Routes that should be re-opened

[Kris]

Even when I was little I had a sadness when passing over old disused railway lines on the road. It's as if they had a ghost.

What line would you like to see rebuilt?

I think for me it would be the Somerst & Dorset. A great diversionary route connecting some very nice towns and villages.

Course - they need this anyway with the increase in road traffic.

 

[Tom]

Winchester - Alton.

 

[Nathan]

Winchester - Alton.

Definatly, would save time and money instead of me going all the way to Woking to get to the MHR. Then i could visit more often and spend more time there behind a bullied

 

[Tom]

Err, no, it would act as a very very quick diversionary route instead of Portsmouth.

 

[Darandio]

The Leamside line for me especially if it resulted in Ferryhill Station being rebuilt.

 

[1D53]

Skipton to Colne would be nice. The other Wetherby and Kippax railways in Leeds would be superb!

 

[87015]

Oxford-Bletchley....

 

[Mojo]

Oxford-Bletchley....

Absolutely, it'd be great to have that open to support the thousands of new homes being built in this huge growth area. There has been huge growth on Stagecoach's X5 bus service, together with lots of traffic congestion. Through services branching off toward Aylesbury (at Claydon L&NE) and Milton Keynes (at Bletchley) would certaintly be welcomed. I remember the nightmare of driving from Aylesbury - Milton Keynes when I lived in the former.

Locally to where I live now. Many local railway lines & stations in Greater Bristol should be reopened. The biggest contributor to the economy in England outside london and the most congested core City. Portishead is soon to become the fastest growing town in Europe, and was described by the MP as "the most overcrowded cul-de-sac in Britain." Reopening that, and many other lines/stations would certaintly have an impact, provided they get frequent services?

It'll never happen? Change, locally is certaintly in the air, a new station in Aylesbury, together with upgrade of some freight line has been given funding, and given the money from home developers in the areas it certaintly could get funding.

 

[devon_metro]

Exeter St Davids-Newton Abbot old Dartmoor brach

 

[CosherB]

Another vote for the S&D. Although in practical terms, the Great Central - built to European loading guage - would make a great basis for a UK TGV line.

 

[mbonwick]

Milnthorpe - Arnside, the old station is about 500 yards from my house, would slash my journey time to school by half! Yay!

 

[Z12XE]

Not an exact re-opening, but a variation of one.

Braintree to Stansted Airport, with a north spur at Witham to allow direct services from Colchester

 

[Nick W]

Not an exact re-opening, but a variation of one.

Braintree to Stansted Airport, with a north spur at Witham to allow direct services from Colchester

I'd use that.

My suggestion however is Cambridge - Rugby via Huntingdon and Kettering, to run services from Ipswich, though Felixstowe would be nice, to Birmingham.

Currently the overcrowded A14 handles that market.

 

[Z12XE]

My suggestion however is Cambridge - Rugby via Huntingdon and Kettering, to run services from Ipswich, though Felixstowe would be nice, to Birmingham.

More East-West routes are really needed, its madness that most Freight needs to go via Stratford.

At least the route via Bury/Ely and Peterborough is going to be cleared for the bigger containers now, as the route to the NLL from Stratford is going to be block for the London Terrorist Fest in 2012

 

[Russ]

Leeds-Wetherby
Harrogate-Ripon

Great traditional branchlines sadly gone

Russ

 

[Peter]

another vote for Leeds-Wetherby
and to reinstate the wharfedale line-Harrogate line link throgth Otley
and the link between Ilkley and Skipton
these should all have massive comuter traffic, so why did beeching shut them?

 

[Nick W]

More East-West routes are really needed, its madness that most Freight needs to go via Stratford.

At least the route via Bury/Ely and Peterborough is going to be cleared for the bigger containers now, as the route to the NLL from Stratford is going to be block for the London Terrorist Fest in 2012

Glad you agree with me.

Unfortunately a guided busway is being constructed on part of my planned route but there's always via Bedford and Sandy.

 

[Kris]

Oxford-Bletchley....

Found that route on Google Earth the other day. Most of the track's still in place (although the picture may be acouple of years old) with a set of stop blocks towards the Bletchley end.

Couldn't figure why on Earth they'd close such a handy route as that.

 

[Z12XE]

Unfortunately a guided busway is being constructed on part of my planned route

Dont worry that wont last, a load of delays in building, massive cost increases, then several operating incidents, followed by a lack of passengers will see to that quite quickly

 

[Mojo]

Found that route on Google Earth the other day. Most of the track's still in place (although the picture may be acouple of years old) with a set of stop blocks towards the Bletchley end.

Couldn't figure why on Earth they'd close such a handy route as that.

It's technically Mothballed between Bletchley and Claydon L&NE Junction. At Claydon L&NE Junction there is a short section of double track to allow the loco to run around on the regular binliners to Calvert which come from the West.

A few years ago some gypsies cut some of the rails and tried to sell it, though most of the rest is intact, albeit rusty. I've walked on the line at a few places, including Winslow. The Level Crossing at one of the Claydons has been fenced off too.

I've some pictures on my other PC, I'll upload them later.

 

[87015]

It's technically Mothballed between Bletchley and Claydon L&NE Junction. At Claydon L&NE Junction there is a short section of double track to allow the loco to run around on the regular binliners to Calvert which come from the West.

A few years ago some gypsies cut some of the rails and tried to sell it, though most of the rest is intact, albeit rusty. I've walked on the line at a few places, including Winslow. The Level Crossing at one of the Claydons has been fenced off too.

I've some pictures on my other PC, I'll upload them later.

Line is breached in a number of places these days, various sections have 'vanished' like you say....

Swanbourne station still has its pride though!

 

[theblackwatch]

another vote for Leeds-Wetherby
and to reinstate the wharfedale line-Harrogate line link throgth Otley
and the link between Ilkley and Skipton
these should all have massive comuter traffic, so why did beeching shut them?

The Wharfedale-Harrogate link could also possibly double up as a line serving Leeds Bradford Airport. I'm not sure about the state of the trackbed on the Leeds-Wetherby line, but a lot of the trackbed on other lines around this area are still intact - Spofforth-Wetherby-Thorp Arch, and much of the Harrogate-Ripon line (in fact I have today walked the 2 closed sides of the triangle from Harrogate/Starbeck to Bilton Junction!). A feasibility study has been carried out on the latter (see here for a copy of the 72 page document), but it does seem that more of this line is to be converted to a cycleway by Sustrans. Where would this leave the potetial reopening?

 

[WessexWarrior]

I agree with the Winchester-Alton one. Shame it'll never happen!

 

[Mintona]

Hereford - Gloucester

Then it wouldn't cost me nearly £5 to see trains

 

[DescendingSadly]

The whole Halifax rail network to be re-instated

(though alot of houses and buildings ould have to be cleared!)

and my uncle owns the station masters house at the site of the old ovenden station, there's still a few ripped up goods wagons standing about in the scrapyard!

 

[Jordy]

The Grimsby-Louth-Boston-Peterborough

 

[Stan Cooke]

For me, undoubtedly - the Waverley Route (Carlisle-Edinburgh). The wildest, most fabulous, magnificent line ever to be closed! And (real 'pie-in-the-sky' this) - I'd like to see the reinstatement of 'The Waverley' express (St Pancras-Derby-Sheffield-Leeds-Settle-Carlisle-Edinburgh). One can but dream!!

 

[westcoaster]

i agree with 87015 i would like to see the bletchley - oxford line reopen, only last year they reopened the flyover and branch to fenny stratford, only for freight but its a start, part off the reason for the new bay at mk is for this if it ever happens, plus i iirc it could be used by freight as a short cut to get down towards soton quicker, reliving the lines around london.

 

[37372]

The Woodhead line (Wath-Sheffield-Manchester)

 

[Jordy]

The Woodhead line (Wath-Sheffield-Manchester)

How could I forget! Yes, would be great