Trivia: Open country junctions

[Cricketer8for9]

The open country junction (ie not at a station) seems quite rare in this country. Any examples beyond Worting (west of Basingstoke) and Cogload (north east of Taunton).

I wouldn’t include Balcombe Tunnel Jct - while there is a split it’s two lines to four which go the same direction. So I need a split/join to/from different routes.

I had thought Colwich counted, but apparently there was a station there.

 

[meepmeep]

How far away from a station? For example, there used to be a crossover at Hemel Hempstead on the WCML, which is now a couple of miles North at Bourne End

Maybe I'm missing the point.

 

[steamybrian]

Salisbury area- four Junctions- Lavestock Junctions, Tunnel Junction and Wilton Junction
Arundel Junction
Shalford Junction

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Crossovers don’t count. Salisbury ones do.

 

[swt_passenger]

Pirbright Junction?

 

[Tester]

Would Roade count?

 

[MontyP]

Settle Junction?

 

[Magdalia]

How many do you want? Here is a list for Anglia, not guaranteed complete!

East Gate Jn
Colne Jn
Manningtree East Jn
Manningtree North Jn
East Suffolk Jn
Chippenham Jn
Clapton Jn
Copper Mill Jn
Tottenham South Jn
Bury Street Jn
Broxbourne Jn
Stansted North Jn
Stansted East Jn
Shepreth Branch Jn
Ely Dock Jn
Ely North Jn
Ely West Jn
March West Jn

 

[Mojo]

Aynho Junction where the Chiltern line meets the line coming up from Oxford. Quite impressive from afar given it's one of the small number of flying junctions.

 

[swt_passenger]

Would Roade count?

I’d say the junction was at Roade Station when open. The OP implied (ie Colwich) he didn’t want to include junctions at former stations.

But was there a geographic junction at the other end, Hillmorton, or does it not count because lines were effectively separate all the way from Rugby?

 

[LowLevel]

The complex around Norton Bridge is quite impressive these days.

New Mills south Junction

Chinley junctions

I think there's actually loads of them

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Quite common really ...

On the Berks & Hants:-

Southcote (Reading)

Heywood Road (Westbury)

Fairwood (Westbury)

Clink Road (Frome)

Blatchbridge (Frome)

In Devon:-

Cowley Bridge (Exeter)

Aller (Newton Abbot) - strictly a 'divergence'

In Cornwall

Penwithers (Truro)

 

[Islineclear3_1]

How about the Minster triangle? Trains between Dover and Ramsgate (via Deal) normally curve away and bypass Minster

There's also a triangle serving the Sheerness branch - west of Sittingbourne

 

[trebor79]

Weren't a lot of junction stations built precisely because there was a junction there, rather than an existing settlement?
Eg Trent Junction, Redesmouth and probably the most archetypal example Riccarton Junction (which went from barren moor to a station, coal gas plant, several houses, a shop, a school etc). So they were open country, sort of but never appeared to be once the railway arrived.

 

[endecotp]

Cogland Junction.

 

[Zomboid]

Both ends of the OWW at Wolvercote and Norton junctions are a fair distance from a station.

 

[chrisjo]

The open country junction (ie not at a station) seems quite rare in this country.

A curious question, because as we can see there are hundreds of them, if not thousands. Within a few miles of each other I give you:
Llandeilo Jn
Morlais Jn
Morlais E Jn
Hendy Jn
Jersey Marine N Jn
Jersey Marine S Jn
Dynevor Jn

And so on………..

 

[Gloster]

Burngullow Junction
Goonbarrow Junction
Dorchester Junction
Lymington Jumction (although just a divergence now)
Farlington Junction
Portcreek Junction
Cosham Junction

also
Aldershot South Junction
Aldershot North Junction
Bradford Junction
Bathampton Junction
Thingley Junction
Hawkeridge Junction
(Witham)

 

[Dr_Paul]

There are a few examples around my way; for example:

Shacklegate Junction at the south end of Strawberry Hill depot
Feltham, Hounslow and Whitton Junctions, where the Hounslow loop leaves the Windsor line
Hampton Court Junction
Motspur Park Junction
Wimbledon West Junction
Streatham North and South Junctions

Several of the junctions near Clapham Junction are some distance from the station, such as Pouparts, Latchmere 1, 2 and 3, Longhedge A, B and C, West London

 

[Cach17]

Southerham Junction, where the Seaford line branches off east of Lewes is only a mile or so from the station, but seems to have rather rural surroundings.

 

[onlinespotting]

The complex around Norton Bridge is quite impressive these days

This would count now, but when the new junction was completed Norton Bridge was technically still open!

 

[Cricketer8for9]

The complex around Norton Bridge is quite impressive these days.

New Mills south Junction

Chinley junctions

I think there's actually loads of them

But there was a station at Norton Bridge.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Oct 2025 ==

And doesn’t Chinley have a station even now?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

And doesn’t Chinley have a station even now?

Certainly does. Shadow of its one-time, former self, mind you. Nearest "Chinley junction" (= Chinley North junction) is almost a mile away, though. The East and South junctions are even further.

 

[Mag_seven]

Law Jn

 

[bramling]

How many do you want? Here is a list for Anglia, not guaranteed complete!

East Gate Jn
Colne Jn
Manningtree East Jn
Manningtree North Jn
East Suffolk Jn
Chippenham Jn
Clapton Jn
Copper Mill Jn
Tottenham South Jn
Bury Street Jn
Broxbourne Jn
Stansted North Jn
Stansted East Jn
Shepreth Branch Jn
Ely Dock Jn
Ely North Jn
Ely West Jn
March West Jn

Langley Junction could be added. When it first appeared it would have been pretty remote, hence why it got the name one presumes. Since then Stevenage new town has grown / blighted (depending on your viewpoint) the land around it, though to this day the junction just about manages to be on the edge of the built-up area, and since 1973 it’s closer to the resited Stevenage station than hitherto.

 

[Mag_seven]

The open country junction (ie not at a station) seems quite rare in this country

Seems like all the examples above prove the opposite!

 

[brad465]

Dorchester Junction

If this counts, it's borderline: both South and West stations are very close to the junction: I believe the 3-aspect signal controlling access to the junction from the south also protects the station platforms, and it must be something like a 1/4 mile between the junction and each station.

If junctions onto heritage lines count, then Worgret jct for the Swanage railway.

 

[matchmaker]

Between Edinburgh and Glasgow alone via both Falkirk routes:

Bathgate (Newbridge) Junction
Winchburgh Junction
Greenhill Upper Junction
Greenhill Lower Junction
Carmuirs East Junction
Carmuirs West Junction

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Here's a few at random:

Allington West Junction
Allington East Junction
Allington North Junction
Wrawby Junction
Sleaford North Junction
Heath Junction
Syston North Junction

 

[Bevan Price]

Speke Jn
Weaver Jn
Morecambe South Jn
(and Jn at north end of triangle- from Morecamle line -can't remember its name)