Infrastructure that will never be used again

[90sWereBetter]

I was reading up on the history of the DLR, and discovered that the system reused an old railway viaduct between Mudchute and Island Gardens between 1987 and 1999. When the Lewisham extension was built in the late 1990s, the original stations were demolished and the line sent underground, rendering the viaduct redundant. With further developments on the Isle of Dogs, it's fairly obvious that this viaduct will never be used again by railway traffic. It got me thinking, what other major pieces of infrastructure/permanent way around Britain will never see another train service?

 

[Emblematic]

I was reading up on the history of the DLR, and discovered that the system reused an old railway viaduct between Mudchute and Island Gardens between 1987 and 1999. When the Lewisham extension was built in the late 1990s, the original stations were demolished and the line sent underground, rendering the viaduct redundant. With further developments on the Isle of Dogs, it's fairly obvious that this viaduct will never be used again by railway traffic. It got me thinking, what other major pieces of infrastructure/permanent way around Britain will never see another train service?

Unless you set some limits on size, dates etc. this is going to be a huge list! Just bridges and viaducts I can think of quite a lot.

 

[Geeves]

Added to Emblematic's post what may seem like it has no chance of ever being used again today may well come back to life in some way in the future. Tweedbank and Airdrie Bathgate come to mind, Todmorden Curve, Snow Hill Tunnels both London and Brum.

As has been said there literally thousands of bits of abandoned lines around the UK.

 

[90sWereBetter]

...yeah, I probably should've thought about some limits.

Probably best to close this thread then.

 

[pdeaves]

Just bridges and viaducts I can think of quite a lot.

... and add to that all the sold-off stations, goods sheds (and even signal boxes) for residential or commercial premises and there's probably more there than 'in use'!

 

[Emblematic]

Your (OPs) example is quite interesting though, as it's a piece of infrastructure that's been abandoned twice. Can't be too many of those around.

 

[Liam]

Your (OPs) example is quite interesting though, as it's a piece of infrastructure that's been abandoned twice. Can't be too many of those around.

Not the same piece of infrastructure, but there have been two stations on the site of the 1986 Bathgate station. Originally opened in 1849, closed some time later when a new station was opened nearby. Reopened in 1986, only to be closed in 2010 when a new Bathgate station opened.

 

[KingDaveRa]

There's two old bridges on the A4421 which carried the old Great Central. I think they're notable because they sit right where HS2 is supposed to be going, and would probably have to be demolished. However, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if they remained, and a new bridge was built next to them.

But as far as I know they've been doing little more than growing grass since the GC was closed.

 

[jopsuk]

North Woolwich station- marooned by Crossrail!

 

[yorkie]

I was reading up on the history of the DLR, and discovered that the system reused an old railway viaduct between Mudchute and Island Gardens between 1987 and 1999. When the Lewisham extension was built in the late 1990s, the original stations were demolished and the line sent underground, rendering the viaduct redundant. With further developments on the Isle of Dogs, it's fairly obvious that this viaduct will never be used again by railway traffic. It got me thinking, what other major pieces of infrastructure/permanent way around Britain will never see another train service?

How major? This viaduct is approx. 275m long; are you asking for a list of viaducts or other structures of at least this (or some other) length?

And how obvious does it have to be that they will never see another train service?

And what constitutes infrastructure/permanent way? By permanent way, presumably you don't just mean disused trackbeds? What has to be there to qualify?

Until we understand the question it is difficult to answer, but it could be a hugely extensive list, so would be difficult to know where to start!

 

[yorkie]

North Woolwich station- marooned by Crossrail!

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/n/north_woolwich/

...There is a proposal to use the station as part of a heritage line...

If that qualifies, then many of the entries at Disused Stations would qualify.

 

[Clansman]

The still intact carriage sidings and MotoRail platform a few hundred metres South of Perth station.

 

[Emblematic]

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/n/north_woolwich/

If that qualifies, then many of the entries at Disused Stations would qualify.

All the plans for North Woolwich were scuppered by Crossrail, which has taken almost all of the trackbed the heritage line intended using. The museum closed a couple of years after the station, and it's unlikely anything will happen there now. It is another twice-abandoned structure though!

 

[Ginaro]

Viaduct in Lower Largo: https://goo.gl/maps/8U3bx3qKf3P2

Unless the branch to Leven gets built and is a roaring success, somehow inspiring the rebuilding of the Fife Coast Line, it'll never be used again. Not even as a foot/cycle bridge as the west side is someone's garden, which is a shame.

 

[HSTEd]

The passenger entrance at the Tees Valley Airport Railway station.

I'll get my coat.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Great Central Bridge over M1 between Lutterworth and Leicester

 

[HowardGWR]

There's two old bridges on the A4421 which carried the old Great Central. I think they're notable because they sit right where HS2 is supposed to be going, and would probably have to be demolished. However, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if they remained, and a new bridge was built next to them.

But as far as I know they've been doing little more than growing grass since the GC was closed.

Your link actually displays a lot of railway activity, if you go back from Street View to Google Maps and choose Satellite View. What's that all about -anyone know?

update -it was Finmere station once.

 

[YorkshireBear]

North Doncaster Chord?

 

[gg1]

The 170 year old Duddeston Viaduct is worth a mention as it's never been used for it's intended purpose.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I'm fairly certain that nobody will ever walk through this doorway to catch a train ever again!

(Location is the former Cooper Bridge station on the Calder Valley line. Huddersfield's first station.)

 

[causton]

The track down to Weymouth Quay? (that is still there, right?)

 

[CyrusWuff]

Your link actually displays a lot of railway activity, if you go back from Street View to Google Maps and choose Satellite View. What's that all about -anyone know?

update -it was Finmere station once.

Now home to the Network SouthEast Railway Society, who've got 4CIG 1753, a couple of EPBs and a 73 on site.

 

[xotGD]

The wagon lifting tower in Leeds.

Dunston coal staithes.

Woodhead Tunnel.

Newton Cap viaduct - now a road.

 

[SodTheDrummer]

Clifton Viaduct - known locally as 13 Arches
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Viaduct

 

[Busaholic]

All the plans for North Woolwich were scuppered by Crossrail, which has taken almost all of the trackbed the heritage line intended using. The museum closed a couple of years after the station, and it's unlikely anything will happen there now. It is another twice-abandoned structure though!

Utterly off topic, but couldn't resist the thought that there are enough extant ex-London trolleybuses to run a heritage trolleybus service from North Woolwich to Canning Town. It could even run out of its old depot (by name, anyway) at West Ham which just happens to garage the Heritage Routemaster buses used on the 15 route.

 

[Altfish]

More interesting is rail infrastructure built that has never been used. I'll give you two: -

The bridge over the M6 Toll on the Lichfield to Brownhills line
The road overbridge in Broadheath near Altrincham over the Skelton Junction to Partington line

 

[Ianno87]

More interesting is rail infrastructure built that has never been used. I'll give you two: -

The bridge over the M6 Toll on the Lichfield to Brownhills line
The road overbridge in Broadheath near Altrincham over the Skelton Junction to Partington line

Chessington South second platform
Thamesmead branch provision at North Greenwich

 

[Rich McLean]

Cattewater Branch

 

[duffield]

More interesting is rail infrastructure built that has never been used. I'll give you two: -

The bridge over the M6 Toll on the Lichfield to Brownhills line
...

I believe there's a long-term ambition to reopen through Bronwhills and the route is being protected, and Birmingham is one of the few places with the clout to bring this sort of thing about. So it may get used eventually.

 

[gg1]

I believe there's a long-term ambition to reopen through Bronwhills and the route is being protected, and Birmingham is one of the few places with the clout to bring this sort of thing about. So it may get used eventually.

There are also a number of bridges on the Walsall to Stourbridge section of the South Staffs line which were built after the line closed to freight in the early 90s.