Trivia: Steepest Gradient?

[317663]

Hi, Haven't been on here for a while, nice to be back

Just wanted to ask a quick question; What's the Steepest Gradient in the UK's rail network? I doubt it'll be any more than 20 degrees, though that could be higher. I have no clue what it could be myself since I havent been out for ages.
Thanks

 

[Darandio]

These should get you started:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=47618
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=73058
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=85130

 

[HilversumNS]

I suspect it is Lickey Incline, which is always the one everyone talks about.

 

[najaB]

What's the Steepest Gradient in the UK's rail network? I doubt it'll be any more than 20 degrees, though that could be higher.

Do you have any idea how steep 20 degrees is? The steepest inclines of any length will be under 3 degrees. Have a play around with this calculator to see.

 

[6Gman]

Somewhere on the Snowdon Mountain Railway?

 

[najaB]

Somewhere on the Snowdon Mountain Railway?

Well, if we're not talking mainline, I vote for the Hastings East Cliff Railway.

 

[AnonymousUser1]

iirc 20 degrees is something like 36% gradient which 1 in 3 or something silly

3 % is much more like it - one of the reasons trams are so overpowered compared to heavy rail is having to go up relatively modest grades to fit with normal town traffic

 

[David Goddard]

Wiki quotes: "The Lickey Incline, south of Birmingham, is the steepest sustained main-line railway incline in Great Britain. The climb is a gradient of 1-in-37.7 (2.65%) for a continuous distance of two miles (3.2 km)."
If we include preserved operations, I think that the Ravenstor incline on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a good contendor, at 1 in 27

 

[philabos]

Just ran a coal train in open rails on the Woodhead line, sadly gone. Must have been quite a trip on those grades with unfitted loaded wagons.

 

[snowball]

I recently saw a figure for the gradient of the new Bermondsey diveunder for Thameslink and thought "doesn't that make it steeper than Lickey?". Unfortunately I can remember neither the figure given for the diveunder, nor whether I was correctly remembering the gradient of Lickey.

 

[NotATrainspott]

The Crossrail tunnels east of Paddington have a 1-in-32 descent down to go below the Central Line tunnels.

 

[AM9]

Somebody here recently stated that the climb from City Thameslink to Blackfriars is about 1:29 (3.45%) which although quite short, is taken by virtually every southbound train from a standing start.

 

[mbreckers]

What about the tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street.?

 

[Kite159]

Exeter St Davids to Exeter Central?

 

[12CSVT]

If we include preserved operations, I think that the Ravenstor incline on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a good contendor, at 1 in 27

Fawley Hill railway has a section of 1 in 17.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Hasn't the Severn Rail Tunnel got steep gradients being the lowest point?
The Channel Tunnel is steep too.

But the steepest I've seen is the old abandoned railway near Cromford in North Derbyshire. Sadly not in use and has no track. Excluding cliff trams ofcourse.

 

[swt_passenger]

Hasn't the Severn Rail Tunnel got steep gradients being the lowest point?
.

Not particularly, it's only 1 in 100 and 1 in 90. Can't remember which side is which though.

 

[Juniper Driver]

What is Upway to Weymouth and Branksome to Poole?

 

[RichmondCommu]

Hasn't the Severn Rail Tunnel got steep gradients being the lowest point?
The Channel Tunnel is steep too.

But the steepest I've seen is the old abandoned railway near Cromford in North Derbyshire. Sadly not in use and has no track. Excluding cliff trams ofcourse.

aka the Middleton Incline

 

[Ships]

It's actually the 1:27 on the climb up from
River bed in the Mersey tunnel.

 

[TDK]

The approach to Birmingham New Street South has a differential gradient from down to up and that is pretty steep

 

[PermitToTravel]

Well, if we're not talking mainline, I vote for the Hastings East Cliff Railway.

78%?!?!?! Holy crap you could climb that as though the sleepers were the rungs of a ladder!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There's some pretty steep hills on the Sheffield tramway...

 

[Tubeboy]

1 in 29 from City Thameslnk to Blackfriars.

 

[AM9]

1 in 29 from City Thameslnk to Blackfriars.

As I said in post #12.

That is of course on a heavily used main line and not some goods spur/tram line.

 

[Ships]

As I said in post #12.

That is of course on a heavily used main line and not some goods spur/tram line.

Neithers the Mersey tunnel which is steeper.......

 

[AM9]

Neithers the Mersey tunnel which is steeper.......

Yes I agree that the Mersey Tunnel houses a busy metro line.

 

[nowananorack]

A lot of the Welsh Highland Railway is 1:40
Beddgelert Station is 1:47.
Trains do terminate there and locomotives run round.

 

[matchmaker]

What about the tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street.?

Cowlairs incline is between 1 in 41.5 and 1 in 50. Not the steepest, but the first half is in tunnel and starts as soon as trains leave Queen Street. Not pleasant in steam days!

 

[Glenmutchkin]

A lot of the Welsh Highland Railway is 1:40
Beddgelert Station is 1:47.
Trains do terminate there and locomotives run round.

The Welshpool and Llanfair has that beat. Golfa bank is a mile of 1 in 29, still regularly worked by steam.