Jorge Da Silva
Established Member
What were the last major railway line or main line station to be closed? when did it close and why did it close?
Depends how you define major line, but the Woodhead Route would be a contender
A major route is one that was used for InterCity/Main Line service and/or linked major towns/cities so Woodhead (which linked Manchester and Sheffield) would count.
More recent would be the Selby-York section of the ECML, surely, replaced by the Selby diversion to avoid mining subsidence.
Might also count the HS1 Waterloo connection, now actually disconnected at one end, I believe?
The former North Midland Railway between Wath Road Junction and just north of Cudworth closed in 1988, once the main line between Sheffield and Leeds.
Was that the route of the Thames Clyde/Waverley that ran from London St Pancras to Glasgow/Edinburgh via Appleby?
The Great Central Mainline would be a contender surely with just the length that was closed (Annesley to Claydon LNE)??
I seem to recall that the main routes between Sheffield and Leeds, and separately between Sheffield and York, both went through several iterations between the 1960s and the 1980s before ending up with the current pattern. Notably, it ended up with the Leeds trains now serving the main station at Wakefield Westgate, and the York trains serving Doncaster. Someone will be able to give the detailed changes. In addition to serving more useful stations, some of the routes had become infested with coal mining subsidence.The former North Midland Railway between Wath Road Junction and just north of Cudworth closed in 1988, once the main line between Sheffield and Leeds.
think it was sectorisation that did for the curdworth route. Intercity didnt want to pay for that route when it could piggy back on other lines. they also got out of Kirkgate station. and the line via Altofts. Think west yorkshire PTE were not happy at suddenly becoming prime user of the Altofts route.I seem to recall that the main routes between Sheffield and Leeds, and separately between Sheffield and York, both went through several iterations between the 1960s and the 1980s before ending up with the current pattern. Notably, it ended up with the Leeds trains now serving the main station at Wakefield Westgate, and the York trains serving Doncaster. Someone will be able to give the detailed changes. In addition to serving more useful stations, some of the routes had become infested with coal mining subsidence.
Carlisle avoiding line.
1984, so probably not the latest main line closure, but does this count as the longest section of modern 25kV electrified line to be completely closed and dismantled?Carlisle avoiding line.