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TRIVIA: Heritage railways that run trains on NR lines

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AY1975

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I would guess that the NYMR's Whitby services are one of only very few examples of a heritage railway running trains on Network Rail metals - regularly between Grosmont and Whitby, and occasionally as far as Battersby during certain special events.

Can anyone think of any other examples of existing or proposed services run by heritage railways (or by other operators using heritage railways) onto NR lines? I suppose the Dartmoor Railway runs almost entirely on NR metals, and the proposed Swanage-Wareham service (now delayed until at least 2019) is another example as is the often mooted (but so far never realised) Rawtenstall-Manchester commuter service if it runs via Castleton. Plus the WSR's long-held ambition to run through to Taunton.

See also the thread on the Wareham-Swanage service at www.railforums.co.uk/threads/swanage-wareham-diesel-service-delayed-until-sept-2018.159857/ and the one on heritage railways running community rail services at www.railforums.co.uk/threads/trivia-community-rail-services-on-heritage-railways.172078/
 
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matt

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North Norfolk runs dining trains to Cromer.
 

steamybrian

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Spa Valley Railway runs on NR metals between Birchden Jn and Eridge. I will state that it is a separate parallel line with line used by "Southern " services.

Chinnor and Princes Risborough railway runs into its separate Princes Risborough station over NR metals which (I believe )are still used for engineers trains. I open for correction on this.
 

pdeaves

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Paignton & Dartmouth used to run on BR track to south of Goodrington. Now, having bought that formation, it uses one end of a Network Rail-owned crossover.

The Dart Valley Railway operated over BR tracks into Totnes station from 5 April 1985 to 2 September 1987.
 

IanH440

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Oakhampton is owned by the Quarry, Welsh Highland 60cm run over Cambrian (NR)
 

duffield

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The WHR (Welsh Highland Railway) at Porthmadog runs 'over' NR metals in the sense that it has a flat crossing with them. :E
 

InterCity:125

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The chosley and Wallingford railway uses the national rail chosley station but I’m not sure whether they’re NR metals.
 
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168lover

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Spa Valley Railway runs on NR metals between Birchden Jn and Eridge. I will state that it is a separate parallel line with line used by "Southern " services.

Chinnor and Princes Risborough railway runs into its separate Princes Risborough station over NR metals which (I believe )are still used for engineers trains. I open for correction on this.

The siding that Chinnor operate is used by 2 trains a day to turn back in once they terminate in Princes Risborough. These trains can be found here:http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C72328/2018/10/18/advanced and http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C72107/2018/10/18/advanced. The siding is also used by the occasional tamper who have rights to stable on our site at Princes Risborough and also by the very occasional special or loco move to Chinnor for events we put on.
 

Mag_seven

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The Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) has its own set of coaches (based on its preserved line in Bo'ness) which is used on tours on the NR network.
 

matt

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So it's the other way around then - GBRf (assuming they're still the current operator) services running along part of the private line? Are there other examples of that on the network?

The tanks from Preston Docks run on the Ribble Railway for the first part of their journey although I believe they use their own traction before swapping to Colas at the exchange sidings.
 

bnm

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Plus the WSR's long-held ambition to run through to Taunton.

The WSR and its landlord, Somerset County Council, no longer have active plans or ambitions to run into Taunton. It hasn't really had any such ambition since the 1970s plans for commuter services between Minehead and Taunton were kyboshed by British Rail and the NUR.

Talk of such, 'plans' comes from individuals or groups not affiliated with the WSR. Such plans that do exist are for national rail services to run to Bishops Lydeard. NR running over WSR metals rather than vice versa.
 

pdeaves

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So it's the other way around then - GBRf (assuming they're still the current operator) services running along part of the private line? Are there other examples of that on the network?
There were revenue stone trains to Minehead and Fitzgerald Lighting ran a revenue freight for a while from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway to 'somewhere' on the main line network.
 

xotGD

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So it's the other way around then - GBRf (assuming they're still the current operator) services running along part of the private line? Are there other examples of that on the network?
Coal trains operated from a loading point at Wolsingham on the Weardale Railway for a couple of years. Not any more, however.
 

steevp

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The chosley and Wallingford railway uses the national rail chosley station but I’m not sure whether they’re NR metals.
No - it is completely separate (they use opposite sides of the same platform with a short run round loop on the C&W side) - there isn't even a access point, any visiting locos are delivered by road to Wallingford.
 

InterCity:125

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No - it is completely separate (they use opposite sides of the same platform with a short run round loop on the C&W side) - there isn't even a access point, any visiting locos are delivered by road to Wallingford.
I know this thread is about tracks, but don’t they use the same station facilities?
 
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vlad

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IIRC the Network Rail boundary is a bit to the north of Matlock station, so Peak rail trains technically run onto NR lines at the southern end of their journey.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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Not forgetting some charter trains which run through from NR to private railways from time to time, eg the Summer services from Bristol to Kingswear and services on to the WSR, SVR, MHR, Weardale and Wensleydale etc.
 

alexl92

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So it's the other way around then - GBRf (assuming they're still the current operator) services running along part of the private line? Are there other examples of that on the network?

The MOD run trains along the Wensleydale branch to deliver equipment to Catterick Garrison - in fact it was they who were responsible for keeping the line from being closed by BR in the first place.
 

MarkyT

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Paignton & Dartmouth used to run on BR track to south of Goodrington. Now, having bought that formation, it uses one end of a Network Rail-owned crossover.

Dartmouth Steam Railway, as it is known now, fully owns their station yard at Paignton, and the land you describe at Goodrington, but in addition to the crossover described, their dedicated single track for a short distance extending over Sands Lane (Paignton South) level crossing is also still owned by Network Rail. NR take no part in authorising normal movements over this section however, with the two railways having their own independent signalling. The level crossing installation is entirely a NR asset but is operated locally for each train by crew from the DSR or a mainline train company as appropriate. Barriers rise automatically once a train has cleared the crossing. The crossover points connecting DSR to NR are NR owned but only properly interlocked with the DSR signalling via a ground frame release. Movements between the two railways still have to be verbally authorised as the corresponding interlocking in the NR signalbox has never been installed. At the NR end, the switches are secured by clip and padlock, with a special key held in the signalbox.
 

Skutter

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The MOD run trains along the Wensleydale branch to deliver equipment to Catterick Garrison - in fact it was they who were responsible for keeping the line from being closed by BR in the first place.
Does that still happen? The only links I can find online are from years ago, but it would surely be a good source of revenue if true.
 

alexl92

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I thought it did, from time to time, but I can’t be 100% sure. But as the line is leased from NR I imagine it’s NR who keep the revenue?
 
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