Trivia: Longest possible loop of the country?

[westcoaster]

As per the tittle what is the longest possible loop of the country possible, what I mean by that is the longest journey possible starting and finishing at point A ( point A must be the same point to start and finish), you can go where ever as long as you do not use the same line twice, using the up and down is fine just not the down or up twice. No changing ends either all driving from the same cab going forward.
I suppose its a two pronged question 1 for diesels and 1 for electrics. You can use all lines including those in place or about to open, no longer used.

An example would be for electrics point A is St Pancras intl platform A (using a Dv 377 or 319)

St Pancras ll plat A -London bridge- slade green- Stroud- ramgate- Dover- ashford- tonbridge- Brixton- Kensington Olympia- carstairs- Edinburgh- Finsbury park- St Pancras ll plat A

 

[Railsigns]

Instead of going direct from Carstairs to Edinburgh, go Carstairs - Mossend - Stirling - Dunfermline - Kirkcaldy - Edinburgh to add on a good few miles (using a diesel train).

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I'm going to hazard a guess that with those rules, the longest possible loop will involve starting and finishing at either Penzance or Inverness.

 

[Railsigns]

I'm going to hazard a guess that with those rules, the longest possible loop will involve starting and finishing at either Penzance or Inverness.

No route that qualifies as a 'loop' in accordance with the rules could possibly go via Penzance or Inverness.

 

[Busaholic]

I'm going to hazard a guess that with those rules, the longest possible loop will involve starting and finishing at either Penzance or Inverness.

If including routes 'about to open' you could start with Plymouth, on the basis that Tavistock and Okehampton are more likely than Richard Branson getting his giant sparkler more than two miles into 'space' in the same time period, and at much less cost.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

No route that qualifies as a 'loop' in accordance with the rules could possibly go via Penzance or Inverness.

Well the rules state that you can go on the same line once in the up and once in the down direction, and they don't say anything about needing to finish facing the same direction as you started in, so that doesn't seem to rule out starting at - say Penzance, going as far as Taunton, travelling in some long loop that takes you back to Taunton, then heading back down to the same platform in Penzance that you started in But maybe we need westcoaster to clarify

 

[Andyjs247]

OK how about starting at Birmingham New Street then going Wolverhampton - Wellington - Abbey Foregate Curve - Hereford - Maindee Curve - Severn Tunnel Junction - Gloucester - Bristol Parkway - Avonmouth - Bristol Temple Meads - Exeter - Yeovil Junction - Castle Cary - Westbury avoider - Reading - Hanwell - Greenford - South Ruislip - Chiltern line - Birmingham Snow Hill - Worcester Shrub Hill - Oxford - Foxhall Jn - Swindon - Melksham - Westbury - Salisbury - Southampton - Cosham - Ford - Arun Valley - Epsom -Wimbledon -Clapham Jn - Brixton - Nunhead - Lewisham - Plumstead - Dartford - Strood - Faversham - Ramsgate - Dover - Folkestone - Ashford - Tonbridge - Redhill - London Bridge - St Pancras Thameslink - MML - Wigston S Jn - Nuneaton - WCML - Carnforth - Cumbrian Coast - Carlisle - Kilmarnock - Polmadie - Whifflet - Cumbernauld - Stirling - Alloa - Dunfermline - Glenrothes - Kirkcaldy - Edinburgh - ECML - Newcastle - Sunderland - Northallerton - York - Peterborough - Ely - Stowmarket - GEML - Stratford - NLL - Willesden - WCML - Rugby - Birmingham New Street.

No idea how far it is

 

[37038]

Inverness is easy, just go via Aberdeen!

Inverness - Aberdeen - Dundee - Edinburgh Suburban - Slateford - Carstairs - Carlisle -
Leeds - Huddersfield - Barnsley - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Sleaford - Spalding -
Peterborough - Ely - Bury St Edmunds - Ipswich - Ilford - Stratford - High Meads Jn -
Tottenham South Jn - Upper Holloway - Brondesbury Park - Acton Central - New Kew Jn - Clapham Junction - Brixton - Lewisham - Faversham - Margate - Dover Priory - Ashford International - Shalford - North Camp - Reading - Redbridge - Salisbury - Exeter - Weston super mare - St Andrews Road - Bristol Parkway - Yate - Gloucester - Newport - Rhoose - Baglan - Grovesend Colliery Loop - Llandrindod - Cosford - Wolverhampton - Walsall - Portobello Jn - Leamington Spa - West Ruislip - Greenford - West Ealing - Neasden South Jn - Hendon - Bedford - Market Harborough - Nuneaton - Rugeley Trent Jn - Macclesfield - Denton - Moston - Blackburn - Bolton - Knutsford - Warrington Bank Quay - Barrow in Furness - Whitehaven - Carlisle - Dumfries - Newton on Ayr - Kilwinning - Mount Vernon - Gartcosh - Larbert - Stirling - Inverness

1882mi 21ch

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Inverness is easy, just go via Aberdeen!

Inverness - Aberdeen - Dundee - Edinburgh Suburban - Slateford - Carstairs - Carlisle -
Leeds - Huddersfield - Barnsley - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Sleaford - Spalding -
Peterborough - Ely - Bury St Edmunds - Ipswich - Ilford - Stratford - High Meads Jn -
Tottenham South Jn - Upper Holloway - Brondesbury Park - Acton Central - New Kew Jn - Clapham Junction - Brixton - Lewisham - Faversham - Margate - Dover Priory - Ashford International - Shalford - North Camp - Reading - Redbridge - Salisbury - Exeter - Weston super mare - St Andrews Road - Bristol Parkway - Yate - Gloucester - Newport - Rhoose - Baglan - Grovesend Colliery Loop - Llandrindod - Cosford - Wolverhampton - Walsall - Portobello Jn - Leamington Spa - West Ruislip - Greenford - West Ealing - Neasden South Jn - Hendon - Bedford - Market Harborough - Nuneaton - Rugeley Trent Jn - Macclesfield - Denton - Moston - Blackburn - Bolton - Knutsford - Warrington Bank Quay - Barrow in Furness - Whitehaven - Carlisle - Dumfries - Newton on Ayr - Kilwinning - Mount Vernon - Gartcosh - Larbert - Stirling - Inverness

1882mi 21ch

How are you getting from the S&C to the Huddersfield Line? You'd need to reverse at Leeds to run via Morley so presumably you'd avoid Leeds station to go via the Whitehall curve, Normanton and Wakefield Kirkgate?

 

[thenorthern]

Euston-Euston

WCML to Beltchley - Bedford - Doncaster -ECML to Edinburgh - Carstaris - Down the WCML to Euston.

 

[Jonny]

Inverness is easy, just go via Aberdeen!

Inverness - Aberdeen - Dundee - Edinburgh Suburban - Slateford - Carstairs - Carlisle -
Leeds - Huddersfield - Barnsley - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Sleaford - Spalding -
Peterborough - Ely - Bury St Edmunds - Ipswich - Ilford - Stratford - High Meads Jn -
Tottenham South Jn - Upper Holloway - Brondesbury Park - Acton Central - New Kew Jn - Clapham Junction - Brixton - Lewisham - Faversham - Margate - Dover Priory - Ashford International - Shalford - North Camp - Reading - Redbridge - Salisbury - Exeter - Weston super mare - St Andrews Road - Bristol Parkway - Yate - Gloucester - Newport - Rhoose - Baglan - Grovesend Colliery Loop - Llandrindod - Cosford - Wolverhampton - Walsall - Portobello Jn - Leamington Spa - West Ruislip - Greenford - West Ealing - Neasden South Jn - Hendon - Bedford - Market Harborough - Nuneaton - Rugeley Trent Jn - Macclesfield - Denton - Moston - Blackburn - Bolton - Knutsford - Warrington Bank Quay - Barrow in Furness - Whitehaven - Carlisle - Dumfries - Newton on Ayr - Kilwinning - Mount Vernon - Gartcosh - Larbert - Stirling - Inverness

1882mi 21ch

Or, start from Wick via the third chord and follow that route back to Wick (unless using a designated bi-directional/single track in both directions doesn't count).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

How are you getting from the S&C to the Huddersfield Line? You'd need to reverse at Leeds to run via Morley so presumably you'd avoid Leeds station to go via the Whitehall curve, Normanton and Wakefield Kirkgate?

Or bypass Leeds (Carlisle-Skipton-Woodlesford-Wakefield Kirkgate-Huddersfield)...

 

[Buttsy]

Waterloo - Clapham Junction (w/b) - Hounslow - Virgina Water - Woking - Southampton - Salisbury - Exeter St Davids - Taunton - Bristol - Severn Tunnel Junction (w/b) - Newport - Cardiff - Briton Ferry - Pontarddulais - Shrewsbury (n/b) - Wrexham General (n/b) - Bidston - Liverpool loop line - Chester (w/b) - Stockport (n/b) - Guide Bridge - New Mills - Sheffield (n/b) - Huddersfield - Hebden Bridge - Manchester Victoria - Bolton - Wigan NW - Preston - Barrow - Carlisle (n/b) - Carstairs - Holytown - Hamilton - Anniesland - Maryhill - Falkirk Grahamston - Dalmeny (n/b) - Cowdenbeath - Kirkaldy - Dalmeny (s/b) - Edinburgh - Newcastle - Carlisle (s/b) - Settle - Leeds - Hambleton junctions - Doncaster - Sheffield (s/b) - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Sleaford - Peterborough - Ely - Ipswich - Stratford - Willesden Junction Low Level - Watford Junction - Bletchley - Bedford - Corby - Leicester - Nuneaton - Stoke - Crewe (n/b) - Earlestown - Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport (s/b) - Crewe (s/b) - Shrewsbury (s/b) - Cwmbran - Severn Tunnel Junction (e/b) - Worcester Shrub Hill (n/b) - Kidderminster - Birminghm New Street - King's Norton (via Camp Hill route) - Worcester Shrub Hill (s/b) - Oxford - Reading - Guildford - Redhill - Clapham Junction - Waterloo.

 

[yorkie]

you can go where ever as long as you do not use the same line twice, using the up and down is fine just not the down or up twice. No changing ends either all driving from the same cab going forward.

I take this to mean you can't use the same running line, while adjacent lines are fine. I'd take that to mean single line sections are also excluded.

If so, you couldn't include Penzance. But you could start at Inverness, providing you went outward via Aberdeen, and returned via Aviemore.

Something like this (incomplete & needs checking):

Inverness - Elgin - Aberdeen - Dunfirmline - Edinburgh - Carlisle - Newcastle - York - Leeds - Selby avoider - Doncaster - Lincoln - Peterborough - Ely - Ipswich - Stratford - Willesden Jn - Kensington Olympia - Wandsworth Road - Ashford - Hastings - Lewes - Gipsy Hill - Wimbledon - Dorking - Havant - Southampton - Exeter - Taunton - Reading avoider - Oxford - Gloucester -Briton Ferry - Pontarddulais - Craven Arms - Shrewsbury avoider - (some convoluted route around the West Mids) - Manchester - Wigan - Bamber Bridge - Clitheroe - Hellifield - Carlisle - Dumfries - (some convoluted route around Glasgow) - Brunstane - Edinburgh - Stirling - Inverness
​

Yes you do double back, but I believe may be possible to do so without using any of the same running line twice, thus qualifying under the OPs definition.

(Perhaps we should do a trivia thread for the most bonkers itinerary provided on a single ticket, if so Baldock-North Sheen via Elgin would have to be the winner )

 

[Buttsy]

Update on my one earlier: Kemsley - Chatham - Dartford - Woolwich Arsenal - Lewisham (w/b) - Peckham Rye (w/b) - Clapham Junction (w/b) - Hounslow - Virgina Water - Woking - Southampton - Salisbury - Exeter St Davids - Taunton - Bristol - Severn Tunnel Junction (w/b) - Newport - Cardiff - Briton Ferry - Pontarddulais - Shrewsbury (n/b) - Wrexham General (n/b) - Bidston - Liverpool loop line - Chester (w/b) - Stockport (n/b) - Guide Bridge - New Mills - Sheffield (n/b) - Huddersfield - Hebden Bridge - Manchester Victoria - Bolton - Wigan NW - Preston - Barrow - Carlisle (n/b) - Carstairs - Holytown - Hamilton - Anniesland - Maryhill - Falkirk Grahamston - Dalmeny (n/b) - Cowdenbeath - Kirkaldy - Dalmeny (s/b) - Edinburgh - Newcastle - Carlisle (s/b) - Settle - Leeds - Hambleton junctions - Doncaster - Sheffield (s/b) - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Sleaford - Peterborough - Ely - Ipswich - Stratford - Willesden Junction Low Level - Watford Junction - Bletchley - Bedford - Corby - Leicester - Nuneaton - Stoke - Crewe (n/b) - Earlestown - Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport (s/b) - Crewe (s/b) - Shrewsbury (s/b) - Cwmbran - Severn Tunnel Junction (e/b) - Worcester Shrub Hill (n/b) - Kidderminster - Birminghm New Street - King's Norton (via Camp Hill route) - Worcester Shrub Hill (s/b) - Oxford - Reading - Guildford - Redhill - Clapham Junction (e/b) - Peckham Rye (e/b) - Lewisham (e/b) - Beckenham Junction - Bromley South - Swanley - Sevenoaks - Ashford - Dover - Ramsgate - Sittingbourne - Kemsley.

 

[NSE]

- Reading - Guildford - Redhill - Clapham Junction - Waterloo.

There's no connection from the Southern Lines to the SWML into Waterloo at Clapham Junction. It could be done I think by going from Redhill to East Croydon, then Tulse Hill via either Streatham Common or Norwood Junction, then Herne Hill, then through Brixton and down on the old Eurostar connection? I don't know the SE track layout and I'm assuming the Eurostar connection is still there?

 

[Buttsy]

A tweak to the one below (as I note that there is no connection at Anniesland) and assumes the use of freight only lines that do not see any passenger service at all:

Kemsley - Chatham - Dartford - Woolwich Arsenal - Lewisham (w/b) - Peckham Rye (w/b) - Clapham Junction (w/b) - Hounslow - Virgina Water - Woking - Southampton - Salisbury - Exeter St Davids - Taunton - Bristol - Severn Tunnel Junction (w/b) - Newport - Cardiff - Briton Ferry - Pontarddulais - Shrewsbury (n/b) - Wrexham General (n/b) - Bidston - Liverpool loop line - Chester (w/b) - Stockport (n/b) - Guide Bridge - New Mills - Sheffield (n/b) - Huddersfield - Hebden Bridge - Manchester Victoria - Bolton - Wigan NW - Preston - Barrow - Carlisle (n/b) - Auchinleck - Prestwick Town - Cardonald - Bellgrove - Springburn - Bishopbriggs - Falkirk Grahamston - Dalmeny (n/b) - Cowdenbeath - Kirkaldy - Dalmeny (s/b) - Edinburgh - Newcastle - Carlisle (s/b) - Settle - Leeds - Hambleton junctions - Doncaster - Sheffield (s/b) - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Sleaford - Peterborough - Ely - Ipswich - Stratford - Willesden Junction Low Level - Watford Junction - Bletchley - Bedford - Corby - Leicester - Nuneaton - Stoke - Crewe (n/b) - Earlestown - Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport (s/b) - Crewe (s/b) - Shrewsbury (s/b) - Cwmbran - Severn Tunnel Junction (e/b) - Worcester Shrub Hill (n/b) - Kidderminster - Birminghm New Street - King's Norton (via Camp Hill route) - Worcester Shrub Hill (s/b) - Oxford - Reading - Guildford - Redhill - Clapham Junction (e/b) - Peckham Rye (e/b) - Lewisham (e/b) - Beckenham Junction - Bromley South - Swanley - Sevenoaks - Ashford - Dover - Ramsgate - Sittingbourne - Kemsley

 

[BurtonM]

Virgina Water

(sniggers)

 

[westcoaster]

Just to clarify single line is fine up and down count, as would a turn table ?????? see if anyone could include one, ideally the loop would be continuous.

Is there still a turntable down in Cornwall ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A tweak to the one below (as I note that there is no connection at Anniesland) and assumes the use of freight only lines that do not see any passenger service at all:

Kemsley - Chatham - Dartford - Woolwich Arsenal - Lewisham (w/b) - Peckham Rye (w/b) - Clapham Junction (w/b) - Hounslow - Virgina Water - Woking - Southampton - Salisbury - Exeter St Davids - Taunton - Bristol - Severn Tunnel Junction (w/b) - Newport - Cardiff - Briton Ferry - Pontarddulais - Shrewsbury (n/b) - Wrexham General (n/b) - Bidston - Liverpool loop line - Chester (w/b) - Stockport (n/b) - Guide Bridge - New Mills - Sheffield (n/b) - Huddersfield - Hebden Bridge - Manchester Victoria - Bolton - Wigan NW - Preston - Barrow - Carlisle (n/b) - Auchinleck - Prestwick Town - Cardonald - Bellgrove - Springburn - Bishopbriggs - Falkirk Grahamston - Dalmeny (n/b) - Cowdenbeath - Kirkaldy - Dalmeny (s/b) - Edinburgh - Newcastle - Carlisle (s/b) - Settle - Leeds - Hambleton junctions - Doncaster - Sheffield (s/b) - Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln - Sleaford - Peterborough - Ely - Ipswich - Stratford - Willesden Junction Low Level - Watford Junction - Bletchley - Bedford - Corby - Leicester - Nuneaton - Stoke - Crewe (n/b) - Earlestown - Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport (s/b) - Crewe (s/b) - Shrewsbury (s/b) - Cwmbran - Severn Tunnel Junction (e/b) - Worcester Shrub Hill (n/b) - Kidderminster - Birminghm New Street - King's Norton (via Camp Hill route) - Worcester Shrub Hill (s/b) - Oxford - Reading - Guildford - Redhill - Clapham Junction (e/b) - Peckham Rye (e/b) - Lewisham (e/b) - Beckenham Junction - Bromley South - Swanley - Sevenoaks - Ashford - Dover - Ramsgate - Sittingbourne - Kemsley

Could you go from clapham back down the brighton main line to Preston park then along the coast via barnham to Southampton.

 

[37038]

Or, start from Wick via the third chord and follow that route back to Wick (unless using a designated bi-directional/single track in both directions doesn't count).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Or bypass Leeds (Carlisle-Skipton-Woodlesford-Wakefield Kirkgate-Huddersfield)...

I forgot to amend the route. Was meant to include the routing via Normanton through to Huddersfield.

I do believe the rules basically state a route can be travelled once and once only (hence longest loop and not out-and-back). A "route" can be travelled twice if they are shown as different lines (e.g. leaving Euston)

Thanks

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Is there still a turntable down in Cornwall ?

There was one at St Blazey

 

[Buttsy]

Could you go from clapham back down the brighton main line to Preston park then along the coast via barnham to Southampton.

Good point.

 

[Trainfan344]

Lowestoft - Ipswich - Stratford - Richmond - Clapham Junction - Southampton Central - Hilsea - Brighton - London Bridge - Bedford - Bletchley - Birmingham New Street - Leicester - Derby - Sheffield - Rotherham Central - Swinton - York - Newcastle - Carlisle - Barrow-in-Furness - Carnforth - Leeds - Carlisle - Glasgow Central - Inverness - Aberdeen - Edingburgh Waverley - Doncaster - Lincoln - Kings Cross - Royston - Cambridge - London Liverpool Street - Ipswich - Felixstowe - Cambridge - Ely - Norwich - Acle - Great Yarmouth - Reedham (Suffolk) - Lowestoft

How's that then?

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Lowestoft - Ipswich - Stratford - Richmond - Clapham Junction - Southampton Central - Hilsea - Brighton - London Bridge - Bedford - Bletchley - Birmingham New Street - Leicester - Derby - Sheffield - Rotherham Central - Swinton - York - Newcastle - Carlisle - Barrow-in-Furness - Carnforth - Leeds - Carlisle - Glasgow Central - Inverness - Aberdeen - Edingburgh Waverley - Doncaster - Lincoln - Kings Cross - Royston - Cambridge - London Liverpool Street - Ipswich - Felixstowe - Cambridge - Ely - Norwich - Acle - Great Yarmouth - Reedham (Suffolk) - Lowestoft

How's that then?

That looks to me like it breaks the 'no changing ends' rule at quite a few places.

 

[backontrack]

St Pancras ll plat A -London bridge- slade green- Stroud- ramsgate- Dover- ashford- tonbridge- Brixton- Kensington Olympia- carstairs- Edinburgh- Finsbury park- St Pancras ll plat A

Strood, not Stroud. Different stations altogether.

 

[Trainfan344]

Lowestoft - Ipswich - Stratford - Clapham Junction - Eastleigh - Fareham - Cosham - Bedhampton - Hove - Preston Park - East Croydon - Clapham Junction - London Bridge - Blackfriars - Bedford - Birmingham New Street - Leicester - Derby - Sheffield - Rotherham Central - Swinton - York - Newcastle - Carlisle London Road Jn - Carlisle Rome St Junction - Barrow-in-Furness - Carnforth - Birmingham New Street - Carnforth - Carlisle - Glasgow Central - Inverness - Aberdeen - Edingburgh Waverley - Doncaster - Lincoln - Ely - Cambridge - Tottenham Hale - Stratford - Ipswich - Port of Felixstowe - Cambridge - Ely - Norwich Avoiding Line - Lowestoft.

If I could be really cheeky are we allowed to use a turntable? if so I might be able to extend down the Swanage line.

 

[greaterwest]

Exeter St. David's
Taunton
Bristol Temple Meads
Patchway
Severn Tunnel Junction
Cardiff Central
Bynea
Shrewsbury
Chester
Warrington
Wigan
Lancaster
Barrow-in-Furness
Carlisle
Motherwell
Greenfaulds
Edinburgh
Newcastle
Doncaster
Lincoln
Peterborough
Ely
Ipswitch
Stratford
Hackney Wick
Camden Road
South Hampstead
South Acton (via Willesden Junction)
Richmond
Strawberry Hill
New Malden
Clapham Junction
Wandsworth Road
Brixton
Herne Hill
Tulse Hill
Crystal Palace
Norwood Junction
East Croydon
Hove
Southampton Central
Salisbury
Yeovil Junction
Exeter St. David's

I've added quite a few stations in the London area just for clarification on the route I'm taking. I checked google maps and it should at least be possible.