New Mobile Site
We have just launched a new mobile version of this site - m.trainspots. This page will use your smart device's GPS to loctate you and guide you to locations that are close to your present location.
Location notes
On the GWML between Didcot Parkway and Swindon.
Railway type and traffic
First Great Western express services between London, Bristol, South Wales and Cheltenham, 4-5 per hour each way, operated by HSTs and 180s.
Freight traffic; power station coal from Avonmouth to Didcot, a daily lunchtime freightliner from Wentloog to Southampton, a daily Binliner from Bath/Bristol to Calvert, there are also Enterprise services and a scrap train from Swindon in the evening but this is not the best location for these evening trains. Non-daily workings include MOD workings from Didcot, empty oil from Theale, various stone trains. Tuesdays and Thursdays are generally the better days for a variety of traffic but there are long gaps between freight workings.
Freight traffic; power station coal from Avonmouth to Didcot, a daily lunchtime freightliner from Wentloog to Southampton, a daily Binliner from Bath/Bristol to Calvert, there are also Enterprise services and a scrap train from Swindon in the evening but this is not the best location for these evening trains. Non-daily workings include MOD workings from Didcot, empty oil from Theale, various stone trains. Tuesdays and Thursdays are generally the better days for a variety of traffic but there are long gaps between freight workings.
Environment
A high sided concrete footbridge, next to a closed off level crossing in open farm land, and a wooded area on the south-west side of the bridge. This bridge is located just past the London end of the site of Shrivenham Station.
Road directions
Stainswick lane is accessed from the B4000 between Shrivenham and Lambourne and can be accessed from the north through the village of Shrivenham, from the other end of Stainswick Lane, but this is used by Network Rail.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham map co-ordinates
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham map co-ordinates
Parking
Plenty of parking space, at the end of the lane where the crossing gates used to be! Quite popular with lunchtime train-watchers but generally quite.
Public transport
There is an hourly bus service between Swindon and Oxford that calls at Shrivenham High Street and the bridge is about a miles walk.
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 shops etc, in the nearby village of Shrivenham.
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.
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham
Streetmap links
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham general view map
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham
Googly map
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham general view map
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
The best light is from mid-morning to mid-afternoon and may be possible for traffic from the Didcot direction on summer evenings. The wooded area to the south-west puts a shadow across the lines in the winter months affecting the shot of the up trains. Photographs can be taken from road level at the end of the lane or off the bridge itself. But be warned the sides of the bridge are nearly 6 feet high so if you are shorter than this a height enhancing device such as a small step-ladder, stool or even milk crate is required. The footbridge is of the modern ramped variety, so your height enhancing device will be on a slight slope making for interesting balancing acts!
Some aircraft noise from nearby RAF Lyneham and light aircraft but the down shot in particular, around reverse curves, would make an excellent video.
Some aircraft noise from nearby RAF Lyneham and light aircraft but the down shot in particular, around reverse curves, would make an excellent video.
General views - All photographs © Graham Lee unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking west
From the bridge.
Fig 2- Looking west
From the road.
Fig 3 - Looking east
From the bridge
Fig 4 - Looking east
From the road.
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.
