GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Yes all those and Poulton to FleetwoodDover Western Docks
Folkestone Harbour
Weymouth Quay
and Selby to York pre diversion (once behind D9010)
Yes all those and Poulton to FleetwoodDover Western Docks
Folkestone Harbour
Weymouth Quay
No doubt already mentioned, but my memorable trips would include:
- Bangor to Afon Wen, Barmouth - Corwen - Rhyl (North Wales Land Cruise);
- Sheringham - Melton Constable;
-South Lynn - East Rudham (brakevan trip);
- Aviemore - Forres;
- Dunton Green- Westerham;
- Taunton - Barnstaple Victoria Road;
- Dover Western Docks;
- Yatton - Cheddar;
- Matlock - Manchester Central.
Interesting overlaps indeed! I wonder who was following who.Interestingly, you and I "match up" on a fair number of these: which strike me as quite "choice". "Bags" of yours above, which I've missed, are Aviemore -- Forres, Westerham branch, Dover Western Docks, and Yatton -- Cheddar. I did Bangor -- Afon Wen by regular scheduled service; as I've mentioned upthread, reckon that I may -- when extremely young -- have done Corwen -- Rhyl by "something in the Land Cruse ballpark": but feel hesitant about counting that, since I don't remember that stretch as such: just, lots of lovely scenery. Like you, I covered South Lynn -- East Rudham by brake van trip: likewise for me, Sheringham -- Melton Constable, in the line's very last days for freight, Dec. 1964 -- I just missed it passenger-wise, with pass. service withdrawn early-ish 1964.
Your mention of Yatton, brings to mind that junction's other branch, to Clevedon: I find upthread, that @Bevan Price has done that one -- me too, on a "railrover" ticket tour in summer 1965. On that "bash", I had a painful choice between being able to fit in Barnstaple -- Ilfracombe; and Yatton -- Clevedon. Opted in the end for the latter, although feeling that Ilfracombe would be a lot more interesting -- but Clevedon seen as more imminently threatened. The Clevedon branch was indeed in my estimation, the dullest British rural branch that I have ever travelled on (single-unit "dmu variant") -- for me, a totally "nothing" line. Re getting stuff in the bag, it turns out that I made the right choice, though -- and managed to do Barnstaple -- Ilfracombe five years later, in the line's final weeks of life.
Yes, I've always felt that retaining Sheringham -- Melton Constable for passenger, was weird; but it did mean its survival, long enough for us to do it ! If only it had been possible for the North Norfolk heritage outfit, to acquire and run the whole line S. -- M.C.; but life is seldom that obliging -- and one feels it likely that the wretched Philistine fun-travelling public, God bless them : would find Melton Constable and back, a boringly long journey.
I have a heartfelt love of the M & GN Joint -- part of my childhood for its last decade -- but to my regret, never had the chance to know it east of South Lynn; other than the last few surviving shreds in that portion of it, of which we've written above. I also managed to cover Themelthorpe -- Lenwade (and connecting-with, Wroxham -- Aylsham -- Themelthorpe) on a late-1970s railtour; but never got the southern or northern end of the Norwich City branch.
Guilty as chargedThis thread merely confirms the number of old fogeys on these forums
#MeTooGuilty as charged
I may be wrong but nobody has mentioned the freight only High Dyke Branch. I photographed the Rail-tour visit in May 1972 at Skillington Road Crossing shortly before the line closed. Months earlier a driver of an iron ore train waiting to depart from the same spot invited self and 5 year old son up into the cab. He was interested that we had just returned from Malta and kindly moved the train a few yards just for my son. So I suppose that I can claim to have travelled on the line. Inncidentally, at the far end of the line was a GNR sommersault stop signal on a concrete post worked by a ground frame. The post, less signal arm was still there many years later.
or maybe its easier to get lines with a regular passenger service than goods lines. I dont think I have been on any goods lines ever. But then, railtours dont really interest me.I've wondered whether in this thread, people have on the whole been working in the assumption that it's essentially about lines which had been for most of their existence, meaningfully passenger-served (I note that the OP does not actually stipulate that: just the line should be, at the present day, closed and lifted). At all events, very few posts have been about always-freight-only lines -- yours, one of the few exceptions. I mused upthread, about this re the Wenford Bridge line, which I did per brake van trip in I think, 1971 -- seems that nobody else has mentioned this line as part of their "haul". There have been one or two citings of the Cromford & High Peak line: if one wished to be highly "precious and particular", one could make a case for that having -- just -- been a passenger route: very early in its life, to the tune of one passenger working each way per day, mid-1850s to mid-1870s ! (I cannot recall to mind any line other than Wenford Bridge, which I have covered and which reckoned freight-only throughout its career.)
I’ve been on quite a lot of goods lines and all on parliamentary or diverted (so not exactly regular) passenger services, not railtours. Bring on Neville Hill - Church Fenton electrification so I can do Castleford - Burton Salmon Junction!or maybe its easier to get lines with a regular passenger service than goods lines. I dont think I have been on any goods lines ever. But then, railtours dont really interest me.
I did castleford - Church Fenton in a diverted Cl 124 unit. Leeds-York non stop.I’ve been on quite a lot of goods lines and all on parliamentary or diverted (so not exactly regular) passenger services, not railtours. Bring on Neville Hill - Church Fenton electrification so I can do Castleford - Burton Salmon Junction!
Very impressive!This set me about thinking where I had been that's no longer with us and I came up with the following
Dufftown – Boat of Garten
Stanley Jc –Kinnaber Jc
Corstorphine branch
Tweedbank – Carlisle
St Boswells – Tweedmouth
Alnmouth-Alnwick
Morpeth – Reedsmouth Jc – Bellingham
Scotsgap – Rothbury
Benton NW & SW Curves
Woodhorn - Newbiggin
Newsham – Blyth
Monkseaton – Hartley
Callerton - Ponteland
Percy Main – Byker Jc via Riverside
Newcastle – Scotswood – North Wylam
Scotswood – Blaydon
Haltwhistle – Alston
Tyne Dock – East Boldon
Pelaw – Ferryhill
Ouston Jc – Consett
Consett – Waskerley
Consett – Blackhill – Browney Jc (Durham)
South Hylton – Newton Hall Jc (Durham)
Relly Mill Jc – Bishop Auckland
Wear Valley Jc – Crook
Stanhope – St Johns Chapel
Oak Tree Jc – North Road (Darlington)
Billingham – Haverton Hill
Haverton Hill – Stockton
North Road – Penrith
Barnard Castle – Middleton-in-Teesdale
Eryholme Jc – Richmond
Northallerton – Harrogate
Layerthorpe – Cliffe Common (DVLR)
Sheffield Victoria – Calvert
Chesterfield (GC) loop
Rugby – Peterborough (E)
Rugby – Wigston S Jc
Seaton – Luffenham
Culworth Jc – Banbury Jc
Gloucester Eastgate loop
Templecombe – Branksome
Alderbury Jc – Hamworthy Jc
Axminster – Lyme Regis
Seaton Jc – Colyford
Sidmouth – Tipton St Johns
Tipton St Johns – Exmouth
Smallbrook Jc – Cowes
Shanklin – Ventnor
Finally, I went on a school trip in 1961 when we got the 10.30 pm from Newcastle – Kings Cross. We were diverted via Lincoln and called at Grantham – so I think it must have used the line via Leadenham. We left Newcastle with 60046 Diamond Jubillee and arrived at Kings Cross with 60034 Lord Faringdon on the front, presumably swapped at Grantham – distant memories now.