Closed lines you have travelled on.

[Ken H]

Ilkley. The trains used to run into the trainshed that is now the Sainsbury store.

 

[341o2]

Unofficial ride on the Leighton Buzzard line out of one of Arnold's pits

 

[John Webb]

.......My memory having been jogged i can add Stratford - North Woolwich and Dover Western Docks. Both done on Network days.

I used the North Woolwich-Stratford line for regular commuting 1967-69 before changing my job. Parts of it can still be traversed by using other lines, of course!

 

[John Luxton]

Barnstaple to Meeth on Wirral Railway Circle Atlantic Coast Express - October 1979. Also covered Okehamton to Meldon - now closed again - but I did travel on that section when operated by Dartmoor Railway.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Exeter City Basin branch.
Gunnislake old station.

 

[Calthrop]

The thread continues -- plenty of fascinating and tantalising entries.

Navan-Kingscourt (not sure whether that's been lifted yet or not)

For what it's worth -- saw that line, from adjoining roads, in 2016: track still down then, but in highly-overgrown and seemingly altogether poor condition.

Mentions by @70014IronDuke #49, and @Bevan Price #74 -- of Chester Northgate to the junctions with Wrexham -- Bidston route. Have done that section, but haven't hitherto mentioned it: wasn't sure whether the line had been lifted -- did it not continue in use for freight, after passenger service withdrawn? Travelled over all that little ex-GCR system, on family holidays (we had relatives in Chester city, and others with a farm near Ness in the Wirral): once in mid-1950s, Burton Point (must have been very near the end of that station's passenger life) -- Chester Northgate, steam-hauled; and per dmu out of and into C. Northgate in 1962. @Bevan Price also mentions the Hooton -- West Kirby line; on which I would love to have travelled, but it didn't happen. Saw that line in passenger action, in summer, year I think must have been 1955: 0-4-2T on single auto-coach.

In reading through the thread, found self wondering if anyone had bagged another "theoretical" favourite of mine, in outer reaches of my childhood-and-youth patch: viz. Kettering -- Huntingdon -- St. Ives (and on to Cambridge, over a stretch which lasted longer for passenger in its own right). Has always struck me as delectable -- through depths of unspectacular but pleasant East Midlands / Fenland countryside, with three or four -- all-stations -- workings each way per day. Passenger service withdrawn June 1959: bits at the western end lasted longer for freight -- very last section I think, a metaphorical "couple" of miles out of Kettering for iron ore, until 1971. (Huntingdon -- Godmanchester also kept for freight, for a while post-1959?) I never travelled on this line (my parents were sympathetic toward my railway interest, but not to the point of making themselves slaves to my yen for line-bashing !) @70014IronDuke, I remarked upthread on your having covered various branches in that general area -- but it seems that you missed that one out of Kettering !

It has just occurred to me: rather to my surprise, have not noticed in the thread so far -- any mention of a line generally recognised as having been delightful; and a big favourite on these Forums, of zealous would-be re-openers. This being: Aberystwyth -- Carmarthen (apologies if it has featured in anyone's post, and I've missed it). To my sorrow, I never travelled on the line throughout, or at all, in its passenger days; but was able to benefit by the route's approximate southern three-fifths, plus branches, being retained for some years after 1965 passenger closure, for freight -- chiefly milk. I had the good fortune to take part on a wonderful railtour by dmu, in autumn 1968, starting and finishing in Birmingham: out and back via the Heart of Wales line, to cover the above-described remaining freight trackage. Ignoring for the purposes of this post, the "heritage" doings now happening toward the southern end of these now otherwise lifted lines: the tour traversed:-- "main line", Carmarthen to Pont Llanio; the Pencader -- Newcastle Emlyn branch; and the remaining section of the Aberayron branch -- Lampeter to, I think, Felin Fach. An unforgettable day.

 

[Bobdogs]

The thread continues -- plenty of fascinating and tantalising entries.



For what it's worth -- saw that line, from adjoining roads, in 2016: track still down then, but in highly-overgrown and seemingly altogether poor condition.

Mentions by @70014IronDuke #49, and @Bevan Price #74 -- of Chester Northgate to the junctions with Wrexham -- Bidston route. Have done that section, but haven't hitherto mentioned it: wasn't sure whether the line had been lifted -- did it not continue in use for freight, after passenger service withdrawn? Travelled over all that little ex-GCR system, on family holidays (we had relatives in Chester city, and others with a farm near Ness in the Wirral): once in mid-1950s, Burton Point (must have been very near the end of that station's passenger life) -- Chester Northgate, steam-hauled; and per dmu out of and into C. Northgate in 1962. @Bevan Price also mentions the Hooton -- West Kirby line; on which I would love to have travelled, but it didn't happen. Saw that line in passenger action, in summer, year I think must have been 1955: 0-4-2T on single auto-coach.

In reading through the thread, found self wondering if anyone had bagged another "theoretical" favourite of mine, in outer reaches of my childhood-and-youth patch: viz. Kettering -- Huntingdon -- St. Ives (and on to Cambridge, over a stretch which lasted longer for passenger in its own right). Has always struck me as delectable -- through depths of unspectacular but pleasant East Midlands / Fenland countryside, with three or four -- all-stations -- workings each way per day. Passenger service withdrawn June 1959: bits at the western end lasted longer for freight -- very last section I think, a metaphorical "couple" of miles out of Kettering for iron ore, until 1971. (Huntingdon -- Godmanchester also kept for freight, for a while post-1959?) I never travelled on this line (my parents were sympathetic toward my railway interest, but not to the point of making themselves slaves to my yen for line-bashing !) @70014IronDuke, I remarked upthread on your having covered various branches in that general area -- but it seems that you missed that one out of Kettering !

It has just occurred to me: rather to my surprise, have not noticed in the thread so far -- any mention of a line generally recognised as having been delightful; and a big favourite on these Forums, of zealous would-be re-openers. This being: Aberystwyth -- Carmarthen (apologies if it has featured in anyone's post, and I've missed it). To my sorrow, I never travelled on the line throughout, or at all, in its passenger days; but was able to benefit by the route's approximate southern three-fifths, plus branches, being retained for some years after 1965 passenger closure, for freight -- chiefly milk. I had the good fortune to take part on a wonderful railtour by dmu, in autumn 1968, starting and finishing in Birmingham: out and back via the Heart of Wales line, to cover the above-described remaining freight trackage. Ignoring for the purposes of this post, the "heritage" doings now happening toward the southern end of these now otherwise lifted lines: the tour traversed:-- "main line", Carmarthen to Pont Llanio; the Pencader -- Newcastle Emlyn branch; and the remaining section of the Aberayron branch -- Lampeter to, I think, Felin Fach. An unforgettable day.

With my dog, I regularly walk Llanerchayron (original spelling) to Aberaeron, 3 miles north of Tregaron to Aberystwyth, Pencader tunnel to Cynwyl Elfed (2 parts either side of Llanpumsaint), Cardigan to Cilgerran and Carmarthen old station to Gwilli junction.
I have also walked Haltwhistle to Lambey Viaduct, the Portsoy harbour branch/incline.
My most memorable walk was from Spey Bay across the Spey Viaduct, and then over the spectacular Cullen viaducts.

 

[Gloster]

Ignoring for the purposes of this post, the "heritage" doings now happening toward the southern end of these now otherwise lifted lines: the tour traversed:-- "main line", Carmarthen to Pont Llanio; the Pencader -- Newcastle Emlyn branch; and the remaining section of the Aberayron branch -- Lampeter to, I think, Felin Fach. An unforgettable day.

It might have been the Branch Line Society/Wirral Railway Circle’s Milk Branches Railtour of 12 September 1970, which started and finished at Cardiff General. as that is the closest I can find on Six Bells Junction.

You actually appear to have gone past Felin Fach as the milk factory was at Green Grove: a whole one mile and one chain extra.

Spellcheck, really! Cardiff Genial.

 

[70014IronDuke]

The thread continues -- plenty of fascinating and tantalising entries.

In reading through the thread, found self wondering if anyone had bagged another "theoretical" favourite of mine, in outer reaches of my childhood-and-youth patch: viz. Kettering -- Huntingdon -- St. Ives (and on to Cambridge, over a stretch which lasted longer for passenger in its own right). Has always struck me as delectable -- through depths of unspectacular but pleasant East Midlands / Fenland countryside, with three or four -- all-stations -- workings each way per day. Passenger service withdrawn June 1959: bits at the western end lasted longer for freight -- very last section I think, a metaphorical "couple" of miles out of Kettering for iron ore, until 1971. (Huntingdon -- Godmanchester also kept for freight, for a while post-1959?) I never travelled on this line (my parents were sympathetic toward my railway interest, but not to the point of making themselves slaves to my yen for line-bashing !) @70014IronDuke, I remarked upthread on your having covered various branches in that general area -- but it seems that you missed that one out of Kettering !

It closed some months before the GIR+s* chromosome became activated in my young brain, alas. And there was no special that I went on (or even heard about) while it was still extant. I suspect this was because it had a lot of restrictions on axle weight and speed because of weak bridges - Kettering used to have a small clutch of LMS 2-6-0s to work the line (464xx).

(* Get Into Railways plus steam )

I did 'do' the ironstone workings in about 1968 at a place called ... it began with a C I think - looks up google maps - Cranford, but never got a ride on the branch. I forget what worked the Ironstone mine - probably a Barclay or Peckett, I suspect. Interestingly, BR used Cl 45s to take the ironstone away, so now weak bridges on that short section of route - I suppose the ironstone went to Corby or S Wales?

As you yearn to have done Kettering - Huntingdon, I yearn to have done the lines through Towecester and on to Chelteham. Also the Cheltenham - Swindon - Southampton line.

I've just thought of some other closed lines that I've done that I don't think have been mentioned:

Blisworth - Northampton Bridge Street

Leamington Spa Avenue - Rugby.

 

[RichJF]

West Croydon - Wimbledon (when VERY young)!
Elmers End - Woodside.

 

[Bevan Price]

To continue my list.
Glasgow Buchanan Street
Glasgow St. Enoch
Fort William old station
Bridgeton Central
Paisley Canal - Elderslie - Kilmacolm
Dalry - Kilmarnock
Newcastle - Scotswood - Blaydon
ECML (Ouston Jn) - Consett
Ferryhill - Leamside - Pelaw
Grassington branch (part stil open for freight)
Filey Holiday Camp (both curves on Whitby Moors railtour)
Grimsby - Louth - Firsby South Jn
Willoughby - Mablethorpe
Lincoln St. Marks
Lincoln Central - Tuxford - Clowne - Woodhouse Jn (part still open for freight)
Little Steeping - Woodhall Jn - Lincoln Central
Honington Jn - Leadenham - Lincoln Central
Woodhouse Jn - Nottingham Victoria - Aylesbury
(Netherton) - Nottingham Victoria - Derby Friargate - Egginton Jn
Pinxton South branch.
Nottingham (M.R.) - Melton Mowbray.
Horwich branch (both curves)
(Atherton) - Dobbs Brow Jn - Hilton House - Horwich Fork Jn
Pendleton Broad St - Agecroft Jn
Salford Low Level Goods Yard
Windsor Bridge Jn - Connection to Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) railway.
(Plus tour of parts of MSC railway system)
New Mills Central - Hayfield
Manchester Central - Cheadle Heath & Stockport Tiviot Dale
Godley Jn - Stockport Tiviot Dale - Northenden Jn (parts remain for freight)
Skelton Jn - Glazebrook Jn (some disused track may remain)
Skelton Jn & Timperley - Lymm - Warrington Arpley
Warrington, Dallam branch.
Warrington Central avoiding line.
Davenport - Cheadle (LNW line)
Wrexham Central (old) - Ellesmere
Whitchurch - Ellesmere - Oswestry - Welshpool
Wrexham - Brymbo (GWR)
Gobowen - Oswestry
LLanfyllin branch
Chester - Mold - Denbigh
Mold - Coed Talon
Rhyl - Denbigh - Corwen
Prestatyn - Dyserth
Menai Bridge - Caernarfon - Afon Wen
Amlwch branch
Ruabon - Morfa Mawwdach (Barmouth Jn) (parts now heritage lines)
Bala Jn - Bala
Aberystwyth - Carmarthen.
Newcastle Emlyn branch
Aberayron branch as far as Silian Halt (I was also on the above-mentioned railtour)
Worcester - Bromyard
(Gloucester) - Grange Court - Hereford
Stourbridge Jn - Dudley - Walsall
Old Hill - Dudley
Dudley - Wolverhampton Low Level
(Oxley) - Wolverhampton Low Level - Birmingham Snow Hill

(To be continued; internet getting too slow)

 

[Ianigsy]

Another couple have come back to me.

Liverpool Exchange - used several times in its last couple of years to visit relatives in the Aintree/Fazakerley area
Up platform at Folkestone Central - was still in regular use when I lived in Canterbury in the mid-1990s.

 

[MisterSheeps]

To continue my list.

I am so jealous

 

[Calthrop]

With my dog, I regularly walk Llanerchayron (original spelling) to Aberaeron, 3 miles north of Tregaron to Aberystwyth, Pencader tunnel to Cynwyl Elfed (2 parts either side of Llanpumsaint), Cardigan to Cilgerran and Carmarthen old station to Gwilli junction.
I have also walked Haltwhistle to Lambley Viaduct, the Portsoy harbour branch/incline.
My most memorable walk was from Spey Bay across the Spey Viaduct, and then over the spectacular Cullen viaducts.

My bolding: about fifteen years ago, my brother and I walked a section of the Pennine Way -- Hawes to Haltwhistle. After our last intermediate overnight, in Alston: we continued along the Way as far as the northern terminus of the South Tynedale 60mm line on the Alston branch formation; then conceived the idea of trying carrying on northward on foot along the branch's trackbed. We were neither of us particularly young or fit; had enjoyed the Pennine Way experience, but had been coming to find the ceaseless up-and-down, wearying. In the nature of railways -- we experienced the branch trackbed (walkable essentially as though a maintained path) as so easily-graded, as to be a considerable relief for our final day's walking. We followed it (with some descending-and-ascending convolutions to get past private property near Lambley Viaduct) all the way to the southern edge of Haltwhistle town.

It might have been the Branch Line Society/Wirral Railway Circle’s Milk Branches Railtour of 12 September 1970, which started and finished at Cardiff General. as that is the closest I can find on Six Bells Junction.

You actually appear to have gone past Felin Fach as the milk factory was at Green Grove: a whole one mile and one chain extra.

Spellcheck, really! Cardiff Genial.

The tour I did, was likewise -- to the best of my recollection -- titled the Milk Branches Railtour: but, for certain, it started and finished at Birmingham, and took the HOWL both ways; and it was, equally certainly, in 1968 -- October or November -- happily, a pleasant day weather-wise. Thank you for mentioning Green Grove -- had forgotten the name, but bell now rung thereby. Sadly, "what with one thing and another" I no longer have the notes which I took in my intense line-bashing years.

It closed some months before the GIR+s* chromosome became activated in my young brain, alas. And there was no special that I went on (or even heard about) while it was still extant. I suspect this was because it had a lot of restrictions on axle weight and speed because of weak bridges - Kettering used to have a small clutch of LMS 2-6-0s to work the line (464xx).

(* Get Into Railways plus steam )

There's a thread here on "Railway History and Nostalgia", first post 6 / 12 / 2020: titled "Twywell station", with the OP wishing to know date of closure of that station (near western end of line, [probably] featuring the ironstone traffic which lasted till about fifty years ago -- Cranford, which you mention below, was the station between Kettering and Twywell). Thread carries on to become medium-long, and expands interestingly into various gen about Kettering -- Huntingdon -- St. Ives route's history, characteristics of it in its last years, and people's experiences of it. A railtour, steam-worked, is mentioned, which went as far as the branch's Thrapston (Midland Road) station: at that time, line still open for freight further east -- one reckons, to Kimbolton -- but tour did not cover this last stretch because of the weak-bridge issue. Indications in the thread that before the 464xx's were brought in, trains were worked by ER J15 0-6-0's.

I did 'do' the ironstone workings in about 1968 at a place called ... it began with a C I think - looks up google maps - Cranford, but never got a ride on the branch. I forget what worked the Ironstone mine - probably a Barclay or Peckett, I suspect. Interestingly, BR used Cl 45s to take the ironstone away, so now weak bridges on that short section of route - I suppose the ironstone went to Corby or S Wales?


As you yearn to have done Kettering - Huntingdon, I yearn to have done the lines through Towecester and on to Chelteham. Also the Cheltenham - Swindon - Southampton line.

I've just thought of some other closed lines that I've done that I don't think have been mentioned:

Blisworth - Northampton Bridge Street

Leamington Spa Avenue - Rugby.

I would have loved to do the ex-Stratford & Midland Junction lines, as above -- striking me as quintessence of lovably ridiculous English rural railways, long-distance-type (though they weren't totally without practical usefulness) -- but it was never possible: not hugely far away from my home area, but still a bit of a way from it; I learned any detail of these lines and what they were like, only a few years before their abandonment; their passenger services went in the early 1950s, way before I (born 1948) would have had any chance of sampling them.

Re Leamington -- Rugby: congratulations on that one ! The majority of that line lasted for freight, a fair while beyond its passenger closure: ex Rugby to Marton Junction, not all that far out of Leamington, where the Rugby, and Weedon, lines diverged -- trains reversed at that junction, to serve the first station along the Weedon line: Southam & Long Itchington (a cement works there, IIRC -- "something industrial", anyway). Self and some like-minded friends did a lot of freight-line travelling per brake van, by arrangement, in late '60s / early '70s -- the above, was a goal for such an exercise, but I personally never managed to achieve that one (as ever, boring "life" intervenes in various ways, and one can't do all that one would ideally like to).


@Bevan Price: you've done some marvellous and enviable stuff in North and Mid-Wales, little of which I have managed. Something which I have aired in the past on these forums: it must have been when I was aged four or five -- parents and I, based in Chester on holiday, went on a rail "land-cruise" type day excursion in North Wales; but I was of too tender years to take in details of where we were going -- just recall lovely scenery -- and the data has never been reliably recoverable. Itineraries are known, of the officially titled "North Wales Land Cruises" which ran in early / mid-1950s summers; but these seem not to jibe fully, with the little that I do remember for sure: which is that in the course of that day, we called in at Llangollen, and experienced a ride in a horse-drawn canal boat. One of various tantalising rail partial memories of mine from the '50s, re which I'd give anything to have the details filled in -- but, no way of accomplishing that!

 

[Western Sunset]

Derby Friargate - Basford North - Gedling - Colwick - Radcliffe-on-Trent (via Mapperley Tunnel)
Basford North - Nottm Victoria - Nottm London Road High Level - Netherfield
Melbourne Junction (Derby) - Sinfin - Chellaston - Chellaston Junction

 

[Gloster]

The tour I did, was likewise -- to the best of my recollection -- titled the Milk Branches Railtour: but, for certain, it started and finished at Birmingham, and took the HOWL both ways; and it was, equally certainly, in 1968 -- October or November -- happily, a pleasant day weather-wise. Thank you for mentioning Green Grove -- had forgotten the name, but bell now rung thereby. Sadly, "what with one thing and another" I no longer have the notes which I took in my intense line-bashing years.

Mea culpa. Eureka! Warwickshire Railway Society’s Central Wales Railtour on 17 November 1968 using a two-car Class 120 and a three-car Class 101. New Street-New Street and two hours late back.

 

[Calthrop]

Mea culpa. Eureka! Warwickshire Railway Society’s Central Wales Railtour on 17 November 1968 using a two-car Class 120 and a three-car Class 101. New Street-New Street and two hours late back.

But seems I'm wrong about the tour's title. Maybe these lines were universally known among the fraternity as the "milk branches" -- which "tag" would have been used a lot in general conversation ...

 

[Bevan Price]

My bolding: about fifteen years ago, my brother and I walked a section of the Pennine Way -- Hawes to Haltwhistle. After our last intermediate overnight, in Alston: we continued along the Way as far as the northern terminus of the South Tynedale 60mm line on the Alston branch formation; then conceived the idea of trying carrying on northward on foot along the branch's trackbed. We were neither of us particularly young or fit; had enjoyed the Pennine Way experience, but had been coming to find the ceaseless up-and-down, wearying. In the nature of railways -- we experienced the branch trackbed (walkable essentially as though a maintained path) as so easily-graded, as to be a considerable relief for our final day's walking. We followed it (with some descending-and-ascending convolutions to get past private property near Lambley Viaduct) all the way to the southern edge of Haltwhistle town.



The tour I did, was likewise -- to the best of my recollection -- titled the Milk Branches Railtour: but, for certain, it started and finished at Birmingham, and took the HOWL both ways; and it was, equally certainly, in 1968 -- October or November -- happily, a pleasant day weather-wise. Thank you for mentioning Green Grove -- had forgotten the name, but bell now rung thereby. Sadly, "what with one thing and another" I no longer have the notes which I took in my intense line-bashing years.



There's a thread here on "Railway History and Nostalgia", first post 6 / 12 / 2020: titled "Twywell station", with the OP wishing to know date of closure of that station (near western end of line, [probably] featuring the ironstone traffic which lasted till about fifty years ago -- Cranford, which you mention below, was the station between Kettering and Twywell). Thread carries on to become medium-long, and expands interestingly into various gen about Kettering -- Huntingdon -- St. Ives route's history, characteristics of it in its last years, and people's experiences of it. A railtour, steam-worked, is mentioned, which went as far as the branch's Thrapston (Midland Road) station: at that time, line still open for freight further east -- one reckons, to Kimbolton -- but tour did not cover this last stretch because of the weak-bridge issue. Indications in the thread that before the 464xx's were brought in, trains were worked by ER J15 0-6-0's.



I would have loved to do the ex-Stratford & Midland Junction lines, as above -- striking me as quintessence of lovably ridiculous English rural railways, long-distance-type (though they weren't totally without practical usefulness) -- but it was never possible: not hugely far away from my home area, but still a bit of a way from it; I learned any detail of these lines and what they were like, only a few years before their abandonment; their passenger services went in the early 1950s, way before I (born 1948) would have had any chance of sampling them.

Re Leamington -- Rugby: congratulations on that one ! The majority of that line lasted for freight, a fair while beyond its passenger closure: ex Rugby to Marton Junction, not all that far out of Leamington, where the Rugby, and Weedon, lines diverged -- trains reversed at that junction, to serve the first station along the Weedon line: Southam & Long Itchington (a cement works there, IIRC -- "something industrial", anyway). Self and some like-minded friends did a lot of freight-line travelling per brake van, by arrangement, in late '60s / early '70s -- the above, was a goal for such an exercise, but I personally never managed to achieve that one (as ever, boring "life" intervenes in various ways, and one can't do all that one would ideally like to).


@Bevan Price: you've done some marvellous and enviable stuff in North and Mid-Wales, little of which I have managed. Something which I have aired in the past on these forums: it must have been when I was aged four or five -- parents and I, based in Chester on holiday, went on a rail "land-cruise" type day excursion in North Wales; but I was of too tender years to take in details of where we were going -- just recall lovely scenery -- and the data has never been reliably recoverable. Itineraries are known, of the officially titled "North Wales Land Cruises" which ran in early / mid-1950s summers; but these seem not to jibe fully, with the little that I do remember for sure: which is that in the course of that day, we called in at Llangollen, and experienced a ride in a horse-drawn canal boat. One of various tantalising rail partial memories of mine from the '50s, re which I'd give anything to have the details filled in -- but, no way of accomplishing that!

I think there were several "North Wales Land Cruise" itineraries over the years. The only one I went on was Rhyl - Bangor - Afon Wen - Barmouth - Corwen - Denbigh - Rhyl, but I have vague memories about one starting at Chester; not sure which way round it went, but I have a feeling it was something like Chester - Rhyl - Corwen (reversal) - Llangollen - Ruabon - Chester (or vice versa).

 

[D6130]

Further additions to my lis (in no particular order):

Blackfriars-Holborn Viaduct
Rutherglen-London Road Goods (Dalmarnock)
Drayton Gravel Terminal (near Chichester)....should have typed that when I mentioned Lavant!
Portsmouth & Southsea High Level-Portsmouth Dockyard Unicorn Gate
Eridge-Tunbridge Wells Central
Folkestone East-Folkestone Harbour
Balloch Central-Balloch Pier
Fort William old station
Bricklayers Arms Goods branch
Thorpes Bridge Junction-Rochdale via Oldham
Manchester Victoria-Bury

 

[John Luxton]

One I forgot when I posted my earlier entry about Barnstaple to Meeth.

I also did the Woodhead Route on the Easter Tommy railtour in April 1981 and a couple of times before that on Sunday diversions.

Also travelled into the old station at Gunnislake before the line was cut back to remove the low bridge.

 

[satisnek]

There aren't many things that make me feel young these days but this thread is one of them

Anyway, digging out the battered and heavily defaced 'Rail Atlas Of Britain 1977' and going through the pages sequentially, here we go:

Gunnislake (original station)
Weymouth Tramway
Uckfield (original station)
Wimbledon - West Croydon
Holborn Viaduct
Broad Street
Stratford - North Woolwich
Merthyr Tydfil (original station)(possibly)
Pleck Junction - Round Oak (eligible?)
Wrexham Central (original station)
Calverton colliery branch (don't remember this at all, possibly railtour c1989?)
Cotgrave colliery branch (ditto)
Cornbrook Junction - Deansgate Junction (possibly)
Manchester Victoria - Bury
Oldham Loop
Leamside line

Is the curve from the New St -Wolverhampton line to the line to Stourbridge in Smethwick still there?

Yes and still used for diversions, if this hasn't been answered already.

 

[Furryanimal]

I have it on good authority that I travelled to and from Abersychan Low Level station as a young child( my grandparents lived nearby).
Don't remember it though.
It closed when I was four.
Doesn't count because the line is still there and I pass through it often,but I can vaguely remember a trip to Barry Island from Llantarnam station!

 

[jfollows]

Yes and still used for diversions, if this hasn't been answered already.

In fact it's in regular albeit infrequent use (Galton Junction - Smethwick Junction), for example today's 20:58 Hereford-Birmingham New Street (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P96021/2022-11-14/detailed).

 

[Ken H]

To continue my list.
Glasgow Buchanan Street
Glasgow St. Enoch
Fort William old station
Bridgeton Central
Paisley Canal - Elderslie - Kilmacolm
Dalry - Kilmarnock
Newcastle - Scotswood - Blaydon
ECML (Ouston Jn) - Consett
Ferryhill - Leamside - Pelaw
Grassington branch (part stil open for freight)
Filey Holiday Camp (both curves on Whitby Moors railtour)
Grimsby - Louth - Firsby South Jn
Willoughby - Mablethorpe
Lincoln St. Marks
Lincoln Central - Tuxford - Clowne - Woodhouse Jn (part still open for freight)
Little Steeping - Woodhall Jn - Lincoln Central
Honington Jn - Leadenham - Lincoln Central
Woodhouse Jn - Nottingham Victoria - Aylesbury
(Netherton) - Nottingham Victoria - Derby Friargate - Egginton Jn
Pinxton South branch.
Nottingham (M.R.) - Melton Mowbray.
Horwich branch (both curves)
(Atherton) - Dobbs Brow Jn - Hilton House - Horwich Fork Jn
Pendleton Broad St - Agecroft Jn
Salford Low Level Goods Yard
Windsor Bridge Jn - Connection to Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) railway.
(Plus tour of parts of MSC railway system)
New Mills Central - Hayfield
Manchester Central - Cheadle Heath & Stockport Tiviot Dale
Godley Jn - Stockport Tiviot Dale - Northenden Jn (parts remain for freight)
Skelton Jn - Glazebrook Jn (some disused track may remain)
Skelton Jn & Timperley - Lymm - Warrington Arpley
Warrington, Dallam branch.
Warrington Central avoiding line.
Davenport - Cheadle (LNW line)
Wrexham Central (old) - Ellesmere
Whitchurch - Ellesmere - Oswestry - Welshpool
Wrexham - Brymbo (GWR)
Gobowen - Oswestry
LLanfyllin branch
Chester - Mold - Denbigh
Mold - Coed Talon
Rhyl - Denbigh - Corwen
Prestatyn - Dyserth
Menai Bridge - Caernarfon - Afon Wen
Amlwch branch
Ruabon - Morfa Mawwdach (Barmouth Jn) (parts now heritage lines)
Bala Jn - Bala
Aberystwyth - Carmarthen.
Newcastle Emlyn branch
Aberayron branch as far as Silian Halt (I was also on the above-mentioned railtour)
Worcester - Bromyard
(Gloucester) - Grange Court - Hereford
Stourbridge Jn - Dudley - Walsall
Old Hill - Dudley
Dudley - Wolverhampton Low Level
(Oxley) - Wolverhampton Low Level - Birmingham Snow Hill

(To be continued; internet getting too slow)

Is this from memory or have you kept records?

 

[341o2]

Gunnislake, and Balloch Pier (again)
Broad St
Kings Cross York Rd to Moorgate, and the return into the main Kings Cross station
Drayton Pk to Finsbury Pk, Aldwych (LU)
James St to Central (Merseyrail)

 

[Ken H]

I am confused by Drayton Pk - Finsbury Park. Is that not the route taken by trains from Moorgate to Finsbury Park today? Or is it more complicated than that?

 

[Calthrop]

I think there were several "North Wales Land Cruise" itineraries over the years. The only one I went on was Rhyl - Bangor - Afon Wen - Barmouth - Corwen - Denbigh - Rhyl, but I have vague memories about one starting at Chester; not sure which way round it went, but I have a feeling it was something like Chester - Rhyl - Corwen (reversal) - Llangollen - Ruabon - Chester (or vice versa).

Thank you ! The one starting / finishing Chester, which you mention, would ideally fit my early-childhood experience -- going "anti-clockwise", I'd figure: I do seem to recall that the Llangollen episode was toward the latter end of the day. In my earlier seeking of people's thoughts re this memory of mine, nobody seemed to mention this Chester-based itinerary as having been on that "menu". (I'm now faced with an ethical conundrum -- can I metaphorically "red-line" Rhyl -- Denbigh -- Corwen -- Llangollen -- Ruabon, when my only geographically-pin-pointable memory of that circa 1953, is Llangollen -- the canal boat, and being on the station platform looking at the loco [no idea what class]?)

 

[PeterC]

For some reason I totally forgot Broad Street despite commuting twice a week from my job in the City to evening classes in North London.

I am sure that there are more than this and the 2 that I previously posted. Sadly the maps with all my journeys as a young man carefully plotted didn't survive divorce 30+ years ago

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Take it that many of the correspondents on here, who have been able to travel along quite so many now closed lines, will necessarily be of a certain vintage?!

 

[Ken H]

Take it that many of the correspondents on here, who have been able to travel along quite so many now closed lines, will necessarily be of a certain vintage?!

I am 66 so missed much of pre- Beeching. And living in Yorkshire explains why i managed some Yorkshire ones. But without the internet, lines just withered away un-noticed.