Where is Aspen Valley Railway Viaduct?

Taggy · 16-02-2009, 11:32

I wonder if anyone could help me with locating a "Culvert" near Aspen Valley Railway Viaduct. I've recently found out that a relative of mine, who died over 70 years ago, was thought to have taken his own life, and his body was found in this culvert. Apparently the point where he was found was just at the point where the Stream emerged from under the Railway Viaduct and 400 yards from the nearest footpath, on land which was owned by Ossy District Council, and was formerly used as Sewage Grounds. The report says, "Persons were not allowed to go there, and the Bed of the Stream and the Embankment were in Concrete".

If at all possible i would like to be able to locate this place, so that i could go along and place some flowers there, but i have no idea where it is, or indeed if access is possible or allowed.

Best Regards - Taggy

garinda · 16-02-2009, 11:41

It's mentioned in this thread.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ch-5126-4.html

I think the wooden structure was near where the cattery/kennels is now.

cattery oswaldtwistle - Google Maps

Taggy · 16-02-2009, 17:32

Thanks Gary, I'm trying to locate a Culvert that apparently ran under the Aspen Valley Railway Viaduct. Do you have any idea how far along the Railway line the Viaduct would be. It was my Great Grandfather that was found there, and my Grandfather who found him. It says, " Just at the point where the Stream Emerged from under the Railway Viaduct". I cant see any Stream on the Google Map very clearly, and wonder if there might not be one there now. It was back in 1938 when he was found.

Is there direct public access to this area, its not a place i'm familiar with i'm afraid.

Best Regards - Taggy

cashman · 16-02-2009, 18:55

if the wooden trellis on the railway was it, think the "Cut" Bank would be the best place to get at it taggy, acess Cut on path down by Hare @ Hounds blackburn rd ossy, head towards rishton.

steeljack · 16-02-2009, 18:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

It's mentioned in this thread.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ch-5126-4.html

I think the wooden structure was near where the cattery/kennels is now.

cattery oswaldtwistle - Google Maps

from the photos in the linked thread it looks like the trestle/viaduct was between the two canal crossings over a dip in the land

West Ender · 16-02-2009, 19:47

About 50 years ago my dad drew and painted a copy of a very old photograph of the viaduct for a neighbour. The photo was taken well before 1900 and showed the wooden tressles before the earth embankment was put in place. The viaduct ran across Aspden Valley from Blackburn Rd (near Blythe's works) to the iron bridge over the canal near Rishton.

The stream ran down a natural gully coming from Intack (obviously further back than that but I don't know where) and, on the West side of the canal, bordered the golf course. It then ran under the canal, via a stone-built tunnel, and came out close to Lower Aspden farmhouse. It skirted the filter beds before running under the railway embankment about half a mile from the canal.

I played around the stream and surrounding fields throughout my childhood. Walking on the towpath towards the iron railway bridge, from the access bridge near the Hare and Hounds, keep a watch on the field beside you and you will see the stream, in the dip in the land, where it comes out of the tunnel.

Taggy · 17-02-2009, 10:36

Thanks for the replies folk's, been most helpfull. Its not an area i've ever been to before so will have a walk down there soon to see what i can find. Is it private land around there? The inquest report states that a P.C. Lowe said "the point at which the body was lying was 400 yards from the nearest footpath, and on Land which was formerly used as Sewage Grounds and the property of Osswaldtwistle District Council" he continued " Persons were not allowed to go there, the bed of the Stream and the Embankment were in Concrete". So i'm assuming the "Culvert" they are reffering to is concreted and actually runs under the viaduct. Is it still concreted as described then (was 1938), and would i be able to directly access this spot do you think? Many Thanks.

Best Regards - Taggy

churchman phil · 17-02-2009, 11:34

This shows all fp's (shown by green dotted line) in the vicinity. I would presume it is the culvert to the northern side of the railway.
There is no direct access but if you do feel the need to trespass you'd probably be better going down from the left hand canal bridge

Taggy · 17-02-2009, 12:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by churchman phil

This shows all fp's (shown by green dotted line) in the vicinity. I would presume it is the culvert to the northern side of the railway.
There is no direct access but if you do feel the need to trespass you'd probably be better going down from the left hand canal bridge

Cheers, for that Phil, that does look like the most probable place. Have sent you pm. Many Thanks.

Best Regards - Taggy

Bob Dobson · 17-02-2009, 19:25

In fact, the wooden Aspen Viaduct is still there - but it has been infilled to give it stability and to prevent fires which started when hot cinders fell onto it. Some of the material used to infill it was ash from the engines. The infilling started about 10years after it was constructed in the mid-1840s. (Accrington's viaduct has an 1848 datestone)

Bob Dobson · 18-02-2009, 08:38

I have misled you : the infilling took place in the ten years ( it took so long) ending in the 1920s. The viaduct is called Aspen because it crossed the Aspen Brook, which is probably the very stream that was culverted.I thibnk the proper name for the coke ovens is Aspen something.

Taggy · 19-02-2009, 16:47

This Map is a 1931 map of the area i copied from the library, so everything should be about the same as when my GreatGrandad was found which was 1938. As it states at the inquest that he was found, "just at the point where the stream emerged from under the railway viaduct, the water was 5 to 6 feet in depth there" also "the bed of the stream and the embankment were in concrete" Now i'm assuming from this information, that the most likey point that he was found would be where i've drawn the Larger of the Two arrows, although the site of the smaller arrow could be a possibility too. Because it mentioned at the point where the stream "emerged" from under the viaduct, would that make my large arrow the most likely place i wonder? Which direction is the stream flowing in, is it from the Intack side towards Ossy/Church or the other way round. Also is the water depth vastly different on either side of the viaduct? The only other information which is given with regards location, is that it was about 400 yards from the nearest footpath. I'm wondering how easy it would be to access this spot as when i'm certain i've got th right place, i'd like to take a small floral tribute. Would i need to ask permission, i'm not sure if this is Council land or belongs to any company? My Greatgrandad used to work for the Coppy Clough Seweage works, so he would probably have been very familiar with the area. Many Thanks.

Best Regards - Taggy

West Ender · 19-02-2009, 20:16

I think the spot must be on the North side of the viaduct, Taggy, from what you say. I'm fairly sure the stream flowed Eastward, from Intack towards Church, and it wasn't 5 or 6 feet deep, or concrete lined, on any part of its route up to the Sewage Works. Before it reached the filter-beds it was a fairly fast running stream, no more than about 18" deep most of the time, tree-lined and perhaps 3' wide at its widest. I know because I must have jumped across every inch of it, on both sides of the canal, during my childhood. A great many West End children played there.

From there on it may well have been in concrete, I don't know because the filter-beds area was closed off so I never followed the stream as far as the embankment. I looked at GoogleEarth not long ago and the filter-beds don't seem to be there now so I've no idea who owns that bit of land. The rest of the fields, up to the embankment, belonged to the Feathers family at Lower Aspden Farm which, I believe, is now a care home. No idea who owned what beyond the railway line.

Ossywarrior · 21-02-2009, 20:05

just had a look on google maps and it looks like u can gain access to that area by going through blyths on the public footpath

cashman · 22-02-2009, 08:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ossywarrior

just had a look on google maps and it looks like u can gain access to that area by going through blyths on the public footpath

it Dont work like that taggy, ya would never get through the "Weighbridge @ Security"