Closed lines you have travelled on.

[Ken H]

By closed I mean totally abandoned, track lifted.
But as a concession i will allow former BR lines that are not light rail/tram and not part of Netwoork Rail.


I will start with Challoners Whin to Selby. Closed when they built the Selby Diversion.
I also frequently did the old Leeds -Sheffield route the Birmingham trains took. Remember passing some coke ovens.
I did Berwick - Edinburgh before the Penmanshiell tunnel collapse. Short diversion was built.

When I was quite little we were living in Leeds and we went to Durham. On the northbound journey we changed at Northallerton. So i think we could have gone via Harrogate and Ripon. Probably before 1966.
I caught trains to London with my parents from Leeds Central when I was a kid. And i rode trains that used the 'Viaduct line' going south out of Leeds towards Doncaster.

Is the curve from the New St -Wolverhampton line to the line to Stourbridge in Smethwick still there?

I did both the Bury and Altrincham lines in BR days.

 

[Gloster]

Tunbridge Wells-Eridge
Kilmalcolm branch
Clayton West branch
The old Sheffield-York route via Goose Hill Junction
Woodside-Selsdon
Penistone-Stocksbridge.

Also Mullingar-Athlone and the Dun Laoghaire Pier line.

 

[Bertone]

Harrow and Wealdstone to Stanmore Village.
Bushey / Watford High Street to Croxley Green

 

[Ash Bridge]

Like the OP, Selby to Challoners Whin (behind class 55 9012) back in 1972 and likewise both Bury & Altrincham lines. Additional to those, Ashton-under- Lyne to Ashton Moss Junc. via the now removed curve towards Denton. Finally the short stretch of now closed line to the original Gunnislake station from the current site.

 

[PeterC]

Haltwhistle to Alston and Stratford to North Woolwich come immediately to mind. I also went to Tavistock on a charter train as a boy, no idea which route we took after Exeter.

 

[AJM580]

Selby - Chaloners Whin Jn
Broad Street - Dalston
North Woolwich Branch
Chesterton Jn - Fen Drayton
Manchester Vic - Bury
Manchester Picc - Altrincham

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Clayton West, though I was so young I have no memory of it, given that I was only ten months old when it closed. I do have it on good authority (my mother, who grew up in Scissett, where my grandparents lived) that I rode it a few times as a babe-in-arms.

Edit- in fact it isn't the only one- I did North Woolwich too, and I was old enough to remember... Still forgot momentarily though!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Other than the Altrincham->Manchester line in BR days, can't remember travelling on any sections of line that have since been closed/is no longer part of the network.

 

[Ianigsy]

Manchester to Bury, Altrincham and Rochdale via Oldham
Dover Western Docks

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Surprised nobody has mentioned/done March-Spalding. I did it Deltic-hauled no less. Less glamorous is the Pendleton-Agecroft link which was difficult to get after Pendleton station closed as the timetable offered no clues as to which trains went that way. I think it closed with the opening of the Windsor Link.

 

[swt_passenger]

The Tyneside riverside loop, and the old line from Newcastle through Elswick and Scotswood to Blaydon.

 

[32475]

Dover Western Docks
Folkestone Harbour
Weymouth Quay

 

[barringtoncem]

Histon to London Liverpool Street Before The Line Became The Misguided Busway Departures Were Also From Swavesey Long Stanton And Oakington

 

[Magdalia]

It is quite entertaining trying to think this through.

Of those already mentioned:

Dover Western Docks
Stratford-North Woolwich
Chesterton Junction-Fen Drayton
March-Spalding
Selby-Chaloners Whin via Naburn
Wath-Normanton via Cudworth
Viaduct line at Leeds
Deepcar-Penistone
Pendleton-Agecroft
Manchester Victoria-Rochdale via Oldham
Manchester Victoria-Bury
Penmanshiel tunnel

And a few that haven't been mentioned yet:

Princes Risborough-Thame
Bottesford-Newark
Lincoln avoiding line
Lincoln St Marks
Walsall-Brownhills
Stoke on Trent-Leek Brook
Penistone-Hadfield via Woodhead
Ferryhill-Pelaw via Leamside

And, although I was too young to remember, I'm told that I did Kings Lynn-Hunstanton.

 

[Tester]

Winchester-Alton (last train)
Kilmacolm-Paisley Canal (last train)
Alston-Haltwhistle (last train)
Hailsham-Polegate (last train)
Pevensey & Westham-Polegate (Stone Cross Spur)
Tunbridge Wells Central-Eridge
Woodside-Addiscombe
Woodside-Selsdon
Sheffield-Hadfield (via Woodhead)
London Road (Brighton)-Kemp Town
Challoners Whin-Selby
Penmanshiel tunnel
Knowle-Fareham (via western deviation)
Appledore-Greatstone
Uckfield-Lewes
Haywards Heath-Horsted Keynes
Longmoor Military Railway
Hamworthy-Bailey Gate-Poole
Wareham-Swanage
Maiden Newton-Bridport
Chacewater-Newquay
Sudbury-Shelford
Wellingborough-Irthlingborough/Higham Ferrers
March-Spalding
Lincoln St Marks
Tursdale-Pelaw (Leamside)
Watford High Street-Croxley Green
Broad Street
North Woolwich
Dover Western Docks
Folkestone Harbour
Mauchline-Ayr (removed as not lifted)
Rugby-Marton Jn-Southam
Weymouth Quay

 

[34006]

Eastleigh to Andover
Hayling Island branch
Ilfracombe to Barnstaple
Shoreham to Horsham

 

[Magdalia]

Folkestone Harbour
Mauchline-Ayr
Weymouth Quay

I have done all of these, is the track lifted on all of them?

 

[Sunil_P]

Stratford to North Woolwich
Greenford (or is it North Acton?) to Old Oak Common
Wimbledon to Beddington Lane (1997)
Moogate to Farringdon (Thameslink, closed 2009)

 

[oldman]

From the 1960s:

Alloa-Oakley-Dunfermline
Bridge of Earn-Glenfarg-Cowdenbeath
Penrith-Keswick
Todd Lane Junction-Preston
Wigan Wallgate bypass (L and Y)
Approaches to Liverpool Exchange and Central High Level, Manchester Central and Exchange
Rock Ferry-Birkenhead Woodside
Hadfield-Woodhead-Sheffield Vic.
Bedford-Cambridge
Afon Wen-Dinas/Caernarvon-Menai Bridge
Ruabon-Llangollen/Corwen-Penmaenpool
Gobowen-Oswestry-Welshpool and Llanymynech-Llansantffraid

 

[Tester]

I have done all of these, is the track lifted on all of them?

I have walked Weymouth Quay - there are bits and pieces of rail to be seen in roads but mostly gone.
I have walked part of Folkestone Harbour with track lifted, but can't be sure for all.
I haven't walked Mauchline-Ayr, but believe part remains and part lifted.

Edited as in fact still extant.

 

[Rescars]

Snow Hill - Droitwich (last train)
Ventnor - Shanklin
Ryde Pier tramway
Wimbledon - West Croydon

 

[Tester]

Snow Hill - Droitwich (last train)
Ventnor - Shanklin
Ryde Pier tramway
Wimbledon - West Croydon

A handy reminder!

Ventnor-Shanklin
Cowes-Newport
Ryde Pier tramway

And, if within scope:

Douglas-Peel
St John's-Ramsey

 

[DanNCL]

The only one for me is the original route of the Oldham loop, before it was converted to Metrolink running via the streets through the town centre.

 

[D6130]

Dyce-Fraserburgh
Kinnaber Junction-Brechin
Stanley Junction-Forfar
Paisley Canal-Elderslie-Kilmacolm
Barassie-Lochgreen Junction (Troon avoiding line)
Airdrie-Bathgate-(pre-1982 closure)
Alloa-Longannet-Dunfermline Lower (partially-lifted, then subsequently reinstated)
Cambus Junction-Menstrie
Elbowend Junction-Charlestown MOD
Lugton-Beith MOD
Fairlie High-Fairlie Pier
Yoker Yard-Dalmuir Riverside-Old Kilpatrick
Carlisle-Silloth (as a very young child)
Wylam Junction-Newcastle, Forth Junction via Newburn (as an even younger child)
Penrith-Darlington via Appleby East, Stainmore Summit and Barnard Castle (as an extremely young child!)
Haltwhistle-Alston
Blaydon-Scotswood
Pelaw Jn-Tursdale Junction via Washington and Leamside
Ouston Junction-Consett-Blackhill
Windermere new station-Windermere original station
Morecambe new station-Morecambe Promenade
Shepley-Clayton West
Penistone-Hadfield via Woodhead Tunnel
Penistone-Deepcar
Selby-Challoner's Whin Junction
Goose Hill Junction (Normanton)-Wath Road Junction (Swinton) via Cudworth (now partially-lifted)
High Marnham-Pyewipe Junction (Lincoln)
Boultham Junction-Pelham Street Junction via Lincoln St Marks
Holmes Junction-Greetwell Junction (Lincoln avoiding line)
March-Spalding
Warrington Arpley-Skelton Junction via Lymm
Northenden Junction-Woodley Junction via Stockport Tiviot Dale
Blaenau Ffestiniog-Trawsfynydd
Calvert-Claydon Junction-Bletchley (before the old track was lifted)
Grendon Underwood Junction-Akeman Street UKF
Honeybourne Junction-Cheltenham Lansdown Junction (before the old track was lifted)
Porth-Maerdy
Woodside-Sanderstead
West Croydon-Mitcham Junction-Wimbledon
Fishbourne Junction-Lavant
Fareham-Bedenham-Priddy's Hard
Hamble-Hamble Oil Terminal
Hamworthy Junction-Hamworthy Goods (not sure whether or not that's been lifted yet?)
Maiden Newton-Bridport
Weymouth Junction-Weymouth Quay
Barnstaple-Torrington-Meeth
Gunnislake new station-Gunnislake original station
Looe new station-Looe original station
Bodmin General-Wadebridge
Boscarne Junction-Wenford Bridge

and over the water:

Dun Laoghaire Mallin-Dun Laoghaire Pier
Rosslare Harbour Mainland-Rosslare Harbour Pier
Waterford-New Ross
Waterford-Ballinacourty
Midleton-Youghal
Tralee-Fenit
Tralee-Ballingrane Junction via Listowel and Newcastle West
Athlone-Mullingar
Navan-Kingscourt (not sure whether that's been lifted yet or not)


If I think of any more I'll come back later!

 

[32475]

Winchester-Alton (last train)
Kilmacolm-Paisley Canal (last train)
Alston-Haltwhistle (last train)
Hailsham-Polegate (last train)
Pevensey & Westham-Polegate (Stone Cross Spur)
Tunbridge Wells Central-Eridge
Woodside-Addiscombe
Woodside-Selsdon
Sheffield-Hadfield (via Woodhead)
London Road (Brighton)-Kemp Town
Challoners Whin-Selby
Penmanshiel tunnel
Knowle-Fareham (via western deviation)
Appledore-Greatstone
Uckfield-Lewes
Haywards Heath-Horsted Keynes
Longmoor Military Railway
Hamworthy-Bailey Gate-Poole
Wareham-Swanage
Maiden Newton-Bridport
Chacewater-Newquay
Sudbury-Shelford
Wellingborough-Irthlingborough/Higham Ferrers
March-Spalding
Lincoln St Marks
Tursdale-Pelaw (Leamside)
Watford High Street-Croxley Green
Broad Street
North Woolwich
Dover Western Docks
Folkestone Harbour
Mauchline-Ayr
Rugby-Marton Jn-Southam
Weymouth Quay

Applause and envy in equal measure!

 

[Calthrop]

The Americans have an expression, "humble-bragging". Not wishing to go too far to either extreme thereof (plenty of long lists in this thread) -- but; being in my mid-seventies, and having been an impassioned "line-basher" throughout the 1960s and '70s -- I've done lots. Will confine self here to a most-cherished few, got before the Beeching era, and before I had much in the way of capacity / resources to go and travel routes of my own choice.

Saxby -- Bourne; and Spalding -- Sutton Bridge -- South Lynn -- King's Lynn. Lived for first decade of my life, in Spalding: travels then, of course, determined by my parents -- I suspect that I may also have travelled over Spalding -- Bourne; but personal memories are inconclusive, and there's no-one still alive who might shed further light.

In course of travelling in 1950s on the Harwich -- Manchester boat train: Sykes Junction -- Clarborough Junction (ex-Great Central "direct" route between Lincoln and Retford -- passenger service withdrawn 1959; after which, journey has had to be accomplished via Gainsborough). I confess to remembering nothing whatever, about traversing this stretch; and am aware that sections at each end of this line remained in use for freight (serving power stations?) after passenger withdrawal -- don't know "what gives" on this scene, nowadays.

Uttoxeter -- Rocester -- Ashbourne -- Buxton

Surprised nobody has mentioned/done March-Spalding.

I've had an odd relationship with this section. Lived for first years of my life, within sight of it; but no family-type reasons to travel over it. We moved in 1957, from Spalding to Peterborough -- which city had, rail-network-wise, an "apex / hypotenuse" deal vis-a-vis March -- Spalding: no conceivable reason to travel over that section, in order to go directly from A to B. I did March -- Spalding just once: in the course of a week's Eastern Region Railrover in 1964 -- I specially built that section in, on my itinerary. It of course lasted much longer -- had thoughts of revisiting before it closed; but as things worked out, never acted on them.

 

[Tester]

Applause and envy in equal measure!

Thank you

A fun exercise to think back!

 

[steamybrian]

A long list-

Dover Western Docks triangle
Folkestone Harbour branch
Appledore- New Romney (Dungeness Jn- New Romney is lifted)
Heathfield- Polegate
Polegate- Stone Cross Jn
Uckfield- Lewes
Tunbridge Wells- Eridge (Grove Jn- Tunbridge Wells West is lifted)
Groombridge-Ashurst Jn-Three Bridges via East Grinstead
Christs Hospital- Guildford via Baynards
Haywards Heath- Horsted Keynes
Holborn Viaduct- Blackfriars (replaced with Thameslink line)
West Croydon- Wimbledon (now Croydon Tramlink)
Elmers End- Addiscombe
Woodside- Selsdon
Brighton-Kemp Town (actually Kemp Town Jn-Kemp Town is lifted)
Chichester- Lavant
Alton- Winchester (Alresford- Winchester Jn is lifted)
Reading Central Goods branch
Abingdon-Radley
Yarnton-Witney Goods
Maiden Newton -Bridport
Barnstaple-Ilfracombe
Weymouth Quay branch
Staines West branch (Colnbrook- Staines West is lifted)
Bourne End- High Wycombe
Newbury-Welford Park
Cambridge-St Ives
Kings Lynn-Hunstanton
Lowestoft- Yarmouth South Town
Broad Street- Hoxton
Bow Jn-Millwall Junction
Poplar-Victoria Park
North Woolwich-Stratford
Kings Cross York Road-Kings Cross Thameslink
Croxley Green- Watford High Street
Bicester-Bletchley (now being reconstructed..!)
New Holland Pier branch
Selby- York (old ECML)
Tursdale Jn- Pelaw via Leamside
Birmingham Snow Hill- Wolverhampton Low Level- (most of it now reopened or Birmingham tram system)
Hull- Boothferry Park- unsure if track still in situ.?
Peartree- Sinfin branch- unsure if track still in situ.?
Manchester (Dinting)- Sheffield Victoria via Woodhead

London Underground- Shoreditch- Whitechapel

I think that is it but may add some more if I can remember them !

 

[Halwynd]

I was very lucky to have been given a cab ride in a Class 40 on the line which ran from the WCML at Golborne, past Haydock Park Racecourse and the disused station of Ashton in Makerfield, to Haydock and back. It would probably have been around 1978/79 as I can recall some lively conversation between the driver and guard about the likely chances of Margaret Thatcher becoming Prime Minister!

My huge regret is missing out on the Woodhead route.

 

[Tester]

My huge regret is missing out on the Woodhead route.

I missed out on electric haulage, but did the line courtesy of a class 45 hauled Sunday diversion in the mid 70s.

I walked Deepcar-Penistone-Hadfield last year which was a bit nostalgic - only around the tunnel and the last few hundred yards at Hadfield are not on the alignment.