Opinion: Which is the best stretch of railway in the British Isles?

[TRAX]

A distorting mirror thread of this topic: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...retch-of-railway-in-the-british-isles.172912/

Pretty much as it says on the box. Which are your favourite railway lines in the British Isles ? The ones you find most interesting, exciting, etc.

I myself enjoy main line urban railways a lot, so the whole Overground orbital network is all the way up there for me.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I love Carlisle to Carstairs, a scenic and varied landscape and Pendolinos absolutely hare through it like there's no tomorrow. Shame about the run from Carluke to Glasgow at about 10mph thereafter!

In terms of scenery, my top five are the Far North, Stirling to Inverness, Ayr to Stranraer, the Tyne Valley, and Barnstaple. In urban terms, generally anything elevated and not too depressing!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Conwy Valley - love the way it builds up to the tunnel then the moonscape of Blaenau.

Highland Mainline, particularly at dusk.

The WCML and the way it tells the story of the UK (more detailed post on this on the other thread).

 

[Megafuss]

The entire Far North Line. It's over 4 hours of bleakness and beauty. You get a real sense of how empty the country really is.

They even have smart card readers at Georgemass Junction for goodness sake.

 

[PeterC]

When there were lots of sidings an urban journey always exciting me for the rail interest. Now most of the interest has been replaced by new flats or offices.

For general interest it is any line close to the sea or an estuary such as the Cambrian Coast or the GEML at Manningtree.

 

[Esker-pades]

The entire Far North Line. It's over 4 hours of bleakness and beauty. You get a real sense of how empty the country really is.

They even have smart card readers at Georgemass Junction for goodness sake.

Seconded. One can also find smartcard readers in even more remote places than that.

 

[richieb1971]

The coast line in Devon. I like how the railway gets close to the sea and its a bit old fashioned with low walls and feels more free for a railway line. Which incidentally makes me wonder why other parts of the network are fenced off like a prison.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Seconded. One can also find smartcard readers in even more remote places than that.

Is there one at Altnabreac?

 

[Esker-pades]

Is there one at Altnabreac?

I'm afraid I haven't been there yet. I know Scotscalder has one (and it is the second least used over the whole line, just above Kildonan). Kildonan doesn't have one. Duirinish (Kyle Line) does have one. Lochailort (West Highland) does have one.

 

[class387]

Settle and Carlisle is probably my favourite scenery wise, though even that doesn't compare to some railways in Europe.

I also quite like urban railways, so am quite a fan of the DLR.

 

[Bobdogs]

For me, it's the Heart of Wales line between Pen y Bont and Church Stretton. Rode it yesterday, blue sky, bright sunshine and autumn colours.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Seconded. One can also find smartcard readers in even more remote places than that.

There were some pretty remote stations in the Spanish Pyrenees that appeared to have ticket barriers, such as the ironically-named Urtx-Alp, and the next stop from there towards Barcelona (La Molina) where the scenery is more like somewhere on the Settle to Carlisle or the Oban branch.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's hard to beat the Marches line (Shrewsbury-Newport) for lush, heavily wooded British landscape at its best, in all seasons.
Best of all on "Gerald" with only one stop at Hereford, and a hot breakfast/dinner en route.
Preston-Glasgow on the WCML is another favourite - showing off modern tilting technology and Joseph Locke's skill in avoiding tunnels as well as epic mountain views.

There's a good chance that HS2, at least its southern leg, could become the most boring line in the country.
Apart from all the tunnels, much of it will sit in cuttings and even in the open will have extensive sound barriers to obscure the view - no Chilterns to see for instance.
New or upgraded lines in Germany and Austria in particular have endless sound barriers which spoil the view (and reflect the noise back onto the train).
This is because of the generally urban landscapes there (like the UK), something not as prevalent in, say, France or Spain with lots of empty country in which to build new lines.

 

[faltskog36abba]

The Huddersfield line through Saddleworth has lovely views, the Calder valley is pretty too in parts.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I do like Lancaster - Carlisle through the Lune Gorge

 

[TrainTube]

Fort William to Mallaig has to be one of the best. As a fan of Urban Railways I like thundering through North London on Penny the Pendolino too

 

[Harbornite]

The one that gets me home from work most days- KGX/ st Pancake to Finsbury Park.

On a more serious note, my favourites are Birmingham New Street to Newton Abbott (especially between Cheltenham and Birmingham, Bristol Parkway and Taunton and the Dawlish sea wall) and the Cambrian Coast line.

 

[sprunt]

I like the coastal bit of the ECML between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

 

[mrcheek]

The coast at Dawlish.
Very closely followed by Inverness to Kyle of Localsh

 

[satisnek]

I'm sure I've mentioned this before... Derby to Sheffield. It's the way that it gives the impression of leaving the Midlands and entering the North. Actually, there's a very precise point where this happens: Milford Tunnel. South of here it's the lush meadows of the lower Derwent Valley, while on the other side you're into rather more rugged country with dry stone walls.

After following the Amber Valley up to Clay Cross Tunnel, there's a slightly depressing bit after this, since the Avenue coking plant and the little freight line which curved in just south of Chesterfield station are now history. But then the climb out of Chesterfield and the descent into Sheffield is pure magic. The latter part is now characterised by what must be the ugliest and most uninviting Tesco store in the country (and there's stiff competition!); the four-track line, intermediate stations, carriage sidings and dive-under are all before my time (see Part 2 of the Transport Video Publishing 1971 cab ride).

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I'm sure I've mentioned this before... Derby to Sheffield. It's the way that it gives the impression of leaving the Midlands and entering the North. Actually, there's a very precise point where this happens: Milford Tunnel. South of here it's the lush meadows of the lower Derwent Valley, while on the other side you're into rather more rugged country with dry stone walls.

After following the Amber Valley up to Clay Cross Tunnel, there's a slightly depressing bit after this, since the Avenue coking plant and the little freight line which curved in just south of Chesterfield station are now history. But then the climb out of Chesterfield and the descent into Sheffield is pure magic. The latter part is now characterised by what must be the ugliest and most uninviting Tesco store in the country (and there's stiff competition!); the four-track line, intermediate stations, carriage sidings and dive-under are all before my time (see Part 2 of the Transport Video Publishing 1971 cab ride).

That is a very interesting point, I have never thought about that stretch in that regard but it does make sense. The only other similar one I can think of is at Sapperton Long Tunnel between Swindon and Cheltenham - on the northern side, you are tightly hemmed in along the wooded valley through Stroud, which looks more akin to the old mill towns of Lancashire and West Yorkshire, and at the southern end is the vast, rolling emptiness that characterises most of Wiltshire.

 

[RandomRailways]

Cambrian coast line, Dovey Jcn to Pwllheli. Best on a sunny afternoon for the sunsets & view. Hugs the coast most of the way, 2 castles, sea on one side, mountains on the other...

 

[tsr]

Easily the West Highland Line (north of Ardlui ish) for me. Not a very original answer but worth travelling on nonetheless.

Quite liked the Gunnislake branch as well.

 

[B&I]

My personal favourites are either dramatic urban approaches (usually elevated), or something epic in the countryside.

Examples of the former: the approach to Moor Street, Clapham Junction to Victoria or (even more so) Waterloo, coming into Newcastle from the south (short but breathtaking), Leeds from the west, Sandhills to the Moorfields tunnel entrance.

Examples of the latter: pretty much the whole of the North Wales main line west of about Kinmel Bay, the Hope Valley, Arnside to Ulverston, the Marches line either side of Church Stretton, the Standedge line from Stalybridge to Huddersfield, the entire West Highland (both branches), Glasgow to Dundee via Stirling, Coleraine to Derry.

This thread is providing me with inspiration for more lines to try.

 

[TRAX]

This thread is providing me with inspiration for more lines to try.

This was one of the thoughts I had when creating this thread after seeing the opposite one.

 

[vlad]

Any of the lines heading away from Stoke. That's what you meant, right?

(Actually, the rural section of the Stoke to Stockport line isn't all that bad - I'd say the view from the Dane Viaduct is one of the least appreciated in the country.)

 

[mlambeuk]

Leeds to York via Harrogate
Brough to Hull

 

[156443]

I like the coastal bit of the ECML between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Seconded. speaking of the ECML, I went to Edinburgh via the WCML diversion in September when the ECML was closed and some of the scenery is lovely on the way to Edinburgh especially once in Scotland with the mountains and reservoirs

 

[BigCj34]

I love Carlisle to Carstairs, a scenic and varied landscape and Pendolinos absolutely hare through it like there's no tomorrow. Shame about the run from Carluke to Glasgow at about 10mph thereafter!

In terms of scenery, my top five are the Far North, Stirling to Inverness, Ayr to Stranraer, the Tyne Valley, and Barnstaple. In urban terms, generally anything elevated and not too depressing!

Why is the WCML so slow past Carluke? Considering it's part of one of Britain's dastest lines and geographically less challenging it's pretty bad.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Why is the WCML so slow past Carluke? Considering it's part of one of Britain's dastest lines and geographically less challenging it's pretty bad.

Because it's where you begin to share infrastructure with the local services - the Lanark Branch in the case of Carluke, then Motherwell, Uddingston, Newton etc. In my experience of VT services to Edinburgh too you normally end up waiting at the signal protecting the junction before Haymarket for a good few minutes. See also Kings Norton-Birmingham New St via University and GWR once you hit Heathrow Junction heading east.