and http://www.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/boards/topic/72-g-apaz-the-tuffley-varsity/ . From a personal perspective I remember cycling home from school nearby and seeing the area cordonned off and the remains of the fuselage embedded in the top half of the house.

Looking south towards the bridge from which Image was taken. The line diverging to the right ran parallel to the main line as far as Quedegely serving the MoD and the former Dowmac concrete works just north of Naas Lane. The brick base of the former Tuffley Junction signal box can be seen to its right and the cutting just visible to the right of that was the former loop line to Gloucester Docks, with a spur which served Gloucester gasworks alongside the Bristol Road until the 1960s.

A slightly indistinct view of the signal box whose remains can be seen in Image This was before the box was replaced by the new Gloucester Power Box. At this point there were 4 main line tracks. The furthest two, signalled with lower quadrant signals, were the former GWR lines from Gloucester Central to Swindon whilst the nearer two, signalled with upper quadrant signals, were the ex-Midland Railway route from Birmingham to Bristol via Gloucester Eastgate. The two sets of lines ran parallel as far a Standish junction and were operated a more or less independent railways! With the resignalling and track rationalisation this stretch was reduced to 2 tracks when the signal boxes closed. The signal box itself was a WWII era structure. Notice also the large telegraph pole routes, one on each side of the tracks, carrying the signalling and telephone circuits.

A DMU from Gloucester Eastgate approaches Tuffley Junction on the former Midland Railway line. This line was plagued with level crossings and was eventually closed and lifted in the 1970s when all traffic was diverted into Gloucester Central. The line on the right, today's main line, is the former Great Western Main line from Gloucester South Junction. The course of line can be seen on the OS maps by examining the fence lines behind the buildings on Stroud Road.

Image shortly after closure of the ex-Midland Route into Gloucester as seen from the rusting rails on the route to the left. See Image for a view of the same place 30 years later.

From almost the same spot as Image but some 30 years later, and little sign of remains of the former Midland line at this point.

By N.F. Cachemaille-Day, 1938-40, "the best interwar church in the county". Grade II* listed.

The railway line once split off to the left as can be seen in another image on this gridsquare. The location is now growing birches and brambles but just beyond the photo the house of Larkspear Close have been built on the route of the old track. Viewed from the Stroud Road bridge.