Worst Railway Journeys in the UK

[Alanko]

Glasgow to carstairs junction once it gets past carstairs though the scenery is brilliant

i used to save money on my Edinburgh to Glasgow commute by jumping on a Voyager in Waverley that went via Carstairs and Motherwell. Agreed that the scenery is pleasant!

I made a point of trying out all the various means of getting from Edinburgh to Glasgow while I was commuting. The Edinburgh - Helensburgh Central train was probably the most grim. It traverses the moonscape of North Lanarkshire before slowly making its way through bits of east Glasgow that look like they fell out The Sweeney. Bonus points for the sprawling traveller's site adjacent to the line at Carntyne and the various Irish tricolours and Union Jacks fluttering over unkempt back gardens. The journey itself is maddeningly slow as it stops at so many small stations on the way into Glasgow; some of them feel like you would be able to see one station from the next due to the frequency of stops and lack of speed built up between them.

 

[RPI]

Birmingham to wolves is indeed dire

Used to be great on a 304 though!

 

[Dave W]

Irrespective as to 'lack of good scenery', this is essential for me this year due to its most unusual railcar.

A more reasonable assessment of the railway's greatest treasure And there's nothing offensive about the scenery anyway! Better than staring at wasteground as in some of the examples mentioned!

 

[D6130]

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.

Inverness to Elgin is pretty flat and boring, although you have the two towers - Nelson's at Forres and the other one at Mosstowie, just West of Elgin. South of the latter you have the Spey gorge and viaduct at Mulben, the huge piles of whisky casks at Keith, the ruins of Dunnideer Castle on the hill overlooking Insch and the spectacular views of Bennachie and the Mither tap in the vicinity of Oyne. There are not only sections of jointed track on the single line, but also on the double line between Kennethmont and Insch....and quite a lot of it is bull-head rail to boot. I rather like the sound of jointed track as it reminds me of the journeys of my youth.

(Talking of Dunnideer Castle, I wonder what's happened to our respected former regular contributor from Insch, @Dunnideer ?)

 

[InkyScrolls]

The amount of "not the worst, just one I'm not as keen on", "the S&C is dull", and "Voyagers are actually worse than Hitler" on here is both irritating and amusing in equal parts.

Anyone claiming the scenery on the S&C is among the worst in the country is either blind or flatout lying. But, dissing on traditionally liked things is the 'in' thing to do, so if it makes you feel validated then you crack on.

</rant>

+1 for Shipley to Bradford.

 

[D6130]

And talking of moors I'm surprised at people thinking the S&C isn't as good as it is said to be. Depending on the time of year, & prevailing weather the run through the high Pennines can be beautiful & dramatic at the same time. The only way it is made better is by getting off the train and walking some of it!! I'd also for similar reasons defend the Vale of York section of the ECML. I've seen some really dramatic lighting, especially in the mornings as you pass Sutton Bank.

Fully agree on both counts!

 

[MotCO]

Any slow all-stopper trains. (My best was probably the Victoria to Dover boat train, and now it would be the train that starts at Orpington, and first stop is London Bridge. Can't understand why trains have to stop where I do not have to get off ! )

 

[CaptainHaddock]

The contrast between the rural scenery from Huddersfield to Court House Junction just outside Barnsley, and the post-industrial wasteland between there and Sheffield is quite jarring.

As an Elsecar resident I'm not having that! Here in South Yorkshire we're actually quite proud that a former industrial landscape has been returned to nature and, where once there were coal mines and steel works, there are now country parks, wildlife reserves and heritage centres.

Indeed the view across the fields towards Wentworth village as you head north out of Chapeltown tunnel is as quintessentially English as anything you'd find in the Home Counties.

 

[nw1]

Nuneaton to Leicester I found a disappointment. I'm quite happy with rolling countryside, green fields and wide views - but I found this stretch to be lacking in wide open views and you could never see more than about half a mile.

It might have looked nicer in the spring or summer; I did it in December.

The southern half of the MML is pretty dull.

I'd agree that the lower MML is considerably less interesting than the lower WCML. The latter has wide open views for much of the time, the lower MML is much more "enclosed", in the same way as Nuneaton-Leicester above. It gets more interesting south of Bedford.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Greenford is one of the nastiest parts of London? Objectively how?

Not Greenford specifically, but Castle Bar Park (which covers about half the route's length) is a giant Council estate. London's Wythenshawe?

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.

this statement is incorrect. This the best part of the route.

Because of Darlo station? What else redeems it? It's just boring.

 

[nw1]

Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham New St in a CrossCountry Voyager - horrific!

I have to disagree there - it has wide open views for most of the way, with some good views of the Cotswold ridge and is surprisingly fast. Faster than the other XC branch from Reading, certainly.

 

[D6130]

Because of Darlo station? What else redeems it? It's just boring.

The Tees Viaduct at Croft....the distant views of the Cleveland and Hambleton Hills to the East - and the Yorkshire Dales to the West....the station museum at Otterington....the Kilburn white horse....the ex-Great North of England Railway cottages at Pilmoor, with their prominent plaque....trying to identify the sites of closed stations from the terraces of ex-LNER staff housing built for the 1930s quadrupling of the line....the Sidings Hotel and Restaurant at Shipton-by-Beningborough, with its mark 1 coach bodies and semaphore signals....and finally - the crowning glory - York Minster.

 

[Revaulx]

Part of the problem with Leeds-Bradford Interchange and Manchester Piccadilly-Stalybridge is the glacial pace taken by even the “fast” trains. There are a couple of bendy bits, but they are a relatively short part of both lines. The Class 110s stank of diesel fumes but I’m sure they were able to get up the hill and round the St Dunstan’s curve quicker than the trains of today.

If the trains travelled at a decent speed the grim surroundings would be a lot less irksome.

I have to disagree there - it has wide open views for most of the way, with some good views of the Cotswold ridge and is surprisingly fast. Faster than the other XC branch from Reading, certainly.

Agreed re. the views, but the approaches to the cities at either end are tiresomely slow. The direct line through Mangotsfield at the Bristol end was a sad loss.

 

[Iskra]

The amount of "not the worst, just one I'm not as keen on", "the S&C is dull", and "Voyagers are actually worse than Hitler" on here is both irritating and amusing in equal parts.

Anyone claiming the scenery on the S&C is among the worst in the country is either blind or flatout lying. But, dissing on traditionally liked things is the 'in' thing to do, so if it makes you feel validated then you crack on.

</rant>

+1 for Shipley to Bradford.

It’s possible to think it’s a great route, while still thinking it’s over-hyped. It’s a great route but it’s not the West Highland or Kyle Lines which are another level in my opinion. It is however a lot more accessible. Meanwhile, I’d say the Cumbrian Coast is as good as the S&C but gets a fraction of the attention.

 

[D6130]

Meanwhile, I’d say the Cumbrian Coast is as good as the S&C but gets a fraction of the attention.

Fully agree!

 

[bramling]

Any journey on the Northern Line, with the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow running it a close second...

What’s wrong with the Northern Line? The open sections are okay, and unlike something like the east end of the District Line there generally aren’t stones being hurled through the fences and such like. Having said that, the Edgware branch has declined considerably in the last 10-15 years, going from a reasonably smart suburban feel to something distinctly rougher.

It’s possible to think it’s a great route, while still thinking it’s over-hyped. It’s a great route but it’s not the West Highland or Kyle Lines which are another level in my opinion. It is however a lot more accessible. Meanwhile, I’d say the Cumbrian Coast is as good as the S&C but gets a fraction of the attention.

I do agree the S&C has become a bit of a bandwagon. The scenery is absolutely wonderful for sure, and another thing going for it is the stations are very well preserved. However it’s by no means the only railway line this. It does also happen to be a decent way of getting from the north-west to the south-east without having to go via London or use TPE.

 

[DarloRich]

Because of Darlo station? What else redeems it? It's just boring.

it travels through the best part of the entire country being Durham and North Yorkshire

 

[4COR]

I'll put forward London Liverpool St to Chingford...

 

[mpthomson]

Wakefield Kirkgate-Pontefract-Knottingley-Goole must be a good contender....especially now that Ferrybridge power station has been demolished and Eggborough is about to be.

Eggborough has gone except for one building, the towers went last year.

 

[mrcheek]

Carlisle - Leeds S&C is severely overrated and mind-numbing

agree with this 100%. dont know why everyone enthuses about it so much. Not the worst journey, but easily the most over-rated

I much prefer the Welsh Valley lines

 

[Bletchleyite]

agree with this 100%. dont know why everyone enthuses about it so much. Not the worst journey, but easily the most over-rated

I much prefer the Welsh Valley lines

I'd take the Conwy Valley over basically anything else in England and Wales, but the S&C is pleasant. Though as I mentioned the WCML side of the same mountains is more spectacular.

 

[D6130]

To my mind, one of the most monotonous routes in the South of England is Aldershot-Ascot. Nothing but pine forests, interspersed with the occasional housing estates....and the fact that it's a branch of the almost equally-boring Waterloo-Reading line doesn't really help. The same could be said for Virginia Water-Weybridge/Byfleet Junction....although that has the unusual Lyne bridge over the M3 motorway as a minor point of interest.

 

[mrcheek]

Portsmouth to Cardiff.
Yes, it can be a very enjoyable journey, with a variety of scenery. But every time Ive been on any part of the line recently, its been on a crowded train, either because its short-formed, or the previous service didnt run, or even both!

 

[43066]

Not Greenford specifically, but Castle Bar Park (which covers about half the route's length) is a giant Council estate. London's Wythenshawe?

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.

Agreed.

Because of Darlo station? What else redeems it? It's just boring.

There may be things, of course, but nothing visible from the railway!

 

[xotGD]

And suburban West London generally (plus Slough) is by far one of the most grim parts of the city

That's just silly. Ealing - "Queen of the Suburbs"

 

[43066]

That's just silly. Ealing - "Queen of the Suburbs"

Even the largest oceans have a few islands…

 

[Iskra]

agree with this 100%. dont know why everyone enthuses about it so much. Not the worst journey, but easily the most over-rated

I much prefer the Welsh Valley lines

Sustains plenty of charter train’s however, so there must be something in it…

 

[geoffk]

If we're going to include heritage lines, then it must be the Sittingbourne and Kemsley, although it does have a certain appeal, taking into account the area it runs through and the line's original purpose. Or the Leighton Buzzard NG Railway perhaps or even the Ribble Steam Railway.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If we're going to include heritage lines, then it must be the Sittingbourne and Kemsley, although it does have a certain appeal, taking into account the area it runs through and the line's original purpose. Or the Leighton Buzzard NG Railway perhaps or even the Ribble Steam Railway.

TBH I found the Lakeside and Haverthwaite a bit boring. It's in a very scenic place but a lot of it is hidden by trees.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Wolverhampton-Birmingham stretch is just pure industrial decline and very un-scenic.

The closure of the furnaces under the Crane St viaduct in Wolverhampton - with working ovens - was a sad loss.
It used to be spectacular at night.
The canal scenery along there was great too.
It's a lot greener than it used to be.