See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

The track bed which formerly carried the tramway into the Petre's Pits clay work quarry branches off the Zeal Tor Tramway track bed at SX 66539 64615, then heads north-west towards the workings.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SE/324

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TRAMWAY (XIX to Early 20th Century - 1900 AD (Between) to 1925 AD (Between))

Full description

Robinson, R., 1978, South Brent Parish Checklist, Page 394 of 821 (Un-published). SDV137445.

(September 1977) Adjacent to the higher ruined buildings near Bala Brook Head is a tramway trolley standing on a pair of iron rails. There is a third rail laid contiguously with one of this pair. There are two types in cross section and it is of note that the two types are used end to end in one place. A total of five lengths of rail can be found in the area altogether, mostly partially overgrown with turf. These rails are the only remaining evidence of narrow gauge system whose levels can be traced westward into the floor of the China Clay pits themselves a little higher up the Bala Brook. Dating this narrow gauge system is difficult but the trolley still surviving seems to belong to the 1923 episode of clay working.

Wakeham, C., 2016, Report on an Audit of Archaeological Features and Structures Relating to Railways and Tramways on Dartmoor Phase 1, DR+T_PPS_001 (Report - Assessment). SDV360397.

The track bed which formerly carried the tramway into the Petre's Pits clay work quarry branches off the Zeal Tor Tramway track bed (DR+T_ZTT_001) at SX 66539 64615. As soon as the c.1.5m wide Petre's Pit track bed branches away it has the appearance of being cut into the slope and the depth of the cut appears to increase as the track bed proceeds north-westwards. The cut-in track bed can be traced for over 200m to about SX 66375 64693, whereupon it gives way to an embankment (DR+T_PPS_003). An adjacent linear (DR+T_PPS_002) along much of the southwest side of the track bed contains a ceramic pipe running down from the vicinity of the clay pit. According to the GPS readings taken on 19/10/2015, the track bed rises from 415m to 426m between the two recorded points. The modern 1:25000 Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure/Explorer maps appear to support a rise of over 10m, but indicate this rise as being from 418m to 430m above sea level.
The overgrown nature of the vegetation on these slopes, coupled with other activity such as the laying of a pipeline from the vicinity of the clay pit (see DR+T_PPS_002), has led to the exact course of the track bed being slightly obscured. Where it is reasonably defined, the cut-in track bed is frequently overgrown with bracken, gorse, reeds and tall grass.

Environment Agency WMS, 2022, Environment Agency LIDAR Composite DSM 2022 - 1m Last return (Cartographic). SDV365448.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.