The Devizes Branch Line was a railway line from Holt Junction to Patney in Wiltshire, and named after Devizes, the largest town on the line. It was built by the Wiltshire, Somerset and Weymouth Railway, and was later bought up by the Great Western Railway. At one point the Devizes line provided a direct link from London to the West Country.
The Devizes Branch line and all of its stations closed in 1966 under British Rail's modernisation plans. The closure of the line can be accounted for by the awkward geography of the Devizes line and the falling amount of traffic since the building of a rival railway line from Chirton to Westbury which by-passed the steep gradients of the Devizes branch line.
Apart from a few remaining bridges and tunnels there is little evidence of the railway on the landscape today and after the closure of the line, all stations and halts were dismantled.
More information on the Devizes branch line can be found here.
You would probably not even notice this bridge as you enter Devizes on the Potterne road. The old railway cutting to the eastern side of the bridge has been filled-in to make a car-park for Southgate House. To the western side the original cutting still exists just before you get to the public house.
You are looking for a magnetic nano cache so please bring your own pencil.
*** EXTREME STEALTH WILL BE NEEDED FOR THIS CACHE ***
Ok to find – harder to retrieve & replace without being noticed.
The Potterne road is a very busy road so you will need to use extreme stealth when both retrieving and replacing this cache. As this is a busy road do please keep an eye on any children and doggy geocashers that you have with you.
Some roadside parking is available in Queens Road at N 51° 20.798 W 001° 59.662 or in Hillworth Park at N 51° 20.799 W 1° 59.679.
Wheelchairs can reach the GZ ok but help WILL be needed to reach the cache as it is placed up in a high position.
For more ‘Devizes Branch Railway’ caches please look here.
Good luck to you all.
*** FTF - The Chens ***
