What old trackbeds would make good cycleways/greenways?

[Doctor Fegg]

Criteria:

1. No likelihood of mainline passenger or freight services returning.
2. No likelihood of a sustainable heritage railway operation.
3. The route must be attractive as a cycleway/greenway either for tourism or utility/commuting purposes.
4. No insuperable physical obstacles: but note that bikes, of course, can be routed around houses on the trackbed etc., and that tunnels can be reopened (a la S&D in Bath). The dismantled Solway Viaduct probably counts as an insuperable obstacle
5. Optional bonus: interesting structures (viaducts, tunnels, stations) on the line which deserve preservation and better public access.

Two suggestions spring to mind for me.

One is Llyn Celyn—Trawsfynydd—Blaenau Ffestiniog (the old Bala line). The route is breathtaking in places, clinging to the hillside as the valley drops away below. Cwm Prysor Viaduct is beautiful and deserves better access. With a few country lanes it could connect to the existing National Cycle Network at either end, or better still, build a route around the edge of Llyn Celyn.

Reopening for mainline rail services clearly isn't going to happen. Trawsfynydd–Ffestiniog still has tracks down and there's a nominal restoration project (which has had its well-chronicled issues), but it looks like a non-starter to me: Ffestiniog already has a premier league heritage railway with more attractive scenery and a long, successful trading history. But even if it did succeed, Trawsfynydd–Llyn Celyn would work as a cycleway in its own right. Much of it is already a permissive path so access should be doable.

Second, Chipping Norton—Kingham. Chippy has no rail link, a slow bus to Oxford, and not enough employment in the town. 1200 new houses are planned to be built. The distance to Kingham (5 miles) is the sweet spot for cycle commuting. The trackbed is largely unobstructed - you'd need to dodge around a house or two. Plus, although its main rationale would be for commuting, it'd be an enjoyable traffic-free greenway for families – there aren't many in the area.

What other ideas do people have?

 

[HowardGWR]

Lyme Regis to Axminster could be useful, as apart from the Axminster end, it is undeveloped. I don't see the branch ever being reinstated. The branch ends essentially nearly in Uplyme, but a connecting path down to the River Lym, where existing pathways would take you practically to the sea front.

At the Axminster end, a cycle path could be constructed under the A35 bypass, or perhaps over, but that would be expensive, so perhaps room could be found on the existing A358 underpass of the A35. See this URL link.
https://www.google.com/maps/@50.770...4!1ssewgzQqETlc_WKpzafUdmg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

It's a pity that on such a modern road scheme that cyclists needs were ignored. A different era, yet so recent ('Roads for Prosperity').

 

[randyrippley]

If you're after a tourist trail rather than a commuter link, then the Ingleton branch would be ideal. Follows the Lune valley from Kirkby Lonsdale to Ingleton then up to the Lune Gorge, feeding into the old "Scotch Road" network of green droving lanes. As far as I'm aware the bridges are all still there, they just need to be made safe

 

[RichJF]

Heathfield - Eridge/Groombridge. Southern half of the Cuckoo Line is an excellent trail/path.

Northern half is owned by private landowners but trackbed mostly still extant. Once finished you'd have a continuous cycle/walking path linking Three Bridges with Eastbourne.

 

[TheBigD]

I'd like to see the middle section of the Water Railway (Lincoln to Boston) open to cyclists.

 

[JKF]

1. The Weston, Clevedon & Portishead line, at least the bit between Clevedon & Weston. There have been some proposals around this, even though the line is barely traceable after almost 80 years and all in the hands of private landowners. Would tie in well with existing cycleways (e.g Bristol-Portishead towpath) and provide a flat traffic-free route significantly closer to the coast than existing roads. The River Yeo crossing could use a nearby farm access that crosses a sluice structure rather than provide a new bridge, quite a minor diversion.

2. Stanningey - Wortley (Leeds) - although the line is in use, half the formerly four track formation is disused and unobstructed. Much as I’d like to see this corridor used as the genesis of a Leeds metro system, that is never going to happen given the political climate (local and national). This would be a very attractive route removing conflict with road traffic and taking commuters from large suburban settlements on an easily graded path almost to the city centre. Issues would be the need for decent security fencing between the track and existing line to deter theft/vandalism.
There might also be a way of channeling this route onto the disused Holbeck viaduct which already has a campaign group pushing for a ‘high line’ type scheme, although I believe NR don’t want to release the property as there is potential to re-use it (it was taken out of use with the introduction of Mk4 stock which was too long for the curves at the Leeds end I believe, although used for stabling until the Leeds station rebuild in 2000).

 

[Train Maniac]

Theyve done half of it already- Folkestone Harbour branch.
Could potentially make life easier getting from the top of town to the beach. Quite steep going up though.