TRIVIA/OPINION - Which is the dullest stretch of railway in the British Isles?

[Thebaz]

Inspired by the recent threads about the Sutton loop, I'd like to ask forum members: which in your opinion is the dullest stretch of track in these fair isles? You may include Eire, the Isle of Man or any island dotted around the coast of mainland Britain. Not Sodor though. Evocative and florid descriptions greatly encouraged!

As you would expect, I'm going to plump for the aforementioned route between Sutton and where it meets the SWR just south of Wimbledon. IMO you have to go a long way to beat this rainy-grey island-platform monotony with it's horrific vista of semi-detached after semi-detached after semi-detached with nothing other than the odd park to break up the drabness. Blink and you won't miss it. Oh, you might catch a glimpse of the Northern line sidings at Morden South if that's your bag.

 

[PHILIPE]

Severn Tunnel.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

ECML between Retford and Peterborough.

Nothing on our domestic network comes remotely close in dullness to the LGV Nord between Paris and Lille though.

 

[SeanG]

ECML south of Darlington is pretty dreary

 

[duffield]

ECML between Retford and Peterborough.
...

Surely not - that stretch includes the infamous Newark flat crossing!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Surely not - that stretch includes the infamous Newark flat crossing!

Which is observable for barely a second on a non-stop service!

 

[bramling]

Inspired by the recent threads about the Sutton loop, I'd like to ask forum members: which in your opinion is the dullest stretch of track in these fair isles? You may include Eire, the Isle of Man or any island dotted around the coast of mainland Britain. Not Sodor though. Evocative and florid descriptions greatly encouraged!

As you would expect, I'm going to plump for the aforementioned route between Sutton and where it meets the SWR just south of Wimbledon. IMO you have to go a long way to beat this rainy-grey island-platform monotony with it's horrific vista of semi-detached after semi-detached after semi-detached with nothing other than the odd park to break up the drabness. Blink and you won't miss it. Oh, you might catch a glimpse of the Northern line sidings at Morden South if that's your bag.

Tottenham Hale to Broxbourne.

 

[Mag_seven]

I find the Berks and Hants (B&H) route between Reading and Taunton pretty boring.

 

[greyman42]

Man Vic to Stalybridge.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

The Channel Tunnel; my mood not enhanced by the thought of being dragged round the shopping centre in Calais for hours later on that afternoon.

 

[Bletchleyite]

ECML except the very top bit.

The GWML as far as Reading is also pretty rubbish, run-down drab suburb after run-down drab suburb.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Man Vic to Stalybridge.

But gets very scenic on approaching Stalyvegas.

 

[A0]

Northern City Line, Drayton Park - Moorgate......

 

[Clip]

Its a bit harsh including tunneled sections of railway on the list.

Sittingbourne to Swale

 

[Journeyman]

ECML except the very top bit.

Agreed, it's one of the few journeys where I'll hardly even bother looking out the window.

 

[Altfish]

Man Vic to Stalybridge.

What, you see a Class 09 shunter and a chance of a 667xx!!

 

[Leslie Fletcher]

During the decade or so I commuted between Manchester and Liverpool I found the section between Hunts Cross and Trafford Park stations dull, dull, dull - nowadays completely devoid of railway interest and the terrain challenges 61653's assertion that "Nothing on our domestic network comes remotely close in dullness to the LGV Nord between Paris and Lille though."

 

[Thebaz]

Tottenham Hale to Broxbourne.

Oh, that's definitely up there. The Angel Road environs have to be one of the most soul-destroyingly drab places on earth

 

[agbrs_Jack]

London Euston to South Hampstead.

 

[faltskog36abba]

Man Vic to Stalybridge.

There are some lovely little areas along that route- Collyhurst Miles platting and the lovely Newton heath/Clayton, Ha Ha - You really wouldn't want to live there.

 

[185143]

During the decade or so I commuted between Manchester and Liverpool I found the section between Hunts Cross and Trafford Park stations dull, dull, dull - nowadays completely devoid of railway interest and the terrain challenges 61653's assertion that "Nothing on our domestic network comes remotely close in dullness to the LGV Nord between Paris and Lille though."

Oi!

That's my local line you're talking about!

 

[Whistler40145]

I'd say the line over the Isle of Sheppey to Sheerness, hardly one of the wonders of the world and probably the line to Cleethorpes

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

ECML between Retford and Peterborough.
Nothing on our domestic network comes remotely close in dullness to the LGV Nord between Paris and Lille though.

At least you skip through these pretty quickly though. Other lines over the fens are much slower.
The GEML isn't a lot better.
I didn't find much of interest on the secondary lines between Edinburgh and Glasgow (Bathgate and Shotts).

SNCF has tedious country in any direction from Paris.
DB is no better from Berlin.
London at least has the Chilterns and the North Downs nearby, even if the suburbs are dreary. ​

 

[DarloRich]

Delete please.

Actually - forget it i can't be bothered anymore. It isn't worth it.

 

[Ianno87]

Derby-Stoke
Peterborough-Leicester-Nuneaton-Birmingham

Just find them so.... boring!

 

[_toommm_]

There are some lovely little areas along that route- Collyhurst Miles platting and the lovely Newton heath/Clayton, Ha Ha - You really wouldn't want to live there.

Oi! I live on the outskirts of Ashton/Waterloo. There's actually some rather posh houses

 

[WestRiding]

Beverley to Bridlington. Selby to Brough. Malton to Scarborough.

 

[Esker-pades]

Northern City Line, Drayton Park - Moorgate......

I love the Northern City Line.

I propose the Cathcart Circle Lines.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

During the decade or so I commuted between Manchester and Liverpool I found the section between Hunts Cross and Trafford Park stations dull, dull, dull - nowadays completely devoid of railway interest and the terrain challenges 61653's assertion that "Nothing on our domestic network comes remotely close in dullness to the LGV Nord between Paris and Lille though."

I know what you mean about the CLC route as it used to be a semi-regular route for me too, but to an extent this proves the old adage that "familiarity breeds contempt".

 

[cf111]

The line between Inverurie and Aberdeen isn't exactly stimulating in terms of scenery.