Rail lines as wildlife corridors

[Shimbleshanks]

http://www.london.gov.uk/media/press...s-being-looked



Several years ago, I saw a leopard in a cutting near Clapham Junction. The rest of the compartment thought I'd gone bonkers...

[wyvern]

The cutting at Belper is absolutely heaving with bird life particularly sparrows. I went past the bush next to Field Lane bridge and there must have been about fifty flew out. Thought they were supposed to be in decline.

[Shimbleshanks]

Originally Posted by wyvern

The cutting at Belper is absolutely heaving with bird life particularly sparrows. I went past the bush next to Field Lane bridge and there must have been about fifty flew out. Thought they were supposed to be in decline.

Well they are in decline in pretty much every other part of the country. Can't think when I last saw one here down south - probably about six years ago. What's the secret in Belper?

[wyvern]

Maybe they are hedge sparrows rather than house sparrows. I dont know the difference.

I certainly haven't seen the swarms of them in the streets for years that there used to be.

Perhaps there are less scraps to be had or they have moved to the undisturbed dense vegetation.

THere were, though, a pair nesting in my hedge this year with also a pair of blackbirds

[Madcaravanner]

Railway tracks have lots of land by the sides that is getting overgrown as the years go on mainly due to lack of use and a more tight spray pattern on weedkiller trains and of course no Steam trains every day with their hot ash burning the cuttings, embankments and old sidings.

Take for example where the Avenue coking plant used to be at Chesterfield, There were sidings next to the main line and the incline where wagons were taken up and over the main-line into the Plants for coal to be emptied and Coke to be filled.
I forget the precise figures but I seem to remember at least 6 MGR trains a day each of 35 HHA's and a class 56 or 2 x class 20.

This area is now called the Wetlands Nature Reserve funded by Derbyshire County Council and managed by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. For me it's good as it gives me good disabled access to get photographs AND it's next to the Midland Mainline and Clay Cross North Junction so plenty of photo opportunities. I'm loading some to Photobucket will post the link soon for your perusal

http://s78.photobucket.com/albums/j1...nner/Wildlife/

[wyvern]

Aye. I remember the November evenings when the air was yellow across the A61.

There wasn't much else they could with it, the ground was so poisonous. If nature has taken over I imagine the dioxins have dissipated!

[John H-T]

There is a great range of wild life along the Ecclebourne Valley Railway. There are pair of Buzzards, foxs, Badgers, Hares, rabits, phesents and many birds. That is after we have cleared a lot of vegitation.

One of the best ways to see the wild life is when driving our Road/Rail Dumper, it doesn't seem to worry the wild life. Having said that I remember a fox ambling accross one of the foot crossings as I was approaching with with our Ruston Shunter,"Faraday", good for a heady 8mph uphill. Judging from the distainful look on the fox's face it was aware that it had plenty of time to get accross!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

[Madcaravanner]

Originally Posted by wyvern

Aye. I remember the November evenings when the air was yellow across the A61.

There wasn't much else they could with it, the ground was so poisonous. If nature has taken over I imagine the dioxins have dissipated!

No the Dioxins are still there the actual Carbo (as we used to call it) site is under soil remidiation they are heating loads of soil up to cause the dioxins and other stuff to vapourise and then they are collecting the stuff and liquifying it so the whole area smells like San Izal at times when the winds wrong

the old sidings at the East side of the main line between Bridge Street, Tupton and Mill Lane Grassmoor/Wingerworth are where the Nature reserve is - - -Oh and the old sewerage plant on the West side of the main line too is part of it so there are some nice vantage points for photography of Trains

This is one from the Western side