Freight-only lines Q

DanDaDriver · 16 May 2019

duffield said:
It was used extensively for passenger services last summer during the Derby resignalling shutdown. However, there's no indication of any route retention services so it couldn't be used easily for adhoc diversions (I guess you could have a freight driver as a conductor though

EMT use it semi-regularly for ECS at night and have the odd route learner service every few months.

RailUK Forums

Scotrail84 · 16 May 2019

Highlandspring said:
The Sectional Appendix shows the York avoider (Up Slow & Down Slow) as passenger lines.

Sleepers used it last year due to possession in York station.

duffield · 16 May 2019

DanDaDriver said:
EMT use it semi-regularly for ECS at night and have the odd route learner service every few months.

Thanks, I didn't realize that.

800002 · 20 Jun 2019

It may be worth noting that any operator can apply to NR for permission to run on open Goods Lines. Subject to satisfying the assessment conditions, they can issue a Goods Line Authority. This also includes just sitting in a goods loop to allow a service past. It is how a large number of railtours are able to operate.

Somebody mentioned Kew Jn - South Acton (earlier in thread) as being freight only - it's not. It just doesn't have regular passenger traffic. It is the same with the North London Incline from the ECML upto Camden Road / St Pancras Int.

nlogax · 20 Jun 2019

Dr_Paul said:
South Acton to Kew Bridge is freight only. There was not so long back a passenger service which used it, I think it was Ipswich to Basingstoke, but this did not last long. If I recall correctly, it didn't stop at Willesden Junction, which (if I'm right) seems an odd thing to do.

The old Crosslink service, yep, was definitely a weird one. Truly a solution looking for a problem. Not surprised it didn't last very long.

matchmaker · 20 Jun 2019

Long gone now, but the Orchardhall line at Falkirk between Fouldubs Junction and Swing Bridge Junction was built solely for goods trains, to bypass Falkirk itself. Unusually for a goods only line, it was signalled Absolute Block rather than Permissive Block.

Fast Track · 20 Jun 2019

matchmaker said:
Long gone now, but the Orchardhall line at Falkirk between Fouldubs Junction and Swing Bridge Junction was built solely for goods trains, to bypass Falkirk itself. Unusually for a goods only line, it was signalled Absolute Block rather than Permissive Block.

The North Kent line to Hoo I believe became a busy freight line. Pretty bleak area not sure if any passenger services or excursions are ever run on the line though.

800002 · 20 Jun 2019

Fast Track said:
The North Kent line to Hoo I believe became a busy freight line. Pretty bleak area not sure if any passenger services or excursions are ever run on the line though.

Grain has indeed seen railtours - most recently in April 2019.

From http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/060419h.html

Saturday 6th April - "Dave Markwick Memorial Tour"
Tour Promoter: Hastings Diesels Ltd.
TOC: GBRf
DEMU: 1001
1Z60 Hastings - London Charing Cross
1Z61 London Charing Cross - Grain
1Z62 Grain - Angerstein Wharf
1Z63 Angerstein Wharf - London Charing Cross
1Z64 London Charing Cross - Hastings

It's still rather busy with aggregates and petroleum to Colnbrook (amongst others I believe).

d9009alycidon · 20 Jun 2019

Ayrshire Roy said:
Falkland junction in Ayr to Mauchline is freight only except for the very odd diversion or railtour.
Annbank junction on the above line to Killoch washery is freight only and from just south of Ayr to Chalmerston also.
The Chalmerston line is all but abondoned these days with the mines all closing.
Killoch gets very minimal traffic.

It has not been widely advertised, but the Scottish Industrial Railway Centre have been quietly restoring this branch south of their HQ at Dunaskin, they now run services on steam days to Laight farm crossing, about a mile south of the centre.

Ayrshire Roy · 20 Jun 2019

d9009alycidon said:
It has not been widely advertised, but the Scottish Industrial Railway Centre have been quietly restoring this branch south of their HQ at Dunaskin, they now run services on steam days to Laight farm crossing, about a mile south of the centre.

Yeah they mentioned it on their Facebook but not on their website the last time I checked.
They can use that section of line as it isn't owned by network rail. I think it was whatever mining company who last ran the mine that own it and lets them.
Network rail only own it as far as Dunaskin I think.

DelW · 20 Jun 2019

Chester1 said:
Tondu to Margram is freight only. Its been closed as a blockade for over a year because NR and the Welsh Government can't agree on closing it or funding maintenance. Its not signalled for passenger use anymore and its 5-15mph on very old track with plenty of plants growing between the rails. When Cardiff-Swansea electrification was planned the line was due to be upgraded for diversionary use.

Responding to an old post here, but I'd missed it first time around...
I travelled that line on a UK Railtours "Forgotten Tracks" tour around a decade or so ago. It was indeed 5mph on some stretches, IIRC the journey from the flyover above the main line at Margam to Tondu took around an hour, with lots of branches scraping down the sides of the coaches.

MatthewRead · 21 Jun 2019

GB said:
Freight only lines do exist. The Dudding Hill line in London is one such example. The standard of track and signalling are usually lower than passenger lines so passenger trains (unless empty) would not normally be allowed to run on it.

There are plans to reinstate passenger services on that line.

The Snap · 23 Jun 2019

Peak Forest line between Chinley and Buxton is entirely freight, barring a rare railtour and possibly even rarer ECS.

It’s a very busy freight line due to the quarries at Peak Dale and Tunstead. The track quality is abysmal to say the least, so passenger services are a no-no.

That said, there is due to be a purge of track renewals through there in the coming 2 years in readiness for the hugely increased stone demand from HS2...

furnessvale · 25 Jun 2019

The Snap said:
Peak Forest line between Chinley and Buxton is entirely freight, barring a rare railtour and possibly even rarer ECS.

It’s a very busy freight line due to the quarries at Peak Dale and Tunstead. The track quality is abysmal to say the least, so passenger services are a no-no.

That said, there is due to be a purge of track renewals through there in the coming 2 years in readiness for the hugely increased stone demand from HS2...

I cannot see the concrete structures connected to HS2 massively increasing the nation's demand for that product. Buxton's limestone is entirely unsuitable for use as ballast.

edwin_m · 26 Jun 2019

furnessvale said:
I cannot see the concrete structures connected to HS2 massively increasing the nation's demand for that product. Buxton's limestone is entirely unsuitable for use as ballast.

HS2, phase 1 at least, is reported to be considering slab track. So maybe more concrete and less ballast.

The Planner · 26 Jun 2019

furnessvale said:
I cannot see the concrete structures connected to HS2 massively increasing the nation's demand for that product. Buxton's limestone is entirely unsuitable for use as ballast.

There are a massive amount of structures along the route, as well as a requirement for fill etc...

The Planner · 26 Jun 2019

edwin_m said:
HS2, phase 1 at least, is reported to be considering slab track. So maybe more concrete and less ballast.

Correct

furnessvale · 26 Jun 2019

The Planner said:
There are a massive amount of structures along the route, as well as a requirement for fill etc...

Yes, but I was contrasting that with the national demand for concrete which makes HS2 small beer and certainly would not justify large expenditure at Peak Forest to get more stone trains out.

james60059 · 26 Jun 2019

Dr_Paul said:
Following out of curiosity on RTT a freight working across South Wales today, I discovered that the freight line avoiding Swansea from Briton Ferry across to Llangennech / Ponteddulais does have an occasional passenger service along it, such as a late evening Manchester to Carmarthen service and an early morning one in the opposite direction, and a Fishguard to Cardiff service in the afternoon. I wonder why they go that way and avoid Swansea, a major town.

I understand it's to retain route knowledge for TfW train crews, it was used regularly by passenger services when the line through Gowerton was redoubled a few years back and the Loughor Viaduct replaced. Of course, the outward service to Fishguard use to run that way as well when it started from Cardiff, but when Stena Line altered the ferry times in 2017, the service was recast to start from Swansea.

james60059 · 26 Jun 2019

The Leicester - Burton line is also freight only - well Knighton Junction - Bardon Hill anyway, rarely anything these days between there and Burton on Trent, got the odd railtour maybe and even every once in a while the Colas 67's on their little jolly.

Another line, think it's called the Grimsby and Immingham light railway from Immingham to Great Coates??, hardly see's any traffic but I believe was used a fair bit when a 66 derailed near Brocklesby a while back by freight services going from Immingham to points West (Immingham bound trains still went the usual route).

Freight-only lines Q

Member

RailUK Forums

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Established Member

On Moderation

Established Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Member

Member