Trivia: Longest "Long Siding"

[thenorthern]

I am trying to work out the longest branch line that is a "Long Siding" where there are no intermediate junctions or no sidings and its a terminus at the end.

The longest I have so far is 13 miles for the Blackpool South Branch line which beats the Windermere branch line (10 Miles).

Are there any longer ones?

 

[Railsigns]

Dovey Junction to Aberystwyth seems to fit your criteria (if sidings at the terminus are allowed) and is over 16 miles.

 

[Tomnick]

If you mean an OTW single line with no sidings at the terminus, Goonbarrow to Newquay fits at around 15 miles. With sidings, but still OTW (?) is Eggesford to Barnstaple at just short of 18 miles.

 

[Railsigns]

If you mean an OTW single line with no sidings at the terminus, Goonbarrow to Newquay fits at around 15 miles. With sidings, but still OTW (?) is Eggesford to Barnstaple at just short of 18 miles.

Those lines commence at Par and Crediton, however. Goonbarrow and Eggesford are intermediate locations with crossing loops, which I think would disqualify both lines. I'm not very confident about my own suggestion being allowed though!

 

[Tomnick]

The perils of ambiguity. Should any of the above suggestions be allowed? None of them are actually sidings at all!

 

[thenorthern]

I would agree that Dovey Junction to Aberystwyth is probably the longest long siding with a junction at the end.

I have never done the far north line but I don't think there is a siding on the Wick part but I may be wrong and that's 15 miles.

What is the longest stretch of single track overall though?

 

[MK Tom]

I assume the OP is referring to lines like the St. Albans Abbey line, which is referred to as a 'long siding' in a video I have somewhere. After the line leaves its junction with the main line, it has absolutely no pointwork whatsoever. Blackpool South would fit that too.

 

[route:oxford]

When does a length of single track become a siding?

Eg is Alloa to Dunfermline a long siding? Or Fort Bill to Mallaig?

 

[Freightmaster]

When does a length of single track become a siding?

As defined in the previous reply:

After the line leaves its junction with the main line, it has absolutely no pointwork whatsoever

So in my part of the world examples include Windermere, Blackpool South and Colne,
but not Preston to Ormskirk, a there is a passing loop at Rufford.


MARK

 

[Tomnick]

When does a length of single track become a siding?

Eg is Alloa to Dunfermline a long siding? Or Fort Bill to Mallaig?

Technically, it becomes a siding when it's not shown in the Sectional Appendix as a running line! That would rule out everything shown so far, but I'll happily accept that that's not in the spirit of the informal term "long siding" that I've always associated with a single line worked under the OTW regs (which wouldn't rule out Ormskirk, Newquay, Barnstaple etc.).

 

[DarloRich]

Leamside would have been a contender

 

[PHILIPE]

A siding when there is a stop block at the end of it. No sets of points at all.

 

[The Planner]

Banbury Road Stone terminal to Bicester MoD was certainly shown as a siding for a while as part of the E-W works.

 

[Tomnick]

A siding when there is a stop block at the end of it. No sets of points at all.

Not the case at all - plenty of running lines have a stop block at the end of them, and definitely aren't sidings!

 

[Llama]

And plenty of 'through sidings' around the network.

 

[HullMichael]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the Whitby branch is signalled as a long siding (from Nunthorpe?), and I'm sure it's the longest branch line in the UK, at 35 miles. But then when is a branch not a branch? Is the Kyle line considered to be a branch? If so it's about 64 miles from Dingwall to Kyle.

 

[Marton]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the Whitby branch is signalled as a long siding (from Nunthorpe?), and I'm sure it's the longest branch line in the UK, at 35 miles. But then when is a branch not a branch? Is the Kyle line considered to be a branch? If so it's about 64 miles from Dingwall to Kyle.

It is signalled in 4 sections.

Middlesbrough:Nunthorpe:Battersby:Glaisdale:Whitby.

Nunthorpe is occupied by 2 units each morning and evening as the Whitby train passes a Nunthorpe starter.

The Sunday crossings are one at Nunthorpe 2 at Battersby.

Not really a siding?

 

[rf_ioliver]

The Fishguard Branch? Or at least it used to be single train in steam working only, which might be a better definition for the OP's question:

Longest section which terminates that is single train in steam working?

If that makes sense, maybe someone can phrase it better,

t.

Ian

 

[alex17595]

It is signalled in 4 sections.

Middlesbrough:Nunthorpe:Battersby:Glaisdale:Whitby.

Nunthorpe is occupied by 2 units each morning and evening as the Whitby train passes a Nunthorpe starter.

The Sunday crossings are one at Nunthorpe 2 at Battersby.

Not really a siding?

I wouldn't count Whitby as there is a connection to the NYMR at Grosmont.

 

[Ploughman]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the Whitby branch is signalled as a long siding (from Nunthorpe?), and I'm sure it's the longest branch line in the UK, at 35 miles. But then when is a branch not a branch? Is the Kyle line considered to be a branch? If so it's about 64 miles from Dingwall to Kyle.

Since when does a siding have a junction with signaller controlled traffic joining and leaving ?
The previous qualification of no S+C units would also go against this.
Passing loop at Glaisdale, Turnout at Grosmont, new S+C connection into a newly re installed platform 2 at Whitby.

 

[Penmorfa]

How about the Gunnislake branch? Worked as a long siding but with a point two thirds along to access the rest of the long siding. Permissible or mischievous?

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

If we are bending rules with exact terminology etc, can the Conwy Valley line squeeze in?
From Llandudno junction where it branches off there is 21 odd miles to Blaenau Ffestiniog of single track unsignalled line.....except.....there is a signal box at Llanrwst, but it doesn't actually control any signals. It is just a stopping place for the exchanging of the line token?

Pushing the boundaries of a siding too far?

 

[Tomnick]

Llanrwst has a crossing loop and a couple of stop signals in each direction - and the facility to shut inside at Blaenau, which all seems against the spirit of a "long siding". Gunnislake works for me though - it's operated as a single OTW section, just one with a reversal on the way.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Llanrwst has a crossing loop and a couple of stop signals in each direction - and the facility to shut inside at Blaenau, which all seems against the spirit of a "long siding". Gunnislake works for me though - it's operated as a single OTW section, just one with a reversal on the way.

Ok fair enough, I thought I was pushing it.

**edited and removed question as I have answered my own question **