Trivia: Football grounds next to railway lines.

[CaptainHaddock]

On Saturday I accidentally went to see Retford FC at home to Sandiacre Town and was intrigued to find that their ground is right next to the ECML; indeed to get into the ground you have to go along a path right next to the line, separated only by a metal fence.

It set me wondering; what other football grounds are there where the trains pass so close that you can indulge in a bit of trainspotting if the match is a bit dull?


(picture shows a football match taking place while a somewhat blurred LNER Azuma whizzes by in the background).

 

[cjw714]

Unless they have recently re-developed that corner of the ground you can see Thameslink trains passing the corner of Sutton United's ground. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url...ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCPiw4ZfOvYoDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

 

[greatkingrat]

If you are up in the gods at the Emirates Stadium, you can see the ECML.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Where is that clip of a steam train going through a Football Ground?

Edit: Here it is

Google Search

Video is of a steam train going between a stand and a football pitch

 

[Mcr Warrior]

It set me wondering; what other football grounds are there where the trains pass so close that you can indulge in a bit of trainspotting if the match is a bit dull?

From the main stand at (Northern Premier League) Lancaster City's "Giant Axe" ground, you have a fairly decent view of all the trains pulling into, and out of, Lancaster station, on the West Coast mainline. Often it's a lot more interesting than the football that's on offer.


(Aerial view of Lancaster City FC with Lancaster station in background. Photo credit: "Lancaster Guardian".)

 

[newtownmgr]

Raith Rovers at Kirkcaldy is next to the railway.
Birmingham City, although not sure if you can see trains passing tho.

 

[Western 52]

The Swansea City stadium is close to Landore Viaduct, although no view of trains from inside the ground.

The new stadium at Shrewsbury is also close to the railway south of the town.

 

[CEN60]

Hamilton Accies, Falkirk, St Mirren, Ross County, Morton and Hearts are all very adjacent to the railway

 

[steamybrian]

In London-
The Den home of Millwall is next to the London Bridge to New Cross Gate line.
Stamford Bridge home of Chelsea is adjacent to the West London line.
Brentford's ground is surrounded on all four sides by railway lines.!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Where is that clip of a steam train going through a Football Ground?

Edit: Here it is

Google Search

Video is of a steam train going between a stand and a football pitch

That's some amateur club's ground in Slovakia, isn't it?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Maidenhead United's place is bang next to the GWML

Depending on who the away team is, the trains may be the best entertainment on offer

 

[CarltonA]

In days of old Bolton Wanderers were at Burndon Park right by the local line where engine crews were known to pause and watch the game.

 

[cjw714]

Exeter City's ground not only has it's own station but only has stands on three-and-a-half sides because the railways cuts across the corner of the ground. However, the railway is in a deep cutting so trains can't easily be seen from inside the ground.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Wigan's Brick Community Stadium provides distant views of the WCML from part of the West (Springfield) Stand through the open south-east corner. Likewise the stadium is visible from the west side of trains on the curve to the north of North Western Station.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Both the previous and current grounds for Rotherham are adjacent to the (different) tracks.

 

[gg1]

An interesting historic example was Man City's Hyde Road ground (their home before they moved to Maine Road), where a railway line ran between the pitch and one of the stands:

Image description: late 19th/early 20th century OS 25 inch map showing the ground and railway line.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.7&lat=53.46929&lon=-2.20893&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100

 

[Western 52]

An interesting historic example was Man City's Hyde Road ground (their home before they moved to Maine Road), where a railway line ran between the pitch and one of the stands:View attachment 171466

Image description: late 19th/early 20th century OS 25 inch map showing the ground and railway line.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.7&lat=53.46929&lon=-2.20893&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100

I wonder if trains were suspended when a match was on?!

 

[Fawkes Cat]

I wonder if trains were suspended when a match was on?!

Or were games suspended if a train was due?

 

[Saint66]

Clarence Park, the home of the mighty St Albans City (National League South) is located right next to the MML and less than a 5 minute walk from the station. The clubhouse has a direct view onto the line, and it’s not been unknown in the past for a wayward clearance to end up with the ball on the railway.

 

[gg1]

I wonder if trains were suspended when a match was on?!

Or were games suspended if a train was due?

I suspect neither, health and safety wasn't really a consideration at the time.

Best guess is the referee would temporarily stop play when a train passes through the ground.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

My beloved Park Avenue was next to and served by Horton Park station which, sadly, I never got to do as it CP 1952 apart from the odd football or Queen's visit special and CA 1955. However goods trains continued to pass until 1972 and I remember steam cascading over the low stand on the far touchline and on to the pitch.

Good non-league grounds for train spotting when your bored include North Ferriby & Warrington Rylands.

Trains pass very near to Shrewsbury Town, Wrexham, Stockport, Manchester United, Crewe Alex, Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers, ... to name just a few.

And Manchester City used to play next to the junction at Ardwick.

 

[Henffordd]

Match of the Day screened a match (must have been the FA cup) from Gay Meadow when Shrewsbury Town still played there. At half time, the camera panned up to capture a Bullied Pacific passing by.

Off topic - but it was said that a member of ground staff there would sit in a coracle on the Severn during matches to retrieve wayward balls.

 

[newtownmgr]

Match of the Day screened a match (must have been the FA cup) from Gay Meadow when Shrewsbury Town still played there. At half time, the camera panned up to capture a Bullied Pacific passing by.

Off topic - but it was said that a member of ground staff there would sit in a coracle on the Severn during matches to retrieve wayward balls.

Yes there was.

 

[Topological]

Match of the Day screened a match (must have been the FA cup) from Gay Meadow when Shrewsbury Town still played there. At half time, the camera panned up to capture a Bullied Pacific passing by.

Off topic - but it was said that a member of ground staff there would sit in a coracle on the Severn during matches to retrieve wayward balls.

I regularly look into the site of Gay Meadow on the way into Shrewsbury. In my case it is to see the old building with its large windows, because one of those windows was allegedly smashed by Preston's captain just before I started going home and away. My only trip to Gay Meadow was not so eventful for the coracle or the glaziers. The walkway back to the station was closed by then as well.

Thinking about old league cup games reminded me that Stockport is also next to the railway. The last trip there was a 5-0 win and I do remember trying to see a train as the game was a little one-sided. I cannot remember if I managed it though, Stockport has some fine ale houses.

 

[SirAlf]

Aldershot’s ground, the terrace LHS of the main stand is right next to the railway line

At Newport County’s old ground (Somerton Park) the uncovered terrace behind the goal backed straight onto the GWR main line

 

[xotGD]

Birmingham City's St Andrews ground is in very close proximity to the railway. As can be seen here:

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

www.google.co.uk

 

[MiNi]

Grimsby,Blundell Park

 

[W-on-Sea]

The east stand of Barnet's ground gives you a good unobstructed view of the Jubilee line embankment behind the opposite stand (similar in nature to the view of the GWML from Maidenhead Utd's north stand)

 

[xotGD]

Of course you can't see the Metro from St James' Park, but it is very close by.

 

[Class15]

Brentford, as mentioned above, is probably the best example, the stadium is in the middle of a triangle of railways (the Hounslow loop and the two curves towards the North London line).