• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Recent line closures

Mcr Warrior

Veteran Member
Joined
8 Jan 2009
Messages
12,374
Carnforth North Curve - direct line from Wennington to Silverdale
If you're including that, then there's also the former mile and a half long "Willingdon Chord" direct line (avoiding Eastbourne) from Polegate Junction to Stone Cross Junction, which was closed in January 1969 with the last of the remaining, partly severed, trackwork lifted in 1984.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

norbitonflyer

Established Member
Joined
24 Mar 2020
Messages
2,621
Location
SW London
Carnforth North Curve - direct line from Wennington to Silverdale
Similarly, the curve at Barkston from just north of Peascliff Tunnel to the Sleaford line. Now replaced by a traigukar junction at Allington.

Has anyone yet mentioned the line through Primrose Hill? Or the Croxley Green branch? or Broad Street?
 

ac6000cw

Established Member
Joined
10 May 2014
Messages
3,228
Location
Cambridge, UK
In the West Midlands:

The freight line from Round Oak (just north of Brierley Hill) via Dudley to the Bescot/Walsall area (AFAIK closed as a through route in 1993). Parts of the alignment are being reused for an extension to the Midland Metro tram system.

The short freight branch from Brierley Hill to Pensnett in 1994.

The short freight branch from Langley Green to the Albright & Wilson chemical plant.

A freight line that ran from a junction east of Coventry station to today's Coventry Arena area, where it joined the main Coventry - Nuneaton route.

The very last bit of the (originally) Halesowen Railway effectively closed when MG Rover ceased production at Longbridge in 2005 (the line originally ran from 'Halesowen Junction' there to Halesowen, where it joined a GWR branch from Old Hill, but that had all closed in the 1960s north of the car plant site).
 
Last edited:

d9009alycidon

Member
Joined
22 Jun 2011
Messages
856
Location
Eaglesham
5 November 1979 passenger services withdrawn between High Street Junction and Bridgeton Central, replaced by services through the former Bridgeton Cross Station on the Argyle Line. Branch remained in use for ECS working until June 1987.
Had the full Clyderail report proposals been implemented the station would still have closed but the branch would have been retained with a new burrowing link to the Argyle Line.
 

Ken H

On Moderation
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
6,391
Location
N Yorks
Nuneaton avoiding line closed 1992. Some was reused to make the new Birmingham - Leicester route.
 

Roilshead

Member
Joined
2 May 2017
Messages
179
Only a short length, but the line into Belfast Great Victoria Street closed after service on 10th this month pending diversion to the new Grand Central development.
 

Sun Chariot

Established Member
Joined
16 Mar 2009
Messages
1,590
Location
2 miles and 50 years away from the Longmoor Milita
Folkestone Harbour branch line closed to all traffic in the early 2000s.
I watched its final revenue-earning services:
24-Jan 2009: 34067 Tangmere.
14-Mar 2009: 70013 Oliver Cromwell

The bit that Croydon tramlink now runs on was a fairly late closure I think?
(Edit). Elmers End to Addiscombe. I rode the branch a month prior to closure.
 
Last edited:

30907

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Sep 2012
Messages
18,431
Location
Airedale
I watched its final revenue-earning services:
24-Jan 2009: 34067 Tangmere.
14-Mar 2009: 70013 Oliver Cromwell


The New Addington branch (Elmers End / Woodside)? I rode that branch a month prior to closure.
Think you mean Elmers End-Addiscombe and Selsdon (-Sanderstead). The New Addington branch of Tramlink took over a short section, the Elmers End branch rather more.
 

Sun Chariot

Established Member
Joined
16 Mar 2009
Messages
1,590
Location
2 miles and 50 years away from the Longmoor Milita
North Woolwich line, which was replaced by DLR.
The North Woolwich - Silvertown - Canning Town (latterly SilverLink) route I used quite regularly, as I lived next to Victoria Gardens (at the opposite end to the old station).
As the train (313s by my time there) dived under the Docks, there was always a musty smell of dripping briny water.
Think you mean Elmers End-Addiscombe and Selsdon (-Sanderstead). The New Addington branch of Tramlink took over a short section, the Elmers End branch rather more.
D'oh! Yes, Addiscombe. Serves me right for not paying attention to Google Maps! Thanks for correcting :) 8-)
 

ac6000cw

Established Member
Joined
10 May 2014
Messages
3,228
Location
Cambridge, UK
The Woodhead route east of Hadfield closed early 1980s - last through freight in 1981.

Bridport - Maiden Newton closed in 1975.
 

Dr_Paul

Established Member
Joined
3 Sep 2013
Messages
1,380
Has anyone yet mentioned the line through Primrose Hill?
Primrose Hill station has been closed and there are now no passenger services on the line, but the line remains used regularly by freight services.
 

Railwaysceptic

Established Member
Joined
6 Nov 2017
Messages
1,433
In the past few years, construction of Old Oak Common Station has closed the section of track between there and Park Royal sidings.
 
Joined
10 Jan 2018
Messages
286
Leven branch closed in 2015, which has since re-opened to Network Rail traffic, for we all know ScotRail services from Leven will commence this Sunday.

Also a very short line into Bathgate (1986) station which closed in 2010 following the completion of the Airdrie to Bathgate link, which included the re-sited station.
 

W-on-Sea

Established Member
Joined
18 Dec 2009
Messages
1,347
Only a short stretch of line, given its close location to the GWML, but the railway into Didcot Power Station was last used in 2013, and subsequently has been lifted (despite still appearing on Google Maps)
 

steamybrian

Established Member
Joined
26 Nov 2010
Messages
1,757
Location
Kent
West Ealing to Greenford? Still active and I have attached RTT data of a typical service
Paddington to Greenford line I assumed that MadMac meant between Old Oak Common and Greenford via Park Royal which was closed in 2018 for construction of HS2.

In connection of construction of HS2 the line between Quainton Road and Calvert was recently completely closed and track removed but do not know closure date. Yes I know the GC passenger service was withdrawn in 1966 but was used for freight trains to Calvert until recently.

In Wales, I've been racking my brains, but haven't been able to think of a single closure of a passenger line that had no freight since the Beeching era. Many lines lost their passenger services in the 1960s, and survived only for freight, but I can't think of many opposites. Certainly not ones that closed afterwards. (The Cardiff Bay branch almost went that was with the redevelopment in the 1980s!)

On the topic of freight line closures, the Blaenau Ffestiniog to Trawsfynydd section closed with the end of nuclear traffic in 1998. There may well be more recent coal-related closures in the South Wales Valleys, though I couldn't quote which.
There were many passenger service lines that closed after freight had finished. A few are
Maiden Newton- Bridport- it was one long single line.- closed 1975
Haltwhistle- Alston- one long single line
Elmers End- Addiscombe- closed 1997
Broad Street- Dalston Junction closed 1985
Woodside- Selsdon although a short section at Selsdon end served the oil terminal until the 1990s
West Croydon-Wimbledon closed 1997- A once busy line used by freight trains but passenger service finished last.
Folkestone Harbour branch
Stratford- North Woolwich
 
Last edited:

krus_aragon

Established Member
Joined
10 Jun 2009
Messages
6,071
Location
North Wales
There were many passenger service lines that closed after freight had finished. A few are
Maiden Newton- Bridport- it was one long single line.- closed 1975
Haltwhistle- Alston- one long single line
Elmers End- Addiscombe- closed 1997
Broad Street- Dalston Junction closed 1985
Woodside- Selsdon although a short section at Selsdon end served the oil terminal until the 1990s
West Croydon-Wimbledon closed 1997- A once busy line used by freight trains but passenger service finished last.
Folkestone Harbour branch
Unless there's been a stealth relocation of Offa's Duke, none of these are in Wales, which was the focus of my point (see the first sentence).
 

Sun Chariot

Established Member
Joined
16 Mar 2009
Messages
1,590
Location
2 miles and 50 years away from the Longmoor Milita
Paddington to Greenford line I assumed that MadMac meant between Old Oak Common and Greenford via Park Royal which was closed in 2018 for construction of HS2.

In connection of construction of HS2 the line between Quainton Road and Calvert was recently completely closed and track removed but do not know closure date. Yes I know the GC passenger service was withdrawn in 1966 but was used for freight trains to Calvert until recently.
OK, yes, Park Royal-Ruislip chord. Yes, I used it occasionally in 1991, on NSE Paddington to Bicester North peak evening services. 47 haulage guaranteed. :)
I used to regularly photograph the Calvert "binliner" and the Whatley-Wolverton ARC trains, between Claydon Junction & Bicester Town.
A "Christmas shopper special" - Aylesbury to Milton Keynes - enabled me to travel via Quainton, Claydon Junction & over Bletchley flyover. I think I was the only passenger not using the train as a means to shop in Milton Keynes. :D
 
Last edited:

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,623
No the old direct route, which @steamybrian says closed in conjunction with HS2 work, question is will it be reinstated?
There’s a road underbridge being lengthened at the OOC common end of the route that allows for a reinstated connection to the new up relief loop. (The overall width of the new 8 platform formation means the route has to be repositioned.)

But on the other hand the single line is shown on the track diagram posted in the main OOC thread as being ‘tbc’.
 

Dr_Paul

Established Member
Joined
3 Sep 2013
Messages
1,380
And some passenger service diversions...
I forgot to mention that. I was on the NLL and had to change at Willesden Junction as the line through Kentish Town West was closed for maintenance, and went downstairs for a service that ran from the bay through to Stratford via Primrose Hill. It was interesting going through the underground junction at the east end of the South Hampstead tunnel.
 

BrianW

Established Member
Joined
22 Mar 2017
Messages
1,565
Am I hearing a clamour of voters demanding even ONE of these be a no-brainer for re-opening?
 

Top