If you could reopen fifteen UK railway lines, which would they be?

[backontrack]

Supposing you had the ability to reopen fifteen railway routes in the UK. Which would you choose?

Here are mine:

1) Workington-Darlington via Keswick, Penrith, Kirkby Stephen and Barnard Castle
2) York to Beverley via Stamford Bridge, Pocklington and Market Weighton
3) The Callander and Oban Railway:
Dunblane to Crianlarich via Callander and
Connel Ferry to Ballachulish via Creagan
4) Tweedbank to Carlisle via Melrose and Newcastleton
5) Cowdenbeath to Kinnaber Junction via Kinross and Forfar
6) Hadfield to Sheffield via Woodhead and Penistone
7) Spean Bridge to Fort Augustus vis Gairlochy and Invergarry
8) The Withered Arm:
Exeter to Okehampton, Ilfracombe, Bideford, Bude, Launceston, Bodmin, Wadebridge and Padstow
9) Foxfield to Coniston via Broughton-in-Furness and Torver
10) Clapham to Tebay via Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale
11) Thirsk to Church Fenton via Ripon, Harrogate, Wetherby and Tadcaster
12) Tweedmouth to St Boswells via Norham, Coldstream and Kelso
13) Leuchars to Thornton Junction via St Andrews, Crail and Anstruther
14) Caernarvon to Bangor via Port Dinorwic/Y Felinheli
15) Muir of Ord to Fortrose via Redcastle and Avoch

 

[yorkie]

Is this for pure nostalgia reasons? or are you asking about routes that would bring the biggest economic benefit today?

 

[Glenmutchkin]

3) The Callander and Oban Railway:
Dunblane to Crianlarich via Callander and
Connel Ferry to Ballachulish via Creagan

I think that has to count as two routes. The Withered Arm as a single route is pushing it as well. If that is acceptable then my proposal to reinstate the entire Hull & Barnsley system will still leave me with 14 picks.

County Donegal Joint in its entirety is my second choice then the whole of the Londonderry & Lough Swilly. So still twelve to go. Perhaps the Great Central next.


EDIT. How could I forget the Midland & Great Northern? That would leave me only ten more.

 

[plarailfan]

There are some definate maybe's that could do with being reinstated. The Leeds new line not far from my home, has had sprawling housing developments on and around much of its route and would play a useful role if the nearby Spen valley greenway around Heckmondwike was to be substituted for the original trackbed.
The Somerset & Dorset route from Bath to the Bournemouth area could do with making a comeback, as it would be great for both tourists and commuters.
Skipton to Colne - "they" have been talking about this for years, but nothing really seems to happen !
The borders route needs extending into Carlisle. Maybe one day.....
Finally, I doubt if the business case would stack up, the Meltham and Holmfirth branch lines that used to go off the Huddersfield to Penistone line - the Holmirth route would be popular with "summer wine" visitors and commuters, while the Meltham line would just be a relief for the rush hour commute into Huddersfield (10 mins on a train compared with around 40 mins by road - no contest)

 

[AndrewE]

I think that has to count as two routes.

Ditto Workington to Darlington...

 

[Nonsense]

Another call for the Hull and Barnsley.

The Line between Barnsley and Doncaster, through Wath and Mexbrough.

Woodhead

Glasson Dock to Lancaster

Morecambe - Greenayre - ingleton

After that I'd move on to light railways and tramways

Dearne Light Railway
Morecambe Promenade tramway
Lancaster City Tramway

And for good measure

Liverpool overhead and the Ipswich underground.

 

[306024]

Is this for pure nostalgia reasons? or are you asking about routes that would bring the biggest economic benefit today?

Not much economic benefit in some of the original list.

Witham to Maldon.

 

[Calthrop]

My fifteen, in Great Britain – purely nostalgia, making sense is not part of the deal (apart from having the chosen lines linking with regularly-passenger-served parts of the system): going approximately north-to-south.

1: Chathill – Seahouses

2: Dumfries – Stranraer

Would wish for continuing rail passenger connection Stoke-on-Trent – Leekbrook Junction (maybe Leek itself) – Waterhouses – 2’6” gauge Manifold Valley line thence to Hulme End (which I would desire greatly not to have been abandoned in 1934, but still to be with us today). This would, I feel, use up three wishes.

6 and 7 (two lines, one feels): M & GN route Peterborough – Sutton Bridge – South Lynn (connection to existing system at Kings Lynn) – Melton Constable – North Walsham – Yarmouth Beach. Plus Melton Constable – Sheringham (operated nowadays by North Norfolk Ry. between Sheringham and their new Holt station).

8: Peterborough – Northampton (sort it out with the Nene Valley folks, somehow)

9 and 10 (again, I feel, “two-for-the-price-of”): former GN / LNW partly-joint system Market Harborough – Marefield Junctions – Melton Mowbray – Bottesford Junctions; and the Marefield Juns. – Leicester Belgrave Road branch

11: Hooton – West Kirby

12: Bangor – Caernarfon – Afonwen

13: Bewdley (now SVR) – Tenbury Wells – Wooferton

14: Kemble – Tetbury

15: Ryde – Newport – Cowes in its entirety

 

[ChiefPlanner]

No mention of Carmarthen to Aberystwyth - devestated ........

 

[sprinterguy]

Some of these would be restoring passenger services over extant, but disused or freight only, infrastructure, others would trace disused formations:

Aberdeen – Peterculter (and possibly Banchory?)
Dunblane – Callander
Thornton Junction – Levenmouth
Paisley – Bridge of Weir & Kilmacolm
Tweedbank – Hawick
Penrith - Keswick
Morpeth – Ashington
Benton – Seaton Delaval - Blyth (As an extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro)
LEAMSIDE LINE: Pelaw – Fence Houses - Ferryhill
Matlock – Bakewell – Buxton/Chinley
Worksop – Maltby – Doncaster
Mansfield – Ollerton
Bangor - Caernarfon
Great Bedwyn – Marlborough
Okehampton - Bude

 

[sprinterguy]

Is this for pure nostalgia reasons? or are you asking about routes that would bring the biggest economic benefit today?

I can only assume the former with regard to that original list: Most look like an invitation to burn money and increase subsidies for the TOC in their respective areas, particularly if implemented in their entirety.

 

[gordonthemoron]

The old York-Selby line

 

[gg1]

Bourne End to High Wycombe
Stratford to Honeybourne
Stourbridge to Lichfield
Matlock to Chinley
Okehampton to Bere Alston
Bristol to Portishead
Leamside Line
Kidderminster to Bewdley (to national rail standards & shared with SVR)
Dyce to Peterhead
Uckfield to Lewes
Varsity Line
The Hawthorns to Wolverhampton (with the midland metro to be re-routed as a predominantly street running system along the the old A41)
Tweedbank to Carlisle
Wisbech to March
Poulton le Fylde to Fleetwood

 

[Scouseinmanc]

Probably not very original & some repetitions to those above, but here's my two cents worth (& apart from the first, in no particular order):

1. Liverpool Overhead Railway
2. Southport - Preston
3. Carlisle - Tweedbank
4. Hadfield - Penistone
5. Chinley - Matlock
6. Aberdeen - Ballater
7. Bath Green Park - Bournemouth
8. Buxton - Uttoxeter
9. Gateacre - Southport
10. Whitby - Scarborough
11. Shanklin - Ventnor
12. Newport - Cowes
13. Carmarthen - Aberystwyth
14. Caernarfon - Bangor
15. Barnstaple - Ilfracombe

 

[Calthrop]

No mention of Carmarthen to Aberystwyth - devestated ........

Scouseinmanc, I see, has included Carmarthen -- Aberystwyth. I'd have liked to; but, with a limit of fifteen choices... and that particular line was never much on my personal radar.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Scouseinmanc, I see, has included Carmarthen -- Aberystwyth. I'd have liked to; but, with a limit of fifteen choices... and that particular line was never much on my personal radar.

Enhance the line then, and add Lampeter to Aberaeron to make an even better case for the trunk route to Carmarthen .- passenger service withdrawn in 1951 , and even then it was a 1 car train.

 

[Calthrop]

Let's not be pikers, as the Yanks say: reopen Pencader -- Newcastle Emlyn too; bulldoze that daft preserved thing out of the way (apologies to any participants here, who may be involved with that preservation scheme ).

 

[DerekC]

Most of my favourites have gone already.

Lynton & Barnstaple
Meon Valley
Bridport branch
Isle of Wight (complete)
Isle of Man (complete)
The missing bit of Alton to Winchester
Didcot, Newbury & Southampton

 

[61653 HTAFC]

1. Heaton Lodge junction to Farnley junction (aka the Leeds New Line).
2. Hadfield to Penistone, and thence Barnsley junction to central Sheffield, saving the diversion via Barnsley.
3. Buxton to Matlock.
4. Halifax to Keighley via Queensbury, plus the arm to Bradford and the full triangle.
5. Holmfirth branch from Brockholes.
6. Taunton to Barnstaple via Wiveliscombe and Dulverton.
7. Taunton to Yeovil via Hatch Beauchamp, Ilminster and Chard.
8. The Liverpool Overhead.
9. Barnsley to Mexborough via Wath.
10. Bangor to Afon Wen.
11. Carmarthen to Aberystwyth.
12. Scarborough to Whitby.
13. Deighton to Kirkburton (just because...).
14. The Lynton and Barnstaple.
15. Bradford Crossrail er... I mean Okehampton to Bere Alston.

In no particular order.

 

[Bevan Price]

First thoughts, and excluding purely sentimental lines that would always be financial basket cases:

1. Kenyon Jn - Leigh - Eccles Jn
2. St. Helens - St. Helens Jn
3. Okehampton - Tavistock - Bere Alston (for Plymouth)
4. Barnstaple - Ilfracombe
5. Perth - Forfar - Kinnaber Jn
6. Fraserburgh and/or Peterhead branches
7. Newcastle - Ashington - Morpeth
8. Penrith - Keswick - Workington
9. Sheffield Victoria - Aylesbury (for London Marylebone)
10. Preston - Southport.
11. Leamside line.
12. Blackpool South - Central (with line re-doubled from Kirkham & electrified..)
13. Uckfield - Lewes.
14. Spalding - Grimsby (but possibly using Mablethorpe loop rather than direct line to Louth).
15. Bangor - Caernarfon.

 

[Bevan Price]

Probably not very original & some repetitions to those above, but here's my two cents worth (& apart from the first, in no particular order):

1. Liverpool Overhead Railway
2. Southport - Preston
3. Carlisle - Tweedbank
4. Hadfield - Penistone
5. Chinley - Matlock
6. Dyce - Ballater
7. Bath Green Park - Bournemouth
8. Buxton - Uttoxeter
9. Gateacre - Southport
10. Whitby - Scarborough
11. Shanklin - Ventnor
12. Newport - Cowes
13. Carmarthen - Aberystwyth
14. Caernarfon - Bangor
15. Barnstaple - Ilfracombe

The Ballater line ran from Aberdeen, not Dyce..

 

[Scouseinmanc]

The Ballater line ran from Aberdeen, not Dyce..

Thanks Bevan - edited!

 

[D60]

Shout-out for Skipton-Colne !!

 

[Harbornite]

Stratford- Honeybourne
Round Oak- Walsall
Radstock- Frome
Kingsbridge Branch
Longbridge- Old Hill
Tweedbank- Carlisle
Carmarthen- aberystwyth
Afonwen- Bangor
S&D Bath- Bournemouth
Bristol to Bath (via Mangotsfield)
Shrewsbury- Bridgnorh
Wyre forest branch
Morfa Mawddach- Ruabon

And last but not least, the Harborne branch.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Let's not be pikers, as the Yanks say: reopen Pencader -- Newcastle Emlyn too; bulldoze that daft preserved thing out of the way (apologies to any participants here, who may be involved with that preservation scheme ).

Throw in Carmarthen -Llandeilo whist we are at it ..there may well be a resurgence in the Milford Haven fish traffic for the North , now that Brexit is a reality.....could be a real economic boost...

 

[Bevan Price]

First thoughts, and excluding purely sentimental lines that would always be financial basket cases:

1. Kenyon Jn - Leigh - Eccles Jn
2. St. Helens - St. Helens Jn
3. Okehampton - Tavistock - Bere Alston (for Plymouth)
4. Barnstaple - Ilfracombe
5. Perth - Forfar - Kinnaber Jn
6. Fraserburgh and/or Peterhead branches
7. Newcastle - Ashington - Morpeth
8. Penrith - Keswick - Workington
9. Sheffield Victoria - Aylesbury (for London Marylebone)
10. Preston - Southport.
11. Leamside line.
12. Blackpool South - Central (with line re-doubled from Kirkham & electrified..)
13. Uckfield - Lewes.
14. Spalding - Grimsby (but possibly using Mablethorpe loop rather than direct line to Louth).
15. Bangor - Caernarfon.

On further thought, I would reluctantly delete 6 (Fraserburgh or Peterhead) and replace it by Chinley - Matlock, and I would amend 9 to start back from Hadfield.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I know that it wasn't closed by Beeching, but nobody's mentioned the Mumbles Railway.

(Ducks, puts steel helmet on and runs for cover!!)

 

[nw1]

Based on what I know, which is mostly - but not exclusively - biased towards my local area, not the whole country...

1. Wareham to Swanage (dual-use 'normal' and heritage line)
2. Alton to Winchester (ditto)
3. Romsey-Andover-Marlborough-Swindon
4. Poole-Salisbury (admittedly not the most sensible route these days, a line following the A338 all the way would make more sense)
5. The Somerset and Dorset
6. Totton-Hythe
7. Guildford-Cranleigh-Horsham
8. Bridport branch, but with all trains running to Weymouth (see thread a couple of weeks back)
9. Brockenhurst-Ringwood-Poole (the old Weymouth line)
10. Penrith-Keswick
11. Route through Llangollen and Bala
12. Buxton to Matlock
13. Bourne End to High Wycombe
14. Porthmadog-Caernarfon-Bangor
15. Dumfries to Stranraer

 

[LWB]

Oh come on! Does no one want Foxfield to Coniston, Haverthwaite to Plumpton or Otley to Arthington, Clapham to WCML, Arnside to Hincaster Jn, Harrogate to Lofthouse in Nidderdale, Wennington to Green Eyre. I keep banging on about these but they have merit, two touristy and one commutor the rest train setty. I always thought that Bradford needed a Crossrail type project.

 

[gg1]

Clapham to WCML

????

Isn't that the (very much open) West London line?