Worst Railway Journeys in the UK

[zwk500]

This is probably seasonal, but I travelled from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe recently on a TFW service, all windows open, and it reeked of manure for half the journey. The scenery is rather pleasant though. Are their any other particularly smelly routes (ignoring train type).

Any journey past farmland has a reasonable chance of that smell when it's fertilising chance of year if the windows are open.

 

[RailWonderer]

This is probably seasonal, but I travelled from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe recently on a TFW service, all windows open, and it reeked of manure for half the journey. The scenery is rather pleasant though. Are their any other particularly smelly routes (ignoring train type).

No, only at this time of year because the farmers are muck spreading in autumn and spring to improve the soil. I did that same journey from Crewe - Church Stretton a couple of weeks ago and on a 150 with all windows open it was similarly pungent. Luckily I had a 175 on both return trips.

Underrated scenic routes I think are Leeds to Ilkley and in the south, Westbury to Bath as well as the Shrewsbury to Abergavenny section.

 

[Whistler40145]

The Sheerness branch isn't very exciting

 

[Amos]

Even worse was Liverpool to Southport

I also really dislike this route,especially if you start at Hunts Cross.Seems to take forever on a not especially comfortable train,and the scenery isn’t much either.It’s one saving grace was that there was a nice beach at the end,but even that was a fair walk from the station.

 

[12LDA28C]

Inverness to Edinburgh in the winter time in the dark on a 170 with no heating

In no way can the Highland Main Line ever be called a bad train journey, even in the dark and in the cold.

 

[Skipness]

Middlesbrough to Redcar Central passing all the old industry… very very dismal

I would second this choice, especially as I can still remember it in its prime with flourishing industry and with a variety of ex LNER steam engines at every turn.

 

[12LDA28C]

And suburban West London generally (plus Slough) is by far one of the most grim parts of the city, though the Lizzie has considerable regeneration potential so this may not always be so.

Clearly you've never been to Harlesden...

 

[JD2168]

Cleethorpes to Sheffield on a bank holiday Monday with kids running down the carriages for most of the journey.

Sheffield to Rotherham Central on any journey is not great with a lot of industrial decline.

 

[AndrewE]

I also really dislike this route,especially if you start at Hunts Cross.Seems to take forever on a not especially comfortable train,and the scenery isn’t much either.It’s one saving grace was that there was a nice beach at the end,but even that was a fair walk from the station.

It is tedious, but not that bad. The trains have always been quite reliable for us and they are electric (and in Liverpool, which adds to the pleasure...)
I might propose as a real worst bit (not overall journey) Standedge Tunnel. No view - and diesel worked, so the fumes always affect my chest before we get through...

 

[Llandudno]

I also really dislike this route,especially if you start at Hunts Cross.Seems to take forever on a not especially comfortable train,and the scenery isn’t much either.It’s one saving grace was that there was a nice beach at the end,but even that was a fair walk from the station.

It’s an even longer walk at Southport if you fancy going for a paddle!

 

[d9009alycidon]

One line that I found surprisingly boring was Inverness to Wick and Thurso, long stretches of featureless landscape aka the Flow Country in a 158 isn't inspiring

 

[Requeststop]

I have never taken to the Par-Newquay branch. To me it's just a poor means of getting to Newquay other than by bus. It has none of the scenery that the other Cornish branch lines have in abundance.

 

[QSK19]

Birmingham Airport to Birmingham New Street stopping service. It felt unsafe on there at night on more than one occasion - for example, a group of 6 loud, intimidating youths swigging from cans of cider getting on at Stechford didn’t make for a comfortable journey!

 

[basfordlad]

Birmingham Airport to Birmingham New Street stopping service. It felt unsafe on there at night on more than one occasion - for example, a group of 6 loud, intimidating youths swigging from cans of cider getting on at Stechford didn’t make for a comfortable journey!

I used to work at stechford station years ago! Rough place

 

[Class15]

North London and West London Lines

There are a few good bits

The section between Hackney Wick and Homerton is nice enough, especially with the disused station and junction.

The section just west of Camden Road is nice including the market

Between Gospel Oak and Hampstead Heath there are some brilliant views of the heath

 

[Penmorfa]

Regarding the Calder Valley; the section from Leeds to Bradford is awful.

It used to be good for copping named B1's though

 

[Snex]

Hartlepool to Middlesbrough.

Horribly slow and boring scenery to boot, with the added bonus of the smell of a landfill just South of Hartlepool, if the train has aircon.

 

[Horizon22]

The Sheerness branch isn't very exciting

You do get to go over the rail/road bridge at Kingsferry and get a decent view of the sea, so not as bad as some of the others.

It does have some vibe of the "deprived British seaside town" though.

Otherwise I'd have to add anther +1 for Reading - Waterloo which feels really slow. The Sutton loop also feels painfully tedious.

 

[Gathursty]

Preston to Ormskirk is a bit 'meh'.

 

[Penmorfa]

Agreed - also some of the Welsh valleys in the 1980s

I'm sure a lot of people in the Welsh valleys would want those days to return.

 

[xotGD]

I might propose as a real worst bit (not overall journey) Standedge Tunnel.

The thrash from the 68 reverberating from the tunnel. Highlight of the trip!

Rather splendid behind a 50 last week too!

 

[Penmorfa]

Aberdeen to Inverness? Two hours to cover 108 miles. I don't recall any interesting scenery and I'm pretty sure there were sections of jointed single-track line. Makes the electrified central belt feel like a different country.

So 54 mph, quite respectable for a stopping serrvice. If you don't like jointed track then never go north of Inverness

 

[Alanko]

I'd second that, although it is a bit better now that a) Derby sewage isn't spread out to dry in the fields just W of the city, and b) the turkey abattoir doesn't have a liquidised "waste" lagoon next to the track at Tutbury and Hatton any more (I imagine.) The smell from the Nescafe factory there wasn't anything to tempt you to buy the product either...
Parts of that journey used to be absolutely nauseating in the summer!

Maybe a theme for another thread: lines with distinctive, unusual or unpleasant smells!

I was driving between Brechin and Montrose last year and passed a pork processing facility that was absolutely ripe. I'm too young to have smelled the famous Kirkcaldy linoleum smell, but luckily there is still the yeasty smell at Haymarket to tantalise the nostrils.

I imagine a combination of stiffer environmental regulations and downscaling of manufacturing and industry has rendered many iconic or noteworthy smells extinct.

 

[12LDA28C]

Maybe a theme for another thread: lines with distinctive, unusual or unpleasant smells!

The smell from the sewage treatment place just north of Doncaster on the ECML... nasty.

 

[Penmorfa]

The attitude towards trees in this country gets my back up. We have some in my road which are an absolute menace, especially as the council has failed to maintain them such that they have now grown much larger than anyone envisaged to the point where they overhang houses. Yet suggest removing them seems to put you in the same box as Jimmy Saville. It’s not like we’re short of trees in this country, but they need to be in the right places.

We have lower tree cover than any country in Northern Europe. We need many, many more. It's not the tres fault it's not maintained or has been planted thoughtlessly

Any line with longitudinal seating is to be avoided

 

[frodshamfella]

Preston to Ormskirk is a bit 'meh'.

I quite like that line...nice scenery and you see the Burscough Curves.

 

[Kingston Dan]

Controversially, most of the journey from Dalmeny to North Queensferry is rather disappointing as the view is somewhat restricted.

 

[geoffk]

it's the only place in the whole wide world where you can be hauled by an LMS-designed 2-6-4 tank loco

Also one in Northern Ireland!

 

[Tetchytyke]

The Watford DC line is just relentless grimness, but it feels churlish to mention it here given how much better it is than the Silverlink days. Longitudinal seating doesn’t help, nor does Harlesden.

 

[Sean Emmett]

Back in the 90s I’m sure some dopes thought they’d see fish.

You did at Waterloo, hanging from the ceiling. Wiggling before each departure.

How much did they cost, and what happened to them?!