TRIVIA - Shortest Distance From Overbridge To Underbridge

[tbtc]

Just a bit of fun... but admiring a model railway recently, I realised how common it is in such layouts to have the line going under a road then go over a road a very short distance afterwards.

So, using UK heavy rail, what is the shortest distance between a road bridge over a railway and a road bridge under a railway?

 

[Norb]

To start us off, it's 248m from Stump Lane overbridge to Brunswick Street underbridge in Chorley

 

[rebmcr]

0m, as the Stockport-Altrincham line passes through the A34's junction with the M60/M56!

 

[notlob.divad]

0m, as the Stockport-Altrincham line passes through the A34's junction with the M60/M56!

But it is 220m between the two bridges

At the same junction it is 47 metres on the Gatley to East Disbury line between the bridge under the slip road and the one over the M60 proper.

 

[Norb]

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3981769,-2.2273072,255m/data=!3m1!1e3 shortest distance I can see there is 48m - still beats my suggestion though

Back in the day when it still was heavy rail, there was a point where a road was over a motorway and under a rail bridge at the same point in Prestwich:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.5409638,-2.285822,166m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[AndyNLondon]

And there I was thinking that 250m on the North London Line was a good find. (The bridge over Caledonian Road and the one under Roman Way - with Caledonian Road & Barnsbury station in between the bridges)

 

[alex17595]

Under 9 Metres on HS1 at the Dartford Crossing.

 

[hwl]

West Norwood at 110m - Overbridge at one end of platforms and road under the platforms 5-6 cars along the platform. The Roads Over and under are directly connected along side the station unlike most other suggestions so far.

 

[snowball]

Does this railway still carry traffic? It's between two motorway slip roads with a motorway mainline above, another motorway mainline above that though slightly to one side, with two more slip roads above that.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.494756,-0.4953256,339m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[rebmcr]

But it is 220m between the two bridges

At the same junction it is 47 metres on the Gatley to East Disbury line between the bridge under the slip road and the one over the M60 proper.

Is there not a bit with an over- and under-bridge sandwich? Perhaps I'm thinking of the M60-A6 junction further east, the one with the provision for the A6(M)?

 

[NSE]

Whilst your examples are closer, I've always liked the one at Sanderstead where you leave the station, go left over the line, down along side it then right back underneath the branch (depending on where you're gong of course). Or, alternatively, come down Sanderstead Hill over the Oxted line and then continue down under the BML.

 

[Lrd]

Does this railway still carry traffic? It's between two motorway slip roads with a motorway mainline above, another motorway mainline above that though slightly to one side, with two more slip roads above that.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.494756,-0.4953256,339m/data=!3m1!1e3

There are no passenger services on that line. Not sure about any freight. I used to pass it every day and always wondered where it went to but by the time I got home, I always forgot to check.

 

[notlob.divad]

Is there not a bit with an over- and under-bridge sandwich? Perhaps I'm thinking of the M60-A6 junction further east, the one with the provision for the A6(M)?

I'm not sure where you are referring too.


The closest I know of to the original question where the answer would be 0 involve 2 rail bridges or where the railway is on the top or bottom of the stack. But I don't know of anywhere that the railway threads through as the middle level.

I think the closest you can get to 0m is at Castlefield Junction where the railway threads through over a car park and under the Metrolink.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Between Cricklewood and Mill Hill Broadway the Midland Main Line is in a sandwich between the North Circular Road underneath and the flyover above.

 

[AM9]

There's also HS1 passing over the A282 northbound carriageway as it climbs from the northern portals of the Dartford Tunnel, then about 50 metres later, passing under the southbound carriageway as it climbs up the approach ramp to the QE bridge across the Thames. The line then proceeds down a steep gradient to the northern portal of the Thames (rail) tunnel. All of this is traversed at 186mph (rail) and 50mph (road).

 

[superalbs]

What about the motorway between Pinhoe and Cranbrook?

 

[EM2]

Cheating slightly but how about Knaresborough and Maidstone East? In both cases, the railway enters the station via a tunnel (which is a sort of underbridge) and leaves the station via a viaduct or bridge over the river.

 

[Hophead]

There's also HS1 passing over the A282 northbound carriageway as it climbs from the northern portals of the Dartford Tunnel, then about 50 metres later, passing under the southbound carriageway as it climbs up the approach ramp to the QE bridge across the Thames. The line then proceeds down a steep gradient to the northern portal of the Thames (rail) tunnel. All of this is traversed at 186mph (rail) and 50mph (road).

Already noted, but I think I'm correct in saying that HS1 line speed is a mere 225km/h as far as Ebbsfleet (give or take a km or two).

 

[181]

There are no passenger services on that line. Not sure about any freight. I used to pass it every day and always wondered where it went to but by the time I got home, I always forgot to check.

It's what's left of the Staines West branch. It appears that a train is using it thisevening.