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Walking Britain's Lost Railways - Channel 5 series

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The_Train

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Already have this on remind, really looking forward to this as I love finding out about old infrastructure, particularly when it comes to those lines that have been 'abandoned'
 

AndrewE

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Thanks for the reminder, I am looking forward to an engineering emphasis.
The Julia Bradbury programmes illustrated my experience that (in general) ex-railway lines do not make good walking routes. Too straight, too level, no variety for the feet and ankles, usually too far between points of interest. Ideal for cycling though, although the lack of variation in gradient compared to roads is also a disadvantage there.
 

The_Train

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This Fridays episode will cover the Woodhead route :)

I know it's discussed a lot on this forum but is there much of the infrastructure of this route remaining? As much as it was interesting to hear about what the lines he walked last week were used for, I was hoping to see more relics that remain of the lines he is walking
 

Iskra

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I know it's discussed a lot on this forum but is there much of the infrastructure of this route remaining? As much as it was interesting to hear about what the lines he walked last week were used for, I was hoping to see more relics that remain of the lines he is walking

Hi, there is a reasonable amount.

You can visit the old tunnel entrances at Woodhead and the platforms are still there. You can then have a pleasant walk along the old track bed towards Crowden alongside the reservoir.

Much of the Woodhead line infrastructure still exists on the Manchester Piccadilly-Hadfield line, such as extra platforms at Dinting and the original 4 track gantry all the way.

I’m looking to walk Wadsley Bridge-Stocksbridge some time this year. This part of the line still sees freight trains to the steel mill at Stocksbridge but it’s just single track now, a footpath runs parallel to it.
 

The_Train

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Hi, there is a reasonable amount.

You can visit the old tunnel entrances at Woodhead and the platforms are still there. You can then have a pleasant walk along the old track bed towards Crowden alongside the reservoir.

Much of the Woodhead line infrastructure still exists on the Manchester Piccadilly-Hadfield line, such as extra platforms at Dinting and the original 4 track gantry all the way.

I’m looking to walk Wadsley Bridge-Stocksbridge some time this year. This part of the line still sees freight trains to the steel mill at Stocksbridge but it’s just single track now, a footpath runs parallel to it.

Thanks for the info @Iskra, sounds like tonight's episode might be right up my street :)
 

Hornby Hombre

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My mother in law put me onto this so only watched one episode in Scotland. Was any one else slightly jealous of the guy who lived in that station? Looking forward to the Woodhead Pass as its up my way.
 

Iskra

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I thought it was a good episode, showing what's left of the line in operation at each end, the scenery and quite a bit of remaining infrastructure. Interesting to learn too that Penistone was an accident black spot for a while.
 

Shaw S Hunter

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An interesting series so far. Episode 1 in Morayshire covered routes that I knew next to nothing about so was most informative. The Woodhead episode also included a good variety of topics; I especially enjoyed the acoustics of Thurgoland Tunnel. No doubt yorksrob will be all over next week's edition: the Dartmoor Line.
 

Hornby Hombre

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T'other 'alf went out today with family who have come up so got to watch the Woodhead Line episode.I really enjoyed it. I really like the presenter. A real train and engineer enthusiast. Really intelligent and interesting, He really engages the viewers. Way better than that idiot Portillo bloke. He really does get on my wick.
 

Bedpan

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I've seen a couple, the Woodhead one and the LSWR one, and both quite good. and fairly interesting. I am avidly awaiting the S&D one next week. I did get a bit irritated by the fact that Rob Bell gives the impression of being a bit of a railway enthusiast but nevertheless kept referring to the "London and South West Railway", although he did say "Western" a couple of times towards the end, so presumably one of the perople who he interviewed had put him right.
 

Bedpan

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As I said elsewhere, I found last week's a bit irritating when he kept calling it the "London and South West Railway" despite apparently being a railway enthusiast. .
 

Trainfan344

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I wasn't paying as much attention in the opening sequence of the first one, and they certainly didn't mention the location as they did in episode 2.
 

Trainfan344

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Having only watched the most recent episode, how does he navigate? I noticed he was using an old railway map but it doesn't look particularly helpful for navigation purposes.
 

yorksrob

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Another very good episode on the Keswick line. Quite excited about the S&D this week.
 

yorksrob

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Well, I see this week's episode on the S&D isn't available to view yet.

Typical channel 5.
 
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In case you missed it, Rob Bell's excellent series is repeated nightly from Monday 8th July at 1900hrs. Nice to get some historical background and engineering information from a real engineer.
 
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Great news. The new 6 part series starts Sunday 9 February 2000hrs channel 5. Again presented by Rob Bell, a real engineer whose knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject matter is captivating.
 

Mcr Warrior

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The new episode being broadcast tonight (8 p.m. - Channel 5 - Sunday 9th February 2020) focuses on the Monsal Trail in Derbyshire (in particular Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton) and includes a look at the operations of Peak Rail.
 
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Mcr Warrior

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This week's episode (Sunday 16 February 2020) is set in the Durham area and focuses in particular on how the 1822 Hetton line influenced the development of railways in the area.
 
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geoffk

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Enjoyed the first series but didn't find out about series 2 until the second episode (in the North East). Am trying to find episode 1 on catch-up but seems not to be available yet.
 

S&CLER

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One of the more interesting lines to walk, which isn't accessible at present, would be Clapham-Ingleton-Low Gill. Access to the viaduct at Ingleton would be a problem (though one which has been overcome at Smardale and Kirkby Stephen); the station sites at Kirkby Lonsdale and Sedbergh are in commercial use, and Barbon has been built on. The Dales Way parallels the line from Low Gill to Sedbergh, and has a great view of the arched bridge over the Lune.
 

geoffk

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Have watched the first programme on Matlock - Buxton. Nothing said about possible reopening as a railway, maybe too controversial!
 

ashkeba

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Enjoyed the first series but didn't find out about series 2 until the second episode (in the North East). Am trying to find episode 1 on catch-up but seems not to be available yet.
Series 1 was repeated on Channel 5 and eventually 5SELECT, in case that helps you know where to monitor.
 
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