Minehead Road Bridge(or Bridge 3)
I have driven under this bridge many times over the years and always wondered about what it was and why it was there,so now knowing exactly what it was,I was keen to take a closer look.It seems to me a bit strange that the bridge wasn't removed altogether when the railway was shut,as it causes a bottleneck in the road and there is a height restriction,which must cause a problem for some vehicles.The bridge isn't used by anyone it would seem,so it can only come down to the cost of removing it and a council unwilling to spend any money on it.Not that I am complaining,as it would be a real shame if this lovely bridge was destroyed.
The bridge is in good condition and is built to the same high quality that we have come to expect from the railway and like many of the bridges,is a thing of beauty.If you are brave and trust in the council to maintain things,it is possible to walk on the top.It is very overgrown on the top,but it is possible to get a good look up and down the road and imagine what it was like for the trains steaming across.
We then set off continuing our journey eastward towards Morebath Junction Halt.At first,just past the Minehead Road Bridge,the line is quite heavily wooded and you do have to adopt a bit of a David Livingstone attitude,but a short while later the vegetation recedes and the walk becomes easier.All along the route there are little reminders of the railway like the fencing etc and if you are someone like me who likes studying maps,you will soon start to notice the embankment as marked on the map,rising up around you.
As the embankment rises the route becomes harder to travel,as there are many fallen trees blocking the way,but we perservered and were finally rewarded by the glorious sight of a lovely bridge appearing before us.I wasn't really sure what to call this bridge,but decided to call it,Bridge 4.