Coley branch line

Coley branch line
Bridge carrying the line over the Holy Brook
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
System	Great Western Railway
Status	Dismantled
Locale	South East England
Termini	Coley Branch Junction Reading Central Goods
Stations	1
Operation
Opened	1908
Closed	1983
Operator(s)	Great Western Railway (1908–1949) British Railways (1949–1983)
Technical
Line length	1 mile 61 chains (2.84 km)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed	30 mph (48 km/h)

The Coley branch line (COY), also known as the Coley goods branch, was a single-track branch of the Reading to Basingstoke Line, running 1 mile 61 chains (2.84 km) from the Reading to Basingstoke line at Coley Branch Junction (adjacent to Southcote Junction) to Reading Central Goods.

The railway was authorised for construction by the Great Western Railway (Additional Powers) Act 1905 as a means to reduce goods traffic on the main line. The line opened in 1908 allowing freight trains to reach Reading Central Goods depot. After a reduction in demand, the line was closed in July 1983.

Since the line's closure, part of the route of the line at the goods depot end has been reused by the A33 relief road, whilst the rest has become a walking route.

After diverting south-eastwards from near Southcote Junction, the track was crossed by a brick and iron footbridge adjacent to a signal post. The line then entered a cutting. Emerging from the cutting, the line traversed an embankment which raised it from the surrounding Kennet flood plains. A skew arch bridge took the line over the Holy Brook, after which a semaphore signal 618 yards (565 m) from the junction was situated. A number of ditches and channels were culverted under the embankment, which reduced in gradient as the line entered Reading. After passing under Berkeley Avenue, the line reached the depot and broke into a number of sidings. One siding continued north-east to Simonds Brewery alongside the Kennet.