Trivia: Settlements without a station where the two nearest stations are on different lines

[PTR 444]

I am a frequent user of the Trainline app, and when it comes to making journey plans the app will always show the two nearest stations at the top of the list using location data. Most places I have been, the two nearest stations are on the same line so I thought it might be interesting to find some examples of places where the two nearest stations are on completely separate lines (ideally with the settlement halfway between the two).

I’m only including settlements without any public rail service (including metro and light rail) otherwise this would otherwise lead to a lot of suggestions of nearby stations on separate lines, where the spirit of this thread is to find those which are some distance apart. An example of a valid settlement is Pooley Bridge as it’s two nearest stations are Penrith and Langwathby, both on the WCML and S&C lines respectively.

 

[dodecahedron67]

I am a frequent user of the Trainline app, and when it comes to making journey plans the app will always show the two nearest stations at the top of the list using location data. Most places I have been, the two nearest stations are on the same line so I thought it might be interesting to find some examples of places where the two nearest stations are on completely separate lines (ideally with the settlement halfway between the two).

I’m only including settlements without any public rail service (including metro and light rail) otherwise this would otherwise lead to a lot of suggestions of nearby stations on separate lines, where the spirit of this thread is to find those which are some distance apart. An example of a valid settlement is Pooley Bridge as it’s two nearest stations are Penrith and Langwathby, both on the WCML and S&C lines respectively.

Biggin Hill, South/South East London. Nearest stations are Woldingham (Oxted line, Southern) or Knockholt (Southeastern Mainline, Southeastern)

 

[johnnychips]

Gringley-on-the-Hill. Retford on the ECML and Gainsborough Central on the Brigg Line.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

An example of a valid settlement is Pooley Bridge as it’s two nearest stations are Penrith and Langwathby, both on the WCML and S&C lines respectively.

Somewhere like Sedbergh in Cumbria with a population of around 2,000, is roughly equidistant between Oxenholme Lake District on the WCML and Garsdale on the Settle & Carlisle.

 

[A S Leib]

Oundle (Corby / Peterborough)
Buckingham (the Bicester stations / MKC, although that doesn't count if both Bicester stations are closer than MKC and count as the same line)
New Romney (Westenhanger / Appledore)
Wheathampstead (Harpenden / Welwyn Garden City)
Faringdon (Finstock / Swindon)
Blandford Forum (Holton Heath / Templecombe)
Devizes (Chippenham / Pewsey)
Halstead (Braintree / Marks Tey)
Southend, Argyll & Bute (Ayr / Ardrossan Harbour / West Kilbride / Ballymena; not entirely sure on this one)

 

[Sheridan]

Great Sutton is around halfway between Little Sutton and Capenhurst stations, on Merseyrail (Ellesmere Port and Chester lines)

 

[30907]

Biggin Hill, South/South East London. Nearest stations are Woldingham (Oxted line, Southern) or Knockholt (Southeastern Mainline, Southeastern)

As the crow flies or by road?
Without measuring but keeping in the area I would guess Tenterden and Dymchurch (Headcorn/Rye, Sandling/Appledore, both the SE main line and Marshlink).

 

[Alex365Dash]

The village of Bramdean in Hampshire is halfway between Petersfield on the Portsmouth Direct Line and Winchester on the South Western Main Line. For good measure, Alton isn’t far behind (after Liss).

 

[Hb06_]

Would we count the Northampton Loop and WCML fast lines via Weedon as separate lines? If so, Rugby and Long Buckby are similar distances from Daventry as the crow flies.

 

[Western 52]

Gorseinon - Gowerton and Bynea stations are technically on different lines although some Heart of Wales line trains serve both.

 

[Flying Claret]

New Mills..?

 

[A Challenge]

Ashington to Amberley and West Worthing
Bakewell to Matlock and Grindleford
Catcliffe to Darnall and Rotherham Central
Ewhurst to Gomshall and Ockley
Fallowfield to Mauldeth Road and Levenshulme
Messington to Scunthorpe and Kirton Lindsey
Peasmarsh to Shalford and Farncombe
Send to Woking and Clandon
Tideswell to Dove Holes and Hope
West End (Woking) to Brookwood and Bagshot
Whiston to Rotherham Central to Woodhouse

Measured all of these by road, but Hedon to Hull and New Holland if it's straight line

 

[Ayman Ilham]

Haverhill in Suffolk is roughly equidistant (although quite far out of the way) between Audley End (West Anglia), Sudbury (Branch to Marks Tey on Great Eastern) and Newmarket (Cambridge to Ipswich)

 

[MadMac]

Skelmorlie between Wemyss Bay and Largs.

 

[A0wen]

A few that spring to mind:

Colney Heath (Herts) - Welham Green (GN) and St Albans City (TL).

Earls Barton (Northants) - Northampton (WCML), Wellingborough (MML).

Haverhill ? - closest station appears to be Dullingham - the next closest is debateable depending on how you measure it, but Whittlesford Parkway looks like it's second closest.

And a nice controversial one to end with - if we say Bury, because it doesn't have an NR station then I reckon you've got Castleton on the Rochdale line and Bolton as the two closest. So is Bury the largest town where this happens ?

 

[Ayman Ilham]

And a nice controversial one to end with - if we say Bury, because it doesn't have an NR station then I reckon you've got Castleton on the Rochdale line and Bolton as the two closest. So is Bury the largest town where this happens ?

Oldham (another GM Borough of a similar size) is in a similar situation since its main railway got converted to Metrolink, with nearest stations being Greenfield on the Huddersfield line and Mills Hill on the Rochdale line

 

[Sultan]

How about the settlement of Haxted, between Lingfield and Edenbridge?

It has 3 stations within 3 miles, all of which are on different lines.

Lingfield - 3 miles
Edenbridge - 2 miles
Edenbridge Town - less than 2 miles

 

[Some guy]

Garstang it’s slap bang in the middle of Preston and Lancaster people from there who want to get the train have to go to either of those stations

 

[A0wen]

Haverhill in Suffolk is roughly equidistant (although quite far out of the way) between Audley End (West Anglia), Sudbury (Branch to Marks Tey on Great Eastern) and Newmarket (Cambridge to Ipswich)

Yes - you suggested this before me, but I think you've got the wrong stations when you look at it.

One that isn't suggested yet is Keswick - Penrith is closest, second closest is Flimby between Maryport and Workington which is 20 miles from Keswick. It *just* nudges out these ones at 21 miles from Keswick - Workington and Maryport (on the same line) Windermere (branch) and Langwathby (S&C).

Garstang it’s slap bang in the middle of Preston and Lancaster people from there who want to get the train have to go to either of those stations

You need to re-read the OP's rules - Preston and Lancaster are both on the same line, so not valid.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Tregaron (located in mid Wales with a population of around 1200) is roughly equidistant between Aberystwyth and Cynhordy (the latter rail station on the Heart of Wales line).

Once had its own railway station on the line between Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.

 

[Snow1964]

Blandford Forum (population estimate 12,200) is about even to 3 lines

Wareham on SW main Line
Gillingham on Salisbury-Exeter line
Maiden Newton on Castle Cary-Weymouth line

It used to have its own station on Somerset and Dorset line

 

[paddy1]

Buckingham - Bicester stations or Milton Keynes stations. Brackley - Banbury/Kings Sutton or Bicester stations.

 

[A0wen]

Ongar - formerly top of the Central line - closest stations now are Brentwood and Harlow Mill.

 

[willgreen]

Ripon? I think its two closest stations are Thirsk and Knaresborough. But my maths might be a bit off!

 

[A0wen]

Buckingham - Bicester stations or Milton Keynes stations. Brackley - Banbury/Kings Sutton or Bicester stations.

Brackley's closest station is Kings Sutton - the next closest are Banbury or Bicester North - but as both are on the same line so not what the OP was looking for.

 

[Edgeley]

New Mills..?

Not really - New Mills Central is close to the main settlement and the southern suburb of Newtown has its own station. But there's no station on the third line, the direct route to Hazel Grove.

 

[pemma]

Ollerton, Cheshire. Nearest stations are Chelford (Crewe to Manchester) and Knutsford (Chester to Manchester)

Chorley, Cheshire. Nearest stations are Mobberley (Chester to Manchester) and Alderley Edge (Crewe to Manchester)

There must be loads of examples.

 

[peterblue]

Any examples where the 2 nearest stations do not share a destination in common?

 

[pemma]

Any examples where the 2 nearest stations do not share a destination in common?

Weaverham (Cheshire). Nearest stations are Acton Bridge (Liverpool to Birmingham via Crewe) and Greenbank (Chester to Manchester). If an app uses the distance as the crow flies it might put Hartford before Greenbank, which would then be on the same line as Acton Bridge. However, as you can't walk along the West Coast Mainline Greenbank is a shorter distance on foot.

I'm sure the earlier example of Bakewell - Matlock and Grindleford qualifies as well.

 

[sk688]

olney - wolverton/mkc (wcml ) or bedford (mml)
towcester - milton keynes (wcml ) or banbury (chiltern)
dunstable - luton (mml) or leighton buzzard (wcml)
Cambourne - St Neots (ECML) or Cambridge
Wells/Shepton Mallet - Bath or Castle Cary