Most beautiful line in Britain

[MidnightFlyer]

Which is the most beautiful railway route in Britain - for me it has to be the West Highlands

 

[Metroland]

West Highland
S&C
Edinburgh - Aberdeen
Exeter - Penzance
Perth - Inverness

in that order

There's lots of other good bits, scenically the Southern is the most dull.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

West Highland
S&C
Edinburgh - Aberdeen
Exeter - Penzance
Perth - Inverness

in that order

There's lots of other good bits, scenically the Southern is the most dull.

Except for Lewes-Ashford Intl & rural bits of Kent I do have to agree - The South is tediously boringly dull for rail scenery

 

[HITMAN]

I'm not sure about the route between Plymouth and Penzance, its in a cutting for too much of it

 

[Metroland]

eh? More viaducts per mile of any line in the UK?

 

[HITMAN]

Its still in a cutting for far too long, S & C on the other hand is extremely pleasant

 

[tbtc]

Kinghorn to Dalmeny

Penistone to Huddersfield

Grindleford to Edale

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Coombe Junction Halt to Looe
Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh
Dovey Junction to Pwllheli
Wickford to Southminster is OK

 

[jopsuk]

Newcastle to Edinburgh is a favourite, as you sweep from the low, flat dunes by Holy Island to the perilous cliff top line north of Berwick. Lovely stuff (apart from the ends...)

 

[Metroland]

Class 2 (well worth a look) scenically:

Durham-Edinburgh, Preston-Glasgow, Cumbrian Coast, North Wales line, Trans-pennine lines (especially Sheffield - Manchester), Whitby Branch, Cambrian Coast, Kyle-Inverness, Aberdeen-Inverness, St Erth-St Ives, Liskerd-Looe

Class 3 (Pleasant): Marches line, Cotswold and Malvern lines, Barnstaple branch, Weymouth-Castle Cary, Golden Valley line, Matlock branch, Bittern line, Swansea-Fishguard, Central Wales line, Leeds-York via Harrogate

Class 4 (Passable): Derby-Sheffield, Bristol-Exeter, North Staffs, Buxton branch, York-Scarborough, Durham Coast, Stanraer line, Falmouth and Gunislake lines.

Class 5 (Ok): Grantham-Peterborough, Peterborough-Leicester, Reading-Oxford, Brighton main line, Southampton-Weymouth, Berks and Hants, Wolverhampton-Shewsbury, Birmingham-Worcester, Oakham-Kettering, Stratford-u-Avon-Birmingham, Bicester-Leamington Spa

Preservation wise there is a lot of nice lines: SVR, NNR, NYMR, Swanage railway, Bluebell, West Somerset, S Devon, Paignton & Dartmouth, KWVR among many others are all very nice.

 

[Greenback]

Its still in a cutting for far too long, S & C on the other hand is extremely pleasant

From Exeter to Penzance there is a huge range of scenery. You get the estuary down to Dawlish, then the sea wall, then rolling countryside, the city of plymouth, Devonport, the Royal Albert Bridge and we haven;t even crossed into Cornwall proper yet!

It's one of my favourite routes, along with Central Wales, the Highland main line and Inverness to Kyle. The S&C and Cambrian Coast also rate highly of course!

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

Starcross to Teignmouth - The sea wall.

Settle & Carlisle - Wow, Especially over the Ribblehead viaduct.

Shalford to Reigate - Just trundle along the North Downs, through loads of countryside.

St Erth - St Ives - Just plain nice!

St Erth - Penzance - Especially around Marazion, overlooking the bay.

Belford - Berwick Upon Tweed - Along the Northumbian coastline & over the Royal Border Bridge.

 

[tony_mac]

I think that Newcastle to Carlisle is vastly under-rated, it never gets mentioned but I find it quite pleasant, and preferable to the trans pennine routes.
North Road to Shildon is actually quite nice too - surprisingly so because the road journey really isn't! (I haven't been beyond Shildon so can't comment).

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

I've only done the Newcastle to Carlisle route once, I was looking forward to seeing it, rather unfortunately the weather was appalling with rain, hail & sleet, you couldn't see much out of the windows. Which is a shame.

 

[CarterUSM]

West highland line, particularly from Helensburgh to Rannoch, the Kyle also, though my favourite is the Far North Line. Carlisle to Newcastle is indeed very pretty on a good day, and i'm rather fond of the journey to Preston from Glasgow. It all really comes down to ones taste i suppose.

 

[90019]

The Kyle Line.
I do like Edinburgh-Inverness as well.

 

[mrcheek]

The consensus seems to be the West Highland line. But I cant comment as I havent done that one yet.

My top 5, in reverse order:

1. Inverness to Kyle of Localsh
2. I tend to say the sea wall at Dawlish. But frankly you could extend that to Plymouth. Or to Penzance to take in all the viaducts and bridges. Then you might as well extend it north as well. You could make a good case for Paddington to penzance to be done as one journey, going via Bristol.
3. Cumbria Coast
4. East Coast Main Line. again, considerd as a whole. I actually love it all. London to York at speed, then the flat and beautiful countryside to Darlington, then Newcastle. Then the coast, through Berwick, and curving round to Scotland.
5. Hope Valley, manchester to Sheffield.

 

[The Planner]

I'll throw a curve ball in and say the Severn Beach line, I dont think there is more variety in such a short distance as on there.

 

[j0hn0]

Dovey junction - Pwllheli
Welsh Highland
West Highland

I don't really think England has that many great scenic routes - I guess we leave that to the heritage lines.

The most picturesque lines in the country are the ones with "Highland" in their name. Especially seeing as the WHR runs through the Aberglaslyn pass recently voted "the most beautiful place in the UK" by the national trust.

I helped build the track there too

 

[38Cto15E]

One problem with most lines these days is that the hedges are so tall you cannot see things you would have admired 20 years ago.
Fortunately there are not so many hedges in the North of Scotland, June 8th I am off to the Kyle, HST PBO-INV, overnight at Wetherspoons then a Class 26 to Kyle (I wish)
Staying one night at Plockton and then back again.
I do miss window hanging on most modern trains.

 

[bluebottle]

West Highland Extension. Can't say anything about the West Highland itself, I was asleep!

 

[bengley]

Chesham branch of the Metropolitan Line.

 

[HITMAN]

From Exeter to Penzance there is a huge range of scenery. You get the estuary down to Dawlish, then the sea wall, then rolling countryside, the city of plymouth, Devonport, the Royal Albert Bridge and we haven;t even crossed into Cornwall proper yet!

It's one of my favourite routes, along with Central Wales, the Highland main line and Inverness to Kyle. The S&C and Cambrian Coast also rate highly of course!

Oh I agree its lovely from Exeter to Plymouth, its once you get beyond Plymouth it goes into a cutting for most of the way which means you can't actually see very much.

 

[Oswyntail]

All the lines mentioned have sections of exquisite beauty, but, there again, so do many unconsidered lines. There is one point on my home line to Ilkley where the line swings round and you can see the valley suddenly stretching out in front of you that always lifts my heart (perhaps because I'm coming home). Not to compare with the S&C or the WHL, but a perfect moment

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

The two lines I've never been on but would like to are the Cumbrian Coast line & Heart of Wales line.

I've been told that they're really nice, apart from the blot on the landscape called Sellafield on the Cumbrian, anyone agree?

 

[silvermachine]

I'd certainly second the Welsh Highland Line, truly spectacular, and at a pace at which you can enjoy the views !

 

[shinkansen1966]

As for urban scenery, got a soft spot for the DLR from Bank to Lewisham. Sit at the front for the full tunnel experience, and enjoy the grand stand views of the Docklands.

Outside London, the Exeter to Plymouth run completes with coast and countryside and those steep gradients around Totnes.

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

I'm sorry but I fail to see how the London suburbs can be classed as attractive!
They might be if you're blind. Cities scare me rigid.

Down here in the Somerset countryside I can walk around at night & have no fear of being mugged, knifed etc.

London? Sorry, but you can keep it... 165 miles away, that's why I moved here!

 

[devon_metro]

Personally I think the Preserved Paignton & Dartmouth railway is pretty scenic, great views over Torbay, Greenway and then the River Dart estuary. Not to mention no less than 3 viaducts designed by Brunel!

 

[shinkansen1966]

I can walk around at night & have no fear of being mugged, knifed etc.

I live London in....and don't that fear either.

Totally agree with you. There are some terrific train rides down to the West Country. I'm Exeter born, and the line from Waterloo to St Davids via Salisbury is pleasingly soporific.

Just added some urban scenery for to spice things up.