Still think of the Leamside line whenever I'm down that way, so many wonderful diversions on Sundays during the ECML electrification works. Happy memories of peeking my head out of the HST windows going over the crossing at Fencehouses
Is that (or not) the line that brances left a little after Durham when heading south to eventually reach Stockton? I honestly can't think what that line's called if owt in particular, but it's one I've done on a diverted HST back in February 2006. Took frigging forever!
Like a lot of people, Stratford Low Level to North Woolwich is one I did. Was on the last train in and last one out too. Probably the only line I've covered that's now extinct from the regular network. Some bits and bobs like the connecting line at Norton Fitzwarren onto the West Somerset Railway (it was once on the national network, even if many years ago!) I did on that FGW charity special in 2008. Then the connection to the SVR at Kidderminster (was this indeed once part of the national network?) was on the LM 150 Farewell in 2011. Yeovil Pen Mill to Yeovil Junction on diverted FGW HSTs in December 2007 I think.
Other than that, the Oldham Loop is one I did way before closure was announced. Edinburgh Suburban Line is another, from both the Livingston direction and the Dalmeny direction. From Dalmeny on an XC HST in December 2008, from Livingston on the 2011 ALR on an XC Voyager.
Can't think of much else straight away, unless the Castle Donnington line (done wayyyyyy back in 2004) was once a passenger line. Plenty of preserved lines of course, but can't be bothered to list them all too!
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Ely avoider (though i believe there is a service on a Sunday still uses it.)
Yes, 1550 Norwich to Manchester Piccadilly or Liverpool Lime Street. Unless it's changed since I did it but it's almost always been that time give or take a couple of minutes.
I'd forgotten about that one!
Someone else mentioned Bescot to Wolverhampton, which reminds me of Oxley Curve but that may not have been ever a passenger route. Middlewich is another that comes to mind, VWC diversions in January 2009 for that one and Oxley Curve. Bescot to Wolverhampton several times for me, most recent I remember is on a VWC 221 on diversion on day 14 of the 14 day ALR in 2012.
Need to get the atlas out I think...
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