2026 New Track Coverage

[xotGD]

In all fairness, unless one has been following the updates then it’s a reasonable question. I absolutely have not followed the progress, I heard the new platforms have opened as Geoff Marshall’s done a video on it. Not watched it as I unsubscribed when he started doing members-only videos.

Yes I am aware that’s probably petty but I have better things to do and other YouTubers to watch!

Fair to say my next trip through Darlington will feel strange!

To ask the question, you have to know about the new platforms. And to answer the question you just have to look at Darlo departures and see that southbound use P5.

No need to watch any guff on YouTube!

 

[yorkshirerail]

30/05/26
Whitehall Jn to Eng Shed & Holbeck Depot Jn
Turners Lane Jn to Calder Bridge Jn

Onboard 1A67 Bradford Interchange to Kings Cross

 

[Sunil_P]

7th June:

Just by chance saw a Hammersmith & City line train waiting in Moorgate P3 (bay), around lunchtime, and was able to do P3 departure only.

 

[Turbo004]

June 11th
Tiny bit of track between the West Coast Mainline and the St Albans branch at Watford Junction covered by the 15.19 London Euston - St Albans service.

 

[Sunil_P]

14th June:

Minster station TO Minster South Jn
Due to Sunday engineering work
(Opposite direction done way back in 2017!)

 

[Cletus]

Caught the DalesRail train yesterday to travel between Clitheroe and Hellifield.

This morning was on the Grand Central service running between Bradford and Wakefield avoiding Leeds. Not much track I suspect!

 

[Sunil_P]

20th June:

Tower Hill P2 in/out to/from Monument

I mentioned in the equivalent new track thread last year (https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/2025-new-track-coverage.279241/page-3#post-7493765) that I did Tower Hill P2 in the eastbound direction (to/from Aldgate), given new east-facing crossovers had been installed, but for the first time today I actually took photos and a written note (ie. here!) that I did P2 in the westbound direction (to/from Monument). I must have used P2 a lot during my time studying/working at Imperial College from 1994 to 2004, but I never had a camera back then!

#fortherecord

 

[Cambus731]

Just cleared Crofton West Park Junction to Hare Park Junction on the Grand Central train.

 

[lipson89]

Late report of highlights from the 13/14 June.

13th: HS2 possession in the Birmingham area meant diversions, so... Wichnor Junction to New Street, via Lichfield, then later Kingsbury Junction to Whitacre Junction to access Coleshill Parkway.

14th: Travelled through Berney Arms on a Norwich to Great Yarmouth service and later a Norwich to Manchester Piccadilly service which avoided Ely station by using the Ely West curve.

 

[xotGD]

I may have done it in the past without noticing, but last week I did the centre road through Wakefield Kirkgate on a TPE diversion.

While the majority of eastbound services are booked through P1, several are booked through the centre road.

 

[Sunil_P]

30th June:

Down through road at Darlington, avoiding the station train shed.

Glenrothes P2 - Thornton West Jn - Thornton North Jn both ways, on an Edinburgh to Leven via Dunfermline service.
(I did Glenrothes P1 - Thornton West Jn - Thornton South Jn both ways in 2019 when the normal service terminated at Kirkcaldy instead)

Larbert curve from Larbert towards Falkirk
(I did Larbert curve from Falkirk towards Stirling only back in 2019).

 

[SWTurbo]

I’ve recently started marking off my atlas (although need to get a more detailed one if I want to do crossovers etc and the more nuanced bits), but recently got the Up Ely Goods Loop thanks to the points issue at Dock Jn

 

[Sunil_P]

1st July:

Kilmarnock to Troon in that direction
(did Troon to Kilmarnock back in 2018 and also 2019)

Reprised East Kilbride branch (first done in 2018) to account for the new two-platform station at Hairmyres, the lengthened double-track loop including and to the east of that station, and electrification of the whole branch

Carstairs north curve towards Edinburgh
(Glasgow direction done back in 2018)

Up "fast" through road at Darlington, avoiding the station train shed, and also avoiding the new P5 (immediately to the east).

 

[lipson89]

8th July:

Up/Down Bristol loop towards Dr. Day's Junction, then on to Bristol Parkway, taking advantage of the ongoing diversion.

 

[Sunil_P]

8th July:

Up/Down Bristol loop towards Dr. Day's Junction, then on to Bristol Parkway, taking advantage of the ongoing diversion.

Snap!

15th July:

Feeder Bridge Jn to Dr. Days Bridge Jn "northbound"
("southbound" direction done back in 2018)

 

[Sunil_P]

25th July:

London Museum of Water & Steam railway (2ft gauge), FWIW.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

25/07/2026
Watford Triangle North Jc to East JC.

 

[Turbo004]

30/07/26
Birmingham Bull Street to Milenium Point
Milenium Point to Coorporation Street

After 51 years 1 month and 3 days all train lines, underground lines and tram lines completed in Great Britain under my rules. My rules are basically passenger lines and metro / tram / underground lines shown in the Baker Atlas along with all Passenger Services over Unusual Lines as shown in the Branch line Society website. Ive not done all preserved lines or all freight lines. Onwards to Ireland.

 

[Cambus731]

30/07/26
Birmingham Bull Street to Milenium Point
Milenium Point to Coorporation Street

After 51 years 1 month and 3 days all train lines, underground lines and tram lines completed in Great Britain under my rules. My rules are basically passenger lines and metro / tram / underground lines shown in the Baker Atlas along with all Passenger Services over Unusual Lines as shown in the Branch line Society website. Ive not done all preserved lines or all freight lines. Onwards to Ireland.

Very well done indeed. I started track bashing in 1990. If I were to pin it down to a specific date, it would be April 12th. Probably a bit too half heartedly as I still have huge amounts to do. Particularly in Wales and western Scotland.

 

[Turbo004]

1/8/26
Bristol - Portbury Dock

On an excellent Class 47 tour from Crewe.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

As I have been living in the USA, I am well behind but I should be able to do all CrossRail/Elizabeth line route by end of January.

I did this and have Edinburgh to Glasgow via Bathgate this coming Wednesday Aug 5th.
Then GOBLIN. Docklands Light Railway is next for me after that.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

01/08/26

Ruislip Lido Railway

 

[Techniquest]

29/07/2026

Aviemore to Broomhill (Strathspey Railway)

It occured to me quite some time later that it was my first preserved railway I’ve travelled on in Scotland! Plenty of others to investigate at some point

 

[Purple Train]

Not entirely sure how I haven't come across this thread before...

27/07/26 - Virginia Water-Weybridge platform 1, as well as Woking bay platform 3. Irritatingly, my original train to Weybridge was cancelled because the traincrew had been delayed: it subsequently ran ECS via Wimbledon to Weybridge platform 3 and then did the crossovers onto the Addlestone line. Not that I'm a crossovers kind of person, or that I would or could have caught the train over the crossovers even if I'd got to Weybridge in time, but still...

Some other reflections: Woking platform 3 is miles from anywhere. The only reason I was in Woking was so that I could try a nice little cross-country walk to Longcross (exquisite, do try it if walking is your thing), and I was exhausted before I'd reached the ticket barriers. Also, since I was last at Longcross, the PERTIS has been removed and replaced with a smartcard reader. The notice at the entrance to the station says that tickets must be purchased from the guard onboard the train. That would be fine, except for the fact that Metro Guards can't sell tickets. So a lovely Waterloo guard gave me authority to travel free to where I was changing trains. Judging by the reaction of the barrier staff, this is not an uncommon occurrence.

01/08/2026 - Eastleigh-Southampton Central, as well as Southampton Central-Bitterne. Technically a work trip, but I'm not going to turn up my nose at new track. Although, given everything in the Southampton area was messed up in the evening because of 1M66 having an argument with an unspecified object at Hinton Admiral (with apologies to Reginald Perrin), I'd hoped to get some more new track in - but a Voyager was handily turned short for Reading passengers, and the alternative that everybody was getting pushed towards was travelling via Fratton, on what turned out to be a 2-car 158.

Reading this thread has reminded me that I have a load of track in London that I could have a go at covering, but impromptu bashing days aren't really my forte, and definitely not in this weather.

 

[Sunil_P]

25th July:

London Museum of Water & Steam railway (2ft gauge), FWIW.

5th August:

Leighton Buzzard Railway - 2ft gauge again, but this time rather more substantial, roughly 3 miles each way from Pages Park through to Mundays Hill, a good distance beyond Stonehenge Works, the original terminus!

 

[xotGD]

5th August:

Leighton Buzzard Railway - 2ft gauge again, but this time rather more substantial, roughly 3 miles each way from Pages Park through to Mundays Hill, a good distance beyond Stonehenge Works, the original terminus!

2ft gauge? You'll be yellow-penning an O gauge model railway next!

 

[Sunil_P]

2ft gauge? You'll be yellow-penning an O gauge model railway next!

Fret not, still got my eye on Treeton and Thrybergh for Bank Holiday weekend!

 

[Cambus731]

I cant be the only person to have done something like this. I recently purchased the new Atlas and I was yellow penning in the track I’ve done. But of course the pages are different in the 18th version so that makes it more tricky to get it absolutely correct. I found that I’d accidentally highlighted a significant part of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway which I’ve never done. So now I’m in the process of organising a day trip there with some friends.

 

[Sunil_P]

10th August:

Allington North to Allington East in that direction (ie. the eastern flank of the triangle near Grantham)
(Allington East to Allington North direction done way back in 2016!)

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Docklands Light Railway tomorrow for me.