Sunday, 3 June 2012

Castlethorpe Troughs Water Tower


There's a nice detailed site on the railway at Castlethorpe and the Wolverton Works near Milton Keynes.  http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cv/docs/railway/railmain.html 

The London to Birmingham railway was opened in 1838. It passed near to the village of Castlethorpe cutting the outer earthworks of an 11th century castle from which it got its name. Castlethorpe station opened in 1882 and south of it were laid water troughs that steam locomotives on the West Coast Main Line could pass over to refill at speed. A scoop was lowered from the engine and this had to be timed very precisely in fog or in the dark. This stretch appears to have a high incidence of accidents either involving workmen on the track or mechanical failures at speed. Castlethorpe station was closed in 1964 despite protests organised by a prospective Labour MP named Robert Maxwell.



http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cv/docs/railway/watertower.html
The Gas Works at Wolverton were reponsible for the maintenance of Castlethorpe troughs and its pump. 


crop of copyright image: click through  to view


crop of copyright image: click through to view


Milton Keynes Borough Council provide directions to a walk to all of these sights.


A British Transport film shows the A4 locomotive Sir Nigel Gresley in service as the Elizabethan Express picking up water. Sir Nigel is now preserved.


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2 comments:

  1. Unknown24 October 2012 at 20:30

    I am an undergraduate at Northampton University (Fine Art) using the Castlethorpe Water Tower and it's changing patina as my focus for artistic research. I would like permission to use some of the photos you feature, to show how the surface of the tower has changed over time. I have lived in Castlethorpe for 26 years and would like to to persuade Milton Keynes Council to replace the tower roof which was removed when sustrans built the cycle route. Thank you

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  2. Nat Bocking5 November 2012 at 13:18

    Mimi,

    None of the photo on the BWTAS blog of Castlethorpe are ours to licence. In some circumstances in UK copyright law you may use images for educational purposes or for comment, called the 'Fair Use' doctrine which we believe applies to our use. Please check with your tutor whether your use comes under that or contact the sources we have acknowledged. Kind regards, Nat Bocking BWTAS.

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