Trivia: from which stations can you see/hear your train coming when it's still miles away?

[mike57]

On Malton on a still day you can hear the 68s coming out of the Derwent Valley pulling away from the speed restriction over Huttons Ambo bridge, which is around 2.5 miles away. Same thing stood at Seamer with 68s leaving Scarborough on a still quiet morning.

 

[mpthomson]

On Saturday afternoon I was waiting quite a while at Kirkby in Furness station for the 16:20 to Barrow (the 15:23 to Lancaster, which is the 13:07 from Carlisle, was cancelled) and noticed that from the footbridge I could glimpse the down trains on the other side of the Duddon estuary and hear them sounding their horns for Green Road request stop, 2.5 miles from Kirkby as the crow flies and 4m 15ch by rail. Indeed I could hear them sounding the horns when approaching Millom, though couldn't quite see them clearly. I've never been in this area after dark, but no doubt it would be possible to make out a brightly lit train from across the estuary. I also heard my train faintly soon after it left Millom and clearly when it was at Green Road, quite handy since Kirkby doesn't have any indicators to tell you if the train is on time (Askam does). Are there any other places where you can see/hear a train coming from such a distance?

Same area, you can just see the trains leaving Grange and for the large majority of the way round to Arnside from Arnside station.

 

[Scanderina]

Not quite answering your question, but this brings to mind an 'Amersham', i.e. a sneeze which tickles but never comes (named after the station at which the rails rattle but the train never arrives)

 

[WideRanger]

I remember when a kid on Beeston Station, you could hear the track pinging for quite a long time before arrival, when coming from the Trent Junction area, especially for the freight trains that used to go through regularly.

 

[trainmananthon]

What about stations between Wressle and Hessle on the Selby - Hull route? Some of those stations have veeeeery long sighting distances!

 

[Foxhunter]

A heritage rail example. Pre-covid when we ran evening trains a couple of times a month, you could get a superb soundscape in Medstead and Four Marks Signal Box. On a still night, above the ticking of the clock, and an owl in the woods, you'd hear a down train leave Alton, 4 miles north, then get two bells on the token machine to indicate train entering section. Similarly, if lucky, maybe with a slight southerly breeze, you could just hear a train leave Alresford, six miles south, and a little while later get the train offered on by the signalman at Ropley, knowing it would likely be around 25 minutes before it reached you. Being at the top of the hill and in a relatively quiet bit of countryside certainly helped. Hopefully the experience will be back later this year.

 

[Deepgreen]

Anywhere on the West Highland Line in the days of the 37s...

Even more so in steam days!

The view north from Three Bridges gives sight of an approaching train which is about two and a half miles away.

Not quite answering your question, but this brings to mind an 'Amersham', i.e. a sneeze which tickles but never comes (named after the station at which the rails rattle but the train never arrives)

'The Meaning Of Liff' is such a wonderful tome!

 

[M&NEJ]

Thornton Abbey on the Barton on Humber branch: it's so straight you can see the headlight of a train approaching from Ulceby (2.5 miles?).

 

[D6975]

And at Starcross you can see your train across the estuary as it approaches Lympstone, around 45 minutes before it reaches you (and you can hear it if the wind is right). Paddock Wood must be a candidate on a dead straight line. I remember waiting there to photograph the Dover - Manchester mail on a summer evening around 1990 and it took ages to pass from the time I first caught sight of it, I don't know how many miles away.

Strictly speaking, this doesn't constitute seeing your train coming, because it's so far away that the service in front of the one you can see passing Lympstone will be arriving in the next 10-15 mins for most of the day.

 

[WessexRails]

From Hersham, you can see the train just leave the platform at Walton-on-Thames

 

[Iskra]

At Crianlarich you can hear the Southbound sleeper a good while before you see it- I think the sound reverberates around the valley after the train leaves Tyndrum Upper and you can also see it round the bend on the valley side before it joins the straight to enter the station. It made a welcome sound/sight on the night I caught it as it was -13, the train pulled into the station and the sleeper attendant greeted me by name, before I enjoyed a cheeseboard and beer on the way South- railway perfection!

 

[fkofilee]

St Neots me thinks... Three Bridges towards Gatwick Airport definitively!

 

[Skipness]

Tan y Bwlch on the Ffestiniog. You can hear the train whistling long before it arrives (but can’t see it through the trees!)

 

[Springs Branch]

How about Manea? I've never boarded a train there myself, but it seems to be on a long, straight, level stretch across open Fenland where you'd see the train headlight a long way away.

There's similar geography along the Wigan - Southport line, so maybe stations like Hoscar, Bescar Lane or New Lane would also give a good warning of approaching trains - particularly with regular level crossings for the driver to whistle at.

 

[Deepgreen]

A heritage rail example. Pre-covid when we ran evening trains a couple of times a month, you could get a superb soundscape in Medstead and Four Marks Signal Box. On a still night, above the ticking of the clock, and an owl in the woods, you'd hear a down train leave Alton, 4 miles north, then get two bells on the token machine to indicate train entering section. Similarly, if lucky, maybe with a slight southerly breeze, you could just hear a train leave Alresford, six miles south, and a little while later get the train offered on by the signalman at Ropley, knowing it would likely be around 25 minutes before it reached you. Being at the top of the hill and in a relatively quiet bit of countryside certainly helped. Hopefully the experience will be back later this year.

I can well imagine - would you hear the whistle or the loco's exhaust?

At Crianlarich you can hear the Southbound sleeper a good while before you see it- I think the sound reverberates around the valley after the train leaves Tyndrum Upper and you can also see it round the bend on the valley side before it joins the straight to enter the station. It made a welcome sound/sight on the night I caught it as it was -13, the train pulled into the station and the sleeper attendant greeted me by name, before I enjoyed a cheeseboard and beer on the way South- railway perfection!

Yes - the fact that it was -13 shows it was a still, clear night - perfect conditions for sound transmission.

From Dent, an approaching northbound train can be seen soon after it leaves Blea Moor tunnel, almost three miles away.

 

[King Lazy]

Same area, you can just see the trains leaving Grange and for the large majority of the way round to Arnside from Arnside station.

Slightly pedantic I know but you can’t see very far from Arnside Station. You can’t even see the viaduct. From the promenade however you can see the train between Kents Bank and Grange-over-Sands and easily walk to the station in time to catch it.

It’s possible to look across to Hest Bank crossing from Kents Bank. I’ve never viewed a train from there but the red lights at the crossing are certainly visible at night so I assume it’s possible.

 

[ashkeba]

How about Manea? I've never boarded a train there myself, but it seems to be on a long, straight, level stretch across open Fenland where you'd see the train headlight a long way away.

Yes, you can see a long way. A map says 4½miles north and 6 south.

Watlington and Shippea Hill also have long sight, over 4 miles north but only 2 south. Shippea Hill might be able to see Lakenheath station depending on platform layouts.

Most of the fen stations have curves near them. Littleport to Downham Market has long straights but curves both ends and in the middle.

 

[eisenach]

Another mention for the class 68s.

One saturday morning three years or so ago, I was very early for the Marylebone Chiltern service from Stourbridge Junction. I saw the train come out of the sidings and head for Kidderminster, where it was due to start. I could hear the 68 rumbling and growling for a good 10 minutes after it had left. It must have been well the otherside of Blakedown by then.

 

[Dougal2345]

From the platform at Poole you can see the train on the other side of Holes Bay, about a mile and a half away.

 

[Howardh]

At my local station you can hear the train coming via the hum on the rails before you see or hear it. Wonder how far out a train can be yet still be heard via the rails?

 

[Donny_m]

If you want both ways then Dawlish. You can see it on the sea wall tunnel section 2 miles one way and as soon as it leaves Dawlish Warren 2 miles the other way.

Starcross yes but I feel it’s kind of cheating as the train isn’t really coming it’s off to a big city and eventually that service may also come to you. You wouldn’t be there 45 -60 minutes early anyway so it wouldn’t help!

 

[RPI]

At Calstock you can hear the train nearly all the way from Gunnislake and vice versa

 

[Magdalia]

How about Manea? I've never boarded a train there myself, but it seems to be on a long, straight, level stretch across open Fenland where you'd see the train headlight a long way away.

Yes, you can see a long way. A map says 4½miles north and 6 south.

Watlington and Shippea Hill also have long sight, over 4 miles north but only 2 south. Shippea Hill might be able to see Lakenheath station depending on platform layouts.

Most of the fen stations have curves near them. Littleport to Downham Market has long straights but curves both ends and in the middle.

You can't work this out from looking at a map because you are forgetting vertical elevation.

The Fens are criss-crossed by rivers and drains that are above the level of the surrounding drained land. The railways cross these on bridges with embankments and gradients either side.

So, at Manea, you can only see to the Welney Washes looking towards Ely and to the bridge over the Sixteen Foot at Stonea looking towards March.

At Shippea Hill you can only see to the bridge over the River Lark looking towards Ely and the bridge over the River Little Ouse looking towards Lakenheath.

At Watlington you can see to the curve at Stow looking towards Downham Market and the bridge over the River Nar looking towards Kings Lynn.

Berney Arms has views of similar distance to these on the Reedham Marshes but with curves limiting view not bridges.

 

[daodao]

Whitchurch, Cardiff - you can see as far as Coryton (the terminus of the branch) and beyond Rhiwbina.

 

[ac6000cw]

Not as far as some of the other examples, but from the footbridge at Trimley station (on the Felixstowe branch) the line is dead straight for about a mile in each direction - that combined with the frequency of the freights makes it one of my favourite train watching spots.

From my house, when it's still enough I can clearly hear the sound of things like 37's heading north out of Cambridge, which is about 3.5 miles away. Same situation with a 37 accelerating away from Ely station heading south - it's audible for quite a while.

Off topic, but the best 'soundscapes' for me have to be diesel hauled freights climbing through mountainous areas in places like the USA, where you can hear train horns from miles away echoing off the hillsides, supplemented after a while by a slowly rising level of heavy-duty diesel roar until finally the headlights appear round the curve and it's 'showtime'. Then eventually the tail-end locos go past and their sound fades slowly away into the distance, closing out what might have been 30 minutes of 'railway theatre'. (Steam buffs can substitute their favourite heavy freight locos for the diesels to conjure up the right picture )

 

[Devonish]

At bidston (Liverpool bound trains)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

At bidston (Liverpool bound trains)

From how far away? Doesn't the M53 overbridge not get in the way?

 

[Mike99]

Back in the long distant days of the early seventies I spent five years travelling from Penge East to Bromley South for senior school. From the London (Tunnel ) end of the Southbound platform if it was a bright clear morning it would be possible to see the approaching (London Victoria to Orpington) train at rest at Sydenham Hill before entering the tunnel.

 

[HSP 2]

At bidston (Liverpool bound trains)

From how far away? Doesn't the M53 overbridge not get in the way?

From Bidston you can see the trains at Leasowe (70 chains) and possibly Moreton (1m 34 chains). The M53 overbridge doesn't get in the way as you look under it.

 

[desiro350]

There's similar geography along the Wigan - Southport line, so maybe stations like Hoscar, Bescar Lane or New Lane would also give a good warning of approaching trains - particularly with regular level crossings for the driver to whistle at.

New Lane has the longest view of the 3, on a clear day the dead straight line makes it possible to see trains coming from Southport 3 3/4 miles away. At Bescar Lane trains from Wigan can be seen 2 3/4 miles away. Standing on top of the bridge at Burscough Bridge, you can see 3 miles to Parbold, and although it curves towards Southport, if the wind is coming from the west the horn for Martin Lane crossing can be heard which is 2 miles away. On the Preston-Ormskirk line, from both Croston and Burscough Junction you can hear the approaching train from Preston on the jointed track up to 2 miles away on a still day.

Elsewhere in the North West, at Acton Bridge looking south you can see all the way to Hartford which is nearly 3 miles. The platform end at Town Green has a 1 1/2 mile view towards Liverpool, virtually the entire distance to Maghull North. Nearly the entire Hooton-Helsby line is dead straight, and although it isn't possible to see from one end to the other with the various gradients, you can see nearly 3 miles from Ellesmere Port towards Hooton and 1 1/2 miles from Ince and Elton towards Helsby. At Wrenbury, there's a view of just over a mile looking towards Crewe.