Trivia - abandoned railways with intact track

[Mcr Warrior]

Has work started on re-opening the railway to Levenmouth yet?

How much of the old trackwork to the former Methil power station is still in place?

And is any part of the old alignment being built on by the new railway?

 

[bramling]

Pretty sure it is, yes.

Definitely was about 2 years back, we did a small amount of exploring some of the station sites. Massively overgrown in places, and well used by local dog walkers where passable.

 

[Bevan Price]

Assuming no changes since "Covid", St. Helens Central to near the site of Sutton Oak mpd is still in situ. Last traffic was to the former Hayes Chemicals factory. A fence has been built across the track at the St. Helens end, and there is heavy vegetation growth between the rails. (The continuation to St. Helens Junction & Widnes was removed many years ago.)

 

[MP33]

I always thought it odd that the track from Bishops Lydeard to the main line had disused in the OS atlas against it. It was never done for anywhere else that was closed with track.

I saw a video of a walk along a line to a coal mine with track intact. At one point there was a diversion for the reason that the route was so overgrown to be impassable.

 

[trainmania100]

Nothing amazing but walking between buckle cafe (bishopstone) and tide mills along the beach, the rails are still on the shingle path.
I guess it's not exactly in tact but the rails are quite revealed

 

[father_jack]

Aren't there plenty bits of Round Oak to Dudley still extant ? (A genuine question.)

 

[DarloRich]

this should be a useful resource for metal thieves !

 

[Red Onion]

I’m sure there’s still track along the Burghead branch in Moray though I believe the junction with the Aberdeen to Inverness line at Alves has been severed.

There was also track on the former branch to DM Crombie in Fife when I visited a couple of years ago, again I think the junction with the main line has been removed.

 

[galwhv69]

Is there still some track along the branch to Folkestone Harbour?

 

[Royston Vasey]

That's a great spot! Under my nose all the time I've been using LCY and I had no idea. Will have to look out for those before my next flight.

Not only that but with the road as it is currently aligned (or was in late 2019 when I last used it) you actually drive over some of them on the way out of Fishguard Way

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dpXCf2bU5zwJGzQw5
Satellite view some years old now as that is now a thoroughfare.

 

[Dr_Paul]

There are some sidings remaining in the down yard at Wimbledon, parallel to the Sutton and South-Western lines. They have long been disused and isolated from the through lines.

 

[bazzoh]

Birkenhead docks still had quite a bit of track around it despite being severed at several points

 

[Web4160]

Still track in place from the Portbury docks branch to Portishead including where it goes under the M5

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Always surprises me just how quickly certain lengths of track were lifted following closure of lines as a consequence of the Beeching Report, compared with now, when redundant trackwork, with severed connections, often seem to be left in situ indefinitely.

 

[alistairlees]

Ridham Dock branch

 

[Gloster]

Always surprises me just how quickly certain lengths of track were lifted following closure of lines as a consequence of the Beeching Report, compared with now, when redundant trackwork, with severed connections, often seem to be left in situ indefinitely.

Many lines were not lifted for several years. I was reading of one recently, possibly the Port Road to Stranraer, that was in situ for at least four years after closure before lifting started. An impression I have is that it took longer to get around to lifting cross-country lines than branches.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Gloster. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[richard1976]

Some lines around Sharpness Docks

 

[gallafent]

The “Spurn Point Military Railway” still has a few sporadic bits of track remaining, I remember, from walking down there a few years ago! Plenty of info in wikipedia

 

[Irascible]

Many lines were not lifted for several years. I was reading of one recently, possibly the Port Road to Stranraer, that was in situ for at least four years after closure before lifting started. An impression I have is that it took longer to get around to lifting cross-country lines than branches.

The entire Ilfracombe branch sat around for 5 years after the last service - they even ran an inspection saloon over it just before lifting it.

 

[MP33]

Off the Severn Valley Railway there is a closed branch and on it a depot. The SVR own the site of the depot next to their Railway and there is track remaining and in the undergrowth there are other railway remains such as rusty wheelsets and the remains of old goods wagons. The SVR appear to not wish to do anything with the site.

 

[matt_world2004]

There is some wide gauge railway track along the former Uxbridge branch of the GwR near Brunel university together with a boiler from the SS great Eastern.

 

[Mat17]

Looking at aerial photos, I believe there is still some track on the abandoned viaduct out of Leeds station.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The old platform / siding has remained mainly intact at Shepperton and has just been replaced. Either for storage of spare trains or maybe even opening up a 2nd platform again.

 

[Calthrop]

Well over ten years ago -- I forget the precise date -- I observed that the Cresswell -- Cheadle branch still had its track down seemingly throughout; but overgrown, and looking very derelict. Does anyone know anything about this line's status nowadays?

The Brownhills branch, between Lichfield City and Angelsea Sidings - last used in 2001 I believe.

The M6 Toll was being built around the time the line stopped being used, and a new bridge was provided where the line crosses the M6 Toll. I don't think it's ever seen any trains.

I started a thread in "Infrastructure and Stations" about this stretch, in Aug. 2020: curious about it, having then lately noticed in passing, track down just west of Lichfield.

 

[steamybrian]

I claim that the longest time that abandoned track is still in situ after closure is the narrow gauge Rye and Camber Tramway in Sussex.
Closed in 1939 but used by the military during the WW2 and it was officially abandoned in the late the 1940s. Track is still laid for about a quarte of mile through the site of the intermediate station at Golf Links Halt.

 

[Master Cutler]

The Shirebrook to Ollerton track is still in place, with feasibility studies being carried out to join up with the Robin Hood line to Nottingham Worksop.
Last regular traffic on the line was High Marnham and Cottham power station coal workings.

 

[Swanny200]

A lot of track, still sitting round Inverkeithing and wouldn't the Rosyth branch still be pretty much intact but unused?

 

[steamybrian]

The Woodside- Selsdon line closed to passengers in 1983 but the section between Selsdon and the site of Spencer Road Halt was used as a run round loop/shunting neck for oil trains until the 1990s. The track is still in situ albeit well overgrown.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Well over ten years ago -- I forget the precise date -- I observed that the Cresswell -- Cheadle branch still had its track down seemingly throughout; but overgrown, and looking very derelict. Does anyone know anything about this line's status nowadays?

Owned by DfT, leased to Moorland & City Railways, mostly used as an (unimproved) permissive path.