Heritage Rail connection with Network Rail Tracks

jonathan01n · 12 Jun 2017

I want to know is the GCR in Loughborough connected to anywhere on the Network Rail tracks. I can't see any connection of the GCR to the NR tracks on Google maps. Are the Visiting trains loaded onto a Truck and put onto the tracks every time.

Also I want to know is the NVR in Peterborough connect to everywhere on the Network Rail tracks. I can see lots of video of different trains in Diesel Gala. I wonder are they put onto a truck and put it onto the tracks at NVR too. :roll:

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DaleCooper · 12 Jun 2017

jonathan01n said:
I want to know is the GCR in Loughborough connected to anywhere on the Network Rail tracks. I can't see any connection of the GCR to the NR tracks on Google maps. Are the Visiting trains loaded onto a Truck and put onto the tracks every time.

Also I want to know is the NVR in Peterborough connect to everywhere on the Network Rail tracks. I can see lots of video of different trains in Diesel Gala. I wonder are they put onto a truck and put it onto the tracks at NVR too. :roll:

The NVR connects to the ECML about 1 mile south of Peterborough station via the Fletton branch.

jonathan01n · 12 Jun 2017

I just think that GCR is much longer, and with more rolling stock but there is no connection from it to the Midland Main Line.

takno · 12 Jun 2017

jonathan01n said:
I just think that GCR is much longer, and with more rolling stock but there is no connection from it to the Midland Main Line.

The historic connection was to the north side, and was retained by BR as far as Hotchley Hill. That link remains and serves the Great Central Railway Nottingham (currently a separate operation). There is currently a bridge being built over the Midland Main Line to reconnect the two halves, at which point both will share the Network Rail connection.

STEVIEBOY1 · 13 Jun 2017

I have been on special charter trains that have used the links connecting the ECML to the Nene Valley & GCR (North), I have also been over links joining the main lines to the Mid Hants Railway, The Paignton steam railway, the Forest of Dean Line, North Norfolk, MYMR, Midland Rail Centre, East Lancs, Severn Valley. I think the Preston Docks and Bo'Ness lines may be main line linked too as is the Bluebell Line.

edwin_m · 13 Jun 2017

takno said:
The historic connection was to the north side, and was retained by BR as far as Hotchley Hill. That link remains and serves the Great Central Railway Nottingham (currently a separate operation). There is currently a bridge being built over the Midland Main Line to reconnect the two halves, at which point both will share the Network Rail connection.

Actually this connection was only put in during the 70s after closure of the GCR to passengers. There was still a need to run freight to Hotchley Hill and the Ruddington Army depot, which was accessing via the GNR connecting curve via the old Nottingham London Road HL station, reversing in the tunnel at Weekday Cross Junction. The connection at Loughborough provided an easier route and allowed everything north of Ruddington to be sold off (and virtually wiped off the map over the next few decades).

Envoy · 13 Jun 2017

It really is a pain that so many Heritage Railways do not connect up with mainline stations. West Somerset Railway does not connect with Taunton; Llangollen Railway does not connect with Ruabon; Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway does not connect at Cheltenham - to name just three.

RichJF · 13 Jun 2017

Down in my area the Bluebell Railway has a well publicised connection through East Grinstead station.

The Spa Valley Railway runs alongside the Uckfield line for about 2 miles (using the former down line) but as far as I'm aware does not connect with Network Rail metals. This must be so frustrating for the heritage line; so close yet unconnected.

The Kent & East Sussex Railway is currently under construction to connect to Robertsbridge/Rother Valley Railway I think.

PHILIPE · 13 Jun 2017

Envoy said:
It really is a pain that so many Heritage Railways do not connect up with mainline stations. West Somerset Railway does not connect with Taunton; Llangollen Railway does not connect with Ruabon; Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway does not connect at Cheltenham - to name just three.

West Somerset Railway connects to the Main Line at Norton Fitzwarren and many special trains work through. There was intended to be a Shuttle service DMU worked between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard over last weekend in connection with a Gala but this was bustituted due to GWR being desperately short of units. DMU shuttles have worked on several occasions in the past.
Has anybody mentioned the Swanage Railway yet unless I've missed it.

broadgage · 13 Jun 2017

Envoy said:
It really is a pain that so many Heritage Railways do not connect up with mainline stations. West Somerset Railway does not connect with Taunton; Llangollen Railway does not connect with Ruabon; Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway does not connect at Cheltenham - to name just three.

I assure you that the WSR does connect with the national network near Taunton.
I have travelled from the WSR to Taunton several times, and I and many others were expecting to repeat the trip last weekend but unfortunately it was cancelled by the GWR as they had no DMU to spare.

I did travel on a WSR DMU up to the boundary between network rail and the WSR, all that prevented going further was a signal at danger and a notice, no physical blockage.

I believe that some of the visiting locomotives for the recent WSR diesel gala came by rail.
An HST used the connection recently.

A0wen · 13 Jun 2017

STEVIEBOY1 said:
I have been on special charter trains that have used the links connecting the ECML to the Nene Valley & GCR (North), I have also been over links joining the main lines to the Mid Hants Railway, The Paignton steam railway, the Forest of Dean Line, North Norfolk, MYMR, Midland Rail Centre, East Lancs, Severn Valley. I think the Preston Docks and Bo'Ness lines may be main line linked too as is the Bluebell Line.

Correct on Preston Docks and Bo'ness - also the Strathspey is connected at Aviemore.

I think the Ecclesbourne Valley at Duffield must only be about 20m of track short of a connection....

And the Keith & Dufftown are about 120 feet short according to Wikipedia...

pdeaves · 13 Jun 2017

A0wen said:
And the Keith & Dufftown are about 120 feet short according to Wikipedia...

The gap is small in the grand scheme of things but is more than 120ft (40yd). It's probably closer to 1/4 mile (unless they have relaid a lot more since I was there last summer).

DelW · 13 Jun 2017

broadgage said:
I assure you that the WSR does connect with the national network near Taunton.

I believe that some of the visiting locomotives for the recent WSR diesel gala came by rail.
An HST used the connection recently.

A lot of people don't know that... Some years ago I travelled to Minehead on a through steam special , which originated (IIRC) from Cambridge, though I joined it at Ealing Broadway. On arrival I watched the engine run round for servicing, then headed towards the exit from the station. As I did so, a woman with children walking onto the platform pointed at our train, still in the platform, and asked if it was going to Watchet. I replied, "no, it's not going anywhere until about 5 o'clock, then it's going to Cambridge via London", at which she looked at me disbelievingly, said, "there's no need to be stupid about it", and walked off in a huff.

RichmondCommu · 13 Jun 2017

RichJF said:
Down in my area the Bluebell Railway has a well publicised connection through East Grinstead station.

Which cost a fortune and a lot of time and effort but which must have made a huge difference to visitor numbers.

RichmondCommu · 13 Jun 2017

edwin_m said:
Actually this connection was only put in during the 70s after closure of the GCR to passengers. There was still a need to run freight to Hotchley Hill and the Ruddington Army depot, which was accessing via the GNR connecting curve via the old Nottingham London Road HL station, reversing in the tunnel at Weekday Cross Junction. The connection at Loughborough provided an easier route and allowed everything north of Ruddington to be sold off (and virtually wiped off the map over the next few decades).

Does freight still run up to East Leake?

45517 · 13 Jun 2017

KWVR at Keighley

Steveoh · 13 Jun 2017

RichmondCommu said:
Does freight still run up to East Leake?

Yes from time to time, not sure how often, but I do see them fairly regularly. I was lucky enough to win a trip down the mine there last year. The mining engineer told me that nearly all of their gypsum comes from mining nowadays. Indeed Ratcliffe on Soar power station doesn't look to be generating anywhere near as often as it used to. The source of DSG which was moved by rail must be reducing because of the phasing out of coal fired power stations.

D6975 · 13 Jun 2017

The Embsay and Bolton Abbey joins up with the Rylstone branch. I think the connection has been severed, but it's only a matter of a few metres missing.

On the West Somerset, when they were working on the sea defences a few years ago, there were through freights conveying boulders. The locos worked straight through, no WSR traction was used.

reddragon · 13 Jun 2017

Envoy said:
It really is a pain that so many Heritage Railways do not connect up with mainline stations. West Somerset Railway does not connect with Taunton; Llangollen Railway does not connect with Ruabon; Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway does not connect at Cheltenham - to name just three.

The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway is extending north to Broadway and hopes to connect at Honeybourne one day.

The Cheltenham connection is a lot more challenging and would need substantial external funding to connect.

Martin66 · 13 Jun 2017

Wensleydale Railway joins up with ECML at Northallerton

Weardale Railway joins national rail network at Bishop Auckland

Ploughman · 13 Jun 2017

D6975 said:
The Embsay and Bolton Abbey joins up with the Rylstone branch. I think the connection has been severed, but it's only a matter of a few metres missing.

On the West Somerset, when they were working on the sea defences a few years ago, there were through freights conveying boulders. The locos worked straight through, no WSR traction was used.

The trackwork element is not the problem, as you say its only a few metres.
The length of a new turnout and a closure panel.
The big problem is that there is currently no S+T in place and a new installation would be required.

AJM580 · 13 Jun 2017

The Mid Norfolk Railway has a link at Wymondham to the mainline (used by the odd charter train)

4141 · 13 Jun 2017

reddragon said:
The Cheltenham connection is a lot more challenging and would need substantial external funding to connect.

Sadly - and I'd love to be proved wrong - I don't think that a connection at Cheltenham will ever happen...apart from anything else, there wouldn't be anywhere at the town end to place a station, especially with a new housing development currently being built on the site of the old Malvern Road shed and sidings.

HainultLoop · 13 Jun 2017

The Bodmin & Wenford railway have a main line connection at Bodmin Parkway - the heritage trains using the same platform as the mainline diesels. Until a few years ago I belive it was also used by China clay freight. I'm not sure whether they have ever run any direct through charter trains.

They are currently advertising a visit from Tornado to the railway. I assume it will haul a charter down to Cornwall, perhaps to Penzance and then turn around back up to the Bodmin and Wenford; I think the main line connection is in the direction of Penzance.

IanXC · 14 Jun 2017

reddragon said:
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway is extending north to Broadway and hopes to connect at Honeybourne one day.

The Cheltenham connection is a lot more challenging and would need substantial external funding to connect.

Indeed. On the other hand its not far (suitable to make a walking interchange), or indeed there is a Park and Ride site at Cheltenham Racecourse, so one can use the park and ride bus in reverse.

I understand the local authority are positive towards the reinstatement, and the remaining trackbed is being protected.

reddragon · 14 Jun 2017

IanXC said:
Indeed. On the other hand its not far (suitable to make a walking interchange), or indeed there is a Park and Ride site at Cheltenham Racecourse, so one can use the park and ride bus in reverse.

I understand the local authority are positive towards the reinstatement, and the remaining trackbed is being protected.

The track bed is owned by the railway & clear down from CRC to the stadium, where it was severed in 2008 and needs a new bridge / track bed raising.

Beyond that it is a cycle path and clear to the High Street, where any station would cost at least £10m and need to be on stilts.

Beyond that the Waitrose dual carriageway severs the track bed and would require a huge bridge. Then the alignment is then encroached by a road embankment & an over bridge has been reduced to a subway. Finally, a fitness centre is on the track bed at Cheltenham Landsdown Station & a few NR electrical boxes.

I reckon the railway could make it to the High Street if a new bridge & station were externally funded, maybe via a LEP grant but through to Landsdown is not very likely. The remaining walk would be about a mile / 15 minutes.

Extending to just the Stadium is not viable as there is nowhere for a station / access / parking.

It would be easier to build a new spur directly from CRC to the NR line north of Cheltenham!

Cowley · 14 Jun 2017

reddragon said:
The track bed is owned by the railway & clear down from CRC to the stadium, where it was severed in 2008 and needs a new bridge / track bed raising.

Beyond that it is a cycle path and clear to the High Street, where any station would cost at least £10m and need to be on stilts.

Beyond that the Waitrose dual carriageway severs the track bed and would require a huge bridge. Then the alignment is then encroached by a road embankment & an over bridge has been reduced to a subway. Finally, a fitness centre is on the track bed at Cheltenham Landsdown Station & a few NR electrical boxes.

I reckon the railway could make it to the High Street if a new bridge & station were externally funded, maybe via a LEP grant but through to Landsdown is not very likely. The remaining walk would be about a mile / 15 minutes.

Extending to just the Stadium is not viable as there is nowhere for a station / access / parking.

It would be easier to build a new spur directly from CRC to the NR line north of Cheltenham!

That's well summed up, thanks for that. When you drive through Cheltenham and see the old bits of infrastructure it's easy to start thinking it could be done without too much trouble but the reality is that 40 odd years of encroachment here and there have seen any chance of it happening off by the looks of things. Also the railway would find a connection at the north end useful perhaps for bringing in railtours and maybe the odd race day special but I'm not sure it needs one at either end and they seem to be doing pretty well with what they've got really.

.

Galvanize · 14 Jun 2017

Whilst not Network Rail infrastructure as such...the Epping Ongar Railway is still connected to London Underground's Central Line just east of Epping. It has been used in 2014 at a unique event, celebrating (or perhaps, lamenting!) 20 years since LUL stopped running to Ongar, and a 1960 Stock unit was hauled/propelled by Schoma Diesels, having traversed the connection during an overnight possession.
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/331301/35212353

Also you've got the East Lancashire Railway which has a connection to Network Rail at Castleton, and a connection with the Bury Branch of the Manchester Metrolink, which had been used for Ballast trains.

pdeaves · 14 Jun 2017

The National Railway Museum sites at York and Shildon have main line connections. Do they count?

DelW · 14 Jun 2017

D6975 said:
On the West Somerset, when they were working on the sea defences a few years ago, there were through freights conveying boulders. The locos worked straight through, no WSR traction was used.

That was autumn 2010. There were WSR conductor drivers from Taunton, though one of the mainline drivers (from EWS I think) was a WSR volunteer diesel driver anyway.

Heritage Rail connection with Network Rail Tracks

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