Most Underrated Lines for Scenery

[ashworth]

I'm pleased to see the Arun Valley line mentioned numerous times in this thread. When I've been in the south making use of a Southern Daysave ticket I always make sure that I use this route a least once when travelling to and from the south coast from London. A great scenic ride with lovely river views and great countryside. I did this route from Ford to Horsham a few weeks ago and changed at Horsham for a train to Victoria via Dorking and Sutton. A much more pleasant route from the south coast to London than via the Brighton main line.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Corby to Oakham line - You leave the bleak town of Corby before entering a tunnel. As you emerge from the darkness you are greated with the countryside of the Rutlands and the magnificent Welland Viaduct, which stretches across the valley.

Not sure anyone else would agree but there we go.

With better publicity, an improved service and maybe re-opening the station at Harringworth the line could have potential as a scenic route. The impetus does not seem forthcoming though from either local residents or EMT.

 

[phil281]

Guildford to Havant is a really nice line for scenery especially south of Petersfield

 

[ng1980]

I know I might have some opposition on this one, but please bear with me. I love mountain scenery, moorland scenery, coastal scenery and forest scenery and I have spent a lot of time hiking, climbing, abseiling and canoeing around the UK and abroad, but there is also something to be said about iconic city scenery. I am not from London, but lived in London for seven years (it seemed much more than that - but I will do again one day!), and it is in this spirit that I submit the very humble (and at one time for me humdrum):

London Charing Cross to London Cannon Street - a view recognised the world over and which millions around the world would love to be lucky enough to see one day.

 

[DarloRich]

Settle Junction - Carnforth. A very nice run.

 

[NXEA!]

I would put forward my local line, Marks Tey to Sudbury. As SprinterMan said, lots of lovely open fields for a lot of the way, the viaduct at Chappel and the quaint museum there, and then the run through the cutting at a decent speed between Chappel and Bures. Also the bit running into Sudbury through Great Cornard where you have rather large houses on one side with woodland on the other is quite nice to look at. Its also unusual in that the junction at Marks Tey is a sort of Y shape which adds to the lines 'quirkyness' in my opinion. I quite like the Southminster branch also, quite nice on a bright summers day.

 

[SprinterMan]

I would put forward my local line, Marks Tey to Sudbury. As SprinterMan said, lots of lovely open fields for a lot of the way, the viaduct at Chappel and the quaint museum there, and then the run through the cutting at a decent speed between Chappel and Bures. Also the bit running into Sudbury through Great Cornard where you have rather large houses on one side with woodland on the other is quite nice to look at. Its also unusual in that the junction at Marks Tey is a sort of Y shape which adds to the lines 'quirkyness' in my opinion. I quite like the Southminster branch also, quite nice on a bright summers day.

Completely agree, this used to be my local line (I am spoiled now as I have the magnificent North Wales Coast Line) and it will always occupy a very special place in my heart. It is brilliant and has a little bit of everything, and it is the only diesel operated line left south of Ipswich on the whole GE.

Adam

 

[DiscoStu]

Edinburgh to Haymarket.

 

[317666]

Agree with the first post that the Welsh Marches line is beautiful. It's also reasonably fast too, one of the best combinations of speed and scenery to be found if you ask me. Someone posted that the West Anglia line is quite pretty. I'm quite bored of it having used it for 16 years but compared to my other route to London via the ECML, it's certainly much nicer.

 

[sprinterguy]

i'd say that south of Newcastle, it's about 10 miles (in total, 20 to be generous if you count the London suburbs) of interesting scenery, and the rest was fortunately considerately laid out so that you can go as fast as possible so you don't have much time to look at the scenery.

This seems to be a popular opinion of the ECML south of Newcastle, but personally the view from the train holds my attention consistently from Doncaster northwards, and it's not as if it's a route that I don't traverse reasonably frequently. I never cease to be impressed by the massive scale of the Yorkshire power stations which dominate the flat landscape between Doncaster to York, and the number of them within such a comparatively confined area. I like the distant views of the North Yorkshire Moors on one side and the Yorkshire Dales on the other from the racing stretch north of York, and like to remember to look out for the white horse engraved on the edge of the moors near Thirsk. I have fond memories of tearing through the snow down the racing stretch to York as well, which was fairly picturesque.

The exceptionally sinuous section of line between Darlington and Durham is entertaining (I bet that would be interesting on a tilt-enabled Pendolino), and a highlight of this section is when the train bursts out of a cutting straight onto Croxdale viaduct at Sunderland Bridge (The small road bridge visible downstream dates from the 18th century), high above the River Wear, even before the even more spectacular viaduct at Durham with its' views of the Cathedral and the rest of the city far below.

 

[ex-railwayman]

There's loads of scenic routes throughout the British Isles, you just need to choose a nice sunny day to be on the train.

As we live on an island I like to see the sea, as well as the moors, valleys and hills.

Some of my faves include -

Aberdeen to Edinburgh
Newcastle to Carlisle
Exeter SD to Newton Abbot
Plymouth to Penzance
Bath to Salisbury
Chester to Holyhead
Huddersfield to Sheffield (Penistone Line)
Carlisle to Barrow

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

 

[bkhtele]

(Glasgow) Ayr to Stranraer Harbour in Scotland, sea views then rugged hills and wonderful countryside. Well worth the trip.

 

[Requeststop]

Berks and Hants especially when alongside the Kennet and Avon Canal.

 

[CC 72100]

There's loads of scenic routes throughout the British Isles, you just need to choose a nice sunny day to be on the train.

As we live on an island I like to see the sea, as well as the moors, valleys and hills.

Some of my faves include -

Aberdeen to Edinburgh
Newcastle to Carlisle
Exeter SD to Newton Abbot
Plymouth to Penzance
Bath to Salisbury
Chester to Holyhead
Huddersfield to Sheffield (Penistone Line)
Carlisle to Barrow

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

As much as I like the sea wall (Favourite of mine) and Plymouth to Penzance, I don't think we should leave Newton Abbot to Plymouth out. Some of the viaducts are great as you see your train further creeping South. At Totnes you can see the perserved line and on approach to Plymouth you're down by the water and Laira depot.

Plymouth to Penzance is good for views, but I just find it a little tedious at times - you never go over 60, dispatch from stations seems to take longer, but then between St Erth and Pernzance in particular it all becomes worth it -the views by the sea as you go past Long Rock are great

 

[Gwenllian2001]

Llanelli to Carmarthen.

 

[Zoe]

you never go over 60

There are some 65 and 70 mph sections. Hayle to Marazion though is the fastest at 75 mph.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I don't think we should leave Newton Abbot to Plymouth out.

The scenery is not bad but this section can be a bit tedious with line speeds of 55 mph to Totnes and then 60 mph to Hemerdon.

 

[nlogax]

As obscure as it may be, I have a soft spot for the stretch heading west from Hinton Admiral. Especially on a fast service in the early evening where you've been cocooned in New Forest tree canopy for fifteen miles or so, and suddenly the surrounding greenery drops away and you're gliding above flat River Avon flood plain towards Christchurch. Miss doing that in a 442, it was a fine way to end a daily commute.

 

[bailey65]

The cambrian line from shrewsbury to aberystwyth and pwllheli is a great route for scenery especially along the coast to pwllheli.
Another favourite of mine is st erth to ives one of the most scenic branch lines in the country.

 

[General Zod]

The Far North Highland line as you approach Helmsdale from the south. The train hugs the coastline for several miles starting at Golspie as you go past Dunrobin Castle and Brora. Much better than the Dawlish route IMHO. There is a Youtube video of the entire Thurso-Inverness journey. Fast forwarding to 1hr 4mins into the clip the train approaches Helmsdale and begins the coastal stretch southbound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_EejSRWLsc

Inverness-Perth on a sunny, cold and frosty autumn/winter morning is captivating.

 

[starrymarkb]

Spiez to Brig via Göschonen.

Most long distance trains now just go though the new bypass tunnel which knocks 30mins off the journey for through passengers*, it is rather boring though As the Mountain route is not on an overpriced tourist train a lot of people pass it by...

*It also means no need to use 4 Re465s (at about 9000hp each) on freight trains..

 

[Proud Salopian]

Welsh Marches Line - Chester to Newport
I have only done this line from Chester to Hereford but I assume the end bit through the Brecon Beacons is also very good. From the big Telford-built viaducts at Ruabon and Chirk to the run through the Shropshire Hills at Church Stretton that looks like something out of the alps, every mile of this line is superb.

An under-rated line indeed! I live in Church Stretton and so travel on it often, and I enjoy it when newcomers to the line get excited as the train enters the Shropshire Hills from the north (about 10 minutes after leaving Shrewsbury). The Severn plain quickly meets the hills around Church Stretton - one minute you're in fairly ordinary Shropshire countryside (which I guess is something special for the city types!) and the next you look up out the window and the landscape has changed to hills with sheep and rock dotted on them. Going through Church Stretton is nice and then the line down to Ludlow meanders through several wooded valleys. Just after the Ludlow tunnel you get a good view of the town and then in a bit you enter Herefordshire, a very rural county, and the train travels through a fairly long tunnel. Gets more scenic again around Abergaveny, before approaching Newport where you realise that you're by the sea!

The A49 and the railway through the Stretton Gap, looking north.

 

[tbtc]

This seems to be a popular opinion of the ECML south of Newcastle, but personally the view from the train holds my attention consistently from Doncaster northwards, and it's not as if it's a route that I don't traverse reasonably frequently. I never cease to be impressed by the massive scale of the Yorkshire power stations which dominate the flat landscape between Doncaster to York, and the number of them within such a comparatively confined area. I like the distant views of the North Yorkshire Moors on one side and the Yorkshire Dales on the other from the racing stretch north of York, and like to remember to look out for the white horse engraved on the edge of the moors near Thirsk. I have fond memories of tearing through the snow down the racing stretch to York as well, which was fairly picturesque.

The exceptionally sinuous section of line between Darlington and Durham is entertaining (I bet that would be interesting on a tilt-enabled Pendolino), and a highlight of this section is when the train bursts out of a cutting straight onto Croxdale viaduct at Sunderland Bridge (The small road bridge visible downstream dates from the 18th century), high above the River Wear, even before the even more spectacular viaduct at Durham with its' views of the Cathedral and the rest of the city far below.

There are things to look at on the ECML south of Newcatle, but I would never consider it a scenic line - a lot of flat farmland broken up by cooling towers etc - the speed is the best thing about it

(Glasgow) Ayr to Stranraer Harbour in Scotland, sea views then rugged hills and wonderful countryside. Well worth the trip.

Completely agreed - people think you have to go north of the central belt for scenery, but the Stranraer line beats the Far North in my book

 

[philjo]

Good view of Caer Caradoc there.
I always like the approaches to Stretton, especially if there is snow on the tops. I walk there at least once each year.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Sheffield to Manchester via Edale
There is very nice scenery along that line, the Derbyshire mountains and fields are a nice spot to be looking at while sitting on the train.
WCML from Carlisle upwards
Nice speeding through the nice Lake district on a Pendo or a Voyager. This is one of my favorite bits of railway in the country.
Cornish mainline
Again just a favorite with the fields and the Tamar bridge whilst speeding (sort of!) along on a HST.

Then the usual S&C line, lines in wales and wherry lines

 

[Shimbleshanks]

Redhill to Guildford through the Surrey Hills, especially the bit around Betchworth. Oxted to Uckfield...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I was pleasantly surprised how rural it gets so quickly after Croydon heading down towards Woldingham. Not breathtaking but a nice change so quickly after one of the gloomiest urban sprawls around.

 

[sprinterguy]

WCML from Carlisle upwards
Nice speeding through the nice Lake district on a Pendo or a Voyager. This is one of my favorite bits of railway in the country.

The Lake District would be on the WCML from Carlisle downwards. North of Carlisle on the WCML lies the Lowther Hills in the Scottish Borders.

Both are excellent stretches of line for scenery though.

 

[RichmondCommu]

There's also the Little North Western (Settle Junction to Carnforth). It's rather in the shadow of the Settle & Carlisle, but goes through some amazing scenery in its own right, and if you continue to Morecambe, it traverses the only bit of WCML along the west coast.

Which let's not forget once boasted its own Clapham Junction!

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I was pleasantly surprised how rural it gets so quickly after Croydon heading down towards Woldingham. Not breathtaking but a nice change so quickly after one of the gloomiest urban sprawls around.

If you walk down the road from Woldingham station towards the school you can actually be out of sight of human habitation for a short time - less than 20 miles from Victoria. Who needs the Scottish Highlands?

 

[SprinterMan]

What do people think of the Chiltern Main Line? I think it's great, through the wonderful rolling Chiltern hills to that big viaduct over the M25, it is definitely the best way of getting to Birmingham from London. I am a big fan of it.
Adam