Advice wanted on house next to rail lines

[tsr]

I have studied/worked in a number of office-type buildings in very close proximity to railways and tramways. The work required quite a lot of concentration in what would otherwise have been a quiet environment, so distractions were naturally quite noticeable.

Tramways can be a bit noisy (think about pedestrians waiting at stops, cars tooting at crossings, acceleration noise from motors), but are generally much quieter than railways and very easy to ignore after a while (even if you like them!).

Railway lines are a bit more intrusive, but you quickly get used to them, in my experience. Even the vibration and noise of trains in very close proximity is quickly ignored. Stations tend to have more announcements and can be noisy, but again, this can often fade into background noise. I have been in a quiet lab-type environment just a few tens of feet from trains rushing down the Bakerloo Line and not had any problems concentrating after the first 5 minutes of settling down to work.

As for living/sleeping in residential buildings, I personally find general road traffic noise more irritating.

 

[Harbon 1]

The main problem I we have is the freight drivers having a nosey at the garden

 

[Andrewlong]

Something else to consider - is there any likelihood of subsidence from all those years of trains passing by - however small?

 

[Dan-Dan]

Something else to consider - is there any likelihood of subsidence from all those years of trains passing by - however small?

hmmmmm , im not a specialist (obviously) ! but i think this is remote , not that i wouldnt be asking the surveyor to pay heed to it mind you!

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Those 2 axle 50T hopper wagons can make the ground shake if there is jointed track!!
To think that on average people spend less time viewing a house than choosing a new car or carpet!
I lived on a relatively quiet street, but at 3.15 in the afternoon it was madness. Dozens of mothers parked all aver the place and for 30 minutes traffic chaos as they picked their kids from the Primary shool down the street!
A warehouse in the daytime you hardly notice, comes alive at 11pm at weekends, 2 bouncers outside and their clientele taking a short cut down your road!
Rail or no rail, have a survey, probably at least a house-buyers report, but your choice and cash!
Chat to a future neighbour. Cars are parked there may give an indication of status they wish to portray!
There are far worse things than a railway as a neighbour!
Eg takeaway - cars doors slamming etc.

 

[Dawatticus]

I live fairly close to a somewhat busy train line, although they made a little hill / embankment type thing between the back of the houses and the line and put some trees on it, which has a mixture of goods, local passenger and Intercity going past.

Usually don't hear anything, unless I'm sitting paying attention or there's something unexpected like a really loud horn blast while sitting reading something silly about UFOs in the middle of the night on a conspiracy website And sometimes late at night there are some really weird sounds, I've never been woken up by anything though even with my window wide open.


One problem, when they built a bunch of newer houses near ours, they cut down the trees over there and built those houses almost against the line... now , very rarely, when a train is going past things vibrate

 

[Death]

I passed by the house in question the other day (On 1B86 to Euston) and - Assuming I identified the right house - I don't think you'd have *too* many problems there, at least compared to what one of my friends has in her house that backs onto the line between Farnborough and Fleet.

AFAIK all of the roads in that section are welded rail (So no annoying "clickety clack") and having the fast roads closer to you than the locals, I don't think you'd get too much vibration from heavy freight which (IIRC) only uses the local roads on the other side of the line.

However the lie of the land - With the garage slightly lower than the level of the house, and both above the level of the line - Does mean that any engineering works in that section (Especially works on the slow roads opposite) would be audible from the house...Moreso on the first floor then at ground level. The same would also apply to engine noise from any freight loco that stops opposite you for whatever reason, and there might be a bit of motor/brake noise from LM trains calling at or passing through Leighton Buzzard.

Hope this gen is useful!

 

[Dan-Dan]

Hey all ,long time no type!
We are now proceedable and the said house is still for sale , i can only think thats because as we know and was mentioned , it was up for too much (at the time) and the WCML running by....we are going back later today , so fingers crossed..

My wife and i have visited the area many times , on a sat or sun afternoon, there seems to only be a virgin every 4-5 minutes and a LM train , so 2-3 an hour seems normal , there is no denying it tho..when sat in the car in the road behind the house , those virgin bad boys are LOUD !

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

I worked next to a runway for a week and my school is actually next to the WCML. I've also stayed in a hotel overlooking Fenchurch Street, heck you can even hear trains from my house!
It's fine, you adjust very quickly.

 

[trentside]

My grandfather lives about half a mile from the ECML just south of Retford, with the line being downhill from him and the fast EC/GC/HT services are clearly audible, and I must admit that I wouldn't want to live closer to a high speed line.

I do actually live by the railway, but on the stretch between Lincoln and Wrawby Junction - and I've got very used to the noise. Since they replaced the jointed track we've had a lot less issues, as the heavy trains used to vibrate things off shelves eventually, so you had to keep an eye on your clutter. Nowadays I'm so used to the trains that I find it odd sleeping in a place without them thundering past, you get so used to them you stop noticing them. Even with the increase in trains after the landslip at Hatfield, I don't really notice them at all.

 

[The Barlow Boy]

I used to live (for two years) in Chamberlayne Road NW10. Some people have fairies at the bottom of the garden, I had the North London line as I was virtually next door to Kensal Rise station. After a few months I never noticed the trains at all - and there were some big house rattling trains as it was a route used by aggregate trains during the construction of the Thames Barrier. The only time I noticed them - if this is not an oxymoron - was when there weren't any on Christmas day and Boxing day. Some years later I found myself living in Redhill with the Redhill - Reading line at the bottom of the 75' garden. Again, I didn't really notice the trains except for the Dover- Derby postal which for some reason really used to shake the place.
Personally, if the price was right I'd move in.

 

[VauxhallandI]

I used to live (for two years) in Chamberlayne Road NW10. Some people have fairies at the bottom of the garden, I had the North London line as I was virtually next door to Kensal Rise station. After a few months I never noticed the trains at all - and there were some big house rattling trains as it was a route used by aggregate trains during the construction of the Thames Barrier. The only time I noticed them - if this is not an oxymoron - was when there weren't any on Christmas day and Boxing day. Some years later I found myself living in Redhill with the Redhill - Reading line at the bottom of the 75' garden. Again, I didn't really notice the trains except for the Dover- Derby postal which for some reason really used to shake the place.
Personally, if the price was right I'd move in.

Of no relevance but just wanted to say howdy ex neighbour.

I lived on Leigh Gardens NW10 just around the corner, I was on the trains that didn't wake you up!

 

[The Barlow Boy]

If you mean the Richmond - Broad Street 501s I used to travel from Kensal Rise to Highbury each weekday on my way to Beckenham.

 

[tsr]

Some years later I found myself living in Redhill with the Redhill - Reading line at the bottom of the 75' garden. Again, I didn't really notice the trains except for the Dover- Derby postal which for some reason really used to shake the place.

Yep, I agree about the postal train making a bit of a disturbance.

Which road in Redhill did you live on?

 

[EssexGonzo]

My first house away from home at the age of 18 was 20 London Road, Peterborough, PE1.

ECML on a raised embankmentat the bottom of the garden in the days before electrification, so they were either braking or giving it the beans in HSTs. 4 lane dual carriageway in front. Peterborough United ground (the POSH) opposite and a KFC open 20 hours a day next door but one.

Loved it, slept like a baby after the first couple of weeks.

It was a rental though, and if buying near a train line make sure you get a discount relative to those houses a little further away. Obviously, if its a very long term keeper, resale value is not a worry for you.

Good luck. :thumbup:

 

[fsmr]

Off topic slightly, but living only 3 miles out under the approach line of the former RAF Cottesmore since 93 when the Tornados were still based there followed by the Harriers up to 2011, all coming over the house at well under 3000 feet, often till 1 in the morning in multiple circuits, you tend to blank noise away and dont notice it.

Only, when its all gone deathly quite like now, does it seem odd when a rare passing fast military jet breaks the silence.

However noise aside, one thing you cant get away from is a lack of privacy in the garden unless you have a tree barrier between. I suppose it all depends on if you like to get changed with the curtains open, or go sunbathing
Good leverage point though for the price

 

[Andyjs247]

I grew up living within 50m or so of the Cross City line in Birmingham. I never really noticed or was bothered by the trains (mostly old bog units) though Sunday diversions were more interesting - often 45s/46s, 47s or HSTs. They were more noticeable being different traction but still not excessively noisy or bothersome.

My parents still live there now. Post electrification it is quieter but even now I find I'm noticing Voyager units on a Sunday or returning to Central Rivers late at night, rather than the usual 323 units (which I have to say sound rather nice, especially when starting up from the local station).

My grandparents house backed on to the ex-GW line in Solihull which is on a high embankment. Again the trains were not a problem (but the M42 - and perhaps surprisingly the busy minor road in front of the house - were a source of constant noise). In fact the railway embankment served to screen some of the noise from the motorway in one direction at least. Most noticeable trains were 56 or 58-hauled loaded MGR coal trains heading to Didcot with HAA 4-wheeled hoppers.

So with that experience I had no concerns in buying a property literally opposite the station at Twyford on the GWML. I got a place with convenient transport, trains to watch from my living room window, at a lower price than similar properties because of the perceived issues with noise. Plenty of HSTs, Turbo units etc. I used to sleep very well though on occasion a heavy loaded stone train bound for Acton approaching on the Up relief would wake me. I was soon back to sleep again, reassured that it was a normal sound and nothing to worry about.

Now I live within earshot of the Chiltern main line. Again no problems. I honestly think for me now its a bit strange not to be hearing trains.

I'd say if you like the house and it's at the right price then 'go for it'!

 

[maniacmartin]

I'm the type of person who needs quiet to get to sleep: even a dripping tap annoys me. I recently spent about 4 months living near to London City Airport, which has no planes during the night, but they start at around 6am, and they often woke me and kept me awake. It was even worse in summer when I had to have the windows open. Extremely annoying.

I now live near the East London line, and trains going by are nowhere near as bad as planes, and I only notice them if I'm already awake: they don't stop me getting to sleep (partly because I usually don't turn in for bed until after the last services of the day )

If you're a light sleeper you might want to consider which direction the bedrooms are facing.

 

[broadgage]

I live very close to a busy line, only about 15M from bed to nearest track.
You soon get used to it and I prefer a railway line to some neighbours.
Most trains are electric passenger units, networkers or class 319s with a fair few freights usually hauled by class 66 diesels. The 66s are very noisy in one direction as they are usually at full power to ascend an incline. Still get used to them though.

Anything unusual wakes me up, which shows how accustomed I have become to the usual trains.
Steamers pass, but not very often and these wake me up, as do pairs of class 20s on nuclear flask trains, again because they pass but infrequently.

Engineering work can be a nuisance but is only about one weekend a year.

Two nights recently I cursed what I believed to be a particularly noisy diesel that appeared to idle for ages and vibrate excessively.
It was my own washing machine and nothing to with trains !

 

[richw]

I live in close proximity to the railway, and don't notice it, unless an unusual haul comes past. HSTS DMUs don't get noticed, however the night Riviera does get noticed, but fortunately living in west Cornwall this passes at a sociable time of the day.

 

[12CSVT]

I have lived within 100 yds of the Midland Main Line for almost 15 years, and hardly get disturbed by passing trains, and this includes several overnight freights hauled by class 60s, 66s and 70s, plus numerous test trains with class 31s and 37s. However I do notice passing ambulances - where I live is very close to a hospital.

Two nights recently I cursed what I believed to be a particularly noisy diesel that appeared to idle for ages and vibrate excessively.
It was my own washing machine and nothing to with trains !

I know exactly what you mean. My own washing machine can sound like a class 57 struggling up the Lickey during the leaf fall season.

 

[sonic2009]

I live about 4 streets away from the WCML in Atherstone and I can hear the railway line from my house. Imagine what it would be like with it close to your back garden.