Trivia: isolated standard gauge lines

[urbophile]

Are there many examples of standard gauge lines in Great Britain which are totally disconnected from the main network? The one which springs to mind is the Island Line for obvious reasons. Is there a theoretical possibility of a standard gauge vehicle* travelling every inch of track without having to be lifted off the rails , or are there lines which are physically separate? For example, the Waterloo and City Line – does that have a running connection to the main line anywhere, however circuitous? What about other Tube lines, or heritage railways?

*assuming it's small enough to meet the smallest loading gauge such as the tube lines, and not dependent on a particular power supply.

 

[birchesgreen]

W&C Line doesn't have a connection to any other line, stock has to be craned in and out (there used to be a lift).

 

[DerekC]

If you include heritage railways there are quite a lot, although main line connections are being worked on in many of them.

 

[Nottingham59]

I'm sure the Great Central Railway in Leicester doesn't have a connection. One of the advantages of bridging the gap at Loughborough to GCR(N) is said to be that would restore a mainline connection.

 

[D6130]

Former lines which come to mind are the Holyhead breakwater line and the Spurn Point Military Railway.

And....if you count the Channel Islands, the Alderney Railway.

 

[theageofthetra]

Swansea & Mumbles?

 

[AndrewE]

Former lines which come to mind are the Holyhead breakwater line

Wasn't that (Brunel's) broad gauge? I thought a couple of the locos still survived in original condition in the Azores?

 

[swt_passenger]

There was a similar thread, (now closed), last summer:

Trivia: Any completely self contained routes?

Are there any routes that although part of the National Rail Network are completely isolated? Isle of Wight would be a candidate, but are there any others? There have been temporary examples when routes have been severed and stock has been trapped. James

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[DanNCL]

All of the track at CAF’s Llanwern site. Despite being next to the South Wales Main Line there isn’t any track connection to it and all stock assembled there has to leave by road.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Any tram system, except Sheffield's.

Not sure why the Holyhead breakwater would have been Brunel gauge. - the railway to Holyhead was built by the Stephensons. The last motive power on the breakwater were two (standard gauge) class 01 diesels.

 

[Whistler40145]

Do you include lines where the mainline connection has been removed?

 

[Llanigraham]

Not sure why the Holyhead breakwater would have been Brunel gauge. - the railway to Holyhead was built by the Stephensons. The last motive power on the breakwater were two (standard gauge) class 01 diesels.

The original line was built solely between the quarry and the breakwater, to supply the stone required.
It was featured on Kate Humble's walking programme on TV last night, and parts of it are still walkable.

 

[higthomas]

All of the track at CAF’s Llanwern site. Despite being next to the South Wales Main Line there isn’t any track connection to it and all stock assembled there has to leave by road.

What, that sounds like madness!

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Any tram system, except Sheffield's.

Not sure why the Holyhead breakwater would have been Brunel gauge. - the railway to Holyhead was built by the Stephensons. The last motive power on the breakwater were two (standard gauge) class 01 diesels.

Is the Manchester Metrolink not accessible from the mainline via the East Lancs Railway?

Tyne and Wear Metro shares tracks with mainline trains through Sunderland

 

[trainmania100]

Southend pier railway? Not sure if it's standard guage but it does look close enough from pics I've seen...

 

[DanNCL]

Any tram system, except Sheffield's.

Is the Manchester Metrolink not accessible from the mainline via the East Lancs Railway?

Metrolink has a connection to the East Lancashire Railway south of Bury, as well as two connections directly to the National Network, one at Newton Heath & Moston and one just north of Altrincham. There also used to be one just east of Victoria but that was removed a few years ago.

Tyne and Wear Metro shares tracks with mainline trains through Sunderland

Tyne & Wear Metro was isolated from the rest of the standard gauge network for a few years, between the removal of the chord to the ECML at Benton (sometime around 1990 if I recall correctly) and the construction of the chord to the Durham Coast line at Pelaw. A second connection to the national network will be made in 2023, also near Pelaw, to/from the South Shields branch.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Southend pier railway? Not sure if it's standard guage but it does look close enough from pics I've seen...

3 ft (914 mm) along the pier

Scarborough's South Cliff and Central Tramway as well as Saltburn Cliff Lift are all standard gauge

 

[Llama]

Metrolink has a connection to the East Lancashire Railway south of Bury, as well as two connections directly to the National Network, one at Newton Heath & Moston and one just north of Altrincham. There also used to be one just east of Victoria but that was removed a few years ago.

There's also the connection at Rochdale East Jn between Metrolink and the national network, although as far as I know it's never been used since it was made in 2009

 

[swt_passenger]

Tyne and Wear Metro shares tracks with mainline trains through Sunderland

But in the context you were replying to, not a tram system either…

 

[DanNCL]

There's also the connection at Rochdale East Jn between Metrolink and the national network, although as far as I know it's never been used since it was made in 2009

There wasn't a connection there when I took Metrolink to Rochdale a few years ago. If there was one there previously it's been removed at some point prior to Summer 2018.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

The Isle of Wight lines (obviously). A closed example would be the Bideford & Westward Ho & Appledore line in Cornwall. There could also have been examples of lines being built to standard gauge in isolated parts of the country during the early days of the railways that weren't connected to the network when built. (Possibly the Looe line, for example?)

There was also a line in Ireland that was built to the Irish standard 5'3" gauge that wasn't connected to any other line. Can't offhand remember where it was or what it was called though.

 

[Llama]

There wasn't a connection there when I took Metrolink to Rochdale a few years ago. If there was one there previously it's been removed at some point prior to Summer 2018.

It's still there as far as I know but overgrown - it's formed of what was the old 'Up & Down Branch' line to Shaw, that meets the Metrolink line on the Shaw side of the Metrolink bridge over the heavy rail lines.

Edit - just checked Google Earth - I stand corrected, looks like it has been severed at the Shaw end now, you are right.

 

[Gloster]

A closed example would be the Bideford & Westward Ho & Appledore line in Cornwall.

Devon!

There was also a line in Ireland that was built to the Irish standard 5'3" gauge that wasn't connected to any other line. Can't offhand remember where it was or what it was called though.

Waterford & Tramore.

 

[Llama]

In that case, I'll offer the lines around Liverpool Road station in Manchester which were isolated from the national network 6-7 years ago by the Ordsall Chord being built.

 

[D821]

I think there are still parts of the Birkenhead Dock Branch intact though the line has cut off in places.

 

[PTR 444]

Pedant example: The Liverpool & Manchester Railway in around 1830

 

[Gloster]

Pedant example: The Liverpool & Manchester Railway in around 1830

And the Canterbury & Whitstable Railway, which opened before the Liverpool & Manchester. (Very pedantic.)

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Two on the Channel Islands

Alderney Railway
Pallot Heritage Steam Museum in Jersey

 

[pdeaves]

There's also the connection at Rochdale East Jn between Metrolink and the national network, although as far as I know it's never been used since it was made in 2009

I think it was never fully installed (so, in a sense, abandoned before being built).

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Both Yorkshire Wolds and Lincolnshire Wolds Railways.
The list will include many heritage railways like the one in Preston, tramways like at Crich, some abandoned relics, industrial sites, and cliff lines, and overseas railways not connected via the Channel Tunnel.
The Waterloo and City Line looks to be the only such commuter service in isolation.

(In regards to trams, an old thread found that covered wheels are the ultimate requirement for a railed vehicle to be a tram, so Tyne and Wear Metros are trains.)