Trivia: Disused Railway Infrastructure that is still visible today

[Jamesrob637]

Cadishead Viaduct over the A57 and Manchester Ship Canal. Not the most peaceful of walks along the 50mph A57 though!

 

[alangla]

Still some OHLE masts on the long closed Shettleston to Bothwell branch around Shettleston CE yard. Not sure how far down the branch the wires actually went or if an electric train ever went down there.

 

[CBlue]

A sister station to that at Clare on the Stour Valley is Linton which also survives complete with platforms. Now offices on an industrial estate with the access road heading straight between the platforms..


A fair amount of the cuttings used by the Newmarket & Great Chesterford Railway are still in existence and run parallel to the A11 for several miles. I was surprised to discover anything considering the line closed in 1851.

 

[30907]

I've recently been in the Borders and walked part of the NER Tweedmouth to St Boswells line between Kelso and Roxburgh. There is an impressive viaduct at the latter (with footbridge attached at riverbank level). There is an even more substantial viaduct just east of Melrose on the former NBR Reston to St Boswells route, again with a low-level footbridge.

 

[Swanny200]

A lot of the branch from Chatham Dockyard to Gillingham station was still visible at both ends, with rails still present inbetween the two as far as the new Asda as far back as a couple of years ago although I have not been down that way recently to see if it is still there including the bridge over Pier Road.

 

[och aye]

There's loads of disused railway infrastructure if you know where to look

One of the more surprising survivors in Edinburgh is this gate, still sporting in British Rail Scottish Region blue paint! (albeit rather faded) on Roseburn Terrace below the ornate former railway bridge.

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This used to be an entrance to a wooden staircase to Murrayfield station which was just next to the bridge. One of the platforms still partially exists up there too.

It is now mostly overgrown, so you only really see it when the council trims the foliage back. Still pretty amazed that the wooden gate (and paint) has lasted this long since closure. I wonder if much of the wooden staircase is still left behind all that undergrowth. Even if it has, I don't think I'd be brave enough to attempt to walk up it!

 

[High Dyke]

A further one in Lincolnshire. The partial outline of a north to east curve at Honington Junction, where the Skegness line branched off the from the (now closed) route to Lincoln. AFAIK the curve was never built. Equally, just about visible from the A15 near Leasingham are earthworks for the former RAF Cranwell branch, which ran from Sleaford. Opened in 1917, the passenger service was loss-making and it closed in November 1926, but the goods service on the line continued until closure in 1956. The former Cranwell station building also remains in use, as the RAF camp guardroom.

 

[Swanny200]

There's loads of disused railway infrastructure if you know where to look

One of the more surprising survivors in Edinburgh is this gate, still sporting in British Rail Scottish Region blue paint! (albeit rather faded) on Roseburn Terrace below the ornate former railway bridge.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

goo.gl

This used to be an entrance to a wooden staircase to Murrayfield station which was just next to the bridge. One of the platforms still partially exists up there too.

It is now mostly overgrown, so you only really see it when the council trims the foliage back. Still pretty amazed that the wooden gate (and paint) has lasted this long since closure. I wonder if much of the wooden staircase is still left behind all that undergrowth. Even if it has, I don't think I'd be brave enough to attempt to walk up it!

How long ago was that closed?, I know it is part of the cycle route now isn't it

 

[The DJ]

The section from Grimsby to Cleethorpes used to be double track particularly between the passing loop and Cleethorpes it is quite obvious it used to be bigger with the yards between Docks and Cleethorpes still be visible with the wide sections of empty track bed, a second platform at New Clee and the extra wide footbridge near Tesco from the former marshalling yard which closed in the 1980’s. Line was singled in 1993. Cleethorpes used to have 6 platforms, all 3 disused platforms still remains.

If you're talking about the Newmarket Street bridge, it is nothing to do with the railway, built as a pedestrian shortcut between Freeman Street and Victoria Street to avoid either a bus journey or a 30-40 minutes walk.
Couldn't find a recent picture but I know someone who used the bridge in the late 1960's and used it myself around 8-9 years ago

 

[Scotrail314209]

The old Callie railway between Ardrossan and Glasgow via Uplawmoor. Big viaduct on the edge of Kilwinning still visible

 

[K.o.R]

There's loads of disused railway infrastructure if you know where to look

One of the more surprising survivors in Edinburgh is this gate, still sporting in British Rail Scottish Region blue paint! (albeit rather faded) on Roseburn Terrace below the ornate former railway bridge.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

goo.gl

This used to be an entrance to a wooden staircase to Murrayfield station which was just next to the bridge. One of the platforms still partially exists up there too.

It is now mostly overgrown, so you only really see it when the council trims the foliage back. Still pretty amazed that the wooden gate (and paint) has lasted this long since closure. I wonder if much of the wooden staircase is still left behind all that undergrowth. Even if it has, I don't think I'd be brave enough to attempt to walk up it!

Looks like that's where they eventually plan to send the tram route.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I've recently been in the Borders and walked part of the NER Tweedmouth to St Boswells line between Kelso and Roxburgh. There is an impressive viaduct at the latter (with footbridge attached at riverbank level). There is an even more substantial viaduct just east of Melrose on the former NBR Reston to St Boswells route, again with a low-level footbridge.

Leaderfoot Viaduct is the higher one to which you refer. A very impressive structure indeed.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

If you're talking about the Newmarket Street bridge, it is nothing to do with the railway, built as a pedestrian shortcut between Freeman Street and Victoria Street to avoid either a bus journey or a 30-40 minutes walk.
Couldn't find a recent picture but I know someone who used the bridge in the late 1960's and used it myself around 8-9 years ago
View attachment 84067

I was making point that the extra wide footbridge gives away that they used to be a yard underneath. I understand the bridge was not built for the railway.

 

[och aye]

How long ago was that closed?, I know it is part of the cycle route now isn't it

1962 - Just an average victim of the Beeching's Axe. Yes, it is indeed part of the cycle route. However, it may very well reopen one day, albeit in the form as part of the tram line to Granton as Roseburn:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Edinburgh_tramway_map.svg

Looks like that's where they eventually plan to send the tram route.

That is correct. This would form part of the line out to Granton. The tram stop here would be called Roseburn:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Edinburgh_tramway_map.svg

A couple of more impressive bits. Glenluce Viaduct, on the Port Road between Dumfries and Stranraer:

Cefn Coed viaduct in Merthyr Tydfil:

It's hard to believe these magnificent structures have been standing for over fifty years without a single train passing over them.

We should be thankful that they are still standing. We've lost many fine viaducts over the years.

 

[Welly]

A further one in Lincolnshire. The partial outline of a north to east curve at Honington Junction, where the Skegness line branched off the from the (now closed) route to Lincoln. AFAIK the curve was never built. Equally, just about visible from the A15 near Leasingham are earthworks for the former RAF Cranwell branch, which ran from Sleaford. Opened in 1917, the passenger service was loss-making and it closed in November 1926, but the goods service on the line continued until closure in 1956. The former Cranwell station building also remains in use, as the RAF camp guardroom.

I remember seeing a brick underbridge from the same place when I was passing along the A15 about 15 odd years ago - is that still there?

 

[aliceh]

The Surrey Road viaduct in Bournemouth is still very much extant, having closed along with Bournemouth West station

 

[Furrball]

Quite a good write up of abandoned but in many places still visible suburban lines in Glasgow

Disused Train Lines and Ghost Railway Stations of Glasgow

Personal blog about Glasgow gigs, museums, exhibitions and social history, etc. by a Partick Thistle fan

glasgowpunter.blogspot.com

 

[High Dyke]

I remember seeing a brick underbridge from the same place when I was passing along the A15 about 15 odd years ago - is that still there?

It looks to be. I don't go that way very often, but Google Maps has it shown from 8 years ago, and I've little to doubt it's been removed since. I'll probably have to go and look myself now.

For many years the bridge on Cross-O'cliff hill in Lincoln, where the Grantham line passed under the A15, was maintained by BR - some 20+ years after the line closed. It's now maintained by the local authority.

 

[30907]

Leaderfoot Viaduct is the higher one to which you refer. A very impressive structure indeed.

Thanks. I should have mentioned that the southbound platform of Melrose station survives as a private house, and has a ScR blue nameboard (original?).

 

[Millisle]

1962 - Just an average victim of the Beeching's Axe. Yes, it is indeed part of the cycle route. However, it may very well reopen one day, albeit in the form as part of the tram line to Granton as Roseburn:

BR got off to a head start with most of the urban network in Edinburgh, Beeching not being published until 1963.

 

[JBuchananGB]

Fencote station (in 2017)

 

[busesrusuk]

Stratford International, International platforms. weeds now beginning to grow....

 

[marsker]

On a walk, found a remarkably complete signal box at north end of where former Deepdale viaduct was on Stainmore line near Lartington.

 

[Deepgreen]

Given the vast number of locations, I'll keep it to within a couple of miles of my house! Betchworth quarry had a moderate narrow gauge network until the early 60s and the trackbeds are still visible and walkable on the hills above the station. The network was fed from the main line by the siding immediately to the west of the station, which still exists today (including very overgrown track), but which has not been used since (I estimate) the 1970s. I find it amazing that the points still connect it to the main line rather than having been converted to plain line.
There is also the long-gone curve connecting the North Downs line to the Dorking-Horsham line to the east of Dorking Deepdene, the alignment of which is still evident by Pixham Lane (the space is partly used as a NR access site today) where it joined the Horsham route.

I haven't seen this special one mentioned yet - Waterloo to Waterloo East - the current footbridge is underlain by the erstwhile single track connecting bridge.

 

[matchmaker]

1962 - Just an average victim of the Beeching's Axe. Yes, it is indeed part of the cycle route. However, it may very well reopen one day, albeit in the form as part of the tram line to Granton as Roseburn:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Edinburgh_tramway_map.svg

That is correct. This would form part of the line out to Granton. The tram stop here would be called Roseburn:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Edinburgh_tramway_map.svg

We should be thankful that they are still standing. We've lost many fine viaducts over the years.

It's hard to believe that at one time it was planned to demolish the magnificent viaducts at Cullen.

 

[McRhu]

One of my favourite relics has to be the bridge pier in the River Almond near Huntingtowerfield (Perth), which carried the electrified railway from the Huntingtowerfield Bleachworks on the Lade to the Pitcairngreen works. This line linked to the Perth & Almond Valley Line near Almondbank. The Admiralty depot there took over the electric traction when the Bleachworks made it redundant. A fascinating and little known little network.

 

[Sheridan]

Mention of Shetland on another thread reminded me of the Hildasay quarry railway - an island now uninhabited for over 100 years but which once had a railway to move stone down to the quay. Some of the rails are still in situ (or were when I visited in 2017 with a friend) but largely buried under thick growth as one would expect. But the google image screenshot attached shows the route it took pretty clearly still.

 

[Cletus]

I'd been meaning to mention this from a trip to the North West last month:-

On leaving Bolton going towards Blackburn, there's the remains of a junction and a viaduct. Where did this line go and what's its history? Had a quick look online but couldn't see anything.

See link to map https://goo.gl/maps/xT5v62GrGXGpLUvB6

 

[vic-rijrode]

I'd been meaning to mention this from a trip to the North West last month:-

On leaving Bolton going towards Blackburn, there's the remains of a junction and a viaduct. Where did this line go and what's its history? Had a quick look online but couldn't see anything.

See link to map https://goo.gl/maps/xT5v62GrGXGpLUvB6

It was the Astley Bridge Branch. On Youtube:

 

[Cletus]

Thanks, I'll have at look at that.