Buying house near a railway line in Manchester

[ESPANOL1979]

HI all,

Forgive me if this is not the correct forum. We are thinking of buying a house in Manchester (Appledore Drive) and can see on the maps a trian line runs near the road. I wondered how I found out more about pollution, times, noise ectr? I seem to be getting nowhere from network rail Any help appreciated

 

[Andy Pacer]

HI all,

Forgive me if this is not the correct forum. We are thinking of buying a house in Manchester (Appledore Drive) and can see on the maps a trian line runs near the road. I wondered how I found out more about pollution, times, noise ectr? I seem to be getting nowhere from network rail Any help appreciated

Speaking as someone who lives next to the Midland Mainline I can tell you that you soon get used to the noise.

 

[bengley]

My honest opinion is that if you're worried about noise and pollution, moving next to a railway operated solely with diesel trains is not a good idea.

It's relatively low traffic, with one passenger train per two hours at the moment. I believe this will increase at some point in the near future to multiple trains per hour in each direction.

There will also be several freight trains per day and you will also have to contend with irregular but most likely very noisy overnight works.

 

[ESPANOL1979]

My honest opinion is that if you're worried about noise and pollution, moving next to a railway operated solely with diesel trains is not a good idea.

It's relatively low traffic, with one passenger train per two hours at the moment. I believe this will increase at some point in the near future to multiple trains per hour in each direction.

TherThank you, I know nothing about trains or diesel ectr, so this is really useful. ANy idea when these works or increase will happen? Forgive my naivety!!

Speaking as someone who lives next to the Midland Mainline I can tell you that you soon get used to the noise.

My honest opinion is that if you're worried about noise and pollution, moving next to a railway operated solely with diesel trains is not a good idea.

It's relatively low traffic, with one passenger train per two hours at the moment. I believe this will increase at some point in the near future to multiple trains per hour in each direction.

There will also be several freight trains per day and you will also have to contend with irregular but most likely very noisy overnight works.

Thank you, I know nothing about trains or diesel ectr, so this is really useful. ANy idea when these works or increase will happen? Forgive my naivety!!

 

[bengley]

Works happen constantly, the railway needs maintainence. Although overnight works which will actually disturb you will be rare they will happen. Maybe a small handful of times a year.

Service increases are propsed for 2022 when I believe some express Manchester to Chester services will use this route instead of the normal route via Warrington

 

[ESPANOL1979]

Works happen constantly, the railway needs maintainence. Although overnight works which will actually disturb you will be rare they will happen. Maybe a small handful of times a year.

Service increases are propsed for 2022 when I believe some express Manchester to Chester services will use this route instead of the normal route via Warrington

Cheers, anyway I can find out times of when trains currently pass this address so I can time a visit at the same time? I am not so bothered about noise for me more for sell on issues tbh. Thank you for your guidance so far

 

[Andy Pacer]

Works happen constantly, the railway needs maintainence. Although overnight works which will actually disturb you will be rare they will happen. Maybe a small handful of times a year.

I'd definitely agree with this. We have lived here for 9 years now and the number of times I've actually been woken up and kept awake by engineering works could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Actually it is more common to find that I realise I can hear a class 66 ticking over as part of the works rather than the work itself!

 

[ESPANOL1979]

I'd definitely agree with this. We have lived here for 9 years now and the number of times I've actually been woken up and kept awake by engineering works could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Actually it is more common to find that I realise I can hear a class 66 ticking over as part of the works rather than the work itself!

Where abouts do you live if you dont mind me asking?

 

[geoffk]

In my experience, Network Rail always circulates local addresses warning them in advance about works. I've found the main disturbance is not the sound of the works trains but the use of high-powered lighting and the constant use of reversing horns by any road vehicles used on the site.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

In case it's not immediately obvious, the OP referenced a property in Appledore Drive, which is in the Baguley area of Manchester, so adjacent to the Stockport to Navigation Road section of the Manchester to Chester via Northwich line.

 

[ESPANOL1979]

In case it's not immediately obvious, the OP referenced a property in Appledore Drive, which is in the Baguley area of Manchester, so adjacent to the Stockport to Navigation Road section of the Manchester to Chester via Northwich line.

Cheers, I like to call it South West Timperley Only joking!!

 

[Andy Pacer]

In my experience, Network Rail always circulates local addresses warning them in advance about works. I've found the main disturbance is not the sound of the works trains but the use of high-powered lighting and the constant use of reversing horns by any road vehicles used on the site.

The funny thing in my experience is the times i've been disturbed are those when i've never been notified. Whenever they have sent a notification i've noticed nothing!

 

[GarethW]

I used to live next to an embankment just outside a busy station.

The train noise you get used to, since the demise of slam door stock its pretty regular and not too bad - late nite slams used to sometimes wake me up.

Engineering works are a different kettle of fish. Major scheduled work you get notice for but dont expect to sleep much at all when theyre on - you can get lucky and not have any for years or end up with three or four major ones in quick succession.

Minor works seemed to happen with increasing frequency and youd get woken up by shouting and grinding or what not.

After a good few years I got fed up and moved away.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Cheers, I like to call it South West East Timperley

Fixed that for you! Definitely Baguley though, but you never know, the local (closed since 1964?) railway station of that name in the immediate area *might* one day get re-opened!

Hopefully the forum regulars on here might be able to give you a better idea of the frequency (and type) of the likely rail traffic on the line.

 

[ESPANOL1979]

Fixed that for you! Definitely Baguley though, but you never know, the local (closed since 1964?) railway station of that name in the immediate area *might* one day get re-opened!

Hopefully the forum regulars on here might be able to give you a better idea of the frequency (and type) of the likely rail traffic on the line.

hahahahaha thanks mate!! Ill get a petition going if I buy the house, might at 15 k to the value!!

 

[Beebman]

I've lived next to the GWML near Twyford in the same house for many years. The noise has never really bothered me except that occasionally the rumble of stone trains from the Mendips has disturbed my sleep but it doesn't happen very often. The worst time was when pile-driving for OHLE supports was happening a few years ago at night, that was an incessant loud thump-thump-thump which seemed to go on for hours. However on the plus side of electrification, IETs and 387s are rather quieter than HSTs and Turbos!

 

[Tallguy]

Sound isn’t just what you can hear, it’s also what you can feel(vibration). Railway acoustics is a major subject and due to noise and vibration I would never buy a property close to a rail line. I once viewed a house that was no more than 30ft from a rail line - no mention of that on the estate agents details - when I stepped outside as a train crawled past I decided not to hang around. There is also the issue of being able to sell the property later. Look at how the values of properties hear HS2 have plummeted.

 

[The Planner]

Northenden Jn is probably good enough for a train schedule line up around where you are looking.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Northenden Jn all day on 21/02/2021

Train information at Northenden Jn all day on 21/02/2021. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Probably a few more on a weekday....

Realtime Trains | Departures from Deansgate Jn between 0001 and 2359 on 22/02/2021

Train information at Deansgate Jn between 0001 and 2359 on 22/02/2021. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Trains highlighted in white are usually passenger workings, those in blue are freight trains.

Frequency of weekday passenger trains on the Manchester/Stockport to Chester line (via Baguley and Northwich) typically hourly in normal times with additional peak hour workings. Usually 2 or 4 car diesel multiple units.

 

[DarloRich]

HI all,

Forgive me if this is not the correct forum. We are thinking of buying a house in Manchester (Appledore Drive) and can see on the maps a trian line runs near the road. I wondered how I found out more about pollution, times, noise ectr? I seem to be getting nowhere from network rail Any help appreciated

You should make such enquires as are required to satisfy your requirements through your solicitors. You should also visit the property at different times of the day to asses the noise, vibration etc. Only you know what you will consider excessive or unacceptable.

 

[ESPANOL1979]

Probably a few more on a weekday....

Realtime Trains | Departures from Deansgate Jn between 0001 and 2359 on 22/02/2021

Train information at Deansgate Jn between 0001 and 2359 on 22/02/2021. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Trains highlighted in white are usually passenger workings, those in blue are freight trains.

Frequency of weekday passenger trains on the Manchester/Stockport to Chester line (via Baguley and Northwich) typically hourly in normal times with additional peak hour workings. Usually 2 or 4 car diesel multiple units.

Cheers for this, thats great!

You should make such enquires as are required to satisfy your requirements through your solicitors. You should also visit the property at different times of the day to asses the noise, vibration etc. Only you know what you will consider excessive or unacceptable.

Thank you, of course I will do that, I jsut thought you knowledgable people would also be able to assist, which you have!

 

[WatcherZero]

A freinds recently moved next to the Southport line with a new build house backing on to the line. They say it isnt unbearable but after six weeks they still havent got used to it and still cheer the last train of the day going past.

 

[ESPANOL1979]

A freinds recently moved next to the Southport line with a new build house backing on to the line. They say it isnt unbearable but after six weeks they still havent got used to it and still cheer the last train of the day going past.

Thank you, did they say much about vibrations at all?

 

[DarloRich]

Cheers for this, thats great!


Thank you, of course I will do that, I jsut thought you knowledgable people would also be able to assist, which you have!

No worries - it is really important that you check these things. Even of satisfied raise it with your solicitor anyway just to be safe

 

[WatcherZero]

Thank you, did they say much about vibrations at all?

No only noise, but I live just over mile from the WCML with plenty of obstructions and on occasion perhaps once a week during the night you can hear a freight train as clearly as if its next door but during the day you can never hear anything, atmospherics at play I guess.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I should call on people living in nearby houses and ask them

 

[Dr Hoo]

It is possibly worth noting that there are 'serious' suggestions for adapting the line past the suburban idyll of Appledore Drive to take all container trains to and from the Trafford Park terminal (by means of new spurs around Cheadle Hulme and through the Partington area) to get them off the infamous Castlefield Corridor.

Although the idea started with Railfuture it seems to have been picked up by various other parties in the vexed 'Northern Powerhouse Rail' et al debate. See https://www.railfuture.org.uk/display2302 for a rough outline.

So a chance of half-mile-long freight trains rumbling past 24/7.

This is just the sort of thing that could spook a future sale.

 

[CrispyUK]

My property backs onto the WCML between Rugby & Coventry, with the back wall of my house (and bedroom window) around 25-30m from the nearest line. Have lived here for nearly 8 years and it generally doesn’t bother me.

I’m more likely to notice a Pendolino than a Desiro passing, although both quieter than the diesel freight trains (quite a bit for DIRFT). Engineering work can be noisy at night, or just unusual in the sounds which does wake me up sometimes. I am pretty close to a signal on the nearest line so locos/engineering trains tend to stop directly behind my house when held at that during the night which can also cause me to stir!

Think I’ve only had one letter the whole time from Network Rail as a neighbour of the railway, and it certainly didn’t coincide with any of the engineering work that’s woken me up.

I can see the tops of the trains from my home office (there’s a solid acoustic fence on the boundary) and it’s nice to notice the more interesting bits going past, like the bright colours of the PRIDE Pendolino or the occasional steam special (pre-COVID!)

 

[The Planner]

It is possibly worth noting that there are 'serious' suggestions for adapting the line past the suburban idyll of Appledore Drive to take all container trains to and from the Trafford Park terminal (by means of new spurs around Cheadle Hulme and through the Partington area) to get them off the infamous Castlefield Corridor.

Although the idea started with Railfuture it seems to have been picked up by various other parties in the vexed 'Northern Powerhouse Rail' et al debate. See https://www.railfuture.org.uk/display2302 for a rough outline.

So a chance of half-mile-long freight trains rumbling past 24/7.

This is just the sort of thing that could spook a future sale.

That, if it ever happens, is a long long way off.

 

[peteb]

Prevailing wind direction worth investigating as this carries sound far beyond properties adjacent to the line! I live 500m from a diesel line, sometimes I don't hear trains for days on end, but sometimes I hear every train. Loco hauled freight noisier than passenger and Chiltern Class 68 diesels seem far louder than anything else running, though I'm pleased to hear them!!