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Location notes
A farm crossing on a public bridleway close to the village of Wylye, Wiltshire. Situated on the line from Salisbury to Westbury, about twenty miles from Salisbury and likewise from Warminster.
Railway type and traffic
Most of the passenger services on this line are provided by First Great Western using Class 158 units, with a sprinkling of Class 150 and Class 153 units as well. The only other operator is South West Trains who run a handful of services using Class 159s each day.
Freight is relatively sparse, mostly stone trains to/from the Mendip Quarries to/from Hamworthy, Fareham, Chichester and Eastleigh, with the occasional oil train from Fawley and regular engineers trains from Westbury to Eastleigh and vice versa. These are mostly in the hands of DB Schenker Class 59s and 66s, with the very occasional Class 60. There are also occasional MOD workings to Warminster and STP movements from Eastleigh Works heading to Bristol/Gloucester of carriages, wagons or multiple units.
However, if the lines around Basingstoke are blocked due to engineering works, this can yield diverted Freightliners (usually Saturdays) although these are mostly heading south so this location is not the best place to go for them.
Freight is relatively sparse, mostly stone trains to/from the Mendip Quarries to/from Hamworthy, Fareham, Chichester and Eastleigh, with the occasional oil train from Fawley and regular engineers trains from Westbury to Eastleigh and vice versa. These are mostly in the hands of DB Schenker Class 59s and 66s, with the very occasional Class 60. There are also occasional MOD workings to Warminster and STP movements from Eastleigh Works heading to Bristol/Gloucester of carriages, wagons or multiple units.
However, if the lines around Basingstoke are blocked due to engineering works, this can yield diverted Freightliners (usually Saturdays) although these are mostly heading south so this location is not the best place to go for them.
Environment
The location is within crop fields and is open and quiet. The local area is also quiet and remote, the only people you will encounter will be occasional walkers, the farmer, or fellow photographers.
Road directions
Coming from the westbound A303, or either way on the A36, drive until you reach the Wylye Mere intersection, and then head westbound on the A303 a short while until you reach the Wylye village slip road. Head along this until you reach a 'T' intersection, turn right and head along the road until you pass some houses on the right. The farm track is the next turning on the left.
Coming from the eastbound A303, the method is much the same, just you will need to turn left off the A303 before you go under the A36.
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Bapton, Wylye Valley map co-ordinates
Coming from the eastbound A303, the method is much the same, just you will need to turn left off the A303 before you go under the A36.
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Bapton, Wylye Valley map co-ordinates
Parking
There is not much room for parking, the best place is at the bottom of the farm track which can handle 2 - 4 cars. You might have to move your vehicle for the farmer though. It would be inadvisable driving up the track as this may cause damage to the bottom of your car.
Public transport
R and R coaches operate the number 56 bus which runs from Sailsbury to Warminster and calls at Bapton Village. Alternatively, if you really fancy the walk/cycle, it is around fifteen miles from Tisbury station on the Salisbury to Exeter line.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
There is a village shop in Wylye, but otherwise you will need to go to either Warminster or Salisbury, there are many food outlets and supermarkets in the latter.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
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Bapton, Wylye Valley
Streetmap links
Bapton, Wylye Valley general view map
Bapton, Wylye Valley close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Bapton, Wylye Valley
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Bapton, Wylye Valley
Googly map
Bapton, Wylye Valley general view map
Bapton, Wylye Valley close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Bapton, Wylye Valley
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Photographic notes
The line is pretty much east/west so it favours shots accordingly. However, the best shot from the location is looking east, which is good from 12:00 onwards. The danger of shadows is low, although the ground does slope away to the south. Looking westwards is not the best of vantage points, and if you are particularly looking for a westward shot on this line, there are plenty of much better locations available; the eastwards shot is what this location is good for.
This shot would be good for videos; there is a long sweeping curve and you get fairly good warning of trains coming. The only background noise evident is the A303 which is fairly close by but not too intrusive.
This shot would be good for videos; there is a long sweeping curve and you get fairly good warning of trains coming. The only background noise evident is the A303 which is fairly close by but not too intrusive.
General views - All photographs © J Slatter unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking east
A northbound working heads for Warminster and then on to Westbury.
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
