Trivia: cathedrals, abbeys and castles which can be seen from trains

[Peter Mugridge]

I think St. Pauls can be seen going northwards into Blackfriars.

It can indeed; I snapped this from a northbound 700 in November 2020. Lucky with the lighting and not to get bowled by a southbound working as well...

 

[Strathclyder]

Glasgow Cathedral is visible from the WCML between Rutherglen and Larkfield Junction.

Probably would have to be specifically looking for it from that distance! I know it's a fairly distinctive feature of Glasgow's skyline, but even so.

Sticking with Glasgow Cathedral, I presume it was visible from trains on the North Clyde Line between High Street and Bellgrove once upon a time. Tree/foilage growth and redevelopments on the old High St goods yard site - aka Collegelands - have more or less obliterated that view barring the odd glimpse of the spire/green roof.

 

[ashkeba]

Fairly sure Peterborough Cathedral can be seen by train to the south of the station.

Peterborough Cathedral is to the east of the station and I think most visible from the line to the east/southeast.

 

[52290]

Lancaster is visible from the train (certainly was today) and the train from it (again, certainly was today).

There most definitely is a cathedral in Preston, although not attached to a Anglican or Roman diocese, using the former St Ignatius church, which remains the property of the RC diocese. Neither the Minster nor St Walburges could fit in with "if you know where to look".... You'd struggle to miss the latter, certainly.

Other than that, spot on

I had forgotten about that, and many years ago I was a member of St Igs club, despite being a heretic!

 

[railjock]

Nice try, but isn't that the Heart of Midlothian FC football stadium?!

It was a bit of a stretch I suppose.

 

[Mikey C]

The Church of England Cathedrals that definitely can't be seen from trains are Gibraltar, Wells, Peel and Ripon. Southwell may be able to be seen from trains but I am not sure.

Is St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham visible? I don't think anyone has mentioned it

 

[Kingston Dan]

Probably would have to be specifically looking for it from that distance! I know it's a fairly distinctive feature of Glasgow's skyline, but even so.

Sticking with Glasgow Cathedral, I presume it was visible from trains on the North Clyde Line between High Street and Bellgrove once upon a time. Tree/foilage growth and redevelopments on the old High St goods yard site - aka Collegelands - have more or less obliterated that view barring the odd glimpse of the spire/green roof.

St Giles High Kirk can be seen from Waverley Station in Edinburgh as can the Episcopal Cathedral (can't remember its name) from the approaches to Haymarket from the west.

 

[route101]

Is Winchester Cathedral visable from the railway?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Castell Coch is visible from the Valley Lines.

 

[30907]

Bristol Cathedral is visible - I live there and it is visible leaving Bristol westbound if you know where to look - and come to think of it, the 'spire' of Clifton Cathedral might just be visible too.

Correction noted.

 

[5562]

I don’t think Chichester Cathedral has been mentioned. I’d be very surprised if it isn’t visible from west of the station.

 

[swt_passenger]

Is Winchester Cathedral visable from the railway?

I don’t think so. The line through, and on either side of Winchester, has very little visibility towards the south.

 

[WesternBiker]

Romsey Abbey; and the castle at Llansteffan from the line at Ferryside.

 

[Rescars]

On a related topic to the OT, I wonder how many of the castles (and abbeys for that matter) which gave their names to GWR locomotives are/were not visible from the railway. As an example, Clun castle (and the rest of Clun) is miles from anywhere. Maps suggest that the nearest line was the late and much lamented Bishops Castle Railway.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Conwy Castle can definitely be seen from the railway!

and St Mary's Church can be seen passing through Conwy, that did used to be an Abbey until Edward turned up and kicked them out once the castle and walls were built to a new Abbey further up the Conwy valley

 

[DelW]

Is St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham visible? I don't think anyone has mentioned it

I very much doubt it - there are too many office buildings around it, and it's high up relative to all the railway approaches (to Snow Hill or New Street) which are at lower elevations.

 

[greyman42]

You can see the "cathedral on the hill" from the southern approaches to Newcastle.

 

[GW43125]

Guildford Cathedral is visible at the top of the hill from the north end of the station.

Easier to see if arriving from Effingham, though.

 

[Ken H]

Ingleborough in the Yorks Dales was an iron age hill fort so is really a castle. There are still remains round the summit plateau. Visible from the Settle-Carlisle and Settle Jct - Carnforth lines. Would not be surprised if it can be seen from lines further west. You can see it from near barrow in Furness, the promenade at Torrisholme/Bare (Nr Bare Ln Station). And the Isle of Man, so probably visible on a good day from the Snaefell Tramway

British camp on Herefordshire Beacon in the Malvern Hills. Another iron age hill fort. That is visible for miles, so from the Bromsgrove - Cheltenham lines and also the Worcester - Hereford line.

 

[Mordac]

Can you see Dudley castle from the Coventry to Wolvo line?

 

[Lucan]

I don’t think Chichester Cathedral has been mentioned.

The spire of Chichester Cathedral fell down in 1861 and there was a description of the event given by a man who had been on a train as it approached the city. He had been idly looking at it and could hardly believe his eyes when it vanished. So at least it was visible from the line at that time.


Another : Dolwyddelan Castle

 

[GOEdwards]

You get a view of Tewksbury Abbey across the fields around Ashchurch when heading towards Birmingham from Cheltenham.
Tenuous maybe but as you approach Hereford from the south you can see Hereford Cathedral.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Fairly sure that Caisteal Maol (a.k.a. Castle Moil), a somewhat ruined castle near Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye, can be seen across the water from a train sat at Kyle of Lochalsh station. On a non-misty day, obviously!

 

[John Luxton]

I was at Launceston Steam Railway today and Launceston Castle is briefly visible from the train.

 

[Requeststop]

I'm 9,500 miles away presently and I can't remember for sure but is St Mawes Castle visible between Falmouth Town and Falmouth Docks Stations. Certainly the line is high enough to see maybe. Unfortunately, Although Pendennis Castle is within touching distance of the Docks station, it can't be seen.

I never knew that the UK had so many castles - good thread.

 

[Falcon1200]

Caerphilly Castle cannot, I think, be seen from trains at Caerphilly station, but can from the next station north, Aber.

 

[===gricer===]

Fantastic views of Okehampton Castle on the Okehampton to Meldon Quarry line.

 

[The exile]

St Giles High Kirk can be seen from Waverley Station in Edinburgh as can the Episcopal Cathedral (can't remember its name) from the approaches to Haymarket from the west.

St Mary’s. I’m surprised you can see even the top of the crown of St Giles’ from Waverley (except possibly at the very East end) - I’d have thought the angles were wrong - unless there’s a very convenient gap. You’d have thought that having spent many hours on those platforms as a teenager I’d have known…

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Guildford Cathedral is visible at the top of the hill from the north end of the station.

Easier to see if arriving from Effingham, though.

It can also be seen from the main line between Woking and Basingstoke although it's some years since I last bothered to look for it so i don't know if tree growth has since rendered that impossible?

 

[mm333]

Canterbury Cathedral can be seen briefly from trains into Canterbury East.

You can also see what's left of Canterbury Castle as you head into Canterbury East from the London side - as it's only about 160m from the line