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Trivia: Long sections of straight tracks

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Peter0124

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Hi, I am wanting to know any sections on the UK rail network that are purely straight (almost perfectly?), anything longer than a mile would do, though what is the longest? I can think of an example being just west of Law Junction to just west of Shieldmuir which is about 2.7 miles of straight track. Are there any other sections on UK network with really long straight sections of track? Especially ones where there is a spotting location you can zoom with a good camera miles away and see the train coming on a clear day.
 
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AJM580

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Acle Straight from MP 13 to Breydon Junction is approximately 4 miles on the Norwich - Great Yarmouth line
 

DoubleO

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I'm sure the longest stretch is between Selby and Brough, but I'm happy to stand corrected
 

swt_passenger

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The straight between Selby and Brough is the usual answer isn’t it? One direction being better than the other?

Just to be accurate, it’s not the total distance, it won’t include the named stations themselves.
 

LowLevel

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Red Cap Lane, Boston, to the former Firsby South Junction. 10 miles or so.
 

zwk500

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From just south of Salfords to the south end of Balcombe Tunnel on the Brighton line is pretty straight - just under 8 miles

EDIT: just checked Selby to Brough is c.18 miles.
 

Magdalia

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How about March to Ely?
Chettisham to Horsemoor comprises two long straight sections but with a curve where the line crosses the Hundred Foot River.

My recollection is that Paddock Wood to Ashford is long and straight and is about 20 miles.
 

swt_passenger

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I stand corrected. The OP might get some good skyscapes though! :smile:
I‘ve been checking a few with Google’s measuring tool. Often a very slight curve is only obvious when you draw a straight line along end to end. Like north of York where there’s a very slight bend at Thirsk that divides it up…
 

zwk500

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My recollection is that Paddock Wood to Ashford is long and straight and is about 20 miles.
When you use google map's measuring tool it suggests that much of the section from Tonbridge to Ashford (which would otherwise be about 23 miles) is actually on an incredibly shallow curve. If I remember tomorrow I'll have a look at what the 5 mile diagrams give as the actual radius (if any).
 

InOban

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There's a very long straight section between Inverness and Nairn
 

bishdunster

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When you use google map's measuring tool it suggests that much of the section from Tonbridge to Ashford (which would otherwise be about 23 miles) is actually on an incredibly shallow curve. If I remember tomorrow I'll have a look at what the 5 mile diagrams give as the actual radius (if any).
Thats the first one that came to mind here too!, Perhaps the google tool is taking into account the curvature of the earth ;)!
 

zwk500

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Thats the first one that came to mind here too!, Perhaps the google tool is taking into account the curvature of the earth ;)!
Haha I did wonder, but It got Selby to Brough clean enough.

EDIT: have just checked, there's a small curve at Milepost 31, then nothing marked until the country end of Headcorn station at 45.25 miles., so 14 miles is probably the longes straight section on this route.
 
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route101

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The line along the South coast from Fareham to Brighton has long straight sections in places. There is curve coming into Chichester and Havant I can recall, makes the line somewhat dull for me.
 

jupiter

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Looks like the line drops about 10 feet Selby-Brough due to the curvature of the earth then (about 1 in 8000).
 
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Snow1964

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The Bishopstoke (now Eastleigh) - Gosport via Fareham line was virtually dead straight.

The original London-Southampton railway was about 90% straight with a few shallow bends linking the straight sections, it was also one of the flattest for gradients (was all under 1:250). Some extra kinks were later added where it was widened on different sides.

The LSWR had quite a few very straight routes early on, the Windsor line is virtually straight from Richmond to Datchet (apart from a corner at Staines)
 
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Mcr Warrior

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From just south of Salfords to the south end of Balcombe Tunnel on the Brighton line is pretty straight - just under 8 miles
Not quite that far. Line is dead straight from just south of Salfords station to just south of the M23 overbridge. Line then starts to curve on approach to Balcombe tunnel as can be seen clearly from OS mapping.
 

paul1609

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Haha I did wonder, but It got Selby to Brough clean enough.

EDIT: have just checked, there's a small curve at Milepost 31, then nothing marked until the country end of Headcorn station at 45.25 miles., so 14 miles is probably the longes straight section on this route.
I think that the curve at the country end of Headcorn was only put in to accommodate the 1924 to 30 rebuild which added through lines for the increasing channel traffic. The down (loop) platform is where the original down main would have been. The up main line would have been where the down through now is. The up platform was like many SER stations staggered towards London and reached by a barrow crossing. There was no need for a corresponding curve at the London End as there was more room and the deviation was just straightened out.
 

fkofilee

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Brighton Main Line - South Of Three Bridges coming out of the tunnel, up all the way past Horley is mostly straight... Think there is a curve north of Horley near Salfords.
 

Mcr Warrior

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Brighton Main Line - South Of Three Bridges coming out of the tunnel, up all the way past Horley is mostly straight... Think there is a curve north of Horley near Salfords.
I concur with that analysis, maybe just over 7 miles dead straight.
 

zwk500

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I think that the curve at the country end of Headcorn was only put in to accommodate the 1924 to 30 rebuild which added through lines for the increasing channel traffic. The down (loop) platform is where the original down main would have been. The up main line would have been where the down through now is. The up platform was like many SER stations staggered towards London and reached by a barrow crossing. There was no need for a corresponding curve at the London End as there was more room and the deviation was just straightened out.
Interesting, thanks.

I'm guessing we're unlikely to find anything above the 20-odd miles of Selby to Brough?

Looks like the line drops about 10 feet Shelby-Brough due to the curvature of the earth then (about 1 in 8000).
Wouldn't it gain height towards the middle then lose the same amount to be back where it started (purely curvature of the earth related, not any other gradients)?
 
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