Trivia: cathedrals, abbeys and castles which can be seen from trains

[A S Leib]

Durham, Ely and Truro cathedrals can definitely be seen from trains, and I think St. Pauls can be seen going northwards into Blackfriars. How many other cathedrals, or abbeys or - presumably a far longer list - castles can be seen from trains on passenger services?

 

[James H]

Southwark Cathedral can certainly be seen from Cannon Street and Charing Cross trains.

And passing trains can be heard from inside the cathedral too.

 

[nmbenson]

York Minster and Lincoln Cathedral, Knaresborough Castle

 

[James H]

I think St Albans Cathedral can be glimpsed from Thameslink trains

 

[birchesgreen]

Berkhamsted castle, which is also a good spot to view the railway from (atop the motte)

Chepstow castle is one i saw earlier this year

 

[59CosG95]

Fairly sure Peterborough Cathedral can be seen by train to the south of the station.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

New Castle in Newcastle.

 

[The North Briton]

Wressle and Conisborough castles are two lesser known, but impressive, Yorkshire ones.

 

[2392]

The Castle Keep of the "Newcastle" in Newcastle upon Tyne. The ECML passes literally inches/feet from the Keep on the North side and the "Old Mainline" over the High Level on it's west side, as it head south over the Tyne. St Hilda's Abbey in Whitby.


P.s. You beat me to it Cricketer 8for9, but having said that. Which Newcaste.....?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Exeter at one point leaving St David's for Plymouth.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Worcester Cathedral. It’s visible across town from the embankment between Shrub Hill and Foregate Street, but the views down the Severn from the bridge are outstanding.

 

[TheHovisKid]

Castle, Priory and Cathedral at Lancaster.
There's also a Cathedral in (but not of) Preston which I think is visible if you know where to look.
Kendal Castle from around Oxenholme, Penrith Castle, and possibly Castle and Cathedral in Carlisle.

Some mentions of Lowther Castle's ruins being visible, never spotted them and not sure if tree cover still allows it. Not quite a proper castle though.

Peel Castle near Barrow ought to be fleetingly visible at Hest Bank.

Furness Abbey & St Bees Priory.

 

[birchesgreen]

You can just about spot Warwick castle from the train. Lichfield cathedral is also visible from the train. And Gloucester.

 

[joncombe]

Sherborne castle.

 

[spyinthesky]

Salisbury, I think a list of cathedrals you can’t see would be more taxing, such as Wells and Ripon

 

[Wychwood93]

Christchurch priory.

 

[Paul1160]

Kirkstall Abbey.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Edinburgh Castle can be seen from the section of track approaching Edinburgh Waverley station.

 

[mike57]

Kirkham Abbey, ruins, between York and Malton
Beverley Minster
Thornton Abbey, you can just see the gatehouse from the train, behind some trees
Whitby Abbey

And one that I dont think can be seen from the train at all, even although it is fairly close to the railway is Selby Abbey

 

[Roger100]

You can hardly miss Windsor Castle, with two stations next to the castle.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Have we had Berwick-upon-Tweed castle, or what's left of it? The railway and station site is located in the middle of part of the one-time castle!

 

[swt_passenger]

Newcastle Cathedral is visible in the opposite direction from the Castle that’s already mentioned.

 

[52290]

Castle, Priory and Cathedral at Lancaster.
There's also a Cathedral in (but not of) Preston which I think is visible if you know where to look.
Kendal Castle from around Oxenholme, Penrith Castle, and possibly Castle and Cathedral in Carlisle.

Some mentions of Lowther Castle's ruins being visible, never spotted them and not sure if tree cover still allows it. Not quite a proper castle though.

Peel Castle near Barrow ought to be fleetingly visible at Hest Bank.

Furness Abbey & St Bees Priory.

There is no cathedral in Preston, the former parish church of St John in the town centre is now known as Preston Minster. The large Catholic church to the north of the station is St Walburgs and is the third highest spire in England after the cathedrals at Salisbury and Norwich and was designed by Joseph Hansom who also designed the taxi cab of that name.
In Lancaster there is a Catholic cathedral but I don't think it's visible from the railway.
In Chorley there is a large Mormon Temple which should be visible shortly after leaving Buckshaw Parkway station. It annoyed the people of Chorley when the Mormons announced that they were going to call their large and impressive temple the Preston Temple.

 

[railjock]

Edinburgh Castle can be seen from the section of track approaching Edinburgh Waverley station.

Indeed, and the Borders Railway has Chrichton and Borthwick castles as well.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Northern's 158784 unit, aka "Barbara Castle".

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Lindisfarne castle on Holy Island is normally discernable in the distance from the ECML along the section of track a few miles South of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Fairly sure that Dumbarton Castle can be seen from the railway on the approach to Dumbarton East station.

 

[L401CJF]

Both Liverpool cathedrals can be seen across the river from the Merseyrail Wirral Line between Rock Ferry and Green Lane.

Im pretty sure you can also catch a glimpse of at least one of them in the distance between Mossley Hill and Edge Hill just before the Alstom depot

 

[John Webb]

Southwark Cathedral can certainly be seen from Cannon Street and Charing Cross trains.

And passing trains can be heard from inside the cathedral too.

Depends how loud the organ is being played!

I think St Albans Cathedral can be glimpsed from Thameslink trains

Yes, as the trains pass from just south of the golf course until they cross over London Road south of the City station. View is not as clear as it was once due to tree growth over the years.
Office development around St Albans Abbey station at the end of the branch from Watford makes it impossible to see the cathedral from that line.

 

[railjock]

West of Haymarket you also catch a glimpse of Tynecastle.

 

[InOban]

Surely Stirling Castle? And of course Kilchurn on Loch Awe.