Longest un-preserved line

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?

 

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

 

The Wannie Line (Northumberland), might quailify?

 

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

 

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...

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

...ah

 

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

 

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!

 

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

 

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.

 

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!

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.