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Location notes
Cogload Junction is about 5 miles from Taunton, Somerset. Here the two mainlines one from London and one from Bristol and the north meet to head south to Taunton onwards. This location is on the old Great Western mainline and has some interesting Brunel style engineering.
Railway type and traffic
The line is a mainline serving the south west of Britain, most traffic is First Great Western but other kinds can be seen. There is regular FGW HST services about every 20-30 minutes, with small 2-4 car units serving local stops every hour or so. There is a few Cross Country services running Voyagers and HSTs roughly every 50 minutes. There is generally quite a lot of traffic about 10 minutes between each train.
There is a small amount of freight mostly oil tankers going to Devon onwards. There can sometimes be some Network Rail traffic as their local base is only 6 miles away down the line.
There is a small amount of freight mostly oil tankers going to Devon onwards. There can sometimes be some Network Rail traffic as their local base is only 6 miles away down the line.
Link to Real Time Trains
RTT Link Cogload Junction
This link should be close to the location, but may not be the actual location so please check the page. This link will take you to what is happening 'around now'. Dates and times can be changed at the top of the page.
This link should be close to the location, but may not be the actual location so please check the page. This link will take you to what is happening 'around now'. Dates and times can be changed at the top of the page.
Environment
It is a very open location, loads of scenery but be warned it can get very windy! All the locations are on the tow path of the canal and have great open views of the railway. There is a few farm animals around but not a lot as there is some crop growing in the fields behind.
Road directions
From the M5, Junction 25:
Follow the A358 towards Yeovil to the traffic lights and turn left onto Ruishton Lane and then Cheats Road. At the end of Cheats Road turn left on and continue through Creech St Michael until the roundabout where you turn right towards Creech Heathfield. Follow this road until the right turn to Charlton Orchards and take this onto Carlton Road. Follow this road for about 1 mile or so. You will cross over the small canal bridge and carry on to a track opposite where you will physically see Cogload bridge. Continue up and over and follow round to the left at the summit and at the bottom is parking for up to 8 vehicles right by the track.
When using a satnav, enter Charlton Road Taunton
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Cogload Junction map co-ordinates
Follow the A358 towards Yeovil to the traffic lights and turn left onto Ruishton Lane and then Cheats Road. At the end of Cheats Road turn left on and continue through Creech St Michael until the roundabout where you turn right towards Creech Heathfield. Follow this road until the right turn to Charlton Orchards and take this onto Carlton Road. Follow this road for about 1 mile or so. You will cross over the small canal bridge and carry on to a track opposite where you will physically see Cogload bridge. Continue up and over and follow round to the left at the summit and at the bottom is parking for up to 8 vehicles right by the track.
When using a satnav, enter Charlton Road Taunton
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Cogload Junction map co-ordinates
Parking
There is a lay-by by the road which is the closest but may have a small risk of theft/ damage but is unlikely. Signposted is a canal viewing area which you can park at and is reasonably safe but is a longer walk.
Public transport
Use the number 29 bus get off at West Lyng, walk along the road towards Taunton for 1/2 mile. Pause at the railway bridge and take some pictures and watch the trains while you catch your breath. Carry on walking for a few hundred yards then when you reach the canal bridge go down the path by its side and follow for 1/2 mile you will see the railway and the huge flyover there instantly. Then find a place you like!
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 are no facilities nearby.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Cogload Junction
Streetmap links
Cogload Junction general view map
Cogload Junction close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Cogload Junction
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Cogload Junction
Googly map
Cogload Junction general view map
Cogload Junction close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Cogload Junction
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Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
It is a very quite place with no disturbances or car noise. Light is good but can be awkward in winter months if looking southbound but is mostly not a problem. I suggest standing on the small bridge over the canal where you get a good angle being able to look under and over the flyover and there is a handy bench to sit on!
General views - All photographs © Tulki Jenkins unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 -
Fig 7 - Looking east
Fig 8 - Some parking information
Remember not to block access.
Location Video
An hour or so's trainspotting at Cogload Junction near Taunton. The lines from London (under flyover) meet the lines from Bristol (over flyover) resulting in plenty of traffic.
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.
