Looking at old maps of the British rail network, I was struck by how few obvious routes never got built.
My list includes:
Garve to Ullapool (might have had a chance but for the first world war, and would probably have been rather less uneconomic than the Kyle line); Inverness-Fort Augustus
Windermere-Ambleside-Grasmere-Keswick (I believe the National Trust was originally formed to stop this proposal). If it had been built it would have had a good seasonal tourist traffic, and the LNW would probably have used it for its west Cumbrian mineral traffic instead of the Furness route, to keep the traffic on its own system all the way. Ambleside, with Clun and Painswick, was one of the 3 largest places without a station (Dartmouth had a station, but no trains, so it doesn't quite count). Just imagine a long tunnel under Dunmail Rise, followed by a line along the eastern shore of Thirlmere. I don't know whether to be grateful it was never built, or not.
Preston-Lytham direct (which would probably have survived, allowing the Kirkham route to close between Kirkham and Lytham).
Warrington-Knutsford-Macclesfield (authorised but never built)
Chelmsford-Maldon direct (this would probably have survived and been electrified!)
Dorchester-Bridport-Axminster (the LSW's path was blocked by the GW at Dorchester; this would have allowed a useful Southampton-Bournemouth-Exeter service, but Bournemouth hardly existed when the Dorchester lines were first built).
I believe the LSW had ambitions for a line to Newquay from Wadebridge/Padstow.
Abergavenny-Crickhowell-Brecon along the Usk valley.
Can anyone think of any others that might have stood a chance in pre-motoring days?
My list includes:
Garve to Ullapool (might have had a chance but for the first world war, and would probably have been rather less uneconomic than the Kyle line); Inverness-Fort Augustus
Windermere-Ambleside-Grasmere-Keswick (I believe the National Trust was originally formed to stop this proposal). If it had been built it would have had a good seasonal tourist traffic, and the LNW would probably have used it for its west Cumbrian mineral traffic instead of the Furness route, to keep the traffic on its own system all the way. Ambleside, with Clun and Painswick, was one of the 3 largest places without a station (Dartmouth had a station, but no trains, so it doesn't quite count). Just imagine a long tunnel under Dunmail Rise, followed by a line along the eastern shore of Thirlmere. I don't know whether to be grateful it was never built, or not.
Preston-Lytham direct (which would probably have survived, allowing the Kirkham route to close between Kirkham and Lytham).
Warrington-Knutsford-Macclesfield (authorised but never built)
Chelmsford-Maldon direct (this would probably have survived and been electrified!)
Dorchester-Bridport-Axminster (the LSW's path was blocked by the GW at Dorchester; this would have allowed a useful Southampton-Bournemouth-Exeter service, but Bournemouth hardly existed when the Dorchester lines were first built).
I believe the LSW had ambitions for a line to Newquay from Wadebridge/Padstow.
Abergavenny-Crickhowell-Brecon along the Usk valley.
Can anyone think of any others that might have stood a chance in pre-motoring days?