Disused Railways That Have The Fewest Remains

edwin_m · 12 Sep 2018

AndrewE said:
Thanks, I thought I remembered seeing it being bulldozed. A quick look at Canal St on Google Streetview show a long new viaduct supported on twin concrete columns and beams.

That section was replaced, I believe to facilitate adding an extra stop as part of the then-proposed Broadmarsh development (since scaled back and I'm fairly sure there won't be a stop). The surviving section of viaduct is between Canal Street and Station Street. But southwards from there, there is no trace of the GC until the remains of the abutments of the Trent crossing. And northwards the only above-ground remains for several miles is the tunnel portal north of Victoria Centre.

RailUK Forums

Thebaz · 12 Sep 2018

Calthrop said:
The Tralee & Dingle does seem to exert a powerful hold on people's imaginations ! Interesting that you see a lot of Castlegregory itself. The Castlegregory Jun. -- Castlegregory branch was closed completely, at the same time as withdrawal of the T & D's passenger services in spring 1939: with the Tralee -- Dingle "main line" continuing to see some degree of use for freight for the following fourteen years, I suppose that in theory, the branch had that amount of extra time for obliteration; though of course, the majority of that process throughout, will have occurred in relatively recent decades.

It's funny, I only developed an interest because my missus was once leafing through my copy of Jowett's (the first and only time she'll probably ever look at a railway book!) and suddenly exclaimed "oh look, there was a railway to Castlegregory, I didn't know about that". I also most certainly did not; I had even been there several times completely unaware of its railway history. Normally I can spot railway archaeology at a thousand paces, but unless you know exactly where to look in this part of rural Kerry, you'll never find any!

Here's a couple of recent photos of the station - it's actually pretty easy to find, being the first building as you enter the village from the south.

james60059 · 17 Sep 2018

billio said:
This thread reminds me of a personal hobby of mine. When travelling by train I try to spot locations where a closed line joined, passed over or below the line I am travelling on. In many cases this can be quite tricky, the remnants of the closed line being quite subtle and not seen so easily when flashing past at 125 mph.

You're not the only one

james60059 · 17 Sep 2018

Locally to me, the old line that ran from Hinckley to Stoke Golding (on the former N&AJR) has been obliterated through Hinckley, although the formation can be made out beyond the Tesco Hinckley Distribution Centre.

Other abandoned lines like the GC, Nuneaton & Ashby Joint Line and the MR's Leicester - Rugby line are still more or less traceable.

AndrewE · 21 Sep 2018

billio said:
This thread reminds me of a personal hobby of mine. When travelling by train I try to spot locations where a closed line joined, passed over or below the line I am travelling on. In many cases this can be quite tricky, the remnants of the closed line being quite subtle and not seen so easily when flashing past at 125 mph.

james60059 said:
You're not the only one

Me too...
The best maps that I have found (for this game) are the old 1:250 000 (1/4 inch) OS maps with light blue covers. Rail alignments shown in heavy black line, dot-and-dash for disused and dashed for lifted. The only problem is that there are loads of new roads that aren't on them, so not helping keep track of where you are!
Unfortunately they don't seem to be available on the National Museum of Scotland website, however I have replaced several old battered ones from on-line bookshops.

Graham H · 25 Nov 2018

Slightly tangent but what are the remains that appear to be an old railway line that run under the A299 in Kent just to the west of the road tunnel at Chestfield ? Take a look at the next overbridge west from the tunnel on google earth and you will see where I mean. I spotted them from the road and google earth appears to indicate a platform and a set of sidings at an angle although theres nothing on any OS map and looking back historically on google earth theres nothing visible in the 1960 scan. Certainly the sidings seemed to have tell tale sleeper indentations and I naturally assumed it was something to do with the old Whistable line. However that line is also visible on google earth a little further west after a footbridge and also marked on the OS map. Quite probably its not a railway at all but from the road and in the few seconds I had it really did look like a set of platforms, sidings and sleeper marks. The 1990 Google earth shows a slightly dark line in the same position just to the west of the minor road before the A299 was built and its definitely not a result of any road alterations. Just curious...……..

SteveT · 25 Nov 2018

Maps – it's probably been mentioned elsewhere but just in case:
https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/

AndrewE · 25 Nov 2018

Graham H said:
Slightly tangent but what are the remains that appear to be an old railway line that run under the A299 in Kent just to the west of the road tunnel at Chestfield ? .

I can't find it on the National Library of Scotland maps website yet, but as it is in the deep SE of England I would hazard a guess at wartime sidings put in for D-Day and later traffic? Lots of relatively short-lived and lightly-built capacity resulted from that era. Elsewhere in the country you find lots of disused sidings that only served individual factories.

Ken H · 25 Nov 2018

SteveT said:
Maps – it's probably been mentioned elsewhere but just in case:
https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/

or

https://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

old OS, modern OS, satellite, street view and geology as overlays or alongside

I just dragged the little yellow man onto princess st station old 1:25000 map to see what was there now!

Dr_Paul · 25 Nov 2018

I don't think it's anything to do with railways: the land slopes down to the north and rises to the south and there would have had to have been substantial earthworks, as there were on the Canterbury and Whitstable line just to the west, and there's no signs of that on the postwar 1:25 000 map either side of 133648 (my estimate of the position of the bridge under the A299).

Perhaps it's a cattle-creep, a way for farmers to take livestock under the new road. The A299 does bisect what the 25" map shows as one big field (west of Radfall Gate), and the aerial photography shows the approaches to the arch as leading to fields north and south of the new road. There's a cattle-creep under the A299 about half a mile to the west of the arch under discussion.

steamybrian · 25 Nov 2018

Graham H said:
Slightly tangent but what are the remains that appear to be an old railway line that run under the A299 in Kent just to the west of the road tunnel at Chestfield ? Take a look at the next overbridge west from the tunnel on google earth and you will see where I mean. I spotted them from the road and google earth appears to indicate a platform and a set of sidings at an angle although theres nothing on any OS map and looking back historically on google earth theres nothing visible in the 1960 scan. Certainly the sidings seemed to have tell tale sleeper indentations and I naturally assumed it was something to do with the old Whistable line. However that line is also visible on google earth a little further west after a footbridge and also marked on the OS map. Quite probably its not a railway at all but from the road and in the few seconds I had it really did look like a set of platforms, sidings and sleeper marks. The 1990 Google earth shows a slightly dark line in the same position just to the west of the minor road before the A299 was built and its definitely not a result of any road alterations. Just curious...……..

Without a precise location but in my opinion it is the remains of the Canterbury & Whitstable Line. The realigned route of the A299 cut across the trackbed which is about three quarters of a mile (1km) west of Chestfield Road Tunnel. South of the A299 there is a substantial embankment and underbridge still situ. North of the A299 about half mile of the trackbed across a field has been removed although ariel photos may still indicate its course with dark lines. None of the original station buildings or platforms on the C&W line survive today.

Dr_Paul · 25 Nov 2018

steamybrian said:
Without a precise location but in my opinion it is the remains of the Canterbury & Whitstable Line. The realigned route of the A299 cut across the trackbed which is about three quarters of a mile (1km) west of Chestfield Road Tunnel. South of the A299 there is a substantial embankment and underbridge still situ. North of the A299 about half mile of the trackbed across a field has been removed although ariel photos may still indicate its course with dark lines. None of the original station buildings or platforms on the C&W line survive today.

I'm not sure of that. I reckon that the C+W crossed the alignment of the A299 at roughly 124644 on this map. The trackbed seems to have been eradicated here with just ghostly marks remaining, it was on an embankment at this point, with a bridge over a stream. The arch in question is to the east of this, by my estimation 133648, on the road south from Chestfield, just to the south of Radfall Corner.

Train Maniac · 27 Nov 2018

Dr_Paul said:
I'm not sure of that. I reckon that the C+W crossed the alignment of the A299 at roughly 124644 on this map. The trackbed seems to have been eradicated here with just ghostly marks remaining, it was on an embankment at this point, with a bridge over a stream. The arch in question is to the east of this, by my estimation 133648, on the road south from Chestfield, just to the south of Radfall Corner.

Another great site that might be of some use to you:
http://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php

trebor79 · 28 Nov 2018

edwin_m said:
That section was replaced, I believe to facilitate adding an extra stop as part of the then-proposed Broadmarsh development (since scaled back and I'm fairly sure there won't be a stop). The surviving section of viaduct is between Canal Street and Station Street. But southwards from there, there is no trace of the GC until the remains of the abutments of the Trent crossing. And northwards the only above-ground remains for several miles is the tunnel portal north of Victoria Centre.

There's still quite a bit if you know where to look. Lots of the retaining wall of Victoria station is still extant, as is the clock tower and station hotel.
The Weekday Cross tunnel southern portal is still there, along with the engineering brick parapet. The tunnel parapet wall is also present at the north end near the entrance to the Victoria center.
The tunnel itself still exists, carrying heating pipes to the Victoria center and you can peep into it through the keyhole of a door in the car park!
Never worked out why they demolished the surviving viaduct only to replace it with a modern one in the exact same location.

duffield · 29 Nov 2018

trebor79 said:
The Weekday Cross tunnel southern portal is still there, along with the engineering brick parapet.
...
Never worked out why they demolished the surviving viaduct only to replace it with a modern one in the exact same location.
...

The Weekday Cross portal and parapet was replaced with the Nottingham Comtemporary Art Gallery quite a few years ago (it opened in 2009).

The viaduct demolition was done because at the time there was a plan to extend the Broadmarsh shopping centre in that direction to include the tram tracks and a new tram stop. This plan was later abandoned, so it's a shame it was done but it made sense at the time. Anyhow, this was what the local paper reported as far as I remember.

bramling · 29 Nov 2018

duffield said:
The Weekday Cross portal and parapet was replaced with the Nottingham Comtemporary Art Gallery quite a few years ago (it opened in 2009).

I *think* I'm right in saying that the southern portal of the tunnel is, sort of, still there - but with the new building pretty much right up against it, and with top parapet cut down slightly. Would welcome confirmation or denial of this!

Spamcan81 · 29 Nov 2018

CarltonA said:
There does not seem to be much remaining of the Aylesbury - Cheddington line. The Aylesbury Town station site has been obliterated but the route remains for a distance past the back of the prison, though far from obvious. Further away from the town centre on the far side of a newish roundabout an overgrown strip remains. The OS map shows that a lot of the formation beyond has been ploughed into adjoining fields. I've never managed to see any remains from the WCML at Cheddington.

The remains of the branch platform can be seen behind the station building.

coppercapped · 1 Dec 2018

An early railway in what is now London and of which almost all traces have completely vanished is the Surrey Iron Railway...

...but it did close in 1846!

edwin_m · 1 Dec 2018

coppercapped said:
An early railway in what is now London and of which almost all traces have completely vanished is the Surrey Iron Railway...

...but it did close in 1846!

A mile or so was incorporated into the Wimbledon-Croydon line and is now part of Tramlink.

Rob F · 5 Dec 2018

bramling said:
I *think* I'm right in saying that the southern portal of the tunnel is, sort of, still there - but with the new building pretty much right up against it, and with top parapet cut down slightly. Would welcome confirmation or denial of this!

The top of the northern portal of Sherwood Rise tunnel is still visible at the end of the filled in cutting that led to New Basford station (https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2388076).
New Basford station master's house still stands (https://www.google.com/maps/@52.978...4!1s97GEc-GJaoGIJpmX20FB2Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656), as does the one at Bulwell Common station (https://www.google.com/maps/@52.999...4!1sCwqNG8uLUpIErBbLpGxqfA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656).
Bridge parapets are visible at Kersall Drive (https://www.google.com/maps/@52.995...4!1sah_Lho-LsHjRjMiVqWmTgw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)
The base of one of the piers of Bulwell viaduct is visible on Bestwood Road (https://www.google.com/maps/@53.006...4!1sGDAQQCre_qMYU2o-T7rNng!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)

Rob F · 5 Dec 2018

A few more GCR relics in Nottingham.

This building in the Meadows is of railway origin and stood near the GCR goods shed in Queens Walk yard (https://www.google.com/maps/@52.942...4!1s4F_JjIldKW6bIrP13dR18Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656).
Some brickwork remains of the southern abutment of the bridge over Valley Road (https://www.google.com/maps/@52.984...4!1s2_P6OAF9FerYURl1lpibeQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)

Also, if you walk to the southern end of the Victoria Centre car park and look up, you find that the bridge that carried Parliament street over the railway is still extant as its girders etc are still visible. I can't find an online photo of this at the moment.

Basher · 13 Dec 2018

Train Maniac said:
Another great site that might be of some use to you:
http://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php

I have a copy of Jowets rail atlas, (its out of print now). What a book it is a great record of railway lines, sheds, junctions etc. All in colour and hand drawn.

Disused Railways That Have The Fewest Remains

Veteran Member

RailUK Forums

Member

Attachments

Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Established Member

On Moderation

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Member

Member

Member