Martholme viaduct path update
 

Hi, has anyone got any information as to where we are at with the path across Martholme viaduct, I am writing an article on it for Hyndburn

Regards,Geoff.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

I suggest you contact the owner of the adjacent land on the Padiham side of the viaduct, Mr Phillip Hanson (or Richard Hanson who is on Read Council) at Dunkirk Farm Read.
He has owned the old railway track bed since about 1970 and it cuts through his property and caravan park.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Hi, thanks, I have contacted the Caravan site owner, The Read council site seems to be down at the moment!

Regards,Geoff.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Yes,I was informed that due to maintenance costs,it'll never be reopened.
If you wish to contact the caravan park you could try emailing them:-

[email protected]

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

I'm a very good friend of the Hanson family and ran the caravan park for 11 years.

Phillip Hanson will fight tooth and nail to keep the path through his land from becoming a public footpath.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Why?

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Would think thats rather obvious taddy? I would,as would most people,if twas our land.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Because people pay 40 or 50 thousand pounds to have a holiday home on the park with nice river views and some homes back up to the old track bed which is about roof height. They bought the homes on a promise of a quiet peaceful place to relax and they will be very upset when walkers come past staring down at them and maybe the odd drug runner on his scramble bike hurtles past. After all he has owned the line since about 1950 and spent a lot of money on the place. He also thinks that if he allows the path to come through his land and people have their peace disturbed they may sue him for false representation after promising a peaceful place to stay.

That a picture to see what the path is like now.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Understandable! but, if there has been a long standing right of way through the property then the right of way should be upheld no matter who/whom now owns the land.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

I don't think the right of way extends to the old rail-track bed through the farm otherwise there wouldn't be a need for continuous action to try to get it open.
There wasn't a right of way when the rail company owned it and its had gates and signs saying private land for as long as I remember.

The right of way runs through the farm yard coming from Whalley road. Mr Hanson made gates and signs pointing it out years ago.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

This sounds very much like when a certain petrolhead known as J.Clarkson bought a lighthouse on the Isle of Man and then attempted to shut down a long standing footpath that ran alongside the property.

Are we going back to the day's of the Lords of the manor who have and the plebs who shall not have?

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Like the photo by the way

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

We will have to wait for the court hearing Taddy. There are a lot of other people on the Padiham side of the viaduct who own the section of the track bed at the bottom of their land plus Mr Gee who owns the old Simon station to use as his coal and wood business. They are all against selling their bit of land.
There are bridges to be rebuilt which the rail company dismantled when they closed the line. This argument has been going on for many years. 20 odd to my knowledge.
People do manage to get on to Mr Hansons land and attempt to pull down the signs.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Last time I spoke with Philip Hanson he assured me he wants no public right of way through his land.He said "people buy these homes as being peaceful and tranquil and I don't want that spoiling by having a public footpath running through it"....


...He may of changed his mind but I doubt it.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

He has certainly not changed his mind Accyexplorer.
We had a drink together in Read Con two weeks ago and as usual the subject cropped up.
He's still adamant it won't happen while he's still around and Richard his son agrees.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

When it was a railway, it was an offence to trespass on the line. I don't think the case has been proved that it has been a right of way.

All t'same, I would like to walk along it.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

A few weeks ago a miniature railway was set on the viaduct with people paying to ride on it.
It obviously only went as far as the end of the viaduct at the Caravan park end.
The money collected went into the fighting fund to try to get the path reopened.
It's a while since I went to the Harwood side of the viaduct with Mr HANSON but there was a very stout fence and locked gate there erected by the owners of the viaduct.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

Going back to the 1970's I remember there being an issue with a sponsored walk that was planned to go over it but didn't for safety reasons (not sure what they were) but clearly it was seen as being a valid walking route back then.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

The gates are still there:-

Attachment 54852

There is also a fence with locked gates at the caravan park side, felled trees and shrubbery stop anyone actually going onto the viaduct.
I like it down there,it's lovely and peaceful and offers some great walks for those who live there and enjoy nature....I think it should stay shut.
As you say,the Hanson's have spent a lot of time and money making it a lovely place to live.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mNpFQLVKKZA

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

We dug a deep ditch between the path and the viaduct a long while ago and filled it with bushes and thorny branches to stop people who had managed to get on the viaduct from getting into the caravan park.
That was when the fence at the Harwood end had been smashed down by trespassers. The owners of the viaduct then put a metal fence with tri-spiked top to replace the broken one. I suppose it was to stop people falling from the viaduct and a claim being submitted.
Like wise the trackbed at the other side of the farm lane.
A lad on a bike rode past the "Private no entry" sign, over large mounds of earth we put there and fell down into a lane below because the railway people had removed the bridge.
I was nearby spreading slurry and rang 999 and it took a helicopter crew to recover him.
His claim failed for two reasons. It was clearly signed no entry private and not a right of way.

Re: Martholme viaduct path update
 

I am not in favour of any acts of vandalism, for whatever reason; the damage to legitimate/legal signs is totally out of order.