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Longest un-preserved line

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Fireline, Jul 4, 2010.

  1. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    Hi all. Just a thought. We were trying to work out what the longest UNOBSTRUCTED abandoned line is. Frankly, we couldn't come up with many ideas. Anyone know of any long, and complete, trackbeds?
     
  2. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    Does that mean fairly intact with all bridges in place?
    Just the track missing.
     
  3. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Meldon Quarry to Bere Alston might have qualified but for some short sighted development at Tavistock - nothing a bulldozer wouldn't sort in a few hours!! What about the Princetown branch - that was pretty clear when I last looked ... but thats probably nearly 30 years ago come to think of it!
     
  4. StoneRoad

    StoneRoad Member

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    The Wannie Line (Northumberland), might quailify?
     
  5. wehaveaproblem

    wehaveaproblem Member

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    Walked most of Princetown line. Only 1 bridge missing and 1 cutting filled... although I have not walked the rest from Burrator to Yelverton.
     
  6. arthur maunsell

    arthur maunsell Well-Known Member

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    Athenry to not far short of Sligo is complete with bridges track etc and about 60 miles long..... been "closed" for decades.... connects the Dublin Galway line with the Dublin Sligo line.Do you want it? we don't .... ideal preservation line (crosses the operational Dublin=Westport line halfway at Claremorris...all that would be missing would be the passengers.... (google Western rail Corridor should give you loads of info...
     
  7. alts1985

    alts1985 Well-Known Member

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    When you say unobstructed do you meen longest stretch of disused old line before track starts again or longest gap between the course of the line being re-developed? I can think of a few lines around my way which snake for a long way but a few bits bits have been developed along the way. Shoreham-by-Sea to Guildford is 41 miles by the A281 which give or take follows the course of the old line all the way.
     
  8. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

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    What development (my girlfriends mum has just moved to Tavistock, been trying to find remnents...)??
     
  9. olly5764

    olly5764 Well-Known Member

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    To be honest, after all these years, I think any abandoned line in the uk would face some sort of challenge or re-building work were it to be re-opened in it's entirity
     
  10. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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  11. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

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  12. Southernman99

    Southernman99 Member Friend

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    Its only Shoreham - Christs Hospital that is disused/ abandoned.
     
  13. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    Sorry if my original question was too vague. I meant the longest run of COMPLETELY clear line, i.e. no housing developments, etc. I am quite happy to overlook the odd missing bridge or farmer's fence!
     
  14. northernsteam

    northernsteam Member

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    Wannie line would have been a nice line but here are a few bridges gone and the A1 Morpeth bypass cuts through it west of Morpeth. Would the Leamside line count beside Durham? It has been abandoned by NR and been stripped by thieves, I think it is only about 20 miles long though. Don't start the 'pity that isn't still there' tack!
    John
     
  15. Enterprise

    Enterprise Part of the furniture

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    I don't think so! The Christs Hospital to Guildford section was closed in 1965. As recently as last year the ATOC proposed that it be reinstated. Not much chance of that now.
     
  16. cymroglan

    cymroglan Member

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    Gaerwen to Amlwch is largely complete as far as I know. I've explored different sections of it over the last few years. Track still in situ too!
     
  17. alts1985

    alts1985 Well-Known Member

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    It does depend how you look at, hense my original question as they were almost two seperate branch lines as you had to change trains at Christs Hospital to make the connection although I think I am right in saying a spur did once exsist to by-pass Christs Hospital although I might be wrong!
     
  18. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    What sort of state is the Dumfries - Stranraer 'Port Road' in?
     
  19. std tank

    std tank Part of the furniture

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    One trackbed to have a look at is the GNR/LNWR joint line from Newark to Leicester or Market Harborough. This runs through Stathern and Melton Mowbray to a triangle at Marefield and onward to either Leicester or Market Harborough. There are a few gaps, but it is mostly complete.
     
  20. Pesmo

    Pesmo Member

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    There must be quite a few routes that are not blocked that have been turned into those linear parks that seem quite popular ? Admitedly now they are parks the chance of reinstatement is low but they tend to have most of the bridges and track bed left intact.
     

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