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Trivia: Longest Cul-de-sac single line (with no loops, connections or sidings)

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Llandudno

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Which is the longest single track cul-de-sac on the passenger network in terms of minutes and/or mileage on the network?

A dead end where there are no passing loops or stabling facilities/sidings at the end of the line.

This question intrigued me as I had reason to travel to Colne last week, honestly! and there is a very long dead end section from Rose Grove to Colne, I guess making it impossible to operate more than an hourly frequency.
 
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voyagerdude220

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I don't know the answer to your question, but I imagine Kirkham and Wesham to Blackpool South is longer distance wise compared with the distance between Rose Grove and Colne.
 

Clip

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Using the Rail miles engine for the above

Rose GRove to Colne is 7mi 9ch

Kirkham and wesham to Blackpool South is 12mi 14ch which is longer than i thought as i do it often
 

Tomnick

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Gannow Junction to Colne is just under 6½ miles, Kirkham North Jn to Blackpool South is just over 11½ miles, both beaten by Goonbarrow to Newquay (around 15 miles) and Eggesford to Barnstaple (a little under 18 miles, but only valid if the sidings are no longer there, or connected, at Barnstaple!).
 

Ianno87

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Goonbarrow Jn to Newquay.

Fishguard Harbour branch.

Pembroke Dock branch
 

Cowley

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Eggesford to Barnstaple (a little under 18 miles, but only valid if the sidings are no longer there, or connected, at Barnstaple!).
There is still a small loop and siding just south of the platform at Barnstaple station.
 

thenorthern

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Although it closed in 1972 Penrith to Keswick was about 17 miles which is quite long.
 

Iskra

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Morecambe South Junction to Heysham Port. Although 2 parallel lines, they are treat as two single lines and not connected I don't think. 6.5 miles.
 

Kendalian

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Ah, thank you. I did think there would be some reason.

Ahh, my avatar photo is finally put to good use :E

Run round loop on platform 1 at Kyle. Platform 2 on the other side of the island is accessed via ground frame and there are 2 other sidings next to it. Think there's the remains of another siding next to the run round loop.
 

randyrippley

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Morecambe South Junction to Heysham Port. Although 2 parallel lines, they are treat as two single lines and not connected I don't think. 6.5 miles.
Morecambe to Heysham was singled over 20 years ago, when the boat trains were reintroduced. At the time there were still two platforms at Heysham, now only one. But there is still a siding leading to the power stations.
Lancaster - Morecambe consists of two parallel unlinked lines, the southern of which has a ground frame at Morecambe allowing a reverse onto the Heysham single track
 

Deafdoggie

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Morecambe to Heysham was singled over 20 years ago, when the boat trains were reintroduced. At the time there were still two platforms at Heysham, now only one. But there is still a siding leading to the power stations.
Lancaster - Morecambe consists of two parallel unlinked lines, the southern of which has a ground frame at Morecambe allowing a reverse onto the Heysham single track

But there is a run round loop at Morecambe station.
 

thenorthern

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Aberystwyth to Dovey Junction is 16 miles not sure if there is any passing loops en-route.
 

randyrippley

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But there is a run round loop at Morecambe station.
only on the southernmost of the two tracks, its there to allow locomotives on the nuclear flasks to run around.
There is no linkage between the northern and southern tracks, and no link between the northern track and the Heysham line
 

imagination

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While Okehampton does have 2 platforms and a siding, one of the platforms and said siding are not accessible from Crediton and beyond that is Heritage operation only. If it counts as a result then surely that gives it a good shot at the time one if nothing else, being over half an hour in each direction (there's no connection with the Barnstaple line where the two meet either). There are quite a few ways of looking at it that would disqualify it, though.
 

pompeyfan

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The Gunislake branch comes in at just under 12 miles, 11 miles and 57 chains. I’m almost certain the MOD sidings under the Tamar are disconnected, and the reversal at Bere Alston is single track.
 

ac6000cw

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There's a loop in the middle of the branch as well as a loop at Fishguard Harbour station.

When I traveled over the line last year, and had a walk around at Fishguard Harbour, the loop there appeared to be disconnected, and the loop at Trecwyn looked somewhat out-of-use.
 

james60059

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When I traveled over the line last year, and had a walk around at Fishguard Harbour, the loop there appeared to be disconnected, and the loop at Trecwyn looked somewhat out-of-use.

The loop at FGH has been out for about 5 years now (maybe more), and Letterston Junction (the branch to Trecwyn) indeed looks like it's seen better days - probably not seen use since RNAD Trecwyn ceased using rail, not sure how long that's been though; 20+ years maybe.
 

Rhydgaled

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Still quite a 'long siding' from Tenby. Doesn't support an hourly service.
11mi 53ch from Tenby to Pembroke Dock according to RailMiles. An hourly service might just actually be technically possible, the journey time between Whitland and Tenby is 28 mins as is Pembroke Dock to Tenby, for a total of 56 mins. Recovery time would be zero however, and you'd probably need staff at Tenby to pass the token between units, there being insufficient time to use the token exchange cabinets.

And there’s a siding at Pembroke Dock IIRC.
Not anymore. The siding on the viaduct at Tenby has also been lifted, leaving just the passing loop at Tenby.

There's a loop in the middle of the branch as well as a loop at Fishguard Harbour station.
Network Rail have been removing 'spare track' all over Pembrokeshire, as well as the loop/siding at Pembroke Dock, the loops at Fishguard Harbour and Milford Haven have both been lifted. The loop at Trecwn in the middle of the Fishguard line was still there last time I checked (quite a while ago), I don't expect it's gone so that probably leaves Tenby - Pembroke Dock as the longest plain line stub in Pembrokeshire.
 

A0wen

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Would Marks Tey - Sudbury count at just over 11 miles?
 
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