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Location notes
A farm road bridge over the Great Western Main line between Didcot and Reading.
Railway type and traffic
Passenger trains are mostly HSTs, 165s and Voyagers.
Of most interest will probably be the various freights winding their way from the London and Southampton areas to western and midland locations. These can be anything from Freightliner, Intermodal, Departmental. MOD, stone, Enterprise and car trains to name a few. However genuine stone trains only run this way if diverted off the Berks and Hants. As a rule of thumb, Tuesdays to Fridays are the busiest. Mid morning and mid to later afternoon being the best times.
Of most interest will probably be the various freights winding their way from the London and Southampton areas to western and midland locations. These can be anything from Freightliner, Intermodal, Departmental. MOD, stone, Enterprise and car trains to name a few. However genuine stone trains only run this way if diverted off the Berks and Hants. As a rule of thumb, Tuesdays to Fridays are the busiest. Mid morning and mid to later afternoon being the best times.
Environment
A single track road bridge, used by some pretty large farm machinery at times so you have to be prepared to move all your kit!
Road directions
The location is directly off the A329 on the west side of Purley on Thames
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Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames map co-ordinates
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames map co-ordinates
Parking
Parking is limited - about 3 cars max (without obstructing the road) unless you are prepared to walk for a minute or two from the nearby housing estate. During the day, the limited parking space may be occupied by railway personnel vans.
Public transport
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.
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames
Streetmap links
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames general view map
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames
Googly map
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames general view map
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Westbury Lane, Purley on Thames
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
There is very little shade on bridge and the shadows can be harsh in the cutting depending on time of day and whether sun out of course. Shots west are almost directly into the sun on summer evenings. To the west is relatively open and flat so you can shoot almost until the sun sets.
Update: Shots of trains approaching from the West are starting to become restricted due to overhanging branches of trees on the South bank.
Another of the bridges in the Reading area that has been re-built and raised for the electrification of the GWML. Re-opened in 2012 with the bridge sides about 5ft high, a small stepladder or similar is now recommended. The combination of the raised bridge and higher sides will mean that shots are now 3-4ft higher than in the past.
Update: Shots of trains approaching from the West are starting to become restricted due to overhanging branches of trees on the South bank.
Another of the bridges in the Reading area that has been re-built and raised for the electrification of the GWML. Re-opened in 2012 with the bridge sides about 5ft high, a small stepladder or similar is now recommended. The combination of the raised bridge and higher sides will mean that shots are now 3-4ft higher than in the past.
General views - All photographs © Steve Revill unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking west - Image © Peter Lovell
Fig 2 - Looking east - Image © Peter Lovell
Fig 3 - Looking west
Fig 4 - Looking west
Fig 5 - Looking east
Fig 6 - Looking east
Fig 7 - Looking east
Fig 8 - Looking east
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.
