Ex-railway viaducts which could be brought back into use as walking routes

[urbophile]

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/leeds-central-viaduct.249681/

One in Liverpool that could be similarly treated is the approach viaduct to the former Exchange station.

 

[JKF]

Holbeck viaduct in Leeds would make a good approach into Leeds for pedestrians/cyclists, avoiding a number of busy roads and tricky junctions. There was talk of some sort of ‘High Line‘ park some years back, but I think the possibility of rail reinstatement also exists - I have a vague recollection it was taken out of use due to Mk4 stock not being able to handle the curve near the station end, and perhaps newer stock fits? It was used as a siding from the station to stable MK4 sets until the big rebuild of the station in the early 2000s.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Holbeck viaduct in Leeds would make a good approach into Leeds for pedestrians/cyclists, avoiding a number of busy roads and tricky junctions. There was talk of some sort of ‘High Line‘ park some years back, but I think the possibility of rail reinstatement also exists - I have a vague recollection it was taken out of use due to Mk4 stock not being able to handle the curve near the station end, and perhaps newer stock fits? It was used as a siding from the station to stable MK4 sets until the big rebuild of the station in the early 2000s.

That viaduct would offer a useful segregated alignment for a tram line towards the White Rose Centre and Morley... it also runs rather conveniently past Elland Road so could be used for both football traffic and the Park&Ride... but alas that would require a bit of joined-up thinking from both the City Council and the WY Mayor's office... and a cold snap in Hell!

 

[JKF]

That viaduct would offer a useful segregated alignment for a tram line towards the White Rose Centre and Morley... it also runs rather conveniently past Elland Road so could be used for both football traffic and the Park&Ride... but alas that would require a bit of joined-up thinking from both the City Council and the WY Mayor's office... and a cold snap in Hell!

The White Rose centre is dismal though, not sure why that would be a destination, it’s not Meadowhall, though there are some quite big offices nearby. I think one of the reasons Leeds City Centre is thriving compared to other cities is because the out-of-town options are so poor (and poorly connected). I think the rail proposals envisaged was transpennine use (which is what it started out as), bypassing the cluttered station approach.

 

[YorksLad12]

Holbeck viaduct in Leeds would make a good approach into Leeds for pedestrians/cyclists, avoiding a number of busy roads and tricky junctions. There was talk of some sort of ‘High Line‘ park some years back, but I think the possibility of rail reinstatement also exists - I have a vague recollection it was taken out of use due to Mk4 stock not being able to handle the curve near the station end, and perhaps newer stock fits? It was used as a siding from the station to stable MK4 sets until the big rebuild of the station in the early 2000s.

The modern stock that's longer than the Mk4s, you mean? That stock? Apart from the maintenance of the viaduct (it's falling apart after years of non use) it's a slower route, which is one of the reasons it was taken out.

That viaduct would offer a useful segregated alignment for a tram line towards the White Rose Centre and Morley... it also runs rather conveniently past Elland Road so could be used for both football traffic and the Park&Ride... but alas that would require a bit of joined-up thinking from both the City Council and the WY Mayor's office... and a cold snap in Hell!

It doesn't run anywhere near Elland Road to be useful. If it was literally reopened right now, it would run from an embankment off Gelderd Road to a dead end outside Leeds Station, with no way to make a meaningful connection with anything non-railway at either end. It's only use would be as a viewing platform across the faded engineering spendour and a few of the busy roads of south Leeds.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The White Rose centre is dismal though, not sure why that would be a destination, it’s not Meadowhall, though there are some quite big offices nearby. I think one of the reasons Leeds City Centre is thriving compared to other cities is because the out-of-town options are so poor (and poorly connected). I think the rail proposals envisaged was transpennine use (which is what it started out as), bypassing the cluttered station approach.

I agree- but serving it with a tram would be better than giving it a station on an already congested railway route, which is what the city council decided to do! Likewise extending that same tram route to Morley Town centre would allow the poorly-sited Morley Low Station to close.
Using that viaduct for Trans-Pennine services would be fine if everything was working as intended, but would remove flexibility when things go wrong as it would only have access to the high-numbered platforms. Platform 17 is enough of a problem as it is. If it were up to me I'd divert the TP fasts to the Platform 9-11 island, which would allow the Sheffield/Nottingham semi-fasts to use P16 and thus be longer than 2-cars.

 

[Silenos]

The former Fakenham-Wells railway line, a portion of which from Wells to Walsingham is run as a narrow-gauge heritage steam line, had the next portion of track, from Walsingham to Houghton St Giles, converted to a walking/cycle route. If the route were continued beyond Houghton it would follow a section of viaduct with stunning views over unspoiled Norfolk countryside, and would potentially offer walkers and cyclists a safe route into Fakenham, separated from the surprisingly heavy and dangerous traffic on the Fakenham Road (also to the rather good pub at East Barsham). I believe the local council did consider the possibility of such an extension but nothing seems to have come of it.