Does anyone know what this oval shaped feature is near Bramhope?

[Phill_dvsn]

You can get a better look at that oval shaped track if that's what Leodian means on Bing aerial images herehttp://binged.it/zh5za2Is it a dried up pond perhaps? There are ponds marked on the map above, although marked on the right of the air shaft on the section I've uploaded, I need to check the map again.    

[Si]

I think it's made by some sort of wheeled vehicle. You can see two parallel tracks at the top of the oval. The sharper curved ends are more worn, suggesting erosion caused by cornering. Possibly a practice track used by a farmer who races a quad or grass-track car? Or maybe sulkie racing?    

[headingleylad]

This is nothing to do with the railway tunnel. There are quite a lot of riding stables in this area and it could be possibly be a practice riding track. What this air view does show is all the spoil heaps of the excavated material from the air shafts of the tunnel.John

[Leodian]

Thanks all. Though my initial query was about the oval shaped track-like object I do appreciate all the responses. From a scale on Phill's view from Bing I've worked out that at its widest the oval track is a bit over 350 feet, so it is not as small as I thought. There is a good entry about Bramhope Tunnel in Wikipedia. This is the link to that:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bramhope_Tunnel

[Si]

Thanks for the link, Leodian.It's interesting to note that the tunnel cost £2million to dig in the 1840s, and £10million to lower the track bed this century.Looking at the line of the tunnel on Google Earth, several spoil heaps are visible, but nowhere near 20. The southern end looks to have been built using the cut-and-cover method.I still think the oval track nearby looks like it was made by wheeled vehicles.        

[headingleylad]

It is correct the last 200 yards of the tunnel at the south portal of the tunnel was constructed with cut and cover because of problems with Moseley Beck that had to be diverted away from the tunnel using a stone culvert way.John

[Leodian]

I've just been looking at information brought up through some of the references at the end of the Wikipedia article on Bramhope Tunnel. Reference 2 is to a page in the English Heritage National Monument Record website. Some of the information there about the North Portal states:-"Rock-faced sandstone. Gothic style, with side tower and turrets. Horseshoe archway, with bolection-moulded surround and large figured keystone, machicolated cornice, parapet of plain slabs each with a square hole, central raised cop framing a cartouche with wheatsheaf, fleece and fish emblems. To the left a large cylindrical tower of 3 stages defined by string courses, with round-headed windows in each stage, machicolated cornice and high embattled parapet with blind cruciform loops. To the right a smaller octagonal tower on a square base, with similar loops, and corbelled battlements. Retaining wall continued on each side of these towers, that on the right with a quadrant terminating in a turret, that on the left straight and probably similarly terminated (end concealed by vegetation)" (the report had a photo of the North Portal taken on August 8 2007).It is an interesting report but which also had me needing a dictionary!

[Phill_dvsn]

there is my Bramhope tunnel set herehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/sets/7 ... etail/It's a disgrace the B.R.I.S is letting the ornate portal go to ruin. It really is in a sad state at the moment, graffiti scrawled on it, vegetation growing out of the stonework, the stone itself is decaying. Such a shame to see it that way-in fact it's criminal.Mind you profits don't come from looking after past heritage     

[Leodian]

Thanks to your photos Phill there will at least be an excellent historical photographic record.