Electrified Rail Lines which have either closed or are now diesel operated

[richard1976]

Swansea and Mumbles railway

 

[Rescars]

Are we allowed to include Northern Ireland locations. Part of the route of the electric Giant's Causeway Tramway has been preserved, but I understand it is worked by diesel or steam now.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Closed
Penistone to Wath

And Dinting - Penistone- Sheffield - Woodhouse

Liverpoool Overhead Railway

 

[Peterthegreat]

And Dinting - Penistone- Sheffield - Woodhouse

Liverpoool Overhead Railway

See posts 1 and 45.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Has anyone mentioned Liverpool Exchange?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Has anyone mentioned Liverpool Exchange?

Yes post #17.

 

[steamybrian]

Eastbourne Electric Tramway which closed around 1969 and was then moved to Seaton

 

[nwales58]

As the Southern Heights Light Railway has been mentioned, stretching the question that far would include the Porthmadog, Beddgelert and South Snowdon. Some of the locomotives were actually built as well as bits of bridges so it got slightly further than the Southern Heights.

 

[steamybrian]

Mentioning planned electrified lines that were started to be built but were abandoned before completion then a mention for the "Northern Heights" extension of the London Underground. Work started in the late 1930s to electrify Finsbury Park- Alexandra Palace/ Edgware. The conductor rails were laid on some sections and construction of some electrical sub stations before work stopped in 1940 due to WW2. The scheme was abandoned in the 1950s.

 

[norbitonflyer]

We nearly lost the Hythe Pier Tramway at the end of last year. Third rail, using converted WW1 battery locomotives obtained secondhand from a munitipns factory.

 

[Jagdpanther]

Harton/Westoe colliery system on South Thneside.

 

[Western Sunset]

The Southern Region electrified some sidings on the overhead, eg Hither Green and other places I've forgotten. That's why 71s had pans on the roof.
If we're talking about aborted schemes, didn't the GW plan electriication west of Taunton and the Southern planned more electrification west of Pirbright, such as long-closed routes as Ringwood - Poole via Wimborne.

 

[Ken H]

Should non-main line undertakings be included. Hellingly Hospital Railway for example. There must be other examples of electrified private sidings. Although a railway enterprise, GNoSR's Cruden Bay Hotel Tramway is presumably stretching the point somewhat.

On hospital railways, in addition to Hellingly There was:-

High Royds, Menston, W Yorks. It was a railway, not a tramway. It had a bridge under the A65 (still there). It had a connection to the Midland Railway and was standard gauge.

St Edwards Hospital, Cheddleton, Staffs. Standard gauge. 220v overhead.

Other hospitals had railways but not electrified so off topic here.

Hospital railways seem to have been a mental institution thing. Maybe it was the large size of these places and their requirements that spawned railways

 

[Rescars]

The rest of the line beyond Chessington South would certainly have been electrified, if WW2 hadn't caused construction to cease.

 

[Haywain]

About 50+ years ago I can recall an electrified railway adjacent to the Midland main line south of Bedford, near the brickworks.

 

[4SubAsociation]

Both north and South Tyneside. South went 1st in the mid 60s with the later closing by 1969 as mentioned.

Wimbledon tramlink lines where electricfied before converting to trams. Therse where the Addiscombe Line, Woodside and South Croydon Railway and the West Croydon to Wimbledon.

Folkestone harbour - i am not sure when the last Electric loco went down there. But i suspect it is pre 2001 ,some of the 3rd rail stuff was in place at closure but whether it worked is debatable.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Coulsdon North

 

[swt_passenger]

Both north and South Tyneside. South went 1st in the mid 60s with the later closing by 1969 as mentioned.

I tried to include the complete Tyneside system in post #8, but subsequent posts must have missed it so I’ve gone back and expanded my description. I think it’s quite unusual in possibly being the only ‘network’ (although small) that was de-electrified with the intention it would become diesel for its long term future.

 

[Somewhere]

There's a very short section lost from Whitechapel to the old Shoreditch (East London Line) station.

Was there? I know there was St Mary's Curve from Aldgate East to Shadwell

I am sure this has been discussed previously but here are a f
Green Park- Charing Cross (Jubilee line)

I am sure this has been discussed previously but here are a few from the South East--

London Underground-
Green Park- Charing Cross (Jubilee line)
Whitechapel-Shoreditch

Charing Cross to Green Park is still open (albeit not for passenger trains)
St Mary's Curve was Aldgate East to Shadwell, not Whitechapel to Shoreditch

 

[edwin_m]

Was there? I know there was St Mary's Curve from Aldgate East to Shadwell




Charing Cross to Green Park is still open (albeit not for passenger trains)
St Mary's Curve was Aldgate East to Shadwell, not Whitechapel to Shoreditch

The Shoreditch terminus and approaches were lost when the East London Line was re-routed via Shoreditch High Street and the old viaduct out of Broad Street. That's another closed former electrified section, Broad Street and its approaches, part of which is occupied by some 1983 tube stock in use as some kind of studio space.

 

[swt_passenger]

Was there? I know there was St Mary's Curve from Aldgate East to Shadwell


St Mary's Curve was Aldgate East to Shadwell, not Whitechapel to Shoreditch

I think you‘re covering two nearby but separate closures. The St Mary’s curve towards Shadwell was the transfer link between the main Met/District line and the separate East London line. The western portal of the tunnel (now closed) is located very near the west end of Whitechapel station, however the next open station a train could pass through was Aldgate East, after St Mary’s station itself was closed.

When @Recessio and @steamybrian mentioned Whitechapel to Shoreditch they were referring to the furthest northern section of the ELL beyond Whitechapel, and that was lost when the western part of it’s cutting was filled in to divert the Overground version of the ELL over the GEML towards the new Shoreditch High St. I would count that more as a diversion to a new adjacent station to allow through traffic, rather than a closure.

 

[Rescars]

Mention of these various links on the underground makes me wonder if any similar links have been lost during remodelling at locations like Gloucester Road Junction (e.g. fast line links to West Croydon). Am I correct in thinking that there used to be running lines linking Selhurst and Norwood Junction which are now only stabling roads, if indeed they still exist.

Presumably some electrified line has been lost now that the South London Line cannot be accessed from Victoria.

 

[swt_passenger]

Presumably some electrified line has been lost now that the South London Line cannot be accessed from Victoria.

Only a fairly insignificant 60 yards or so at the north end of platform 2 at Battersea Park. It allowed platform 3 to be extended. So the SLL as far as Battersea Park still exists. Track was also lifted through disused platform 1.

 

[steamybrian]

The Shoreditch terminus and approaches were lost when the East London Line was re-routed via Shoreditch High Street and the old viaduct out of Broad Street. That's another closed former electrified section, Broad Street and its approaches, part of which is occupied by some 1983 tube stock in use as some kind of studio space.

Reference item 79 by "Somewhere" I confirm that Broad Street to the site of former Shoreditch (North London Line ) station was closed in 1986. I was on the last train..!
Whitechapel to Shoreditch (East London line station) was originally a through line to Liverpool Street. The line beyond Shoreditch was closed in the 1960s. It was a completely separate station to the present Shoreditch High Street. I was also on the last train from Shoreditch to Whitechapel

St Marys Curve (between Aldgate East- Shadwell) was closed after LUL ceased running the ELL before NR reopened the line after upgrading.

In regard to Rescars (item 82) there used to be a direct passenger service between Selhurst and Norwood Junction but this was withdrawn in the 1980s. I agree that the route was used to extend Selhurst Depot and as far as I know it may still be possible to travel through the depot sidings.

If we are counting singling of lines then a mention for Newhaven Harbour to Seaford also Farnham to Alton which were reduced to single track in the 1980s. Also Folkestone Central to Cheriton Junction reduced from 4 to two tracks..

London Underground
Add Latimer Road- Uxbridge Road closed in the 1940s.
The first Uxbridge (Metropolitan line) station was resited in 1938 on a different alignment.

Green Park to Charing Cross was closed to passengers in 1999 but I agree that the line is still available for ECS or filming
similarly Aldwych branch was closed to passengers but the track is still in situ and has been used for filming.
"Skyfall" the James Bond film was filmed in Charing Cross (Jubilee line platforms)

An oddity
Willesden Junction- Kensington Olympia was electrified in 1914 then electric trains were suspended in 1940. Following this the conductor rails were removed.
In the 1980s conductor rails reinstated for introduction of new (reinstated?) regular service between Clapham Jn and Willesden Junction.

 

[Class15]

Would I be correct in thinking that South Acton - Kew Bridge was de-electrified at some point? I read in a book (sorry can’t remember which now) that NLL trains served Kew Bridge.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

An oddball section was third rail originally extended down towards Snow Hill Stn (London) as that was where the original substation was located to feed the lines to Holborn Viaduct when they were electrified in the 1920's. They were removed in the 1950's when the change of frequency scheme introduced a new substation at Southwark and were probably never used by an electric train.

 

[Elecman]

Half the length of Kirkby Station platform having its 3rd rail removed

 

[Irascible]

Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway ( may be stretching matters slightly! )

There were a couple of electrified power station railways, but I'm hanged if I can remember where right now.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway ( may be stretching matters slightly! )

There were a couple of electrified power station railways, but I'm hanged if I can remember where right now.

Spondon was one. One of the locomotives (dating from 1939) is preserved at Foxfield Railway. Interestingly, it had both pantograph and batteries.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Do Underground sidings count? If so White City Depot has been replaced by White City Sidings. And at the other end of the Central Line there were also sidings at Newbury Park.