Help from the experts please

[siouxchief]

Hi,

I am looking for some expert advice for a non train expert please if you would be so kind. In a nutshell I am looking to buy a house backing onto a train line. I would like to know if there are any heavy freight trains passing through the area that I should know about (as I heard this can be annoying when heard inside the house) or anything else in regards this section of track that may cause issues! Essentially the house is located in Harpenden and exactly in this area if searched by entering the co-ordinates into google maps:

51.800256,-0.340278

Any tips or info on this section of rail would be great as i dont want a very noisy house. I will also go and listen whilst in the house when i do a viewing but I wanted info on any potential unknowns.

Thanks a lot

 

[Lrd]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/HPD

There are a few freights showing as booked to pass through Harpenden, although whether or not these trains run or not is up to the train operator.

Anything showing as "ZZ" in the TOC column is usually anything that isn't a passenger service, "EM" is East Midlands Trains and "FC" is First Capital Connect.

Hope this helps.

 

[siouxchief]

Thanks for the info, one of my friends mentioned to look out for line checking I think, any idea what that is? May have been checking for points though but not sure :?

Thanks

 

[The Planner]

Do the search on Harpenden Junction, not the station. The junction is a mandatory timing point, the station isn't.

 

[siouxchief]

Is it possible to view the points with satelite view here: http://goo.gl/maps/EvKi4 to see if they are near the green arrow where the house is so i can see if i will avoide all the screeching associated with them?

I wouldnt even know what they look like to be honest. I will also use the junction as suggested 'The Planner' thanks.

Cheers

 

[Tomnick]

This line-up might be useful (not for long though, it'll soon expire) - shows what actually ran (times in bold in the right-hand column) past Harpenden Jn last night and up to 0900 this morning. Quite a bit of freight in the night, but that's not to say that they'll disturb you. Harpenden Jn itself is a little way further north, but shouldn't generate a lot of noise - the only racket will be if a Down freight is brought to a stand at the protecting signals in the night.

 

[30907]

Thanks for the info, one of my friends mentioned to look out for line checking I think, any idea what that is? May have been checking for points though but not sure :?

Thanks

Could be referring to maintenance work on the track at night? - major work can be noisy, but doesn't happen that often - or there may be an audible warning system to alert staff working near the track when trains are approaching

 

[Bald Rick]

It's a fair way from the junction. A very nice part of town. There will be freight trains (and passenger trains) through the night; not many but one can be enough! As ever they can be noisy, equally you would very quickly tune them out. I know a few people who back to the same stretch of line a bit further south, and they don't notice it that much.

Put it like this, if it was a problem, the house would be cheap (for Harpenden).

 

[Bevan Price]

Line checking sounds like one of the track inspection trains (sometimes described as test trains), which use things like cameras / sensors to assess track quality, etc. Unlikely to occur daily - more likely to be once or twice a month.

If the house has effective double glazing & wall insulation, you will probably get used to low level noise from trains. Almost certainly you would get worse (i.e. nearly continuous) noise living near a busy motorway.

 

[siouxchief]

Thanks everyone for the help its much appreciated

 

[Squaddie]

If you're buying a house next to a railway line then you should be prepared to accept that there may be disturbance. Even if there is no significant noise now, there is no guarantee that there will not be major engineering works on the line or a significant change in the types of train using the line several years from now.

I don't really agree with Bald Rick that the level of nuisance would be factored into the price of the house: the vendor and estate agent will ask for as much as they can get away with. You should check the prices at which houses on the opposite (i.e. quiet) side of the street have been sold for.

 

[83G/84D]

Hope you don't get the rail grinder or a tamper outside working all night. They make enough noise to wake the dead!