Dumfries to Stranraer.
This might reopen I read about it a wile back.
The current Stranraer line closing would be more likely, only political factors keep it going.Yes indeed.
The issue gets raised, mainly by politicians wanting their name in the papers, every now and again, but comes up against the two obstacles of a) Costing a huge amount, and b) Not serving any traffic need! The current level of service on the existing route to Stranraer should surely quash any suggestion of opening another one.
The main function of this line prior to its closure in 1965 was to carry through traffic - passenger, freight and mail - between London and the North East of England and Northern Ireland via the Stranraer-Larne ferries. Intermediate traffic was always very light and - with the exception of the three main towns (Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie and Newton Stewart) - most of the stations were miles away from the villages they purported to serve. Given the scarcity of traffic on the Girvan-Stranraer line since the re-routing of the ferries to Cairnryan, I'm afraid re-opening the 'Port Road', as it was known, would be a total non-starter. There may be a marginally-better case for re-opening Dumfries-Castle Douglas and possibly the branch to Kirkcudbright but, even then, the cost of rebuilding Tongland viaduct would almost certainly be prohibitive.Dumfries to Stranraer.
The section from Liverpool Central to Hunt's Cross is still open as part of Merseyrail and there is a good case for re-opening the short section from Hunt's Cross to Gateacre. The further north one goes from Gateacre, the less likely any re-opening. The branch line from Meols Cop to Altcar & Hillhouse via Barton and run by the L&YR not the CLC, but is equally unlikely to re-open. Much of this area is at risk of inundation in the longer-term.Liverpool Central to Southport Lord Street (and its Barton branch) (Cheshire Lines)
Adding to that, the Bentley to Bordon line in its current status - the station was a mile away from the (then) Bordon village, but a diversion to the old Oakhanger Halt on the Longmoor Military Railway. That said, even that location is very unlikely due to the terrain and the ring road being built on the former trackbed. Perhaps a new westerly approach from Alton could be considered?Basingstoke to Alton - a crazy project that never made sense, but the rails came in useful in WW1!
The main function of this line prior to its closure in 1965 was to carry through traffic - passenger, freight and mail - between London and the North East of England and Northern Ireland via the Stranraer-Larne ferries. Intermediate traffic was always very light and - with the exception of the three main towns (Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie and Newton Stewart) - most of the stations were miles away from the villages they purported to serve. Given the scarcity of traffic on the Girvan-Stranraer line since the re-routing of the ferries to Cairnryan, I'm afraid re-opening the 'Port Road', as it was known, would be a total non-starter. There may be a marginally-better case for re-opening Dumfries-Castle Douglas and possibly the branch to Kirkcudbright but, even then, the cost of rebuilding Tongland viaduct would almost certainly be prohibitive.
Lewes. There's been enough studies on it!Based on the number of past studies and nothing happening towards NR reinstatement:
-Lewis to Uckfield.
Via Ullapool + Garve? Yep, can't see that happening!Based on the number of past studies and nothing happening towards NR reinstatement:
-Lewis to Uckfield.
South Lynn to Sutton Bridge, including the bridge over the River Nene.Midland and Great Northern Joint line - a long part of the trackbed is now under the A17.
There was talk years ago of re-opening the line from Pont-y-clun (formerly Llantrisant) towards Beddau; this part of the line was extant for coal traffic to Cwm Colliery until the 1980s. See closed thread at: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/beddau-line-in-principle-welsh-first-minister.109092/Quite a few in South Wales...Trefforest-Tonteg-Llantrisant and Tonteg-Efailsaf-Barry aren't ever going to come back.
There was also a line from Cardiff via Rhydyfelen to Pontypridd that only saw one train, before GWR sued the company...? That's not coming back either.
Travelling on the A34 Winchester & Newbury bypass section recently I wondered what might have been if a Winchester Newbury Didcot line was still in place?
Huge numbers of HGVs use this route presumably many Southampton to the Midlands. Too late now to revive the old route given development but what a missed opportunity to create a Southampton docks - Midlands link via Newbury and Didcot with track alongside the A34.
The line to Beddau/Cwm has been talked about ever since it closed in 1984 (I remember the coal trains well) and any extension from Cardiff under the current proposals...I'm as optimistic as you are.There was talk years ago of re-opening the line from Pont-y-clun (formerly Llantrisant) towards Beddau; this part of the line was extant for coal traffic to Cwm Colliery until the 1980s. See closed thread at: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/beddau-line-in-principle-welsh-first-minister.109092/
The Cardiff Railway from the M4 junction 32 northwards will never be reinstated, but the section from Heath Junction to Coryton is still used for a half-hourly suburban passenger service and is in the process of being electrified (with some neutral gaps) as part of the South Wales Metro modernisation. There are suggestions to extend the service slightly further beyond Coryton to serve the new Velindre Hospital, and possibly to Radyr to provide a circular route using the City Line via Danescourt back to Cardiff Central.
For the record, the dispute about the use of the connection at Trefforest was between the Taff Vale Railway (which didn't want its coal traffic abstracted) and the Cardiff Railway, which built the then new line to Rhydyfelin with an expensive viaduct there that only ever saw 1 train.