Lines That Have Closed Since 1970

[NorthernSpirit]

Gelderd Road Junc to Leeds station via the direct 'viaduct' route - closed upon ECML electrification.

That route should have never closed. It should have been reduced to a couple of parly's a day which the route today could have been of some use to the Elland Road Stadium.

 

[yorksrob]

That route should have never closed. It should have been reduced to a couple of parly's a day which the route today could have been of some use to the Elland Road Stadium.

I think there's some talk of turning into a walk or cycle way from Leeds to the stadium in the future. I must admit, it looked a bit of a trek from the viaduct to the station to me though.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

That route should have never closed. It should have been reduced to a couple of parly's a day which the route today could have been of some use to the Elland Road Stadium.

I've often thought closing that stretch was rather short-sighted given the huge growth in rail traffic into Leeds. I'd have thought the OHLE mast that blocks it at the station end could be redesigned allowing it to reopen. That mast was only added at the redevelopment to allow the tracks through what is now platforms 15 and 16 to be wired. I don't think much electric stock uses those platforms for the time being, although that will change.
Reopening the Holbeck viaduct would not only allow an MUFC Halt style platform to serve Elland Road but would also prevent XC services from conflicting with almost every other route in or out of the station. If Doncaster locals are extended beyond Leeds when the wires are up, reducing this conflict will become even more desirable. It would also presumably be a fair bit cheaper (though not really cheap by anyone's standards admittedly!) than a comparable project in Manchester, namely the Ordsall Curve.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Oxford-Witney closed to freight on 2 November 1970. What the county council would give to have it back...

 

[Buttsy]

Downham Market to Wissington Sugar Factory
Holyhead Breakwater
Penyffordd - Mold
Wirksworth branch (now heritage)
Beighton Station Junction - Arkwright Town
Castleford Cutsdyke cut off
Low Moor - Thornhill
Worsbrough incline

 

[RichmondCommu]

The Sinfin branch is a notable one, closing in the 90s and being replaced by some sort of taxi thing for a while.

The Sinfin branch never closed as it remained open to deliver aviation fuel to Rolls Royce. Indeed aviation fuel was being delivered to Rolls Royce before the passenger service commenced in the 1970's.

 

[sarahj]

Others around Newcastle:

Bank foot to Ponteland. Used to run some freight to a rowntrees factory. Now part of the metro line to the Airport. Remember waiting at Benton for a metro when a freight ran through. ~Links from Metro to ECML at Benton lifted. (poss also MOD trains and sidings for the Lucozade factory)

Hexham sidings. Served a chip board factory. Used to see the odd VGA van waiting around.

Tyne dock colliery line. Used to have some OHLE. Could see it from a passing metro.

Conset line. Used to carry iron ore trains for the steel works. Major loss for the area when it closed.

Part of the triangle of lines between Dunston and King Edwards junction. Trains could come off the ECML just passed tyne yard, then split to either towards Carlisle or back to KEJ via the line from Carlisle. 2 half's still open. Ncle-Carlisle and TY to Carlisle.

Manors to West Jesmond. Became metro link line from Jesmond to Manors metro. Manors north lifted and closed. Left derelict for a while, then buried under business park.

When the Haltwhistle to Alston line closed, the sidings at Haltwhistle remained for a while. There used to be a turntable, but that was removed. The track diagramme in the Signal Box still showed it. Platform 3 still there and sidings were used for works trains. Sidings & P3 lifted in the early 90's IIRC. Killfrost factory used to run some freight services.
Light rail line runs from Alston towards Slaggyford.

 

[backontrack]

Stations on either side of the Peak District closed in 1995, with the Mancunian stations of Park, Miles Platting and Godley East all closing on the 27th May. Brightside and Attercliffe Road stations in Sheffield also closed in that year, with Rotherham Masborough's [sic] demise being eight years earlier.

More recently, Liverpool lost Garston station in 2006 due to its proximity to the new station at Liverpool South Parkway, built on the site of Allerton (closed a year before Garston).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Sinfin isn't closed, freight still uses it.

I meant that it to closed to passengers.

 

[Philip Elliott]

Some bits have been touched upon but here are a few from Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire / Leicestershire and a bit further afield. c = circa, I’m doing this from memory so maybe a couple of years out…

Enderby Quarry branch (1981)
GC Leicester Goods with chord from MR (December 1995, lifted March 2007)
Moira – Measham (1981) – may have existed as Moira – Donisthorpe until early 1990s. The through route to Nuneaton closed in 1970.
Lounge Open Cast c2004
Coalfield Farm c2001 – track re-used for the Birch Coppice Branch
Cadley Hill c1986
Draycote Power station – early/mid 2000s
Hartshill Quarry (cut back to be an OTP siding) – mid 2000s
Colwick – Weekday Cross and Weekday Cross to Ruddington (1974)
Ruddinton to East Leake (1978)
Loughborough North jn to East Leake (1986) – since re-opened to Ruddington (MOD) as GCR(N)
Cotgrave Colliery branch c1992
Netherfield – Gedling (1991, re-opened briefly in 1999)
Babbington & Cinderhill colliery branch (1983 – re-opened as Phoenix Park P&R - NET)
Moor Bridge – Newstead (1988 – re-opened 1994)
Calverton Colliery branch (1999 but lower end used by OTP until 2004)
Bentinck Colliery branch [western end] (c2001)
Kirkby – Sutton-in-Ashfield – part of GNR route to Shirebrook (1990s)
Mansfield – Rainworth – Rufford colliery (1983)
MR branch into Clipstone colliery (1981)
GCR branch to Blidworth colliery from “Rufford No.2” (1986)
Bilsthorpe Colliery branch (1997)
Clipstone Colliery Junction – [Mansfield] Crown Farm colliery (1989)
Clipstone jns – Clipstone Colliery jn / Clipstone colliery branch [LNER] / Clipstone Colliery jn – Rufford Colliery jn – Rufford No.2 / Rufford Colliery jn to Rufford No.1 – all 2003
Welbeck Colliery branch (GCR) – 2010
Warsop Main colliery branch (1989)
Ollerton colliery (1994)
Bevercotes colliery branch (1994 but re-opened briefly 1998)
Whitwell Quarry (unknown)
Beighton – Staveley (1981)
Staveley – Arkwright Town (1985) – including chord to MR line
Hall Lane jn – Seymour jn – Oxcroft jn – Oxcroft Disposal point (2006)
Seymour jn – Bolsover [Coalite] (2003)
Chesterfield tube works (early 2000s)
Avenue coking plant (early 2000s)
I believe the western end branch into Grassmoor colliery survived into the early ‘70s and I believe Staveley – Ireland colliery was 1970
Oxcroft jn – Creswell (c1993)
Seymour stocking pile (early 2000s)
Moor Green colliery branch (1983)
Possibly Brinsley colliery late ‘70s?
Teversal – Pleasley (1977)
Westhouses – Silverhill (c1994)
Sutton colliery branch (1988)
Westhouses – Huthwaite (Ault Hucknall colliery) (1981)
Huthwaite – Blackwell tip (GCR Huthwaite branch) (1981)
Stanton Gate (c2010)
Stanton Gate – Mapperley colliery (c1982)
Cheadle (1986)
The ‘Mickleover’ test track originally ran as far as Derby Friargate but was cut back in the 1970s.
Elescar [GCR] (1983) – including to Wath Yard
Mexborough – Wath Yard (1989)
Dinnington (early 1990s)
Aldwarke – Thrybergh (unknown)
Tintern Quarry (1978)
The last Bedworth colliery closed in 1983
Coventry closed branch can’t decide if it wants to stay open or not…
Northampton Bridge Street – Briar Hill (1995)

 

[PacerFace]

I'm not an expert on the area, but my memory is:

Back in the early 1970s, it was the Swinton and Knottingley Joint line (via Moorthorpe and Pontefract Baghill) which had subsidence problems - this had been the standard 'express' route Sheffield-York/Sheffield-Leeds (reached via a connecting curve at Moorthope to the Doncaster-Leeds line). The subsidence problems on the S&K led to the revival of the original Midland route as an express route - it was the 'least worst' option, basically.

Later on (early 80's maybe?) the Sheffield-York routing became mostly 'via Doncaster' and the Leeds trains reverted to the S&K routing. With the closure of the coal mines along it, and maybe subsidence problems of it's own it became redundant.

I'm always stuck how in good condition this line is (what's left of it) hardly any weeds and the track looks in good condition. The Bridge that crosses over a road in Royston was having maintenance done the other weekend with road closures (that might just be for safety).

http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshir...Bickerdike/Royston Saville town/royston-3.jpg

 

[RichmondCommu]

With my knowledge of railway history south of the mighty Thames not being very broad, I've heard of the "Quarry Line" being referred to the pair of tracks that bypasses Redhill in Surrey.

I believe (if I've got this the right way round) that the pair of tracks that run through Redhill station were built by the London, Brighton, & South Coast Railway, with the Quarry Lines being built by the Southeastern Railway.

Perhaps somebody who is local to Surrey can confirm if this is the case or not?

In peace

Adam

PS RichmondCommu: I'm assuming you are (or originally from) the Richmond in historic Middlesex?

Yes you are correct but I've not always lived here. I've lived in London for over 26 years but not always in Richmond, I first lived Tooting and the first place I ever owned was in Lee.

Incidentally, many thanks to everyone who has posted on this thread. Its been a really enjoyable read and I've learnt a lot about the contraction of our network over the last 40 years.

 

[yorksrob]

I first lived Tooting

"Power to the people!"

 

[cadder toad]

Some more - all in West of Glasgow

Hyndland branch EMU depot (terminus station until 1960)
branch to Clydebank Kilbowie (goods depot - pass closed 1964)
Yoker to Partick Cross(freight)
Yoker to Dalmuir Riverside and Old Kilpatrick
Yoker to Rothesay Dock

 

[scott118]

Some bits have been touched upon but here are a few from Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire / Leicestershire and a bit further afield. c = circa, I’m doing this from memory so maybe a couple of years out…

Enderby Quarry branch (1981)
GC Leicester Goods with chord from MR (December 1995, lifted March 2007)
Moira – Measham (1981) – may have existed as Moira – Donisthorpe until early 1990s. The through route to Nuneaton closed in 1970.
Lounge Open Cast c2004
Coalfield Farm c2001 – track re-used for the Birch Coppice Branch
Cadley Hill c1986
Draycote Power station – early/mid 2000s
Hartshill Quarry (cut back to be an OTP siding) – mid 2000s
Colwick – Weekday Cross and Weekday Cross to Ruddington (1974)
Ruddinton to East Leake (1978)
Loughborough North jn to East Leake (1986) – since re-opened to Ruddington (MOD) as GCR(N)
Cotgrave Colliery branch c1992
Netherfield – Gedling (1991, re-opened briefly in 1999)
Babbington & Cinderhill colliery branch (1983 – re-opened as Phoenix Park P&R - NET)
Moor Bridge – Newstead (1988 – re-opened 1994)
Calverton Colliery branch (1999 but lower end used by OTP until 2004)
Bentinck Colliery branch [western end] (c2001)
Kirkby – Sutton-in-Ashfield – part of GNR route to Shirebrook (1990s)
Mansfield – Rainworth – Rufford colliery (1983)
MR branch into Clipstone colliery (1981)
GCR branch to Blidworth colliery from “Rufford No.2” (1986)
Bilsthorpe Colliery branch (1997)
Clipstone Colliery Junction – [Mansfield] Crown Farm colliery (1989)
Clipstone jns – Clipstone Colliery jn / Clipstone colliery branch [LNER] / Clipstone Colliery jn – Rufford Colliery jn – Rufford No.2 / Rufford Colliery jn to Rufford No.1 – all 2003
Welbeck Colliery branch (GCR) – 2010
Warsop Main colliery branch (1989)
Ollerton colliery (1994)
Bevercotes colliery branch (1994 but re-opened briefly 1998)
Whitwell Quarry (unknown)
Beighton – Staveley (1981)
Staveley – Arkwright Town (1985) – including chord to MR line
Hall Lane jn – Seymour jn – Oxcroft jn – Oxcroft Disposal point (2006)
Seymour jn – Bolsover [Coalite] (2003)
Chesterfield tube works (early 2000s)
Avenue coking plant (early 2000s)
I believe the western end branch into Grassmoor colliery survived into the early ‘70s and I believe Staveley – Ireland colliery was 1970
Oxcroft jn – Creswell (c1993)
Seymour stocking pile (early 2000s)
Moor Green colliery branch (1983)
Possibly Brinsley colliery late ‘70s?
Teversal – Pleasley (1977)
Westhouses – Silverhill (c1994)
Sutton colliery branch (1988)
Westhouses – Huthwaite (Ault Hucknall colliery) (1981)
Huthwaite – Blackwell tip (GCR Huthwaite branch) (1981)
Stanton Gate (c2010)
Stanton Gate – Mapperley colliery (c1982)
Cheadle (1986)
The ‘Mickleover’ test track originally ran as far as Derby Friargate but was cut back in the 1970s.
Elescar [GCR] (1983) – including to Wath Yard
Mexborough – Wath Yard (1989)
Dinnington (early 1990s)
Aldwarke – Thrybergh (unknown)
Tintern Quarry (1978)
The last Bedworth colliery closed in 1983
Coventry closed branch can’t decide if it wants to stay open or not…
Northampton Bridge Street – Briar Hill (1995)

whatever become of Mantle Lane, Coalville - Knighton Junction, Leicester would you know, as you appear to be a colliery specialist? A review of the line in late 2007, deemed it, unserviceable to passenger traffic i believe, however i have long since left the area, to have heard differently..

 

[The Barlow Boy]

- haltwhistle to Alston
- Sheffield to Hadfield
- Weymouth Quay
- Cambridge to St Ives (Fenstanton)
- Egginton to Mickleover

Cambridge to St. Ives station was certainly open and used for sand traffic trains until about 1975 when it was truncated back to Fen Drayton
There's the little bit of the old Barnwell Junction to Fordham line which was open as far as an oil terminal in the seventies.
Selsdon to Woodside was closed in the eighties along with Selsdon station.

 

[Busaholic]

Yes you are correct but I've not always lived here. I've lived in London for over 26 years but not always in Richmond, I first lived Tooting and the first place I ever owned was in Lee.

Incidentally, many thanks to everyone who has posted on this thread. Its been a really enjoyable read and I've learnt a lot about the contraction of our network over the last 40 years.

Sorry to be pedantic, but Adrock is wrong in saying there was ever a Richmond in Middlesex. It was in Surrey until becoming part of Greater London in 1965, hence the giveaway postal address of Richmond,Surrey! The Thames marked the barrier between Surrey and Middlesex, so one end of Richmond Bridge was indeed in Middlesex, the Twickenham end, with Twickenham bus garage a mere couple of hundred yards away until the 1970s. I bought my first double bed of married life from the nearest shop to this end of the bridge in 1970, a stlyish Danish job in soon-to-become-fashionable pine

Middlesex County Cricket Club do play the occasional match in Richmond, but then county cricket plays in a timewarp of its own, and long may it be so.

 

[cadder toad]

Don't think the lines to Tuxford and High Marnham Power Station somewhere near Newark on the ECML have been mentioned? Think they were branches to oil or grain terminals?

 

[scott118]

Thornton Fields

 

[Dr_Paul]

I recall in the late 1970s, maybe early 1980s, a single line, not electrified, off the East London line, south of Surrey Docks (now Quays), swinging round on a curve, going under the lines from London Bridge, and heading off towards New Cross Gate. It didn't look as if it was used much, and I don't know if it still had a connection at New Cross Gate (I was looking down from some tall flats in Reculver Road).

The trackbed has been built on now, although the line that came off the ELL at the same point towards Peckham Rye, lifted during the First World War, has been reinstated for the Overground route round to Clapham Junction.

Does anyone know i) why the line towards New Cross Gate was kept until the 1980s; ii) how the trackbed round to the South London Line managed to be kept clear, not built on, for a century after the track was lifted?

 

[CockneySparrow]

whatever become of Mantle Lane, Coalville - Knighton Junction, Leicester would you know, as you appear to be a colliery specialist? A review of the line in late 2007, deemed it, unserviceable to passenger traffic i believe, however i have long since left the area, to have heard differently..

Mantle lane is still in use for freight only and the box is still there, the further you go past Coalville towards Moira the more painful it gets, speed limit not even 20mph and it is nicknamed The Alps by drivers

The stretch between Coalville and Leicester is used daily whilst towards Moira once a week, the stretch between Leicester and Coalville can be upgraded for small amount of money and EMT would be willing to run trains there but there is resistance from local council

 

[scott118]

Mantle lane is still in use for freight only and the box is still there, the further you go past Coalville towards Moira the more painful it gets, speed limit not even 20mph and it is nicknamed The Alps by drivers

The stretch between Coalville and Leicester is used daily whilst towards Moira once a week, the stretch between Leicester and Coalville can be upgraded for small amount of money and EMT would be willing to run trains there but there is resistance from local council

the Alps - maybe that's something to do with all the coal that was sucked out years ago..

Perhaps it has something to do with the council Park and Ride scheme that's quite close to the M1/A46? So the 'proposed' Ivanhoe Line won't be any time soon, by the sounds of things..I guess it's a freight line, since the demise of coal extraction, to free up pathing, as I've never known a passenger service to run along it? Thanks for the insight..

 

[CockneySparrow]

the Alps - maybe that's something to do with all the coal that was sucked out years ago..

Perhaps it has something to do with the council Park and Ride scheme that's quite close to the M1/A46? So the 'proposed' Ivanhoe Line won't be any time soon, by the sounds of things..I guess it's a freight line, since the demise of coal extraction, to free up pathing, as I've never known a passenger service to run along it? Thanks for the insight..

Bardon Aggregates use the Coalville - Leicester end of the route daily, believe there is a weekly service from Derby all the way through and there is an ad hoc freight from Moira

This is why its called the alps https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/21403537@N00/4382296893/in/set-72157606853423254/

Their website has been updated as recent as December last year for the campaign to reopen the line

 

[Mark62]

Has anyone mention the Filey Holiday Camp branch and station that closed in July 77? This must have been one of the shortest branch lines in the UK. It had four very long platforms. I remember one year seeing a Deltic at Scarborough station ready for its run to Kings Cross via Filey Holiday camp and Anlaby Curve. Could we also include in this section scheduled trains that have ceased running, thus effectively closing the service. Many summer trains ran via the Analaby Curve.
A memorable journey was on the 14.08 Scarborough to Leicester in 1983. We had a 31 on and around 8 MK 1 coaches. It stopped at Filey and Brid then ran non stop to Selby where we had a very spirited run and we were consequently early into Selby. From there we ran to Baghill, where we were early again. And then we ran fast to Masborough and on to Sheffield where I got off.
Also many summer trains ran direct from Chesterfield to Masborough via the Old Road missing out Sheffield.
This is a good thread that could be expanded to include the above services as they have been effectively been closed down.

 

[Buttsy]

I know the Faslane branch serving the RN dockyard has closed, but has the Ernsettle RN line one off the Gunnislake branch also gone?

 

[dysonsphere]

well add in the branch to Portsmouth dockyard as well

 

[Ash Bridge]

I know the Faslane branch serving the RN dockyard has closed, but has the Ernsettle RN line one off the Gunnislake branch also gone?

Found something on wiki stating that Ernsettle RNAD has now closed, if the info is accurate then it doesn't sound too positive for the remaining sidings and transshipment shed at that location. This also used to have a narrow gauge railway system in its heyday did it not?

 

[Carlisle]

Mention of the Fareham area (in the post a few above here) reminds me that the remaining single track of the Fareham tunnel avoiding line, (used by up trains I think), was still there in 73 or 74?

Yes wasn't it something do do with a landslip or subsidence that caused its closure

 

[RichmondCommu]

Bardon Aggregates use the Coalville - Leicester end of the route daily, believe there is a weekly service from Derby all the way through and there is an ad hoc freight from Moira

This is why its called the alps https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/21403537@N00/4382296893/in/set-72157606853423254/

Their website has been updated as recent as December last year for the campaign to reopen the line

Its worth mentioning here that in the 1970's there was enough freight traffic in the area to support two stabling points at Burton and Coalville and give a substantial amount of work to the MGR repair depot at Burton. Coalville also hosted very successful open days right up until its closure.

 

[swt_passenger]

Yes wasn't it something do do with a landslip or subsidence that caused its closure

The whole area suffered from poor geological conditions. I reckon what you are thinking of here is there was an embankment collapse on the avoiding lines about a mile from Fareham in the early sixties some time, and this led to an interim situation, (for the last 10 years or so of the route's existence), where the down line of the avoiding pair was the only one reinstated (or the only one left undamaged) so it was was used by up trains (towards Eastleigh).

The level of the M27 suggests that the decision to retain the tunnel as the only route was a result of the motorway construction, that was opened about 1975, and that fits in with the 1973 closure date of the remaining single track.