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Location notes
On the Great Western Main Line between Reading and Didcot Parkway.
As with a lot of Great Western vantage points this bridge is being rebuilt and the view will change. Updated images of both the shot and of the bridge itself would be welcomed to update the page.
As with a lot of Great Western vantage points this bridge is being rebuilt and the view will change. Updated images of both the shot and of the bridge itself would be welcomed to update the page.
Railway type and traffic
First Great Western Link local services to Oxford, two each way an hour- operated by 165s/166s. First Great Western Link express services to Oxford, two each way an hour- operated by 180s. First Great Western Express services to Bristol, Swansea, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Hereford and Worcester, four to five each way an hour, operated by HSTs and 180s. Virgin Cross Country services, two each way an hour. One to/from Reading and One to/from Bournemouth.
Freight consist of a roughly hourly Freightliner, as well as DB Schenker operated Intermodals, Enterprises, Automotive, Departmentals and 'others'. The Freightliner Heavy Haul operated High Output Ballast Cleaner can produced regular trains to and from Hinksey and Appleford for new ballast and to dispose of spoil.
Freight consist of a roughly hourly Freightliner, as well as DB Schenker operated Intermodals, Enterprises, Automotive, Departmentals and 'others'. The Freightliner Heavy Haul operated High Output Ballast Cleaner can produced regular trains to and from Hinksey and Appleford for new ballast and to dispose of spoil.
Environment
A narrow lane which is also a footpath to a riverside Hotel 'The Leathern Bottel Inn' and houses. Mostly open fields and the large riverside houses. There is a field with a horse in! The bridge itself is brick, with relatively low sides - the verges are overgrown with shrubs but can be easily trampled where required.
The road is quite but there are quite a few 'posh' cars going down to the hotel, they might sometimes stop for a chat!
The road is quite but there are quite a few 'posh' cars going down to the hotel, they might sometimes stop for a chat!
Road directions
From Reading/M4 you need to get on the A329 towards Oxford, when you reach Streatly you will come to a crossroads with the B4009, turn right into Goring.
From Oxford/M40 you need to take the A329 towards Reading, just after the A417 joins you from the right you will enter Streatly where you will reach the crossroads with the B4009, turn left into Goring.
You will then cross the River Thames and the railway line, immediately after the railway bridge, turn left (still on the B4009 to Wallingford). You and the railway line which the road parallels are now heading north. The road gently turns away from the railway, go across the crossroads where the left turn goes under the railway. About 1km from here there is a run-down farm building undergoing redevelopment and a sign to the hotel and restaurant at the point where the 30mph speed restriction ends, take the road to the left, following down until you reach the bridge.
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Goring, Spring Farm map co-ordinates
From Oxford/M40 you need to take the A329 towards Reading, just after the A417 joins you from the right you will enter Streatly where you will reach the crossroads with the B4009, turn left into Goring.
You will then cross the River Thames and the railway line, immediately after the railway bridge, turn left (still on the B4009 to Wallingford). You and the railway line which the road parallels are now heading north. The road gently turns away from the railway, go across the crossroads where the left turn goes under the railway. About 1km from here there is a run-down farm building undergoing redevelopment and a sign to the hotel and restaurant at the point where the 30mph speed restriction ends, take the road to the left, following down until you reach the bridge.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Goring, Spring Farm map co-ordinates
Parking
Just before you reach the bridge there is a lay-by to the right, you can pull in here (if you wish to turn round go over the bridge and turn at the small junction). This is often used by Network Rail vans/cars, if it is full go over the bridge and turn round, as you come back up the hill pull in to the left as tight as you can. It is recommend that in both places you fold in your wing mirror on the road side.
Public transport
First Great Western Link run a half-hourly London - Oxford service that calls at Goring and Streatly. It is then a 2 - 2½ km walk from the station.
The Inn can accomodate you if you are arriving by helicopter - to quote
'The grid reference number is: 601-825 for visiting us by helicopter. Our guests will be collected from their landing point on green meadows across the river in a fully solar powered boat to the leatherne bottel. booking is essential.'
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
The Inn can accomodate you if you are arriving by helicopter - to quote
'The grid reference number is: 601-825 for visiting us by helicopter. Our guests will be collected from their landing point on green meadows across the river in a fully solar powered boat to the leatherne bottel. booking is essential.'
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
No amenities as such, Goring back down the road will have the usual assortment of shops and chippies. I suspect you would get turned away if you turned up at the hotel restaurant in spotting clobber!
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.
Goring, Spring Farm
Streetmap links
Goring, Spring Farm general view map
Goring, Spring Farm close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Goring, Spring Farm
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Goring, Spring Farm
Googly map
Goring, Spring Farm general view map
Goring, Spring Farm close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Goring, Spring Farm
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Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
The line is aligned north/south at this point and mostly flanked with tall trees so is really only suitable for photography from 1000 and 1700, but is best during the summer months.
The down main will be best in the morning and the up relief best in the afternoon. I usually use the bridge between 1300 and 1700 for the afternoon's freight workings and then move to a spot such as Manor Farm Chosley for the evening traffic.
The lane at Goring leading to the Leathern Bottle Inn has been 'blessed' with a radio mast - see fig 5. The good news is that this is alongside the Up Relief and has opened up the view looking towards Reading. The plastic sheeting (down in May 2006) should go in due course. The shot is of course into the sun.
The down main will be best in the morning and the up relief best in the afternoon. I usually use the bridge between 1300 and 1700 for the afternoon's freight workings and then move to a spot such as Manor Farm Chosley for the evening traffic.
The lane at Goring leading to the Leathern Bottle Inn has been 'blessed' with a radio mast - see fig 5. The good news is that this is alongside the Up Relief and has opened up the view looking towards Reading. The plastic sheeting (down in May 2006) should go in due course. The shot is of course into the sun.
General views - All photographs © Kevin Lee unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north
The up relief
Fig 2 - Looking north
The up main
Fig 3 - Looking south
The down relief
Fig 4 - Looking south
The down main
Fig 5 - Looking south - Photo by Paul Davis
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.
