MSWJR - Jurassic Railway EarthCache
M0ZGB: As the sign has gone for this one, I am now archiving.
Thank you to all who have logged and enjoyed.
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This Earthcache shows how the development of a 19th Century Railway gave a fascinating insight into Swindon’s prehistoric past. The walk to the site takes you through the Old Town Railway Cutting, which is suitable for Bikes and buggies.
In 1881-1882 this section of the railway which was to be known as part of the Midland & South West Junction Railway (M&SWJR) was opened, allowing trains to connect with Swindon’s Old Town Station. This required a Cutting to be dug out on the approach to the Station from Rushey Platt. This Cutting is now a designated SSSI and gives Geologists a unique insight into Swindon’s Prehistoric past.
The rocks that can be seen in this cutting are between 155 and 145 Million years old and therefore are from the Jurassic period. If you look closely, Three main layers of rock can be seen in this area. They are as follows:
TOP LAYER - Sand and Stone
This Yellow coloured band can be seen on the top of the rock face and was laid by shallow but stormy seas . Piles of this sand can sometimes be seen on the banks at the opposite side of the railway bridge.
MIDDLE LAYER - Cockly Bed
This band consists of a knobbly textured Limestone which contains concentrations of Cockle shells. Some of these burrowed into the sea bed and others, such as Mussels & Oysters, attached themselves to rocks etc. The sea at this time would have been Shallow and Tropical. The formations of shells are known as ‘Death Assemblages’. This means that the shells are not in their original life positions, but are simply piles of empty shells left as a result of turbulent seas.
BOTTOM LAYER - Glauconitic Beds
This is a sandy limestone which contains the mineral Glauconite. The effect of this mineral is to give the rock a greenish colour on exposed surfaces. Glauconite is a microscopic mineral and the beds would have been laid around 150 million years ago in a shallow but warm sea. An example of this can be seen to the right of the Information board.
The Swindon Railway Cutting is a Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI), so please respect the area whilst you are visiting. You can, however, help manage the site by:
Collecting Fossils ONLY from loose material.
Avoid climbing the railway cutting banks.
To claim this Cache, please answer the following question OR post a photo of you and your GPS in front of the exposed rock layers to the right of the Information board.
Question: Name any TWO of the THREE types of shell that can be found in the Cockly Beds (They are pictured on the sign and have Latin names).
Send a message with answer, using my Username, through Geocache.com. Please tick box to release your E-mail.
Whilst in the area, why not carry on the walk along the old railway track bed and complete my other ‘MSWJR’ related Caches?
They are:
MSWJR - Wichelstowe View
MSWJR - Mill Lane Bridge
MSWJR - A Signalman's Nightmare
Limited roadside parking can be found in Signal Way at: N51 32.932 W001 46.432 It is not recommended you park any further up Signal Way than this, as some of the industrial units enforce clamping of unauthorised vehicles.
Once parked, find the start of the footpath at: N51 32.978 W001 46.549, which is to the right of the large Green building at the end of the Industrial Estate.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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