This sign doesn't sever much purpose anymore
Disused Cambridge Railway, Milton Road, Cambridge - 28th October 2005
Nosher and Dan from Qualcomm Cambridge take a couple of lunch breaks to explore the disused railway track that crosses Milton Road, on the outskirts of Cambridge. The first trip heads west for a fairly short trip, whilst the second goes off in the "uncharted" direction - the way that no-one actually uses - to see what's there. Naturally enough, it's much less trafficked than the other part of the track, and at one point has a three-metrefence cutting across it. However, this has been modified with additional "access" in the form of three missing slats, allowing entry beyond. The remainder of the much-overgrown track-bed leads to a large derelict shunting yard. There are no signs of any remaining structures, but all the tracks are still in place; the sleepers slowly rot away whilst the tracks slowly oxidise to rust and everywhere grass, scrub and trees reclaim the area. However, there is also a large clearing where it looks like local "Gary Boyz" (Kevins or Trevs as they might have been known in the 80s) have somehow sneaked cars in, razzed them around a bit and then finally set fire to them: at least six or seven wrecked and scorched cars litter the area. On our return, we pass through an industrial estate - the epitome of bleak, soul-less modern existence - and visit Ridgeon's DIY so Dan can look at plumbing. The old railway track is now the (mis)Guided Bus that runs between Huntingon/St. Ives and the new Cambridge North railway station
next album: Jen's Hallowe'en Party and Sazzle's Leaving Do, Mission Road, Diss - 28th October 2005
previous album: The 28th Norwich Beer Festival, St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich - 26th October 2005
Abandoned tracks in the weeds
A discarded 486 blade server motherboard
Dan stands where the tracks cross a path
The end of the line
Dan roams around in organic shop Daily Bread
Dan heads off back to Milton Road
Where the tracks cross Milton Road
Cambridge Business Park (a.k.a. the Cowley Road Police State)
The next week, we head off in the other direction
Some broken electrical thing
The back of Matrix House - Qualcomm's office
The railway line, whilst mostly obscured by foliage, is still completely in place
An abandonned bed and a heap of rubbish. Nice.
Stan climbs a hill after we sneak through the hole in the Iron Fence
A contrast between hi-tech buildings of the Business Park (background) and wrecked cars
Dan roams around amongst the wrecked cars
A couple of burnt-out cars
Implausibly, someone has torched a Vauxhall Astra. The Austin Maestro next to it is understandable
Inside the torched Maestro
Wrecked Mark 2 Astra
The MAestro again
Crossing tracks
Dan in the wasteland
An aggregate storage site
The back of the Business Park
More heaps of rusted metal
Some discarded doors
Another burned-out car
The tyre has long-since burnt off and eroded away, but the steel reinforcement wire from its tread survives
Drainage pipes in Ridgeons
Bottles of gas in a cage on an industrial estate. Mundane, but colourful
Dan walks through the underpass that, er, underpasses the old railway
A stack of scaffold poles on the back of a builder's lorry near Checkpoint Charlie, Cowley Road
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This sign doesn't sever much purpose anymore
