Historic double track heritage railways

[L+Y]

Today the GCR makes much play of its status as the UK's (world's?) only double track heritage railway.

Which got me to wondering- how many of the UK's current preserved railways were once double tracked? A handful, or many of them? I know what's now the ELR certainly was originally double tracked throughout.

And were any lines, again aside from the GC, taken over from BR with a double track formation still down?

 

[zwk500]

Many would have been, although some may have been singled prior to closure. The Bluebell railway was Double track from Horsted Keynes to East Grinstead, although the line was lifted before they got the trackbed. The Sheffield Park-Horsted Keynes section was only ever single track but had been built for double track.
The Spa Valley Railway had originally been double track as well, although again track had been lifted before the heritage operation started.

 

[Gloster]

The top end of the Paignton & Dartmouth and North Yorkshire Moors, and the Gloucestershire- Warwickshire. The last bit of the West Somerset, although that was latterly two single lines.

 

[Magdalia]

Today the GCR makes much play of its status as the UK's (world's?) only double track heritage railway.

Which got me to wondering- how many of the UK's current preserved railways were once double tracked? A handful, or many of them? I know what's now the ELR certainly was originally double tracked throughout.

And were any lines, again aside from the GC, taken over from BR with a double track formation still down?

Nene Valley Railway and Mid Norfolk Railway were both double track in BR days, I think the former up to closure to passengers in 1966, the latter singled in 1965. The Nene Valley Railway was possibly singled after closure to passengers but while still open for freight, I haven't found any pictures to confirm one way or the other.

 

[Cowley]

The Churnet Valley Railway as well maybe?

 

[John Luxton]

Gloucester & Warwickshire

 

[Beebman]

Much of the infrastructure of the Severn Valley was constructed to allow for possible future expansion to double track and the Railway has a webpage illustrating that:

https://www.svrwiki.com/Double_track

 

[Cowley]

Much of the infrastructure of the Severn Valley was constructed to allow for possible future expansion to double track and the Railway has a webpage illustrating that:

https://www.svrwiki.com/Double_track

Likewise the Mid Hants although it stayed single.
I guess parts of the Cambrian Railways Trust would be another, along with the GCRN and the Midland Railway Centre?

 

[kje7812]

The top end of the Paignton & Dartmouth and North Yorkshire Moors, and the Gloucestershire- Warwickshire. The last bit of the West Somerset, although that was latterly two single lines.

To exact, Minehead to Dunster and Bishop's Lydeard to Norton Fitzwarren

Much of the infrastructure of the Severn Valley was constructed to allow for possible future expansion to double track and the Railway has a webpage illustrating that:

https://www.svrwiki.com/Double_track

In addition, Bewdley was a junction station with the Severn Valley line roughly north-south (the original SVR was Hartlebury to Shrewsbury via Stourport), with the Kidderminster loop line to the east and the line to Tenbury Wells to the west. The Tenbury and Severn Valley lines ran in parallel for roughly 3/4 mile between Bewdley station and the divergence point (the 'Tenbury wall'). Bewdley itself remains doubletrack with north and south boxes and absolute block in use on the up and down mains (Platform 1 and 2 respectively).

 

[Irascible]

To exact, Minehead to Dunster and Bishop's Lydeard to Norton Fitzwarren

Does anyone remember if the double track to Dunster was still there in the... say, late 70s? I can vaguely remember what might be a long siding, but also might be the second track.

 

[Gloster]

Does anyone remember if the double track to Dunster was still there in the... say, late 70s? I can vaguely remember what might be a long siding, but also might be the second track.

The double-track from Dunster to Minehead remained in place and seemingly in use until BR closed the line in January 1971. Norton Fitzwarren-Bishops Lydeard was singled nearly a year earlier.

Source: Cooke’s diagrams, which don’t cover the preservation era.

 

[mike57]

The North York Moors Railway was double tracked in I think 1847, but was singled again during WW1

 

[daodao]

The Churnet Valley Railway as well maybe?

Yes. The Rudyard Lake Steam Railway is also built on the former Macclesfield-Uttoxeter line, which was originally planned as a main route between Manchester and Derby (and then London). It was therefore built as a double track line throughout, but became a backwater. The Knotty (the informal name for the North Staffordshire Railway) did try to promote its use for tourism to Rudyard Lake, but it closed as a through route pre-Beeching.

Peak Rail uses part of the former Midland double track mainline from London to Manchester.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A slight variation on the theme, Shepley to Clayton West was built wide enough for double track as it was planned to extend to Barnsley via Kexborough and Darton. However this extension never happened and only a single standard gauge track was ever laid.

After closure in 1983 it reopened in the early 1990s as a narrow-gauge line. Plenty of room for double track if the owners wanted to build it, but it is single with several loops and will remain so.

 

[Taunton]

The double-track from Dunster to Minehead remained in place and seemingly in use until BR closed the line in January 1971. Norton Fitzwarren-Bishops Lydeard was singled nearly a year earlier.

It was done like this to close the signalbox at Minehead, part of the late-1960s 'efficiencies', which cannot have recouped their engineering costs before the line closed. A signalbox needed to be retained at the level crossing at Dunster, so the double track installed in the 1930s on the last leg to Minehead was made two single lines from there, leading to either side of the island platform, each with a loco run-round line controlled by a ground frame, which all allowed two trains at the terminus, some summer Saturday trains to the end being Hymek-hauled.

At the other end at the same time the line was singled in one section all the way from Silk Mill signalbox on the main line (another level crossing then, and thus had to be retained), using the old Up Relief to Norton, one of the double tracks to Lydeard, and on to Williton. Facing crossovers, normally a WR anathema, were installed at Silk Mill to enable down Minehead trains to cross over to the newly singled line. Various other passing loops were taken out as well. All the works were done to the Western Region "rationalisation" approach of the era, which was to rip up every unwanted track and demolish every unused building down to ground level, and spread vast quantities of fresh ballast over the liberated ground.

 

[Gloster]

It was done like this to close the signalbox at Minehead, part of the late-1960s 'efficiencies', which cannot have recouped their engineering costs before the line closed. A signalbox needed to be retained at the level crossing at Dunster, so the double track installed in the 1930s on the last leg to Minehead was made two single lines from there, leading to either side of the island platform, each with a loco run-round line controlled by a ground frame, which all allowed two trains at the terminus, some summer Saturday trains to the end being Hymek-hauled.

At the other end at the same time the line was singled in one section all the way from Silk Mill signalbox on the main line (another level crossing then, and thus had to be retained), using the old Up Relief to Norton, one of the double tracks to Lydeard, and on to Williton. Facing crossovers, normally a WR anathema, were installed at Silk Mill to enable down Minehead trains to cross over to the newly singled line. Various other passing loops were taken out as well. All the works were done to the Western Region "rationalisation" approach of the era, which was to rip up every unwanted track and demolish every unused building down to ground level, and spread vast quantities of fresh ballast over the liberated ground.

The box at Minehead closed and the double line to Dunster became two singles on 27-03-1966, so they got five summer seasons out of it. The singling between Norton Fitzwarren and Bishops Lydeard coincided with the closure of Norton box.

 

[Cowley]

There’s a lost heritage ex double line railway near me - The Dartmoor Railway. Also I believe the Avon Valley Railway was originally a double line route.

 

[L+Y]

And were any lines, again aside from the GC, taken over from BR with a double track formation still down?

How about part 2 of my query - were there any?

 

[edwin_m]

There’s a lost heritage ex double line railway near me - The Dartmoor Railway. Also I believe the Avon Valley Railway was originally a double line route.

Yes, this was the Midland route into Bath. Part of the Bristol and Bath Cycle Path occupies the line of the second track.

 

[Taunton]

How about part 2 of my query - were there any?

You will have to decide yourself whether the two-track section Dunster to Minehead, which I think was left as was when the line was sold, qualifies as double track, on account of the signalling arrangements described above - which I think were wholly removed after closure, but the two tracks remained.

 

[CE142]

Peak Rail?

 

[30907]

How about part 2 of my query - were there any?

What was the status of Paignton to Goodrington Sands mentioned upthread? Had it already become 2 single lines (1 passenger, 1 to sidings)?
Photo on Cornwall Railways site shows the line through the halt single in summer 73, so the work was probably done at takeover. GS box remained open for some years after but only on the BR side.

 

[Gloster]

What was the status of Paignton to Goodrington Sands mentioned upthread? Had it already become 2 single lines (1 passenger, 1 to sidings)?
Photo on Cornwall Railways site shows the line through the halt single in summer 73, so the work was probably done at takeover. GS box remained open for some years after but only on the BR side.

Paignton station to Goodrington Sands was double from 1928 until 1972. Following the sale to the Dart Valley Railway, the date of which I do not know, the section was modified to two single lines in early November 1972. Goodrington box closed at the start of the work.

Source: Cooke’s diagrams.

 

[Spartacus]

A slight variation on the theme, Shepley to Clayton West was built wide enough for double track as it was planned to extend to Barnsley via Kexborough and Darton. However this extension never happened and only a single standard gauge track was ever laid.

After closure in 1983 it reopened in the early 1990s as a narrow-gauge line. Plenty of room for double track if the owners wanted to build it, but it is single with several loops and will remain so.

There's a surprising number that were built to allow double track, even the likes of the KWVR and the LNWR Birstall branch. The Leeds & Selby went part way to a quadruple track railway. Land was acquired for a 4 track line, but where only double was needed any iron bridges over the line were usually constructed to 4 track standard, even when the cutting the railway was in was only cut for two tracks.

 

[Falcon1200]

Yes, this was the Midland route into Bath.

Not far away, the Somerset & Dorset line at Midsomer Norton is on a double track section of that route.

 

[Western 52]

Not sure if you want to count the Manx Electric Railway here? Double line all the way. Plus Snaefell of course.

 

[steamybrian]

The Spa Valley Railway had originally been double track as well, although again track had been lifted before the heritage operation started.

The Spa Valley Railway are the only heritage railway to buy double track in situ.
Because the track was in poor condition the decision was taken to use the best bits from both lines to make one good single line. Sections of the second track survive as sidings of the passing loop at Groombridge.

Do you include the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway is double from Hythe to New Romney. It was double to Dungeness but was singled when it was reopened after WW2

 

[32475]

The Lavender Line at Isfield near Uckfield was double track in BR days

 

[RT4038]

Northampton and Lamport. East Lancs was presumably ?

 

[341o2]

Dartmoor line. The section between Okehampton and Crediton was singled in 1971
note this was mentioned #17