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Trivia: Last Major Railway Lines/Stations to close

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Ianno87

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Jorge Da Silva said:
A major route is one that was used for InterCity/Main Line service and/or linked major towns/cities so Woodhead (which linked Manchester and Sheffield) would count.
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More recent would be the Selby-York section of the ECML, surely, replaced by the Selby diversion to avoid mining subsidence.

Might also count the HS1 Waterloo connection, now actually disconnected at one end, I believe?
 
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Western Lord

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The former North Midland Railway between Wath Road Junction and just north of Cudworth closed in 1988, once the main line between Sheffield and Leeds.
 
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Journeyman

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Tunbridge Wells to Eridge, once part of a busy cross-country network, closed in 1985. Massively reduced in importance since the lines that connected with it closed, the DEMU depot at Tunbridge Wells West was no longer needed, the line was in a poor state of repair, and BR didn't fancy forking out to resignal the junction at the Tunbridge Wells end when the Hastings line was being electrified.

The Tunbridge Wells West site was sold off for development too.
 
RichJF

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Moorgate Thameslink branch? March 2009

Broad Street was major at one point but minor when closed in 1986
 
james60059

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The Great Central Mainline would be a contender surely with just the length that was closed (Annesley to Claydon LNE)??
 
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Journeyman

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james60059 said:
The Great Central Mainline would be a contender surely with just the length that was closed (Annesley to Claydon LNE)??
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Most of it closed in 1966. Later main line closures were Waverley Line (Jan 1969) and Woodhead (passengers Jan 1970, freight summer 1981).
 
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Western Lord said:
The former North Midland Railway between Wath Road Junction and just north of Cudworth closed in 1988, once the main line between Sheffield and Leeds.
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I seem to recall that the main routes between Sheffield and Leeds, and separately between Sheffield and York, both went through several iterations between the 1960s and the 1980s before ending up with the current pattern. Notably, it ended up with the Leeds trains now serving the main station at Wakefield Westgate, and the York trains serving Doncaster. Someone will be able to give the detailed changes. In addition to serving more useful stations, some of the routes had become infested with coal mining subsidence.
 
Dr Hoo

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Park Royal to Old Oak Common used to be the Great Western Railway main line to Birmingham from about 1910 and only closed (for HS2 works) in recent months?
 
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Ken H

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Taunton said:
I seem to recall that the main routes between Sheffield and Leeds, and separately between Sheffield and York, both went through several iterations between the 1960s and the 1980s before ending up with the current pattern. Notably, it ended up with the Leeds trains now serving the main station at Wakefield Westgate, and the York trains serving Doncaster. Someone will be able to give the detailed changes. In addition to serving more useful stations, some of the routes had become infested with coal mining subsidence.
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think it was sectorisation that did for the curdworth route. Intercity didnt want to pay for that route when it could piggy back on other lines. they also got out of Kirkgate station. and the line via Altofts. Think west yorkshire PTE were not happy at suddenly becoming prime user of the Altofts route.
 
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edwin_m

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Slightly later than that (1989ish) was the curve at Swinton which allowed cross country trains via Doncaster to stay on the ex-MR route between Aldwarke and Mexborough, ironically restoring a small part of the previous Cudworth routeing. However most of the old route stayed open for freight.
 
frodshamfella

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How about Broad Street ? I used it a few times , biggish run down terminus with just 3 x 3 car emus to Richmond peak extras to Watford, these being the only services calling at Primrose Hill, also **** now.
 
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