Trivia - longest "loop" under OLE without reversal

[Joseph_Locke]

Following on from this post:

What is the longest (in miles) "loop" journey one can make in an electric train under OLE?

Specific requirements:

1. The journey must be made by a single AC train formation in AC mode
2. The whole route must have live 25kV OLE (see rule 1)
   
3. The journey must start and finish at the same point, with bonus marks for the return arrival being in the opposite direction from departure
   
4. The train must not reverse at any point
5. Sections of the route may cross
   
6. The route need not have a current passenger service
   
7. Further bonus marks for routes that repeat the fewest sections of track
8. (Added later) The journey must not use the Channel Tunnel or HS1

 

[Kite159]

I will get the ball rolling with Camden Road - Edinburgh - Camden Road

Camden Road - Connection to ECML - Hertford North - Newcastle - Millerhill - Newcraighall - Edinburgh - Falkirk High - Springburn - Gartcosh - Coatbridge Central - Motherwell - Wishaw - Carlisle - Wigan North Western- Manchester Piccadilly - Crewe - Stoke - Stafford - Birmingham New Street - Rugby - Northampton Loop - South Hampstead - Connection via the former Primrose Hill station - Camden Road

 

[A0wen]

I will get the ball rolling with Camden Road - Edinburgh - Camden Road

Camden Road - Connection to ECML - Hertford North - Onwards to Edinburgh - Falkirk High - Springburn - Gartcosh - Coatbridge Central - Motherwell - Wishaw - Carlisle - Wigan North Western- Manchester Piccadilly - Crewe - Stoke - Stafford - Birmingham New Street - Rugby - Northampton Loop - South Hampstead - Connection via the former Primrose Hill station - Camden Road

I was thinking something similar - would it be longer if you started / ended at Canonbury? Using the Canonbury > Finsbury Park link to get you on the ECML and then NLL beyond Camden Road to Canonbury on the return?

Edit - just thinking about it - does the GOBLIN count yet? That could give a start / finish even further east.

 

[Kite159]

I was thinking something similar - would it be longer if you started / ended at Canonbury? Using the Canonbury > Finsbury Park link to get you on the ECML and then NLL beyond Camden Road to Canonbury on the return?

In theory you could start/finish at Liverpool Street, although it will be a slight overlap of track between Canonbury Junction & Dalston Kingsland, and from Bethnal Green to Liverpool Street

Liverpool Street - London Fields - Navarino Road Junction - Canonbury Junction - Finsbury Park -> as before -> Camden Road* - NLL to Channelsea Up Loop -> Liverpool Street

*two options of joining the NLL, either via the Primrose Hill route or joining after Willesden Junction, I suspect going via Primrose Hill is longer)

 

[Ianno87]

In theory you could start/finish at Liverpool Street, although it will be a slight overlap of track between Canonbury Junction & Dalston Kingsland, and from Bethnal Green to Liverpool Street

Liverpool Street - London Fields - Navarino Road Junction - Canonbury Junction - Finsbury Park -> as before -> Camden Road* - NLL to Channelsea Up Loop -> Liverpool Street

*two options of joining the NLL, either via the Primrose Hill route or joining after Willesden Junction, I suspect going via Primrose Hill is longer)

Why not start/finish at Shoeburyness?

Out via Grays/Barking/Forest Gate/Stratford/NLL.

Back via Kensal Green/Gospel Oak/South Tottenham/Woodgrange Park/Barking/Upminster?

Albeit repeating covering Barking<>Woodgrange Park once in each direction.

 

[Kite159]

Why not start/finish at Shoeburyness?

Out via Grays/Barking/Forest Gate/Stratford/NLL.

Back via Kensal Green/Gospel Oak/South Tottenham/Woodgrange Park/Barking/Upminster?

Albeit repeating covering Barking<>Woodgrange Park once in each direction.

True that, I was just going to make the idea of using the Goblin line and the link between South Tottenham & the lea valley line coming back using Liverpool Street as the starting block, that way the only repeated track is the short section between Liverpool Street & Bethnal Green.

Although come to think of it, you might be able to get extra miles coming back like:

South Tottenham - Lea Bridge - High Meads Loop - Stratford - Woodgrange Park - Barking, although that will reuse Barking - High Meads Junction

 

[Kite159]

Shoeburyness/Benfleet - Grays - Barking - Stratford - NLL to Canonbury - Finsbury Park - Hertford North - York - Millerhill - Newcraighall - Edinburgh - Falkirk High - Springburn - Gartcosh - Coatbridge Central - Motherwell - Wishaw - Carlisle - Wigan North Western- Manchester Piccadilly - Crewe - Stoke - Stafford - Birmingham New Street - Rugby - Northampton Loop - Wembley Central - Kensal Rise - Gospel Oak - South Tottenham - Lea Bridge - High Meads Loop - Stratford - Woodgrange Park - Barking - Upminster - Benfleet/Shoeburyness

Although in theory you could probably start/finish in Norwich!

 

[306024]

Although in theory you could probably start/finish in Norwich!

So that’s the class 90 Greater Anglia farewell railtour planned.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

But whose is longest <snigger>?

 

[DimTim]

Are we able to trundle round the Aston loop passing through the midlands?

 

[Joseph_Locke]

At the risk of turning this into a game of Mornington Crescent, why not?

 

[InOban]

When they energise Greehill Lower through Falkirk Grahamston to Polmont, you can add a couple of miles...

 

[Cowley]

I’d love to know the mileage of this journey?
When it first popped up I thought that there must be various loops around Glasgow and Birmingham that might bump the miles up, but I don’t have the local knowledge to be certain of some of the routes.
Interesting thread.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

"Stafford - Birmingham New Street - Rugby" ...

... can be "Stafford - Wolverhampton - Bescot Stadium - Perry Barr North Jn. - Soho South Jn. - Birmingham New Street - Duddeston - Aston - Perry Barr - (start repeated section) - Birmingham New Street - Proof House - (end repeated section) - Stechford - Rugby".

 

[Kite159]

I’d love to know the mileage of this journey?
When it first popped up I thought that there must be various loops around Glasgow and Birmingham that might bump the miles up, but I don’t have the local knowledge to be certain of some of the routes.
Interesting thread.

There isn't that many loops in the Glasgow area which can be used to bump miles up using electric traction without reversals

 

[Ploughman]

Is Preston, St Helens, Liverpool, Weaver Jcn allowed ?
Or Preston, Newton Le Willows, Lime St and Weaver Jcn?
You know what I mean if I have not got the name right.

 

[Kite159]

Is Preston, St Helens, Liverpool, Weaver Jcn allowed ?
Or Preston, Newton Le Willows, Lime St and Weaver Jcn?
You know what I mean if I have not got the name right.

How will you get out of Lime Street without a reversal?

 

[yoyothehobo]

Is Preston, St Helens, Liverpool, Weaver Jcn allowed ?
Or Preston, Newton Le Willows, Lime St and Weaver Jcn?
You know what I mean if I have not got the name right.

You would have to reverse at edge hill as there is no curve.

You might be able to get at something if you started at Liverpool - Picadilly - Crewe - London - ECML - Edinburgh - Motherwell - Wigan - Liverpool