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Most exhilarating station approach

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Monarch010

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The approach on the LGV Rhône-Alpes to Lyon–Saint Exupéry from the north. The train exits a tunnel and crosses a high, descending viaduct. Particularly impressive if the train is a non-stopper and is traveling at 150+ kph.
 
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Bessie

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Lots of my favourites already mentioned like Bath, Dawlish and Penzance so I will also give an honourable mention to Brighton when approaching from Lewes as you go over the London Road viaduct. Also down the mainline from Preston Park is good as you can look across east to London Road viaduct.
 

NormyFGW

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Scenery wise, there are a number in Scotland that I always felt were memorable - if I had to pick one in particular, it would have to be Kyle of Lochalsh. I always remember my first trip to Crewe as a youngster, many years ago, and the sight of passing all the locomotives on the approach to Crewe, on both sides of the track, completely blew my mind! This would have been back in the late 70's/early 80's when there would always be dozens of locos stabled or being refuelled etc, most of which would never venture down my way. I must admit to still feeling a sense of anticipation nowadays when approaching Crewe, even though there is nowhere near as much variety of quantity any longer.
 

vlad

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Stourbridge Town.....well maybe not :D

What's wrong with the approach to Stourbridge Town? It's pretty much the only place on the national network where passengers can see through the front window like the driver can.
 

Peter Kelford

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The approach on the LGV Rhône-Alpes to Lyon–Saint Exupéry from the north. The train exits a tunnel and crosses a high, descending viaduct. Particularly impressive if the train is a non-stopper and is traveling at 150+ kph.
The approach to Saint-Charles from the east (Nice) runs through the streets of Marseille for a bit.
 

MarkWi72

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Local to me is Lancaster from the north. Over the Carlisle bridge, high above the river Lune with views over the river and Georgian quayside, castle and cityscape with the Ashton memorial high on the horizon.
Really enjoyed that view coming back from Glasgow in September.
 

66103

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May well have already been said, but Manningtree from the Ipswich direction is very nice scenery wise, passing over both cattawade viaducts and seeing the whole of the river stour all the way from mistley down to Harwich/Felixstowe
 

Rick1984

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Approaching London Bridge from the Brighton direction other day was quite impressive. The tangle of lines at Selhurst, Canary Wharf on the right, Millwall on the left, then The Shard as you hove into LB
 

Jozhua

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Manchester, despite having pretty bad heavy rail infrastructure, certainly has some of the coolest views from it.

For someone used to the old Derby station layout, who moved just as the new layout opened, still feels weird going round the bends at twice the previous speeds!
 

Sad Sprinter

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Whilst I would have to say the best departure has to be on a fast South Eastern train out of London Bridge: traction motors at full pelt, racing across the rooftops of Bermondsey and diving through the cuttings at New Cross, the best approch has to be to from Clapham Junction to London Victoria. I always loved that section where the Brighton line crosses the SWML just before Queenstown Road, giving a great view all the way up to Clapham Common. Once you've past Battersea Park you've got the dash across the river and the snake dowwards into Victoria itself.
 

BrianW

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I was looking at this thread, entitled 'Most Exhilarating station approach' for the first time so I was a bit surprised and disappointed to see so many references to 'scenic', 'nice', 'green' so looked up to the start:

which major station on the network has the best approach, either scenically or in terms of railway interest ?

so now I see why. Great views.

Then got to this one :
Exhilarating - Rugby at 125mph (non-stopping, obviously).
For those of us who remember it being a lively ride at 75mph, tearing through at 125 is something else.
ghost train
Now that's the exhilaration I was hoping to see- more like the exhilaration (fright, anxiety, thrill like a rollercoaster o_O:s) ...

For me, standing on the Platform end (8?) at Kings Cross next to the thrashing wheels of a Streak getting a grip to take off into the tunnel, the whoosh of smoke and steam, the noise, the smell, accompanied by the rumblings of the Deltics at the fuelling point across the way, the returned wave of crew and passengers ... [oh dear, that's a departure rather than an approach- which would be characterised by smoke-filled carriages while waiting in one tunnel or another ...not quite the same ... and maybe the fish train in the station an exhilaration of another kind ;)]
 
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Jamesrob637

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Frankfurt am Main Hbf with the towers of the city and the massive depots.
 

LAX54

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Now spoiled by the removal of the semaphores. :(:(:(

Not that much really, colour light distants, and just the home signals into the station, but the run dowm the Berney (and the Acle) is very scenic :)
 

cle

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I was looking at this thread, entitled 'Most Exhilarating station approach' for the first time so I was a bit surprised and disappointed to see so many references to 'scenic', 'nice', 'green' so looked up to the start:



so now I see why. Great views.

Then got to this one :
ghost train
Now that's the exhilaration I was hoping to see- more like the exhilaration (fright, anxiety, thrill like a rollercoaster o_O:s) ...

For me, standing on the Platform end (8?) at Kings Cross next to the thrashing wheels of a Streak getting a grip to take off into the tunnel, the whoosh of smoke and steam, the noise, the smell, accompanied by the rumblings of the Deltics at the fuelling point across the way, the returned wave of crew and passengers ... [oh dear, that's a departure rather than an approach- which would be characterised by smoke-filled carriages while waiting in one tunnel or another ...not quite the same ... and maybe the fish train in the station an exhilaration of another kind ;)]
Rugby and the stretch northbound from Bushey to Watford Junction, curving round at 125(ish) are exhilarating for sure.

Anything on HS1 qualifies too - passing the cars on the A1 south of Lille is fun. Even the bits in Kent towards the coast, before it slows down.
 

365 Networker

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The approach to Kings Cross on a 317, bouncing all over the place and the driver slamming on the brakes right at the last moment was definitely exhilarating, especially with all the windows open! 365s where quite fast as well. The approach to Peterborough is quite nice as well, rising up on to the bridge and past Nene sidings.
 

Deepgreen

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When I used to do the West Highland line much more frequently than I do now, the beauty and delight of the rest of the journey was always ended with the descent into Queen Street from Cowlairs at 1 in 45 - the days of class 27s and mk1s had the brakes noisily on, with the deafening and very smelly roar of trains passing on their way up. I always had visions of the brakes failing and us hurtling into the terminus! I can't think of another terminus in the UK with such a long and steep approach (with gravity working against safety so consistently!). London Victoria pales in comparison in that respect.
 

ComUtoR

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I can't think of another terminus in the UK with such a long and steep approach (with gravity working against safety so consistently!).

City Thameslink for a steep approach. Not that long though.
 

Deepgreen

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Rugby and the stretch northbound from Bushey to Watford Junction, curving round at 125(ish) are exhilarating for sure.

Anything on HS1 qualifies too - passing the cars on the A1 south of Lille is fun. Even the bits in Kent towards the coast, before it slows down.
Approaching which major station on the national network (see thread requirement)?
 

paul332

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Whitby coming in from Robin Hood's Bay on the viaduct high over the Esk before reversing and looping under the same viaduct was quite an entrance.
 

Ianno87

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Approaching which major station on the national network (see thread requirement)?

On HS1 being on a non-stopping Eurostar passing Ashford heading towards the tunnel.

The chord junctions diverge, followed by plunging into the cut and cover tunnel under the west end of the station, then you climb out and up and over the viaduct. Love it every time!
 

Bald Rick

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On HS1 being on a non-stopping Eurostar passing Ashford heading towards the tunnel.

The chord junctions diverge, followed by plunging into the cut and cover tunnel under the west end of the station, then you climb out and up and over the viaduct. Love it every time!

It was exhilarating to walk through it during construction!
 

matchmaker

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When I used to do the West Highland line much more frequently than I do now, the beauty and delight of the rest of the journey was always ended with the descent into Queen Street from Cowlairs at 1 in 45 - the days of class 27s and mk1s had the brakes noisily on, with the deafening and very smelly roar of trains passing on their way up. I always had visions of the brakes failing and us hurtling into the terminus! I can't think of another terminus in the UK with such a long and steep approach (with gravity working against safety so consistently!). London Victoria pales in comparison in that respect.

What happens when brakes fail on Cowlairs Incline...from the Railway Archive

Accident Report

"A Class 40 diesel locomotive, whilst running under clear signals on the falling gradients between Cowlairs and Queen Street Station, ran out of control and entered the station at a speed of between 40 and 45 mile/h, where it collided violently with the rear of the 04.22 passenger train from Mossend to Queen Street, 1T02, formed of coaches worked as part of the 21.50, 'The Royal Highlander', from Euston to Mossend, which was stationary in No. 5 Platform awaiting the attachment of the locomotive to form the 06.00 train from Queen Street to Mallaig. The locomotive embedded itself in the rearmost vehicle, a sleeping car, which was extensively damaged. All five coaches remained upright, however, as did the two class 27 locomotives which had been detached from the train on its arrival at Queen Street; no other lines were obstructed. The collision occurred as a direct result of the failure of the locomotive's brakes to control its speed as it Descended the 1 in 45 gradient through Queen Street Tunnel."
 
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