Trivia : Longest stretch of disused but largely/wholly intact track?

nuneatonmark · 11 Nov 2015

I don't recall seeing anything related to this on this board so I am interested in where and how long there is any section of track that is wholly or largely intact (may or may not be traversable) that has not seen any rail traffic for at least 2 years.

RailUK Forums

thenorthern · 11 Nov 2015

Mirehouse Junction in Whitehaven to Egremont in Cumbria is quite long as was last used for goods traffic in 1980.

bramling · 11 Nov 2015

thenorthern said:
Mirehouse Junction in Whitehaven to Egremont in Cumbria is quite long as was last used for goods traffic in 1980.

That's all gone now, and the trackbed made into a cycle path.

When I explored the area, much of the Madeley Junction to Silverdale track was in place as far as Silverdale Tunnel. This would have been 4 or 5 years ago so not sure if this has since changed.

Wye Valley Junction to Tidenham still has track as well.

The Planner · 11 Nov 2015

Caldon branch should win I would have thought. Silverdale branch is a few miles long too.

DarloRich · 11 Nov 2015

subtitle: Metal thieves help yourself

LNW-GW Joint · 11 Nov 2015

Claydon to Bletchley is still there isn't it, until the E-W rebuild starts. 12 miles I think.
The Blaenau Ffestiniog-Trawsfynydd track was in situ for a long time after the power station closed, not sure what its status is (7.5 miles).
Stoke-Caldon Quarry would be 18 miles.
Madeley-Ironbridge PS will be 6 miles after the power station closes shortly.

nuneatonmark · 11 Nov 2015

Hasn't the Caldon line had the odd heritage train along it recently?

Ash Bridge · 11 Nov 2015

How much of the Leamside route that diverges from the ECML is still in situ?

LNW-GW Joint · 11 Nov 2015

nuneatonmark said:
Hasn't the Caldon line had the odd heritage train along it recently?

Yes, it's been used a few times as far as Ipstones by a combination of the Churnet Valley and Moorland and City Railways, but I don't think anything has traversed the Stoke-Leekbrook section.
I had the pleasure of being on a BR DMU excursion from Crewe along the Oakamoor/Caldon branches in I think 1971 ("The Knotty Rambler")!

Tetchytyke · 11 Nov 2015

Ash Bridge said:
How much of the Leamside route that diverges from the ECML is still in situ?

It's nearly all gone, Network Rail lifted most of it a couple of years ago following a spate of thefts.

DarloRich · 11 Nov 2015

Ash Bridge said:
How much of the Leamside route that diverges from the ECML is still in situ?

apart from a short siding at Tursdale: none

najaB · 11 Nov 2015

nuneatonmark said:
I don't recall seeing anything related to this on this board so I am interested in where and how long there is any section of track that is wholly or largely intact (may or may not be traversable) that has not seen any rail traffic for at least 2 years.

The Levenmouth branch is a four or five miles I would think.

montyburns56 · 11 Nov 2015

bramling said:
That's all gone now, and the trackbed made into a cycle path.

When I explored the area, much of the Madeley Junction to Silverdale track was in place as far as Silverdale Tunnel. This would have been 4 or 5 years ago so not sure if this has since changed.

I visited it a few months ago and the track still exists, albeit heavily overgrown.

Another line is the St Helen's to Peasley Brook branch although it's only about a mile and half long.

Cymroglan · 11 Nov 2015

The line from Gaerwen to Amlwch is still in situ as far as I can see. I've looked in on several sections over the last 12 months.

The_Numberer · 11 Nov 2015

Bootle Junction to Aintree track still there. Last used by an engineers train in 2009 I think.

Johnuk123 · 11 Nov 2015

March to Wisbech which is 7 miles is still almost completely intact.

TBSchenker · 11 Nov 2015

Poulton to the outskirts of Fleetwood (Jameson Road bridge) is all intact. But that's about 4 miles at a guess, maybe less. Last saw a train in the mid 90s.

GrimsbyPacer · 11 Nov 2015

TBSchenker said:
Poulton to the outskirts of Fleetwood (Jameson Road bridge) is all intact. But that's about 4 miles at a guess, maybe less. Last saw a train in the mid 90s.

There's been real progress on that line. Last month a road/rail engineering train ran on the line. Thornton Station is quite nice now too. Only problem is Network Rail wanting to remove the junction all of a sudden.

What about the Ollerton Branch near Mansfield?
That's long and unused.

route:oxford · 11 Nov 2015

Menstrie branch?

Jnismith · 11 Nov 2015

Is the line to Radstock still there. It was a couple of years ago.

thenorthern · 11 Nov 2015

LNW-GW Joint said:
Yes, it's been used a few times as far as Ipstones by a combination of the Churnet Valley and Moorland and City Railways, but I don't think anything has traversed the Stoke-Leekbrook section.
I had the pleasure of being on a BR DMU excursion from Crewe along the Oakamoor/Caldon branches in I think 1971 ("The Knotty Rambler")!

Stoke Junction to Leekbrook Junction was last used in 1994 I think with a special enthusiasts train.

crehld · 11 Nov 2015

bramling said:
When I explored the area, much of the Madeley Junction to Silverdale track was in place as far as Silverdale Tunnel. This would have been 4 or 5 years ago so not sure if this has since changed.

Still there!

The Planner · 12 Nov 2015

GrimsbyPacer said:
There's been real progress on that line. Last month a road/rail engineering train ran on the line. Thornton Station is quite nice now too. Only problem is Network Rail wanting to remove the junction all of a sudden.

Would hardly say it is all of a sudden, we have wanted to be able to do something with it one way or the other for a good while, the electrification and re-signalling have provided an opportunity to do that. We have kept the connection there for several years on the premise that something may happen with the branch such as re-opening for freight, nothing has materialised.

dk1 · 12 Nov 2015

Saxmundham to Leiston is currently unused. This should change dramatically during construction of Sizewell C though.

Harpers Tate · 12 Nov 2015

GrimsbyPacer said:
What about the Ollerton Branch near Mansfield?
That's long and unused.

A shade over 17 miles from Shirebrook to Fledborough (end of the track), and may well now (recently) have fallen into disuse, since the closure of Thoresby Colliery - unless there is still some residual coal traffic.

steamybrian · 12 Nov 2015

DarloRich said:
subtitle: Metal thieves help yourself

I agree...!
Is it wise to list on open forum locations of disused track in situ or any other such redundant items that thieves could remove. It is surprising what information can be found by "surfing" the net. Sections of the Leamside line and Bicester to Bletchley line were removed the past by persons unknown.

najaB · 12 Nov 2015

steamybrian said:
I agree...!
Is it wise to list on open forum locations of disused track in situ or any other such redundant items that thieves could remove.

It's hardly an official secret - you can tell that it is disused by using your eyeballs - it's fairly obvious that if there are trees growing through the trackbed that the line isn't in use.

RichardN · 12 Nov 2015

Slightly OT: Is the length of track under the roundabout at Holborough (just off the Medway valley line) still in place? Not all that long, but has never been used or even connected up.

https://goo.gl/maps/kJKmh8Lcgez

matchmaker · 12 Nov 2015

route:oxford said:
Menstrie branch?

Lifted when Stirling - Alloa reopened. Now a footway.

61653 HTAFC · 12 Nov 2015

If we're talking track miles rather than route miles, Healey Mills yard must be in with a shout!

Trivia : Longest stretch of disused but largely/wholly intact track?

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