Saturday 20 October 2012

The Upper Thames Stopline Part 2

This section will take you from Radcot Bridge to Lechlaid though I have to admit I did it is two parts, the first at Kelmscott and the second Buscot. The Thames path will take you past all but two but I will mention these when I get to them. All the pillboxes in this section are Type 22's
I'll start at the first one you can see at Radcot.





From the bridge follow the Thames path and this is what you will see on the other side, it can also be seen from the bridge. I never visited it though I have no doubt if you ask you will be allowed.








Follow the path further and you should see this one come up on your right, and it is one of the cleaner ones I've seen.











You pass Grafton lock and a little further along you will see this pillbox, this is slightly being undercut by the Thames and does get flooded



Going on towards Kelmscott you come to another very close to the Thames and has a tree growing beside it. Kelmscott has four pillboxes near it.












 This is the second which you can see from the last pillbox.





Heading on towards Kelmscott you will need to head off the Thames path  and go towards Kelmscot Manor and just along the track on the left you will see this one which is the first that is not on the Thames path.





 Head back to the Thames path and go towards Buscot and after about half a mile you see this pillbox. You need to  watch out for Kilroy though.












This next one is about a Kilometer on though I came from Buscot to visit it. The top is braking up along the join but it is possible to get inside to look.




Next along is the first of the Buscot pillboxes, not sure it leans as much as in the photo but does have a number like the last one did.




The  next one I only just managed to spot it through the trees. when I first visited, It was situated on the Thames Water treatment plant.A while later I found out the property had been bought by a local  boat chandler who allowed me to visit


 Going on from Buscot Lock you will pass this pillbox.
As you can see it is a little worse for ware and I'm thinking it was used for target practise like a few others I have seen.
Inside it's very beaten up where the
concrete has been blown in and looks even worse than outside.


The river meanders from here to Lechlaide like it has all the way from Oxford so follow it to St Georges Lock and between there and Lechlaide you will see this pillbox across the river.


The last of the pillboxes I had come looking for though I am told there is one more to get near Cricklade. This ended a what turned into an epic that started with a couple of pillboxes near where I lived and turned into a hunt that went from Theale to Lechlaid looking for all the pillboxes that were left. I have started the Blue line along the River Kennet but have only just got as far a Newbury.

No comments:

Post a Comment