Trivia. Freight Avoiding Lines UK.

[Jim Jehosofat]

Does the Wensum Curve at Norwich count? From memory there are no booked passenger trains, just the occasional freight to North Walsham.

 

[61058]

And still sorely missed. Built as part of the GN/GE "Joint" line, from Greetwell Junction to Pyewipe Junction and bridging Canwick Road, the High Street, and Beever Street thereby avoiding the problems caused by the three City Centre level crossings on the original GN route (Durham Ox, High Street, Brayford). In particular it allowed freight trains to run on the route whose length exceeded the distance between the two crossings (as it was not permitted to have both crossings closed to road traffic at once, because of the risk of a stalled train cutting the city in two.

There was a triangular junction at the west (Boultham) end of the avoiding line to allow trains from the east access to the large freight yard there. This survives, as it was re-used for the spur connecting the Newark route to Central station, opened in 1985, but that actually increased passenger rail traffic across the High Street (as the Newark trains used to terminate at St Marks, west of the High Street), as well as requiring all freight traffic to do so.

Following the construction of four bridges east and west of the city centre, (the first in 1958 and the most recent just ten days ago), the High Street is now closed to road traffic at the level crossing - severing a highway that dates from Roman times.

I did once travel on the avoiding line, in about 1970, on a special charter to Liverpool Street, for my school in Lincoln and one from Market Rasen, which, to avoid reversal in Lincoln, used the avoiding line to access the "Joint" line to March.

Sunday ECML diversions over the Joint line tended to run through Central station even if they were not booked to call, as the line was "switched out" on Sundays. However, it was a common sight at Lincoln City home games to see trains rumbling past.

With the increase in rail freight traffic over the Joint Line re-opening it would be a good move, but sadly a short-sighted city council has allowed most of the embankments to be removed and houses built on the land.

Thank you.The map makes it much clearer. I was also on that school charter from Lincoln to Liverpool Street.

 

[chorleyjeff]

Having spent some of lockdown looking at cab ride videos from Germany, and following them on a map, there see to be plenty of cities there with freight avoiding lines. So my question is how many exist(ed) in the UK.

My candidates are, Doncaster (south west to north east), York, Crewe, Carlisle (ex). I’m sure there are more.

My rules are that the line must primarily be, or have been, for freight services and must be a way of avoiding a station, but start and finish from a point on the passenger lines themselves. Extra non-platform lines running through a station don’t count, we need a separate formation. Curves to avoid termini do NOT count. Presence of a yard on the avoiding line a distinct bonus as is an explanation of when the line was built.

How about the avoiding line that ran round the back of Preston Station from Skew Bridge to just North of the station. Used, in my day, for goods except the daily ROF Euxton to B'pool train and bank holiday excursions.

 

[tel]

What about the line through Toton as it avoids Nottingham station????

Tel

 

[CHAPS2034]

In recent times some TPE trains have not called at Darlington en route to Newcastle.

A couple of years ago, I twice travelled on one of these TPE services that did not call at Darlington en route Newcastle. On both occasions, we were routed through the station itself rather than the avoider. I assume this is avoid crossing the up line which runs through the station twice.

 

[Spartacus]

Thanks! It was heading south, that would make sense. And probably also explains why I haven't ever seen freight heading north through York (as far as I can remember), only south.

North through the station's still not unusual as if a freight's heading North it's still got to find a path over the Leeds lines to get to the avoiders, that can be tough at busy times coming from Milford Jn and practically impossible if on the ECML where there's only one opportunity to cross at Colton Jn.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Thank you. The map makes it much clearer. I was also on that school charter from Lincoln to Liverpool Street.

That probably means we went to the same school!

 

[Western Sunset]

And still sorely missed. Built as part of the GN/GE "Joint" line, from Greetwell Junction to Pyewipe Junction and bridging Canwick Road, the High Street, and Beever Street thereby avoiding the problems caused by the three City Centre level crossings on the original GN route (Durham Ox, High Street, Brayford). In particular it allowed freight trains to run on the route whose length exceeded the distance between the two crossings (as it was not permitted to have both crossings closed to road traffic at once, because of the risk of a stalled train cutting the city in two.

There was a triangular junction at the west (Boultham) end of the avoiding line to allow trains from the east access to the large freight yard there. This survives, as it was re-used for the spur connecting the Newark route to Central station, opened in 1985, but that actually increased passenger rail traffic across the High Street (as the Newark trains used to terminate at St Marks, west of the High Street), as well as requiring all freight traffic to do so.

Following the construction of four bridges east and west of the city centre, (the first in 1958 and the most recent just ten days ago), the High Street is now closed to road traffic at the level crossing - severing a highway that dates from Roman times.

I did once travel on the avoiding line, in about 1970, on a special charter to Liverpool Street, for my school in Lincoln and one from Market Rasen, which, to avoid reversal in Lincoln, used the avoiding line to access the "Joint" line to March.

Sunday ECML diversions over the Joint line tended to run through Central station even if they were not booked to call, as the line was "switched out" on Sundays. However, it was a common sight at Lincoln City home games to see trains rumbling past.

With the increase in rail freight traffic over the Joint Line re-opening it would be a good move, but sadly a short-sighted city council has allowed most of the embankments to be removed and houses built on the land.

Here's a Deltic at St Mark's, to bring back some memories...

Deltic at Lincoln

Running almost an hour late, Cl.55 55014 The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (YK) waits to depart from Lincoln St Marks station with the 13.05 King's Cross - Cleethorpes [1981]

www.flickr.com

 

[HSP 2]

How about these, Carnforth F and M junction to east junction, taken OOU in about the 00s. Also the back road at Carnforth (behind the wall, platform 2).
Moss Bay south junction to Siddick junction avoiding Workington station, the line is still in place but sees little use now. At the back behind the wall on platform 2.
The two lines avoiding Maryports only platform.

 

[matchmaker]

Fouldubs Junction to Swing Bridge Junction via Carron Junction - the Orchard Hall Goods Line. Built to allow the heavy traffic to and from Grangemouth Docks to avoid Falkirk. The line was for some reason signalled Absolute Block, although it carried no passenger traffic.

 

[CW2]

There are several in the vicinity of Glasgow:
Shields Jn - High St Jn (City Union Line)
Shields Jn - Larkfield Jn
Shields Jn - Pollokshields East
Cowlairs East - North curve (sees some passenger use in summer only)
Various curves around Mossend

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Barrow-in-Furness springs to mind.

Inverness, Leeds, Shrewsbury and Hull also have short sections of track which avoid reversals in the station

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Barrow-in-Furness springs to mind.

Inverness, Leeds, Shrewsbury and Hull also have short sections of track which avoid reversals in the station

Curves to avoid termini are excluded under my categorisation.

 

[HSP 2]

Curves to avoid termini are excluded under my categorisation.

Barrow-in-Furness springs to mind.

Inverness, Leeds, Shrewsbury and Hull also have short sections of track which avoid reversals in the station

Barrow in Furness is not a termini.

Inverness is and Hull is a termini, but I can't see why Leeds and Shrewsbury should be excluded.

 

[jopsuk]

does the "Down Slow 2" at Finsbury Park count? Connects from the Canonbury Curve. Possible disused platform there- but was that a freight dock?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Exeter st David’s used to have them (the remains of parts of them were exposed during the recent works briefly) and that meant that level crossing was a fair bit longer before they were taken out.

The gate/gates over the goods lines were hand operated by the Exeter Goods Yard signalman independently of Red Cow crossing.

 

[Cowley]

The gate/gates over the goods lines were hand operated by the Exeter Goods Yard signalman independently of Red Cow crossing.

I didn’t realise that thanks.
Were they taken out in the 70s do you know?

 

[route101]

There are several in the vicinity of Glasgow:
Shields Jn - High St Jn (City Union Line)
Shields Jn - Larkfield Jn
Shields Jn - Pollokshields East
Cowlairs East - North curve (sees some passenger use in summer only)
Various curves around Mossend

Think one of them lines is in use this weekend, diversion with reversal at Polmadie.

 

[Gloster]

I didn’t realise that thanks.
Were they taken out in the 70s do you know?

Exeter Goods Yard Signal Box was closed on 27 February 1978 and I am almost certain that the crossing was closed at the same time. The box was really a hut, although odd in having the lower two or three feet of the walls, at least at the front, brick, while the rest was timber. It had a five lever frame: two signals and three points, although some points may have gone by the time it closed.

 

[Cowley]

Exeter Goods Yard Signal Box was closed on 27 February 1978 and I am almost certain that the crossing was closed at the same time. The box was really a hut, although odd in having the lower two or three feet of the walls, at least at the front, brick, while the rest was timber. It had a five lever frame: two signals and three points, although some points may have gone by the time it closed.

Thanks @Gloster much appreciated.

 

[D6975]

Carlisle has been mentioned already, but with a note that it is now closed. But what about the other 2? Carlisle used to have no fewer than 3 avoiding lines and it’s only the N-S one that got closed. The E-W and E-S are still in situ.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Exeter Goods Yard Signal Box was closed on 27 February 1978 and I am almost certain that the crossing was closed at the same time. The box was really a hut, although odd in having the lower two or three feet of the walls, at least at the front, brick, while the rest was timber. It had a five lever frame: two signals and three points, although some points may have gone by the time it closed.

Here it is in glorious colour (not my photo). It was an intermediate box on the No Block goods lines between Exeter West and Riverside boxes. When the goods lines closed the crossing over them was obviously done away with but Station Road of course still passed over their site to Red Cow crossing.

 

[Cowley]

View attachment 87978
Here it is in glorious colour (not my photo). It was an intermediate box on the No Block goods lines between Exeter West and Riverside boxes. When the goods lines closed the crossing over them was obviously done away with but Station Road of course still passed over their site to Red Cow crossing.

Wow. I guess the hills behind are the Farm Hill estate now?

(edit - not as nice as it sounds)

 

[Ashley Hill]

Wow. I guess the hills behind are the Farm Hill estate now?

(edit - not as nice as it sounds)

It was nicer as hills.

 

[Scotrail84]

Motherwell has avoiding lines.

 

[geoffk]

I assume Godley Junction to Glazebrook is not what the OP had in mind as there were local passenger trains over it as well as Race Specials to Aintree etc.

 

[4F89]

Northampton avoided by use of Weedon? Only used by freight and express services.....

 

[Killingworth]

When I used to spot at Newcastle Central in the 1950s heavy freight trains would go round the back of Platform 10 outside the train shed. As far as I recall they still do, although it's no longer Platform 10.

 

[Springs Branch]

Wigan North Western had a handy freight avoiding line in the 6½ mile Whelley Loop - closed to regular traffic in the early 1970s at the time Warrington PSB opened.

Although most of the Whelley Loop was not originally built as a Wigan avoiding line, it took on this role after the L&NWR constructed a couple of handy connections (plus flying junctions) with the WCML at Standish Junction north of Wigan and Bamfurlong Junction to the south.

Not sure that any passenger trains were regularly scheduled over the full end-to-end route (there were useful connections to other lines along the way), but it was used extensively by through slow goods trains, and occasionally for passenger diversions for engineering work and during the northern WCML electrification. One of the less-favoured jobs for Springs Branch locomen - allegedly - was "conducting Crewe men over Whelley" during times of disruption, on account of the latter's attitude of superiority.

 

[yorksrob]

I don't think anyones mentioned the freight loop around the back of Canterbury West.

Used for oil trains mainly, but it is electrified, as I travelled it on EPB 5001 in 1991 or thereabouts.