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Trivia: Electric Railways that closed

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Taunton

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Was the original East Coast route from Selby to York electric before the bypass opened in the 90s?
Although initially diesel for the first years, it was built to full electrification clearance standard, so when the wires went up it (should have been) straightforward.
 
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daodao

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Grimsby and Immingham Tramway closed 1961
The Burton and Ashby Light Railway was a tramway, but was operated by the Midland Railway and later the LMS Railway until it closed in 1927.

Other electric tramways classified as railways include the Giant's Causeway Tramway and the Bessbrook and Newry Tramway (both in the north of Ireland), and the Guernsey Railway. The Hill of Howth Tramway near Dublin was run by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland). Another railway-run electric tramway was the short Cruden Bay Hotel Tramway, run by the Great North of Scotland Railway which owned the hotel.
 
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Taunton

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Not so.
The second iteration was 6600V 50Hz
It's a common misunderstanding that Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham was converted to 25kV in the 1950s. What was actually being trialled was the National Grid frequency of 50Hz, so it could be connected straight to the national supply without fiddly mechanical converters or using a custom generating station (as the LMH originally did), and to see the trains could handle it with on-board rectifiers to straightforward DC motors. The voltage was by the by, and couldn't really be increased beyond what was in place as the original insulators were used, which are determined by voltage, so they just used the voltage which was previously in place.

The Burton and Ashby Light Railway was a tramway, but was operated by the Midland Railway and later the LMS Railway until it closed in 1927.
Bizarrely, one of their open-top double deck tramcars was exported to Detroit USA, where it was used on a heritage tramway in the city. I actually rode on it upstairs one day in 1980 after a business meeting in the city - and was the only passenger. Later given up.
 

Sm5

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Not sure if it qualifies, but London Victoria to Sutton… was OHLE.. became 3rd rail.. presence of OHLE is visible in places if you know where to look.

Another rank outsider would be Battersea Park platform 1, and 2 to victoria.
 

geoffk

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A list I compiled, with help from others, a while back

Ex BR lines - north to south

High Street (Glasgow) - Bridgeton Central
Balloch - Balloch Pier
Shildon - Newport (freight only) **
Newcastle Quayside branch (freight only) **
Riverside branch, Byker - Percy Main via Walker **
Carlisle avoiding line (freight)
Lancaster Castle - Green Ayre - Morecambe Promenade
Southport - Crossens
Bury - Holcombe Brook **
A short section of the Bolton branch at Radcliffe Central electrified for short workings
Altrincham station half way to Hale (for reversing EMUs)
Altrincham station to carriage depot (former Bowdon station)
Bootle – Aintree via Ford (North Mersey branch) **
Edge Hill Gridiron and circular railway
Woodhead line (Hadfield - Sheffield Vic - Rotherwood/Wath) and branches
Watford High Street - Croxley Green
Watford High Street - Rickmansworth (ex-LNWR)
South Acton - Kew Curve East Jn - Kew Bridge (still in use for freight, de-electrified)
Camden Road - Primrose Hill - South Hampstead (still open for freight, ecs and diversions)
Graham Road Curve (Hackney)
Tilbury Riverside branch
Nunhead - Crystal Palace HL
Elmer's End - Addiscombe
Woodside - South Croydon
Dover Marine/Western Docks branch
Folkestone Harbour branch
Horsted Keynes - Haywards Heath (part still in use for stone traffic)

** de-electrified before closure

London Underground lines
Epping - Ongar
Acton Town - South Acton
Farringdon - Moorgate "widened lines"
Holborn - Aldwych, Piccadilly Line ) although closed to passengers, these lines are still
Green Park - Charing Cross, Jubilee Line) operational and electrified

Other obscure spurs and connections, especially in the London area, also disused stations and their
approaches such as Liverpool Exchange, Holborn Viaduct, Broad Street and Coulsdon North.

Industrial lines
Harton Electric Railway (South Shields)
Kearsley Power Station

Light railways

Swansea & Mumbles Railway
Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway #
Burton & Ashby Light Railway #
Kinver Light Railway #
Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway #
Liverpool Overhead Railway

Also lines now forming part of Tyne & Wear Metro, Manchester Metrolink and Croydon Tramlink.

Urban street tramways are excluded (the above marked # had some street running)
 

edwin_m

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Oldham Werneth to Oldham Mumps. Closed as a diesel heavy rail line, re-opened as an electrified tramway and closed again a couple of years later when the route was diverted through the centre of Oldham.
 

steamybrian

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was the Merton Park - Tooting direct line electrified ?
No it was not.

A list I compiled, with help from others, a while back

Ex BR lines - north to south

High Street (Glasgow) - Bridgeton Central
Balloch - Balloch Pier
Shildon - Newport (freight only) **
Newcastle Quayside branch (freight only) **
Riverside branch, Byker - Percy Main via Walker **
Carlisle avoiding line (freight)
Lancaster Castle - Green Ayre - Morecambe Promenade
Southport - Crossens
Bury - Holcombe Brook **
A short section of the Bolton branch at Radcliffe Central electrified for short workings
Altrincham station half way to Hale (for reversing EMUs)
Altrincham station to carriage depot (former Bowdon station)
Bootle – Aintree via Ford (North Mersey branch) **
Edge Hill Gridiron and circular railway
Woodhead line (Hadfield - Sheffield Vic - Rotherwood/Wath) and branches
Watford High Street - Croxley Green
Watford High Street - Rickmansworth (ex-LNWR)
South Acton - Kew Curve East Jn - Kew Bridge (still in use for freight, de-electrified)
Camden Road - Primrose Hill - South Hampstead (still open for freight, ecs and diversions)
Graham Road Curve (Hackney)
Tilbury Riverside branch
Nunhead - Crystal Palace HL
Elmer's End - Addiscombe
Woodside - South Croydon
Dover Marine/Western Docks branch
Folkestone Harbour branch
Horsted Keynes - Haywards Heath (part still in use for stone traffic)

** de-electrified before closure

London Underground lines
Epping - Ongar
Acton Town - South Acton
Farringdon - Moorgate "widened lines"
Holborn - Aldwych, Piccadilly Line ) although closed to passengers, these lines are still
Green Park - Charing Cross, Jubilee Line) operational and electrified

Other obscure spurs and connections, especially in the London area, also disused stations and their
approaches such as Liverpool Exchange, Holborn Viaduct, Broad Street and Coulsdon North.

Industrial lines
Harton Electric Railway (South Shields)
Kearsley Power Station

Light railways
Swansea & Mumbles Railway
Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway #
Burton & Ashby Light Railway #
Kinver Light Railway #
Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway #
Liverpool Overhead Railway

Also lines now forming part of Tyne & Wear Metro, Manchester Metrolink and Croydon Tramlink.

Urban street tramways are excluded (the above marked # had some street running)
Woodside- South Croydon amend to Woodside- Selsdon.
Farringdon- Moorgate (Widened Lines) was not part of London Underground but purely used by Thameslink services.
Add London Underground- King William Street- Borough closed 1900
and Hounslow Town branch closed 1909.
 
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D6130

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Really scraping the bottom of the barrel now:

Whittingham Hospital Light Railway (connecting with the Preston-Longridge branch at Grimsargh, IIRC).

Also, back in the 'seventies, I remember passing Carolina Port power station - adjacent to the main line between Dundee and Broughty Ferry - and seeing two or three steeple cab electric locos in the sidings there. I can't remember whether they were OHLE or battery-powered....maybe someone can enlighten us?

Continuing with the 'seventies theme, during my time on the Southern Region, I can recall seeing 750v DC OHLE at Snowdown and Shepherdswell sidings - presumably for the class 71 electric locos. Can anyone remember whether the branches into Snowdown and Tilmanstone collieries were also electrified?

At least two overhead electrified narrow gauge industrial lines in the West Lothian oil shale mining area in Scotland - at Winchburgh and Pumpherston, IIRC.

Any more for any more?
 

steamybrian

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Really scraping the bottom of the barrel now:

Whittingham Hospital Light Railway (connecting with the Preston-Longridge branch at Grimsargh, IIRC).

Also, back in the 'seventies, I remember passing Carolina Port power station - adjacent to the main line between Dundee and Broughty Ferry - and seeing two or three steeple cab electric locos in the sidings there. I can't remember whether they were OHLE or battery-powered....maybe someone can enlighten us?

Continuing with the 'seventies theme, during my time on the Southern Region, I can recall seeing 750v DC OHLE at Snowdown and Shepherdswell sidings - presumably for the class 71 electric locos. Can anyone remember whether the branches into Snowdown and Tilmanstone collieries were also electrified?

At least two overhead electrified narrow gauge industrial lines in the West Lothian oil shale mining area in Scotland - at Winchburgh and Pumpherston, IIRC.

Any more for any more?
I can confirm that the line to Tilmanstone Colliery was NOT electrified but unsure if the sidings at Shepherds Well were fitted with 750v DC overhead. Before anyone asks the line to Betteshanger Colliery or Sidings were also NOT not electrified.

Additional lines to add-
When the Eurostar services were diverted from Waterloo to St. Pancras in 2007 passenger services were withdrawn from the following sections of line-
Nine Elms Jn to Linford Street Jn and
Fawkham Jn to Springhead Jn

London Underground- Whitechapel to Shoreditch (closed 2006)

North Woolwich to Stratford (being partly reopened as section of Elizabeth/Crossrail line
 
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Gloster

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Up the creek
Hellingly Hospital Railway, closed 1959.
High Royds Hospital Railway, closed 1951.
I am not sure if the Cruden Bay Tramway counts: closed passengers 1932, completely 1940.
 

daodao

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Hellingly Hospital Railway, closed 1959.
High Royds Hospital Railway, closed 1951.
I am not sure if the Cruden Bay Tramway counts: closed passengers 1932, completely 1940.
The St Edwards Hospital tramway in Cheddleton, Staffordshire (finally closed in 1954) was similar.
 

bishdunster

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The unique Brighton and Rottingdean Railway opened 1896 closed 1901
I remember seeing an electric shunting loco with trolleybus like collector arms in Roath power station Cardiff in the late 1960s, can find no reference to it anywhere though:(
 

John Webb

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Industrial line: Serving the brickworks south of Bedford, known as Coronation works as it was opened in 1935, and their exchange sidings on the west side of the Midland line at Houghton Conquest. Closed early 1970s. Used a 'steeple' cab loco with twin trolley poles.

The Stratford-North Woolwich line has been mentioned by a few. This was a late-comer to electrification as it was only electrified in 1985 on the 3rd-rail system and closed 2006.
 

Springs Branch

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Where my keyboard has no £ key
Liverpool Gladstone Dock L&Y station to Rimrose Road Junction on the North Mersey Branch (section de-electrified 1924, line remained open for goods to North Mersey Yard for until 1971)

At Bidston, the West to North curve was originally electrified & some West Kirby-New Brighton trains ran in the early days. Not sure whether the third rail was removed before the curve closed in 1983.

Several branches in the Manchester area were electrified as part of Woodhead scheme:-
Gorton - Reddish Depot
Fairfield Jn - Hyde Road Jn
Guide Bridge (Stockport Jn) - Ashton Moss North Jn
Ashburys Jn and Ardwick Jn to Midland Jn (on the Philips Park line)
 

krus_aragon

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Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway #
While it may have legally been a light railway, it operated far more like a passenger tram. Roughly half the stock was open-top (single or double-deck), which wouldn't have met the requirements of a 3rd Class Parliamentary service!

By the "quacks-like-a-duck" test, most passengers would have described the L&CBER as a tram, and Keith Turner describes it as such from the start of his book. (Oakwood Press #187)
 

zwk500

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Horsted Keynes - Haywards Heath (part still in use for stone traffic)
On the tiniest point of order, the part still in use between Copyhold Jn and Ardingly has had the 3rd rail removed.
The Newhaven Marine branch has also formally closed to passenger traffic now, as it has been redeveloped into a rail-served aggregates terminal although the 3rd rail remains to permit shunting moves as required. Not sure if this counts for the OPs definition.
When the Eurostar services were diverted from Waterloo to St. Pancras in 2007 passenger services were withdrawn from the following sections of line-
Nine Elms Jn to Linford Street Jn and
Fawkham Jn to Springhead Jn
I think both these lines are still formally open, although Fawkham Junction to Springhead junction has had the signalling disconnected and obstructions placed on the track. However the Linford Street Curves are very much still available to electric traffic (for now), even if nothing is booked over them.
 

RT4038

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A list I compiled, with help from others, a while back

Ex BR lines - north to south

High Street (Glasgow) - Bridgeton Central
Balloch - Balloch Pier
Shildon - Newport (freight only) **
Newcastle Quayside branch (freight only) **
Riverside branch, Byker - Percy Main via Walker **
Carlisle avoiding line (freight)
Lancaster Castle - Green Ayre - Morecambe Promenade
Southport - Crossens
Bury - Holcombe Brook **
A short section of the Bolton branch at Radcliffe Central electrified for short workings
Altrincham station half way to Hale (for reversing EMUs)
Altrincham station to carriage depot (former Bowdon station)
Bootle – Aintree via Ford (North Mersey branch) **
Edge Hill Gridiron and circular railway
Woodhead line (Hadfield - Sheffield Vic - Rotherwood/Wath) and branches
Watford High Street - Croxley Green
Watford High Street - Rickmansworth (ex-LNWR)
South Acton - Kew Curve East Jn - Kew Bridge (still in use for freight, de-electrified)
Camden Road - Primrose Hill - South Hampstead (still open for freight, ecs and diversions)
Graham Road Curve (Hackney)
Tilbury Riverside branch
Nunhead - Crystal Palace HL
Elmer's End - Addiscombe
Woodside - South Croydon
Dover Marine/Western Docks branch
Folkestone Harbour branch
Horsted Keynes - Haywards Heath (part still in use for stone traffic)

** de-electrified before closure

London Underground lines
Epping - Ongar
Acton Town - South Acton
Farringdon - Moorgate "widened lines"
Holborn - Aldwych, Piccadilly Line ) although closed to passengers, these lines are still
Green Park - Charing Cross, Jubilee Line) operational and electrified

Other obscure spurs and connections, especially in the London area, also disused stations and their
approaches such as Liverpool Exchange, Holborn Viaduct, Broad Street and Coulsdon North.

Industrial lines
Harton Electric Railway (South Shields)
Kearsley Power Station

Light railways
Swansea & Mumbles Railway
Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway #
Burton & Ashby Light Railway #
Kinver Light Railway #
Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway #
Liverpool Overhead Railway

Also lines now forming part of Tyne & Wear Metro, Manchester Metrolink and Croydon Tramlink.

Urban street tramways are excluded (the above marked # had some street running)
The curve between Watford West and Bushey?
 

d9009alycidon

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Couple of short Scottish ones to add to the list

Singer Works Platform Branch
Neilston Carraige Sidings beyond station
Bothwell Branch Sidings, Shettleston
Hyndland Depot Branch
Craigendoran Pier Platform
 

geoffk

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Woodside- South Croydon amend to Woodside- Selsdon.
Farringdon- Moorgate (Widened Lines) was not part of London Underground but purely used by Thameslink services.
Add London Underground- King William Street- Borough closed 1900
and Hounslow Town branch closed 1909.
Noted!
 

yorksrob

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On the tiniest point of order, the part still in use between Copyhold Jn and Ardingly has had the 3rd rail removed.
The Newhaven Marine branch has also formally closed to passenger traffic now, as it has been redeveloped into a rail-served aggregates terminal although the 3rd rail remains to permit shunting moves as required. Not sure if this counts for the OPs definition.

I think both these lines are still formally open, although Fawkham Junction to Springhead junction has had the signalling disconnected and obstructions placed on the track. However the Linford Street Curves are very much still available to electric traffic (for now), even if nothing is booked over them.

Nine Elms - Linford Street gets diversions and railtours every now and again.
 

matchmaker

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Couple of short Scottish ones to add to the list

Singer Works Platform Branch
Neilston Carraige Sidings beyond station
Bothwell Branch Sidings, Shettleston
Hyndland Depot Branch
Craigendoran Pier Platform
Bit obscure, but Fairfields shipyard in Govan had an electric loco which used the tram tracks and overhead for street running.
 

Bungle158

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Shoreditch- Whitechapel closed 2006
unsure if Shoreditch- Liverpool Street was electrified..???

Camden Jn -Camden Road (via Primrose Hill) regular passenger service withdrawn but I believe still used occasional for diverted passenger trains

Reading Southern- Earley closed 1965

Maybe include Coulsdon North and carriage sidings closed 1983...?

Polegate to Stone Cross Jn closed late 1960s

Epsom Downs branch was truncated about 440 yards when Epsom Downs station was resited in the late 1980s
Surely it was only Reading South and its approach which was closed. The line from Earley remained open and electrified, but was diverted into a purpose built bay, Platform 4A, at Reading General
 

steamybrian

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Surely it was only Reading South and its approach which was closed. The line from Earley remained open and electrified, but was diverted into a purpose built bay, Platform 4A, at Reading General
I only put the next (Earley) station for clarity.
To be absolutely precise it was Reading Southern to Reading Spur Junction that was closed. As you said a new connection line with platform 4A was built.

Virginia Water B-Virginia Water C, closed 1964.
Also add Staines West curve (i.e. Staines High Street- Staines West Jn) closed in the 1960s
 

Gloster

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Up the creek
Southampton Junction-Southampton Tunnel Junction, closed 1973.
Sturt Lane Junction-Frimley Junction, closed 1964?
Farnborough Junction-Frimley Junction, closed 1964?
Deal Junction-Kearnsey Loop Junction, closed 1973.
 

steamybrian

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Southampton Junction-Southampton Tunnel Junction, closed 1973.
Sturt Lane Junction-Frimley Junction, closed 1964?
Farnborough Junction-Frimley Junction, closed 1964?
Deal Junction-Kearnsey Loop Junction, closed 1973.
Define Southampton Junction to Southampton Tunnel Jn ..?
 
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