Trivia: Any 'isolated' sections of the NR network

[The 4th Rail]

Its not physically isolated, but the OHLE on the Great Western between Paddington and Heathrow Airport is a completely enclosed system, whereas the rest of the national OHLE network is all interconnected at various points. This will cease to be the case when Acton Wells - Acton East is wired in the coming years.

Isn't it connected to the OHLE on the West London Line via North Pole depot? It certainly looks that way on Google Maps

 

[Dr_Paul]

The line from Blaenau Ffestiniog down to Trawsfynnedd was not connected to the line up from Llandudno Junction when I last saw it a couple of years back; there was a buffer stop a few yards south of Blaenau Ffestiniog station and then a gap of a few feet after that.

I drove over the Amlwch branch a few years back about halfway along it; the track was invisible looking down from the bridge, as it was completely overgrown.

I don't know if it was BR-owned, but another piece of disconnected track in East London that I remember seeing a few years back was across Chequers Lane in Dagenham. There was quite a complex array of freight lines around there, with Fords and Dagenham Dock and other facilities, with a small proportion of them still in use at Fords. Google Earth also shows some disconnected track set in the concrete on wharves on the Thames at Dagenham.
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Isn't it connected to the OHLE on the West London Line via North Pole depot? It certainly looks that way on Google Maps

I don't think that there is a connection between the West London Line and the former GWR main line at North Pole; this was removed when the Channel Tunnel depot was opened, with the former connection now going into the depot, and traffic between the main line and the WLL now goes round via Acton Wells Junction and West London Junction (by Willesden Junction). The North Pole depot does not seem to be connected to the former GWR main line.

 

[SWTCommuter]

Actually, until a few years before 1994 the W&C was connected, via a short underground tunnel and a vehicle lift to the sidings behind the Windsor side of Waterloo station, which was lost when the Eurostar terminal was built.

The lift can be seen in action in this clip showing the arrival of the 'new' stock in 1940: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhLPiFJROSg

 

[theageofthetra]

The lift can be seen in action in this clip showing the arrival of the 'new' stock in 1940: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhLPiFJROSg

What a wonderful clip. When using it in the 90's I was always curious as to why that 1940 W & C stock had such small windows compared to other underground vehicles of the time? Particularly as metal would have been at a premium in wartime. Also was the lift built to fit the earlier stock or the stock built to fit the lift! Thx for posting that.

 

[swt_passenger]

The North Pole depot does not seem to be connected to the former GWR main line.

It is connected at the Ladbroke Grove end. Not sure of the exact dates the new stabling area at the east end opened, and the reception lines were re-worked, but it might be something over a year ago. It's noticeable that the stabling lines use a pretty full scale electrification system, rather than the single trolley wire system often used in depot and stabling areas.

Realtimetrains has shown the east end connection must be the normal route in and out for the 'test' IEPs and various other route learning units that have been running (or planned to run) recently:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C46526/2016/05/19/advanced

 

[Dr_Paul]

It is connected at the Ladbroke Grove end. Not sure of the exact dates the new stabling area at the east end opened, and the reception lines were re-worked, but it might be something over a year ago.

I hadn't noticed that; I'll try to take a look when I next go into Paddington.

Is anything planned for the rest of the old Eurostar depot?

 

[swt_passenger]

I hadn't noticed that; I'll try to take a look when I next go into Paddington.

Is anything planned for the rest of the old Eurostar depot?

I think that what is referred to as 'North Pole East' (I think just the shed itself) is in some sort of local (non rail) development zone. IIRC it was originally thought to be the likeliest possibility as the new HEX depot, but the latest idea is to move that to Langley.

Google Earth's latest satellite view shows all the rail approaches to the eastern shed have been lifted.

 

[D1009]

The track and pointwork in the Network Rail training centre at Bristol Parkway (the former Royal Mail Terminal) has been disconnected from the main line.

 

[Ianno87]

I hadn't noticed that; I'll try to take a look when I next go into Paddington.

Is anything planned for the rest of the old Eurostar depot?

The Ladbroke Grove connection has only been added in the last couple of years. Previously, there was no physical connection between GWML and WLL possible via the depot.

However, I believe the access lines from the depot to the WLL only have third rail electrification, not overheads.

The overheads on the WLL extend some distance south, but Eurostars (for customs reasons) were not permitted to stop on the WLL to changeover, so the third rail from Waterloo continues into the depot, where changeover onto/off the depot's AC electrification occurs within the security of the depot fence.

 

[kieron]

One place I thought of as disconnected railway which BR used to own was Hadlow Road station in Willaston, but the track was apparently lifted in 1964. There's track there now, but I don't know where that came from or even where it is in relation to the original.

 

[mike57]

There is still some track remaining from Glazebrook East towards Cadishead, I think around 500yds, to where it crosses Liverpool Road, it is now disconnected at Glazebrook East.

 

[krus_aragon]

There's the 17 miles of the Amlwch branch which I believe no longer has a physical connection to the main line at Gaerwen - that is, if you can find it beneath the undergrowth. Has been officially out of use for some years but has not been lifted, as far as I know.

You'd have to lift a lot of weeds and shrubbery to get down to the trackbed in the first place!

 

[philthetube]

Reading the thread title, I wonder if the Windermere ferries would have counted before being privatised.