Longest un-preserved line

The line from Great Elm to Radstock in Somerset is still intact. It's only about 5 miles but I mention it here because it even has the track still in place throughout its length, although overgrown. The route is now a nice cycle path (route 24 of the National Cycle Network). The cycle track runs beside the overgrown single railway track (the trackbed and bridges are of double-track width). I wouldn't want to lose the cycle track (I enjoy cycling along it and I belong to Sustrans!) but it should be possible to have a single-track heritage line and cycle track alongside each other, as elsewhere.
There is an organisation, the North Somerset Railway Company, who want to revive the line. At Radstock, the former goods yard is earmarked for housing development, while at the southern end, Great Elm, Quarry trains use the line, so those would be the limits of any heritage line.

 

Blimey, someone admits this on a railway forum and a whole two and a half hours later nobody has yet threatened to burn the heretic?:faint:

Have the keyboard warrior loons suddenly gone all soft and friendly? eep:

 

Spawn of satan!!!!

Happy now?:roll::rofl::bounce::laugh:

 

Have I got myself into deep water? Never mind, I'm a strong swimmer!:confused1:

Sustrans has opened up hundreds of miles of disused railway routes for public use. It's not as though many of those routes were ever likely to be revived as heritage railways - more likely the land would have been sold off in sections to adjacent landowners by now, as has happened to many other disused railways.

 

No not at all! Just a bit of a long standing joke about friction between sustrans and heritage railways and them not getting along too well occasionally

 

I am a keen cyclist and enjoy preserved railways.

The idea of a line running side by side to a preserved railway has huge potential when running through the countryside and provides lots of options for "stopping off" en route with both forms of transport on a day out.

However the "keep it in the past mentality " of our preserved railways means that they strive to keep a perfect 1950's image.. yet in single track form when it used to be double, derelict buildings and knockoffs imported from elsewhere that never used to be there but look nice etc etc..

At some point one will realise the past has gone and aint never coming back.

The future is to embrace the past by reasonable recreation in a modern setting and making best use of their assets to increase business..

sharing a single track line with a cycle track / foot path / canoe trail / bbq area even German Beer celler if it works... by using half the "never again to be used" track bed .. buildings, scrap iron space and promoting it's potential the to public.

in short... the average member of the public doesnt desire a 12 hour steamathon for the public.... it's a piece of a day out and preserved railways will do well to explore additional attractions to extend the day.

Sure the photograph might not look that same 1963 with a goods train running up the valley alongside a cycle track...(yet in 63 it was double track but hey..) but them paying the money are using the track bed not standing at the side taking photographs.

The first step is to take ones head out of the clouds and see what exists around you beside the engine and carriages (maybe get your non-railway loving friends to tell you).
Step 2 is to see what market spaces exist and venture into them.

Maybe some of our darling directors, managers etc paid to promote the railways should take a holiday to switzerland and see how steam and a day out combine .... bet you dont find a single WW2 theme day, vintage car ralley, tombola, knitting contest, bingo, bun fight or anything else the average A, B, C1, C2 family with money does with their weekend.

 

Every time I have been to a preserved railway when they have a classic car rally, 60's themed day, WW2 theme day etc its been the general public that has been there in the vast majority, not enthusiasts and they have been very popular. Amazingly thats why railways put them on, so I dont see where your coming from in that respect. Your plan wouldn't have helped with the great central when it doubled its track either would it. Just because railway "A" is single track at the moment, how do you know that at somepoint they might want to double the track? Theres no clear cut plan you can follow.

 

Nice idea. Can you even begin to imagine the furore from photographers when the 11.50 from Blanktown to Anyoldplace comes into sight with a full head of steam as Mr and Mrs Blogs pace it on their tandem? Might solve the problem iof issuing lineside permits, and some fencing would have to be involved I'm sure.

 

palisade fencing nowerdays probably...Now that would look just lovely!

 

Can i ask how going on a FREE cycle route would raise money and keep railways going. with the extra money for fencing and most likely insurance? yes i agree railways do need to improve. not sure cyclists would do that option tho. i think better facilities at stations are the answer. Look at South devon railway. they have got the model railway shop there which keeps customers coming even when the trains are not running. and the cafe is also open. i think better eating is a must for the railways. the severn valley has 2 pubs on the stations and there are people always in them. I love going to the great central but its not very good for food or any side things to do.

 

Who said the cycle way has to not pay it's own way ?

As you rightly mentioned South Devon has found unique market spaces which improve their income.. the shop and the cafe open when the line is closed.
Sell tickets which included maps with hop on / hop off routes for cyclists and made it clear bikes are welcome on the train... then why not go up hill on the train and cycle back ?... not everyone will lug the bike with them from home.. cycle up and down hill ! there is an extra tenner a day per cyclist there, or charge for a locker for storage and / or shower facilities ?... I'm sure if you hooked up with the local authorities they'd give you the bikes for free.

It's not just cyclists.. it's ramblers, campers, canoeists, local football / cricket / crocket / horse riding teams..anyone who does a "sunday thing" that could be combined with to make a "day out by train" rather than a cheap day out with a "train ride".

Lets be realistic.. Great Central has 2 tracks as it's one of the few lines that's worth it... how many others would it be viable ?

I'm still waiting for a preserved railway to come up with a decent (I mean good class restaurant & bar open mid-week as well as weekend)... that'd probably have a good spin off. SVR has a few good pubs.. but I mean a real "take my girlfriend / wife for a decent night out" place... canal & lock owners picked up on this market years ago... if you can point one out i'm sure my other half would be taking me !

I think preserved railway management / directors etc often lack the strategic vision beyond the two rails dissapearing into the distance and stand with a begging bowl hoping for a state handout instead of figuring ways to truly earn their money.

 

What i mean is great central is fantastic to the enthusiast like me but as a family day out it has no comparison with severn valley. for instance if i go to bridgenorth i can go into a beautiful old town with cliff railway and there are shops and a pub and a rubbish porta cabin. (needs replacing), then on to hampton loade and its got the river crossing and minature garden railway and a tea shack and a goods van to look at things for sale, then to highley and there is the engine house where i can stop for food (not bad food actually) and some interesting things to look at. Now on to arley. very pretty walk to the village over the footbridge and you could have a picknick in the station garden. then on to bewdley with a cafe, another goods van to buy things in, and another walk to the town and river. then on to kidderminster which is a dump but there is plenty to do at the station, with the minature railway and museum, pub, cafe, shop, and a short walk to the bottom of the hill to the model shop. When dirving down south to visit my parents i will stop off at kiderminster just to sit in the museum cafe and spend some money. A lot of railways dont like to think about keeping people on site and spending money but the svr does that very well. i think other railways need to see this. As a volunteer at the churnet valley railway im the first to say we need more to do there. and we do have some big plans but other railways do need to consider other things. I live near crewe and i often think about the heritage center there and how it doesnt do much, im convinced if you put a model shop in the main room with a cafe it would do well. Not only would you get people there to go to the shop locals would use the coffee shop( theres a tesco next door so im sure you could rob some of there customers as its a costa coffee in there. expensive) The area round here could do with another model shop. There is nothing in stoke on trent, newcastle, the only one we have is trident trains at dagfields and haslington models, could be an excelent location.

 

The area round here could do with another model shop. There is nothing in stoke on trent, newcastle, the only one we have is trident trains at dagfields and haslington models, could be an excelent location.

Gav, there is an excellent model shop in Burslem. It's called Hobby Goblin well worth a visit, very friendly

 

Whats the prices like?

 

Very reasonable and a good variety of stock.

 

Well I would say that Marriots way in norfolk is quite a long one. 26 miles or biking on 2 old lines. http://www.uglystudios.com/marriott/marriott/
Yes there are some points out and stations missing but you are only a meter away from the line at these points.
Its part Sus and council. And there is still track down at some points but you have to look hard.

 

Going back to the original question, I would have thought that the Trawsfynydd line from Blaneau to Trawsfynydd power station would be a good contender, as far as I know the only bit really missing is the connection to the national network at Blaneua by about 10 foot.

 

Try Spooners at Porthmadog. It's open seven days a week and serves excellent food and regularly wins the CAMRA Pub of the Year competition.

Meic

 

If any of you cyclists or Walkers are visiting the mid Essex area you could do worse than follow the Flitch way (Nat cycle route 16) between Bishops Stortford and Braintree. Why might a Heritage enthusiast do this I hear you ask. Well Rayne station near Braintree on this closed line is still very much open despite not having seen a train for 40 years as there is a very nice little cafe there whose sole custom is passing walkers and cyclists. Its very nice sitting out on the platform in the Sun imagining trains going past. There is a room set aside for photo's of the line and various railway collectables. Its open every day of the year except Xmas day , oh and they do very nice cakes indeed. (Slurp)