Least used section of OHLE in the uk

[JamesRowden]

If you consider the number of trains that pass between Paddington & Airport Junction (including FGW services etc), that electrified portion of line can't see that much use as a percentage diesel v electric services compared with other lines.

Speaking of Airport junction, a very short stretch of the GWML fast tracks directly West of Airport junction has wires but no electric services use it. I would guess that it was placed there when the line to Heathrow was built/electrified so that when the GWML is electrified less modification to the junction would be required.

 

[MK Tom]

What about the Wolverhampton bypass line?

 

[cjohnson]

Speaking of Airport junction, a very short stretch of the GWML fast tracks directly West of Airport junction has wires but no electric services use it. I would guess that it was placed there when the line to Heathrow was built/electrified so that when the GWML is electrified less modification to the junction would be required.

Does the electrified bay platform at Hayes & Harlington see much use?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Speaking of Airport junction, a very short stretch of the GWML fast tracks directly West of Airport junction has wires but no electric services use it. I would guess that it was placed there when the line to Heathrow was built/electrified so that when the GWML is electrified less modification to the junction would be required.

Generally speaking I think there is an element of forward thinking, but I believe there is also partly not being able to just end the wires where they really want to and also partly in case of electric trains 'taking the wrong road' (it's easier that you might think)

 

[DarloRich]

The short section of line between Bletchley & Bletchley depot sees very few Electric trains

 

[lewisf]

I would imagine the passing loops on HS1 and the link between HS1 and the NLL are very infrequently if ever used.

 

[45rpm]

Gas Factory Junction to Bow Junction has no regular passenger services or freight booked that way? Is it used for ECS movements? It occasionally sees use when passenger trains are diverted via Stratford.

 

[Tracked]

Platform 5/2 at Doncaster?

 

[306024]

Stansted Airport north curve? only diesels use it in regular service

Although that is used by EMUs when the Cambridge Main Line is blocked south of Stansted N Jn for planned engineering work.

I'll offer Manningtree North Jn to Manningtreee East Jn, can't remember when anything electric last went round there. And returning to the Stratford area Channelsea Jn / Lea Jn / High Meads Jn to Temple Mills East Jn. (There's an obscure bit of route knowledge ). Don't know about electric hauled freight but the only EMU working I can recall is the Orient Way turning trips for 321s with the 1st class at the wrong end.

 

[Philip C]

How about the following lines:-

......Manchester Airport South curve?......

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This one shouldn't be on the list as it has an hourly EMU service in either direction.

 

[Whistler40145]

Wasn't aware there was a regular EMU service over Manchester Airport South curve.


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[TDK]

Aston to Stechford isn't used much

 

[Be3G]

And returning to the Stratford area Channelsea Jn / Lea Jn / High Meads Jn to Temple Mills East Jn. (There's an obscure bit of route knowledge ). Don't know about electric hauled freight but the only EMU working I can recall is the Orient Way turning trips for 321s with the 1st class at the wrong end.

If that's the loop I'm thinking of, then that is in fact the route the old once-a-day train to Stratford I was talking about earlier took. Not much use now I know, but I remember being intrigued by the route when I caught the train eight/nine years ago.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Wasn't aware there was a regular EMU service over Manchester Airport South curve....

Manchester Piccadilly-Crewe via Manchester Airport service.

 

[Whistler40145]

Graham Road curve

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[northrob]

The wires above freight avoiding lines at York don't seem to be used too much (or maybe I'm just looking at the wrong times!).

 

[Sidious]

When the ECML was electrified, a 250m stretch of the Scunthorpe line from Marshgate Junction was wired, but not leading off the ECML, but leading onto it (i.e. only one road).

I'm not sure if it goes to a LOS near Marshgate CE sidings? I would lay money that it has never seen electric traction since the day the wires went up.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Carstairs-Haymarket had very little electric traction until the timetable change; it currently has a 2-hourly Glasgow-Central-Edinburgh Waverley 380 plus a few Pendolinos per day.

And the Class 90-hauled Highland Sleeper (not sure about the Lowland Edinburgh portion).

Al Liverpool Edge Hill there are still miles of OHL in place off the main lines that I can't see being used.
Includes the viaduct climbing up to the Bootle branch bridge (now demolished).
Meanwhile they dewired part of the Chat Moss route at Olive Mount and will now have to reinstate it.

 

[bronzeonion]

Hayes & Harlington bay platform?

 

[W-on-Sea]

Platform 1 at Southend Central hasn't had any scheduled services for a fair few years, I believe.

 

[paulb1973]

Rugby Peterborough Branch siding (up to Butlers Leap) and the one wired road at the nearby Colas Depot - the former DED can't see much use (although I believe a trial freight train with a Class 86 might have traversed this section recently). You could be cheeky and add the Bilton Branch which has one mast.

Until a few years ago, I would have nominated the Coventry Parcel Bay siding behind platform 1, that was until they built a multi-storey car park over part of it.

 

[noddingdonkey]

At that, I bet 13 (that's the one Northern via Dewsbury services terminate in isn't it), 15 and 16 don't see much electric action either!

At Leeds, I would suspect that 7 and 14, the two eastbound bay platforms will see even less electric traffic, as the only place to go from there is Neville Hill!

How about the side of the Whitehall triangle where they had the temporary platform, that was wired up specially for that job - does that get used by anything electric now?

There are some electrified sidings north of Wakefield Westgate, do they get any use?

 

[Leslie Fletcher]

And the Class 90-hauled Highland Sleeper (not sure about the Lowland Edinburgh portion).

Al Liverpool Edge Hill there are still miles of OHL in place off the main lines that I can't see being used.
Includes the viaduct climbing up to the Bootle branch bridge (now demolished).
Meanwhile they dewired part of the Chat Moss route at Olive Mount and will now have to reinstate it.

In more than 10 years of regular use of Liverpool Lime Street I have not seen electric usage of platforms 1 to 4 nor of the slow/northerly/Huyton-bound lines to/from Edge Hill.

 

[D1009]

I agree! When did then last train of any description use that depot? Even if just to drive through?

If you consider the number of trains that pass between Paddington & Airport Junction (including FGW services etc), that electrified portion of line can't see that much use as a percentage diesel v electric services compared with other lines.

Not sure that's right, there are 4 Heathrow Expresses in both directions and 2 Heathrow Connects every hour. However the amount of use of elctrified platforms at Paddington other than 6, 7 and 12 must be very low, but hopefully that will soon change.

 

[LE Greys]

When the ECML was electrified, a 250m stretch of the Scunthorpe line from Marshgate Junction was wired, but not leading off the ECML, but leading onto it (i.e. only one road).

I'm not sure if it goes to a LOS near Marshgate CE sidings? I would lay money that it has never seen electric traction since the day the wires went up.

That's not the only oddity. At Berwick, there is what appears to be a former milk dock that has wires, but no rails. http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=55.773758,-2.011753&spn=0.001756,0.005284&t=h&z=18

 

[dvboy]

Wolverhampton platform 6?

 

[the sniper]

Pleck Junction to Darlaston Junction. I don't think it even gets an ECS 323 nowadays?

 

[GazUk]

Rugby Peterborough Branch siding (up to Butlers Leap) and the one wired road at the nearby Colas Depot - the former DED can't see much use (although I believe a trial freight train with a Class 86 might have traversed this section recently). You could be cheeky and add the Bilton Branch which has one mast.

Until a few years ago, I would have nominated the Coventry Parcel Bay siding behind platform 1, that was until they built a multi-storey car park over part of it.

That is true about rugby,but how about the Coventry to Bedworth line and Coventry to Leamington lines-both have a bit of ohle for a few hundred yards on their various sections out of the station. Also the section between stechford and Aston over in Birmingham as far as I know no passenger services use that bit of line.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There are some electrified sidings north of Wakefield Westgate, do they get any use?

AFAIK the Wrenthorpe Loop is only used to turn trains at times of disruption, though the entrance road is sometimes used as the turnback for the DMU from Huddersfield. I think the last significant use for Wrenthorpe was to store the newly delivered 333 units, presumably due to lack of space at Neville Hill or Skipton sidings (though possibly because it was harder to access for any, ahem, 'street artists'!).

 

[YorkshireBear]

The north boys at Leeds (7&14) may soon see use who knows... rumors are though that once Leeds York is done Northern have enough stock for a Bradford York Stopper.