Moving home to Longhoughton - Would we be too near the railway line...?

[TN]

hi
We’re looking a buying a new build in Longhoughton, which will be close to the railway line. I’m assuming it’s the main NE line, although I know there’s no station in LH, I think nearest airport Alnmouth.

We,re looking at a property at the back of the new development, side on to the line, would be 2 semidetached between us and the line. The development is building a bank and adding soundproofing fencing. Love the house but think this may be too close to what I think is a pretty busy line.

We’re relocating so don’t know the area that we’ll yet. Sorry I don’t know how to link to google maps buts is basically in front of Westfield park in Longhoughton, you’ll see it straightaway if you google.

What does everyone think? We’ll be moving to a beautiful area and I’d like to be able to sit in my garden!

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks
T

 

[alxndr]

It depends what your expectations are and what your personal level of tolerance is. It won't be entirely silent (I'm currently about a mile from the nearest line and can just hear trains hitting the points if the wind is in the wrong direction) but it won't necessarily be intrusive.

I've lived 500 yards from the Great Western mainline, directly onto the boundary fence, and not been personally bothered by it, but going into it I was very much aware that there would be noise, including that of engineering work and the adjacent depot. I found 95% of the time it was less disturbing than a busy road and after a while I noticed it more if it was closed and silent for a weekend as I was used to it. Other people are bothered by much less railway noise.

Some questions to consider might be:

• What sort of trains use that route? Electric will be quietest, followed by diesel, followed by freight.
• Are there point work or rail joints nearby? These will produce something of a "clickety-clack" sound.
• Are there whistle boards or other reasons for trains to regularly sound their horn?
• Is there an access point near by?
• How much likelihood is there of trains idling nearby or will the majority pass straight through?

I don't know the area but from having a quick look it seems as though its largely electric trains and a small amount of freight. There also doesn't appear to be any access points/whistle boards/points or obvious reasons for trains to be particularly noisy in that area but again, locals will know better.

The only way to really learn how intrusive you are going to find it though is to spend some time there and see how you feel.

 

[TN]

Thank you! yes definitely going to have to spend some time to check it out.
But sounds like it might not be horrendous, good news

 

[Strat-tastic]

Sounds great to me.

 

[Ken H]

I used to live about 50 yards from a railway line. At the time there were several unfitted freights that ran past overnight, and it was a steep bit of railway. The sounds of Class 40/45/46's struggling up with a load of unfitted wagons was quite loud. But most nights we slept through it.
There are loads of houses near railways. After a few weeks you will not notice it any more.
When I lived near a main A road the continual hum of traffic was more disturbing that the odd train.
Where i live now its silent at night except for damn owls. and sheep.

 

[PeterY]

My daughter lives very near to a railway line, max 50 yards, at Prestatyn, North Wales. The times that I've stayed there, I can barely hear the trains. I'd rather live next to a railway than a main road.

 

[Bevan Price]

Personally I would never move to a location with a noise-reducing fence. You would soon learn to tolerate the noise of the railway, whereas you will be forever lumbered with a massive bank or fence as your only view of scenery in one direction. Freight traffic is likely to make the most noise, but there are not a huge number of freights per day on the line through Longhoughton.

 

[tony_mac]

I may have misread it, as I don't know what all of the abbreviations mean - but taking last Friday night as an example it looks like at least one train an hour running all through the night (well, 65 minutes was the longest gap in service).

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/ALM/2019/02/16/0348?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

[DarloRich]

you will have to check it out carefully as only you know what level of noise you are prepared to accept. You may need to look a bit deeper than just noise. @alxndr has suggested some good things to look for. Take a good walk around the area and see what you can find.

My daughter lives very near to a railway line, max 50 yards, at Prestatyn, North Wales. The times that I've stayed there, I can barely hear the trains. I'd rather live next to a railway than a main road.

A somewhat different location to the one the OP describes.

 

[Lucan]

I once looked at a property with a railway cutting forming one boundary (on the Worcester-Hereford line). Admittedly it had a very large country garden. The estate agent was terrified of my reaction to seeing it (I'd already looked at the map anyway). I was delighted, a secure boundary and good neighbour who was not likely to start a dispute (I'm not a fan of neighbours). A train did pass and you could hardly hear it in the cutting; with trains half an hour(?) apart, much better than the main road (400 yards away). Unfortunately I was out-bid.

Where I live now is the only place I have lived out of hearing of a railway. I find the sound of trains somnolent, perhaps not too close though.

 

[Cowley]

I once looked at a property with a railway cutting forming one boundary (on the Worcester-Hereford line). Admittedly it had a very large country garden. The estate agent was terrified of my reaction to seeing it (I'd already looked at the map anyway). I was delighted, a secure boundary and good neighbour who was not likely to start a dispute (I'm not a fan of neighbours). A train did pass and you could hardly hear it in the cutting; with trains half an hour(?) apart, much better than the main road (400 yards away). Unfortunately I was out-bid.

Where I live now is the only place I have lived out of hearing of a railway. I find the sound of trains somnolent, perhaps not too close though.

I can see (and hear) the railway from the front of the house, but we're also close to a busy road.
The trains go by with an ordered clickity-clack sound as they rattle over the points nearby.
Whereas the road sets your teeth on edge with the chaotic sound of numpty drivers with big bore exhausts.
I know which one I prefer...