London to Newcastle without tunnels?

[pne508]

My mother in law lives in South London and she has extended family in Newcastle upon Tyne and my wife want to take her up to visit by train. The only problem is my mother in law is clautrophobic and won't travel anywhere where there's a tunnel. My wife has tried contacting Network Rail and various train companies to see if there are any tunnel free routes. We've had plenty of lovely letters back all saying - Because we only manage {...} we can't tell you, but you could try {another department/railway body}. Basically no one seems to know.
Does anybody know if there are any tunnel free routes from somewhere in London to Newcastle, or are we just on to a loser.

 

[cuccir]

Is there roughly a length of tunnel she will tolerate? Something that takes 5 seconds for example? 10 econds? Presumably she can travel under a bridge for example, so there must be a rough limit.

The Wikipedia articles for railway maknlines list the tunnels on them (eg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Coast_Main_Line#Tunnels,_viaducts_and_bridges). So you could check line by line. The ECML is tunnel-free from Retford to Newcastle but I think you'll struggle to get north past the Chilterns and the hills of Nottinghamshire/Leicestershire.

My inclination would be to say that Megabus/National Express may be the better option, however.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Paddington - Oxford - Leamington Spa - Coventry - Nuneaton - Tamworth - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Doncaster - Newcastle?

Not sure you could use a straightforward London to Newcastle ticket that way round, though. It'll also take a very long time!

 

[cuccir]

Tottenham Hale - Cambridge - Peterborough via Ely - Doncaster via Sleaford, Lincoln and Gainsbrough - Newcastle.

The only tunnels would be between Audley End station and Great Chesterford stations, in Cambridgeshire: two tunnels around 400 metres long, based on Wikipedia. Journey time under 7 hours if you can catch one of the direct Peterborough to Doncaster trains.

 

[HumberSprinter]

How about flying to Newcastle Airport?

 

[cactustwirly]

I was thinking the MML, but there are a few very long ones in the West Hampstead area

 

[30907]

Paddington - Oxford - Leamington Spa - Coventry - Nuneaton - Tamworth - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Doncaster - Newcastle?

Not sure you could use a straightforward London to Newcastle ticket that way round, though. It'll also take a very long time!

There is a tunnel at Harbury - you may remember a landslip a year or two back - but it is (now?) very short, 50m or so.

 

[Bantamzen]

How about flying to Newcastle Airport?

That might still be a problem for someone with claustrophobia, but if she could cope with a plane (perhaps with aisle seat and/or exit row) then there are flights from London City I believe, and obviously from Heathrow although the latter is difficult to get to / around without being underground or in enclosed spaces.

 

[island]

That might still be a problem for someone with claustrophobia, but if she could cope with a plane (perhaps with aisle seat and/or exit row) then there are flights from London City I believe, and obviously from Heathrow although the latter is difficult to get to / around without being underground or in enclosed spaces.

Impossible, in fact, for terminals 2 and 3, to which the only access that does not go through a tunnel is by aircraft.

 

[JP]

Perhaps I don’t understand the fear, but is it not possible to travel at night? Then you can’t tell the difference between being in a tunnel or not on the ECML. I always do my Newcastle to London trips at night (cheaper fares then) and can never tell when we’re in the tunnel under the M25 which I think is the longest tunnel on the route.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Perhaps I don’t understand the fear, but is it not possible to travel at night? Then you can’t tell the difference between being in a tunnel or not on the ECML. I always do my Newcastle to London trips at night (cheaper fares then) and can never tell when we’re in the tunnel under the M25 which I think is the longest tunnel on the route.

I have to say, some of the tunnels on the ECML are quite vicious in terms of how much they rattle about the trains, and the pressure differential caused when the train enters the tunnel - or, if you are particularly unfortunate, another train enters the tunnel whilst you are in it - can be very strong indeed.

 

[Wallsendmag]

M1,M18,A1, Askew Road

 

[DelW]

My inclination would be to say that Megabus/National Express may be the better option, however.

Even then you'd need to check routes, the A1(M), which is a possible routing, goes through a 1/2 mile tunnel at Hatfield.

 

[IslandDweller]

There are no flights from London City to Newcastle. There are flights from Heathrow, and these depart from T5, so no need to use the access tunnel to the central terminal area.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There are no flights from London City to Newcastle. There are flights from Heathrow, and these depart from T5, so no need to use the access tunnel to the central terminal area.

Though the pier shuttle train thing is in tunnel, isn't it?

 

[cactustwirly]

Though the pier shuttle train thing is in tunnel, isn't it?

Yes, but the Newcastle is highly likely to arrive at the A gates, so they wouldn't need to use it

 

[John Webb]

I was thinking the MML, but there are a few very long ones in the West Hampstead area

Also Camden Road tunnels (315 yards), Elstree tunnels (1058 yards) and Ampthill tunnels (719 yards). (Belsize Tunnels - the very long ones, are just over a mile long.) Some tunnels too once you're into Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Not too certain you can get to most London termini without going through tunnels either unless you use buses. London City airport is not easy to get to either by road, as I understand the Woolwich Free Ferry is temporarily closed while the loading ramps are modified to work with two new boats that are about to be put in service.
Do they do flights from Gatwick?

 

[island]

Yes, but the Newcastle is highly likely to arrive at the A gates, so they wouldn't need to use it

Guaranteed, as it must use the biometric scanners only on certain A gates.

 

[cactustwirly]

Also Camden Road tunnels (315 yards), Elstree tunnels (1058 yards) and Ampthill tunnels (719 yards). (Belsize Tunnels - the very long ones, are just over a mile long.) Some tunnels too once you're into Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Not too certain you can get to most London termini without going through tunnels either unless you use buses. London City airport is not easy to get to either by road, as I understand the Woolwich Free Ferry is temporarily closed while the loading ramps are modified to work with two new boats that are about to be put in service.
Do they do flights from Gatwick?

There's also a short tunnel between East Midlands Parkway & Trent South Jct.
The OP can avoid the Derbyshire tunnels if they travel via Nottingham

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There is a tunnel at Harbury - you may remember a landslip a year or two back - but it is (now?) very short, 50m or so.

Drat - I forgot about that one, but as you say it's very short at about the length of two carriages, so might get away with it...???

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Drat - I forgot about that one, but as you say it's very short at about the length of two carriages, so might get away with it...???

I'm not sure how I didn't think of that one myself, what with it being on my regular haunt!

 

[pne508]

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. Unfortunately she won't get on a plane, so I think a coach is going to be our best bet.

 

[30907]

If you could get to Stevenage by road, then cuccir's suggestion of going via Peterborough-Lincoln-Doncaster would work. Knebworth is one stop nearer London but would be slower. But I think a coach from Victoria is, as you say, the best bet.

 

[DanNCL]

Though the pier shuttle train thing is in tunnel, isn't it?

Newcastle flights only go from A gates so there'd be no need to use the transit shuttle.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Just a thought... is a tunnel in a car going to be a problem? Because to get to Heathrow by road you have to drive through a tunnel don't you...?

 

[island]

Only terminals 2 and 3.