Most boring preserved railway?

[Runningaround]

The Paignton and Dartmouth is one of my local heritage railways and I definitely agree with you on that one, seems more angled at tourists than enthusiasts. The Plym Valley Railway is a brilliant one for enthusiasts, made friends with the chairman very quickly when I was there as it's only a small railway. Got a cab ride in their 142 and 143 as well!

Thanks for the heads up! Paignton & Dartmouth it is and avoid Plym Valley.

 

[eldomtom2]

The NYMR is long enough to justify a long journey to visit it, it hosts famous locomotives and has tourist destinations at either end (Whitby and Pickering) plus of course Goathland with the Heartbeat connection though that is obviously fading with time.

Goathland station has the Harry Potter connection as well, though.

 

[Spamcan81]

Sittingbourne and Kemsley anyone .....?

Nowt wrong with the S&K. Original locos working what remains of the original line. What's not to like?

 

[bramling]

It's a lot better than it used to be and they've done up the centre. Lots of good curry options as you say.

As with a lot of these sorts of places, it depends on what one plans to do. This week I’ve been taking a lot of stick at work for having just returned from a 3-week holiday in Port Talbot, yet it was actually one of the best holidays I’ve ever had.

 

[Iskra]

As with a lot of these sorts of places, it depends on what one plans to do. This week I’ve been taking a lot of stick at work for having just returned from a 3-week holiday in Port Talbot, yet it was actually one of the best holidays I’ve ever had.

That’s interesting, can you elaborate on what made it so good?

 

[Spamcan81]

Blaenau Ffestiniog is the only place I've had stones thrown at me by the local kids from the station footbridge...

That's nothing. Been shot at by kids while passing through Foley Park on the SVR.

 

[bramling]

That’s interesting, can you elaborate on what made it so good?

Walking in scenic valleys combined with (industrial) archeology, of which there’s plenty of interest in the wider area. Niche, admittedly.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

It must be getting on 30 years since I visited the Bure Valley railway, but I remember finding the line rather dull and antisceptic.

I was also rather disappointed with the NYMR when I first visited it as I expected it to run on the North Yorkshire Moors and not in a valley. And the last time I went, the car park at Pickering was so far away that I actually asked the driver of a vintage bus which happened to be there whether he was a P&R service.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Nowt wrong with the S&K. Original locos working what remains of the original line. What's not to like?

In fairness , they have done well to preserve an unique operation. I found it quite impressive to be honest. Good luck to them.

 

[nanstallon]

Thanks for the heads up! Paignton & Dartmouth it is and avoid Plym Valley.

The Plym Valley has classes 142 and 143 Pacers working on Sunday. They make good use of a short line.

 

[Alanko]

The Keith and Dufftown Railway looks dull on paper. Eleven miles of track, unfortunately hobbled by speed restrictions. Fairly boring rolling stock inventory unless you like old DMUs.

It would be connected to the mainline if not for 120 feet of lifted track, so no guest locos, Belmond Royal Scotsman etc. Plans to reinstate the missing track seem bound up in the usual Jarndyce v Jarndyce that appears to stunt the aspirations heritage railways.

And they've gone and bought a Pacer, so you can rattle along at 10 mph in that instead of anything nice.

To their credit they haven't become magpies for every derelict mk1 or Hunslet Austerity going. The one thing that struck me about Bridge of Dun on the Caledonian Railway was 'do they really need all this stuff?!?'

I think railways risk the boredom factor when 80% of their inventory is 'stored out of use', 'awaiting overhaul', 'currently on static display' and all the other euphemisms used for Barry Scrapyard condition assets.

 

[fireftrm]

It must be getting on 30 years since I visited the Bure Valley railway, but I remember finding the line rather dull and antisceptic.

I was also rather disappointed with the NYMR when I first visited it as I expected it to run on the North Yorkshire Moors and not in a valley. And the last time I went, the car park at Pickering was so far away that I actually asked the driver of a vintage bus which happened to be there whether he was a P&R service.

You musn't have thought about the height of the Moors and railways, going over the Moors would mean some very steep inclines, beyond the capability of standard gauge railways. The car park is about 30m from the end of Platform 2, with a footpath onto the platform. No idea where you parked!

 

[BingMan]

The r If you want a day trip for a steam train ride nearer Manchester there are other options much closer by e.g. the East Lancs.

And if you want good scenery there is plenty of that on the main network - Buxton line or Hope Valley. Or even a bus ride from Buxton to Macc.

 

[Mark G]

I'd say the Telford steam railway.

 

[Alanko]

Cambrian Heritage Railways?

Quite a grandiose title for a fragment of track outside Oswestry and a fragment of track within Oswestry, all patiently waiting to be joined together. Add an extensive inventory of derelict industrial steam and diesel locos, old DMUs and coaching stock. They also succumbed to Pacer-itus.

Google returned this image when I looked up "Cambrian Heritage Railways", which doesn't really sell it!



Maybe give them ten years or so to get a bit more established!

 

[Runningaround]

Cambrian Heritage Railways?

Quite a grandiose title for a fragment of track outside Oswestry and a fragment of track within Oswestry, all patiently waiting to be joined together. Add an extensive inventory of derelict industrial steam and diesel locos, old DMUs and coaching stock. They also succumbed to Pacer-itus.

Google returned this image when I looked up "Cambrian Heritage Railways", which doesn't really sell it!

View attachment 118931

Maybe give them ten years or so to get a bit more established!

Which bit did you go on? Neither are very good, but the Llynclys section is even worse than Oswestry. They've even brought in Pacers which have never worked the Cambrian so how they can put ''Heritage'' in their name.

 

[Dai Corner]

Which bit did you go on? Neither are very good, but the Llynclys section is even worse than Oswestry. They've even brought in Pacers which have never worked the Cambrian so how they can put ''Heritage'' in their name.

To pick a random example, did Class 50s ever work the Severn Valley in normal service?

 

[Runningaround]

To pick a random example, did Class 50s ever work the Severn Valley in normal service?

Is it marketing itself as the Cambrian Heritage Railway? They are likely to have been around the Severn Valley on the Chiltern line, I'm no expert. And are they glorifying an era that done as much damage to BR as DR Beeching.

 

[Alanko]

Which bit did you go on? Neither are very good, but the Llynclys section is even worse than Oswestry. They've even brought in Pacers which have never worked the Cambrian so how they can put ''Heritage'' in their name.

Neither! I saw the name mentioned on RMWeb and assumed it was a new heritage TOC per 'Vintage Trains' etc.

 

[trebor79]

TBH any preserved operation using Pacers needs to take a long hard look at itself. Possibly the most hated stock that ran in modern times. Why on earth anyone would pay good money to ride for fun in one of those rattly, cold, uncomfortable and invariable damp-smelling things is beyond me.

 

[fgwrich]

TBH any preserved operation using Pacers needs to take a long hard look at itself. Possibly the most hated stock that ran in modern times. Why on earth anyone would pay good money to ride for fun in one of those rattly, cold, uncomfortable and invariable damp-smelling things is beyond me.

I know we've had this debate on here and on Facebook before, but in short, one simple solution. Pacers were cheap to buy, and cheap to operate. Fuel it up, press start and off it goes. A steam engine takes a lot longer to fire up, bring up to temperature and coal is becoming scarce and expensive to buy. The Keighley & Worth Valley's excellently restored 144 for example was bought for the days when traffic is due to be quiet, and the line used mostly by walkers or cyclists - people who just want a ride on a train than specifically coming out for a steam engine. The fact that most lines are currently temporarily turning to Diesel Traction during the heatwave currently adds to this. Others for example - like the Plym Valley, are using them to build up the number of services they can offer, which in turns brings in more revenue, which allows them to grow and expand the line. So, if maintained and utilised properly, I say well done to those lines.

 

[Falcon1200]

TBH any preserved operation using Pacers needs to take a long hard look at itself. Possibly the most hated stock that ran in modern times. Why on earth anyone would pay good money to ride for fun in one of those rattly, cold, uncomfortable and invariable damp-smelling things is beyond me.

Would the same points not have been made when heritage railways bought DMUs when they were still running on BR ? Now there are special events to celebrate them and people (including me) flock to them ! And Pacers are, already, just as much part of our historic railway heritage as Castles, Kings and Deltics.

 

[contrex]

Goathland station has the Harry Potter connection as well, though.

Hardly a day goes by that I do not earnestly pray that Harry Potter might be erased from the world's consciousness.

 

[Falcon1200]

Hardly a day goes by that I do not earnestly pray that Harry Potter might be erased from the world's consciousness.

Why ? Millions of people, including me, enjoy the books and the films, and no-one is forced to read or watch them.....

 

[contrex]

Why ? Millions of people, including me, enjoy the books and the films, and no-one is forced to read or watch them.....

I have a part-time job teaching English as a second language on line, and I have to field numerous queries from anxious students about Rowlings' prose. I do agree that one man's meat is another man's poison, and no judgement is intended.

 

[nferguso]

In my view it's those lines which have just one carriage set (and hence, normally, just one train) are the 'most boring', although I can see that I'm being unfair as all lines have had to start out somewhere. I have to say that the Ecclesbourne Valley falls into this category - the second train at gala weekends is just a couple of old DMUs being dragged around!

Sorry about that your lordship. You will be pleased to know that we now have sufficient Mk.1s to have two rakes running. Are Mk.1s OK with you? We also have one Stanier BTO in service with two more Staniers in the works.

 

[steamybrian]

A friend visited the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway Ludborough- North Thoresby. He said-
1. The approx 1 mile line was dead straight and flat
2. The scenery/countryside was flat and boring.
3. The train was a slow trundle along the track and back.

 

[trebor79]

A friend visited the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway Ludborough- North Thoresby. He said-
1. The approx 1 mile line was dead straight and flat
2. The scenery/countryside was flat and boring.

What did he expect for Lincolnshire?

 

[eldomtom2]

What did he expect for Lincolnshire?

There are some decently hilly areas south of Louth...

 

[Calthrop]

What did he expect for Lincolnshire?

There are some decently hilly areas south of Louth...

Earlier in this thread (post #139) I raised the line concerned (Lincolnshire Wolds); mentioning a (non-RailUKforums) commentator's fiercely "slamming and slagging" it, without having actually visited it -- his impressions got, "otherwise" -- my feelings thence: that the line did sound fairly dire; but, give it "fair do's" pending seeing it first-hand. @steamybrian's friend has done so, and indeed found it pretty "rubbish". In extenuation re the LWR: one gathers that its Society have hopes of extending it considerably -- to at best, something like ten times its present length (one has to feel re that -- "lots of luck -- you'll need it"). However: if it did happen -- from North Thoresby, way south through Louth, to maybe Authorpe or Aby (seemingly "all the A's", in these parts) -- that would be quite something, even through dull-ish scenery -- not all of Britain's acclaimed preserved lines are spectacularly scenic; there are other factors which may attract both railfans, and "normals".

I find self here sometimes, in the role of defender of often-disregarded-and-despised Lincolnshire: county of my birth, and held by me in great affection. Scenery-wise: the Lake District or Snowdonia, it ain't; but it's a huge county -- and like its (just) neighbour Norfolk, it isn't all flat -- and the flat and low-lying bits have a charm of their own. Lots of wide-open spaces and pleasantly bucolic sparsely-settled countryside, full of villages, many with wondrously crazy names; a long and fairly unspoilt sea-coast; plenty going on, on the wildlife scene; numerous architectural glories; as @eldomtom2 says, gently hilly areas -- the true Wolds; and Lincoln Edge; and the border regions with Leicestershire and Rutland -- it's good stuff ! (Honestly, I'm not in the pay of the Lincolnshire Tourist Board.)