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Watching sport from a train?

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TDK

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On the approach to Sutton I was with my DI many moons ago and he told me there was an emergency 5mph speed restriction past the home signal I adhered to his advice to realise he was ogling the women doing yoga in just their leotards at the adjacent gym - is that classed as sport?
 
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higthomas

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On the slow lines out of guildford, as you come squeaking round the viaduct one can get a good view of the cricket ground through the trees, there's even a few county games there each year.
 

Stan63

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In the local football I follow the railway runs right past the grounds of Troon and Irvine Victoria. My team, Beith, almost lost a midfielder when he went to retrieve a ball which had gone onto the railway line and had to dive down the embankment to escape a passing train.
 

tony6499

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The old Brighton ground at Withdean was clearly seen from the trains and many a driver started chants going when he sounded his horn going past.

In local football the grounds at Southwick and Wick both back onto the West Coastway route and the whole pitch can be clearly seen at Southwick
 

fowler9

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South Liverpools ground used to be good for watching the trains from and vice versa. It is now of course Liverpool South Parkway, it car park, building and bus terminus.
 

user15681

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I got stuck on a train once for a while between Faversham and Whitstable due to an incident, right at the area where the tracks run very close to the sea. I sat there watching some people windsurfing for a bit, before I needed the toilet so I walked all the way down the train. I then took a seat next to the toilet there and watched some golf being played on the golf course. Felt odd watching two very different sports from the same train in the same area.
 

Darren R

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I'm surprised no-one's mentioned Aintree (unless I missed it earlier when my Internet was playing silly beggars!)

It's no longer possible since the line is closed, but I remember as a kid seeing The Grand National on telly and being fascinated more by the trains parked up in the sidings alongside. I am sure there were always people on board watching from the the carriage windows (although whether they were paying punters or railway staff catching what they could from an unofficial vantage point I couldn't say!)
 

46223

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Must add - I remember the old Burnden park when the drivers of the Bolton/Bury trains would go (deliberately :lol:) slowly over the Embankment so they can catch a bit of the action way down below (must have been unique?)

Seen to good effect in the film 'The Love Match' starring Arthur Askey who plays an engine driver who stops his engine on the embankment to watch his son play football. The film was on Youtube, if it still is I'll post a link.
 

Bevan Price

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Old Trafford (the real one, Lancashire Cricket Club ground) used to be partly visible from passing trains. Not sure if recent ground improvements have left anything visible from what is now Metrolink.

Before they moved, St. Helens Town AFC ground was visible from trains a short distance from St. Helens Junction.
 

Class 92

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Shrewsbury football ground (both old and new) are by the line. Not sure if you could see inside the old one but I know you can see trains from inside the new.
 

bewildered

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IIRC, both Castleford Rugby League and Blackpool Soccer clubs were adjacent railway lines/sidings.

At Castleford, the ground was to the east of the station towards Gascoigne Wood

Indeed there is a line that runs along the back of the Southstand at Castleford. Used to live it as a kid watching the trains going past on the only time of year I was there to see classy Cas get thumped by Leeds :lol:

Other RL grounds you could see into that I've visited are Warrington (well whilst their new egg box stadium was being built), Workington town, Huddersfield giants (you can get a quick glimpse of the pitch from the right angle but you have to be quick), featherstone rovers (although it's been a while since I was there and the trees maybe covering it now), Whitehaven Town and Hunslet Hawks (although only from the Middleton railway)
 

kermit

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Old Trafford (the real one, Lancashire Cricket Club ground) used to be partly visible from passing trains. Not sure if recent ground improvements have left anything visible from what is now Metrolink.

Before they moved, St. Helens Town AFC ground was visible from trains a short distance from St. Helens Junction.

I was surprised not to see an earlier mention of Old Trafford cricket ground as a star contender. The TV broadcasts of Test Matches at Old Trafford regularly featured AM4 / Class 304 electric units in the background, at what was then Warwick Road station, now Old Trafford tram stop. From the train, I think both pitch and scoreboard were visible at times.

The question I now find myself wondering is if the earliest TV broadcasts would have captured the 1500v 1931 "Altrincham Electrics" whizzing through on the now-disused fast lines, still evident at Old Trafford?
 

Howardh

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R/e Greater Old Trafford, you can see the trains (now trams) from the stands, but not the wicket from the trams - I don't think anyway. There may have been a window of opportunity when the ground was being redeveloped at that end?
 

gnolife

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I've seen part of a North Ferriby match from inside a 180 that had been stopped by signal failure.
 

fowler9

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I think trains (?some sort of Liverpool - Southport service) run past Lytham and Birkdale golf courses, so a chance to see the Open every now and again

Doesn't go past Lytham but the Northern Line goes near to Royal Birkdale, but its Hillside Golf Club that is nearest to the train, however, you may be able to see some of Royal Birkdale just beyond. The Wirral line to West Kirby goes quite close to the Royal Liverpool golf club at Hoylake where the open is being played this year, again I just can't recall if you can quite see it, I'm not a golf buff but I know a man who is.
 

EbbwJunction1

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Here's a few:

1. The Vale of Rheidol line passes Aberystwyth Cricket Club and there's a good view of the whole ground.

2. Ludlow Racecourse is next to the line with a good view.

3. You can still have a view of part of the ground from a tram passing Old Trafford, but I doubt that it's very good since they built the new stands.

4. You can see the outside of the Liberty Stadium, Swansea (Swansea City and the Ospreys), from the line into Swansea, but very little of the ground.

5. The line to West Wales passes Gowerton Cricket and Rugby Club just after leaving the station, and there's a good view.

I'm sure that I've seen a few more, but can't remember them at the moment.

:)
 

bAzTNM

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Years ago, you could stop at Pollokshaws East (or West, can never remember) in Glasgow and look straight into Pollok FC Junior Football's stadium.
 

cjohnson

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Heading south from North Dulwich there's a good view of Herne Hill velodrome.
 

61653 HTAFC

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Back in the day, you could see Huddersfield Town training on Leeds Road playing fields (just West of Deighton, before the Firstbus depot that swallowed some of the fields up:roll:). Not 100% sure, but I have a feeling Giants use it now.

At around 1510 each Saturday, our performances this season have been such that I've noticed a Freightliner Intermodal service between the South and Riverside stands. Saw my first 70 on it just minutes after we'd beaten Leeds in autumn!

As for golf, I remember being on a 158 passing Ynyslas a few years back which was hit by a stray ball from the nearby course.
 

SeanG

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Can see Atherton Laburnum Rovers' ground from the Wigan - Manchester via Atherton (you'd never have guessed it) line; in between Hag Fold & Atherton.

You can also see Middlesbrough FC's training ground at Hurworth from the ECML on the East side, just south of Darlington
 

MidnightFlyer

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- The old Catford greyhound (I think?) track is visible from trains just north of either Catford station;
- You can see about 3 second's worth of the pitch at Ewood Park (Blackburn Rovers FC) between Blackburn and Darwen - you'd need some very good eyesight to see any detail on the pitch though!
- Stoke's Brittania Stadium is a couple of miles south of Stoke station on the WCML, you can't see inside the ground however IIRC; similar applies to Sunderland AFC's Stadium of Light between Stadium of Light and St Peter's (?)
 

Bodie

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Here are three as yet unmentioned:

Bamber Bridge FC's Irongate pitch can be viewed from passing trains. Best bet is a Blackpool South - Colne train as it will either be about to stop or just set off from the station. York trains of course don't stop so you'll be passing at a greater speed.

Two in one journey now:

If you take either a Kyle or Wick/Thurso bound 158 at Inverness you'll first pass quite high up and thus able to look down onto the pitch of Highland league Clachnacuddin FC's Grant Street Park.
If you carry on up the line as you leave Dingwall station you will see Ross County of the Premier division's ground. Pitch not nearly as visable as the two above grounds but you do get a wee sight of it, if memory serves me right.

Just to add at both Bamber Bridge's and Clachnacuddin's grounds I have passed on a train and seen players on the pitch. Think they may well have been playing the game at Bamber Bridge but just warming up at Clachnacuddin.
Actully the 1205 Kyle to Inverness train on a saturday is a good train to get for football.
It gets into Dingwall at 1400 so plenty of time to stroll across to the ground if County are at home that week.
The same train will pass Clachnacuddin at around 1430 so if their at home that week, plenty of people milling about, and as I said players warming up.
Plus by way of a hat-trick (excuse the pun) if Inverness Caley Thistle are at home you could get a move on from the station where you arrive at 1437 and just about make it time for kick-off.
Some way from the station though, sadly.
 

Antman

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I seem to recall getting a decent view of Raith Rovers ground when passing on a train.

A decent elevated view of Beckenham Town can had from the train just south of Eden Park station.

Also Berkhamsted FC from the WCML.
 

EbbwJunction1

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Here's another couple:

a. you can se the outside of Bolton Wanderers' new ground at Horwich, and there's a station there.

b. The trams go past the City of Manchester Stadium - again, an external view only.

:)
 
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