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Written by Richard Tearle - 27 Jun 2007
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Location notes
This location is off the northern Didcot bypass, A4130, and provides southbound views of the Great Western between London and Birmingham.
Railway type and traffic
Mainly units such as Voyagers, and Diesel - Networkers, Turbostars and sometimes a few steam trains on special occasions.
Various freight trains, predominantly 66 hauled, including numerous Freightliner trains to/from Southampton.
Environment
The location is on a rather exposed bank onto the A4130, which can get slippery in wet weather. Should the elements close in it is a 5 to 10 minute walk to get cover depending on where you have parked your car.
Road directions
From the A34:
Take the exit marked Didcot (Milton Park/A4130), and head east on the A4130. Turn left at the first roundabout and then straight over the next two roundabouts. At the next roundabout, you can take the third exit and park on one of the roads in the industrial park (using one of the appropriately named Churchward, Gooch, Hawksworth or Collett roads), or you can drive straight across this roundabout, passing over the location, and take the third exit at the next roundabout and park in the housing estate.
Once you parked you car in either the housing or industrial estate, walk back to the A4130 and head to the bridge to the north east side of the bridge. The shot is slightly down the side of the embankment. Although there is palisade fencing at the top of the bridge, it does not continue far, and does not encroach into the shot.

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Didcot, North Junction map co-ordinates
Parking
Public transport
First Greater Western Link and First Great Western and Thames Trains all operate services to Didcot.
Stagecoach Oxford buses from Oxford, Abingdon and Wantage daily and Thames Travel from Wallingford during the week.

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Amenities
Didcot centre is around a 20 minute walk from this location, and contains a good range of shops. On Didcot Parkway station there is a "Lemon Tree" on one of the platforms and a Spar by the main entrance. The station has toilet facilities.
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.
Didcot, North Junction

Googly map
Streetmap links
Didcot, North Junction general view map
Didcot, North Junction close up map

Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Didcot, North Junction



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Photographic notes
The line is pretty well north south at this location, but only the south bound shot here is of any note. This shot is ideal from around 10am to around 12am and there are a number of viewpoints at varying heights here. There is a north bound shot off a footbridge some way to the south of this location. All of the shots here are a long telephoto shot, from between 200mm and 400mm. The road noise is quite loud and intrusive so probably not a location for videographers.


General views - All photographs © Richard Tearle unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking south


Fig 1 - Looking south

A 400mm shot on a sunny June morning.

Fig 2 - Looking south


Fig 2 - Looking south

A 200mm shot on a sunny June morning.
Note the overhead wires that can intrude into the shot; it is possible to get further down the bank which would exclude these from the shot.

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