The best railway moments

[Isambard]

The combination of a thread about the worst rail journeys and a Michael Portillo re-run prompted me to ask what are readers’ best railway moments.
I’m not thinking of complete lines or journeys, just very short sections or quick views from the train. Excluding views from outside the train such as Ribblehead etc.
A few to start:
ECML Durham Cathedral.
The exit from Dalkey Tunnel going south.
Vale of Rheidol horseshoe curve.
The vista of Eigg, Rhum etc from the Mallaig line.
Sydney Harbour and Hawkesbury River bridges, plus the Zig Zag railway now happily open again.
Tenterden bank.
Must be plenty more especially in countries like Switzerland etc.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Two personal favourites, due to their jaw dropping scenery and the age of their narrow-gauge steam traction:

(2009) Cumbres-Toltec Scenic railroad over the Rockies, Texas - New Mexico.

(2005) Nilgiri Blue Mountain Railway, up the verdant mointain and through south India's tea plantations.

 

[JamieL]

WCML north of Oxenholme as the train twists, turns and tilts through the Lune valley pass.

I do like the snippets of the Grand Union canal as well as you head along the WCML.

 

[telstarbox]

Coming from Manchester into Stockport is quite good at dusk when you have the sunset over the Pyramid and the rear lights on the motorway. Not exactly Tuscany but interesting in its own way.

Ditto seeing all the bridges on the Tyne just outside Newcastle.

 

[Western 52]

South Wales main line through Ferryside with wonderful views over the estuary to Llansteffan Castle.

 

[PlatformEdgeVT]

Maybe not as good as other places already mentioned, but there's a bridge on the Brighton Mainline somewhere between Hassocks and Gatwick that has some nice views and great architecture.

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

The two viaducts curving over Truro, with the cathedral below, then over the level crossing into the station. Not the same without having my head out of a droplight but still very meaningful and nostalgic for me.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Horseshoe curve, north of San Luis Obispo on Amtrak's Coast Starlight. One of my highlights of an unforgettable journey.

 

[jfowkes]

The Far North line. We did it in the early evening, with the sun streaming down the valleys to the west and the sea to the east. Absolutely stunning.

 

[ac6000cw]

WCML north of Oxenholme as the train twists, turns and tilts through the Lune valley pass.

+1 for that.

Fort William - Mallaig

Bere Alston - Gunnislake, especially the viaduct over the Tamar at Calstock.

The coastal section around/near Dawlish.

Climbing up the south side of Gotthard Pass (in a train with large enough windows to really appreciate it from!).

Climbing up into the 'Front Range' of the Rockies from Denver, then plunging into 6 miles of darkness through Moffat Tunnel.

Winding down the side of the mountains into Montreux on the MOB metre-gauge route.

Going round the corners (literally) on the Chicago 'L' (elevated) downtown loop - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...loop_junction.jpg/200px-CTA_loop_junction.jpg

 

[75A]

For me it's an early morning run from Eastbourne to Ore, with the Long Man of Wilmington on the left.
It's a 235 feet tall figure cut into the Southdown's

 

[PGAT]

Maybe not as good as other places already mentioned, but there's a bridge on the Brighton Mainline somewhere between Hassocks and Gatwick that has some nice views and great architecture.

The Ouse Valley viaduct between Balcome and Haywards Heath. You also have the famous Clayton tunnel just south of Burgess Hill

 

[Royston Vasey]

Waking up/having breakfast on Rannoch Moor

 

[Bill57p9]

It goes without saying that the West Highland line has some truly stunning sections. The Mallaig extension is an obvious one. I also love the climb from Tulloch to Corrour.

Going a little more obscure, the climb out of Girvan towards Barrhill can be stunning with views of Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde, especially on a clear evening with a dark red sky. This is then followed by the rather special Pinmore Viaduct.
In my opinion, Girvan to Stranraer is generally underrated.

 

[Mikey C]

HS1, as it goes over the Dartford Tunnel northbound tunnel exit and straight away under the southbound QE2 bridge. I love the way it's been slotted through there. The crossing over the Medway is pretty impressive too.

 

[Llandudno]

The view over the Conwy Estuary towards Conwy Castle from Deganwy Station platform.

 

[Some guy]

The WCML north of Preston all the way to carstairs junction is a line a breathtaking scenery and fantastic on a pendolino tilting around the sharp bends. Lowgill viaduct is a highlight for me

 

[voyagerdude220]

The WCML north of Preston all the way to carstairs junction is a line a breathtaking scenery and fantastic on a pendolino tilting around the sharp bends. Lowgill viaduct is a highlight for me

I agree, I've always liked Lowgill Viaduct and only recently learnt it's name.

I also like the scenery around the Beattock area.

I often enjoy going along the Settle and Carlisle.

I've never been on the Barrow to Carlisle route yet, not sure if that's notably good?

 

[Archvile]

The Snaefell Mountain Railway is spectacular on a clear day.

 

[M&NEJ]

The un-sung, north end of the S&C through the Eden gorge - including the exit from Baron Wood No.1 tunnel then straight into BW No.2!

 

[Magdalia]

The un-sung, north end of the S&C through the Eden gorge - including the exit from Baron Wood No.1 tunnel then straight into BW No.2!

But I do prefer the "long drag" in Ribblesdale with the spectacular views of Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside.

I also love the climb from Tulloch to Corrour.

Me too, and perfectly accompanied by Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony. Start that at the bottom of Lock Treig and with luck it will reach its brilliant climax on the Horseshoe Curve at Bridge of Orchy.

The Far North line. We did it in the early evening, with the sun streaming down the valleys to the west and the sea to the east. Absolutely stunning.

I used to love the climb up the Strath of Kildonan onto the Flow Country on the first Wick in the morning.

Going a little more obscure, the climb out of Girvan towards Barrhill can be stunning with views of Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde, especially on a clear evening with a dark red sky. This is then followed by the rather special Pinmore Viaduct.
In my opinion, Girvan to Stranraer is generally underrated.

Fully agree here. I once got off the train at Girvan and watched for what seemed like ages as it climbed towards Pinmore.

 

[M&NEJ]

Me too, and perfectly accompanied by Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony. Start that at the bottom of Lock Treig and with luck it will reach its brilliant climax on the Horseshoe Curve at Bridge of Orchy.

+1 - especially the Mendelssohn!

 

[Magdalia]

The Ouse Valley viaduct between Balcome and Haywards Heath. You also have the famous Clayton tunnel just south of Burgess Hill

But the Arun Valley is better. Clearer views of the South Downs, plus Amberleigh Castle, Arundel Castle, Arundel Cathedral, and sometimes some good bird watching. I saw my first Little Egret from a train near Arundel 20 years ago.

On a similar theme, crossing the Bedford Levels near Manea, especially on a cold, clear winter day is one of my favourites, with Ely Cathedral on the horizon. Another East Anglian favourite is bursting out of the trees near Roughton Road and the panoramic sea view on the descent into Cromer.

 

[Strathclyder]

The Welsh Highland Railway in both directions hauled by a ex-South African Railways Garratt. A particular highlight was the approach to Rhyd Dhu from Snowdon Ranger.

 

[Henffordd]

An evening train in the summer, on the run down from Camden Tunnel towards Honeybourne, with Dumbleton and Bredon Hills appearing as islands on a sea that is the lower Severn Valley, and a dark Malvern in the west.

Breakfast on the Enterprise from Dublin, as the sun comes up over the sea, is pretty good, too.

 

[yorksrob]

Going round the curve at Liskeard on the way to Looe.

 

[Weekender]

Gloucester to Newport along the banks of the Severn.

 

[Bartsimho]

St Ives Bay line if you get it just out of the Holidays but when it's still warm and sunny

 

[Western 52]

Heart of Wales line on the climb up to Sugar Loaf tunnel from Llandovery.

 

[swaldman]

• Trundling through the towns in southern Fife towards Burntisland on a clear day, looking across the firth to Edinburgh.
• Heading north from Inverness, crossing the Caledonian canal lock.
• The approach to Invergordon, admiring all the marine engineering in the firth.
• First views of the Humber Bridge on the way to Hull
• Approaching or exiting Newcastle station on either end (bridges, or the castle)
• One particular memory of waking up on the stationary (pre-Serco) sleeper in the middle of the Tay Bridge and shaving while watching the sun rise over the river.
• Any London river crossing. Also the Tamar bridge.
• The line to Halifax and Bradford : it's not scenic in quite the traditional way, but I love winding through towns in their steep valleys, with the railway usually perched half way up the hill giving post-industrial vistas.
• Teignmouth. Obviously