Industrial Scenery

[mrcheek]

I love the scenery on rail journeys. I love the English countryside. I love the Scottish mountains and lochs. And I love the coast in Cumbria and at Dawlish.

But, I also love industrial scenery and landscapes. Power stations, factories, chemical plants, steelworks, railway goods yards.
So, what are the most interesting journeys on the British rail network for this type of scenery?

 

[route101]

I love industry scenary too . I recall seeing a large power station on the horizon in the east from the WCML.

 

[4SRKT]

If you like industrial scenery you have to go a long way to beat the journey from Leeds to Manchester, either via Huddersfield or via Bradford. For me the Calder Valley, especially between Low Moor (Bradford) and Walsden, just pips it over the Standedge route, because the scenery is really gorgeous, as well as being full of interesting stone towns and industrial heritage.

 

[krus_aragon]

I like to see evidence on industry on the railways, mainly because there's so very little where I grew up in North Wales. On the occasions I'm heading west of Bridgend, Port Talbot and Margam are highlights of my view out the window.

 

[sprinterguy]

But, I also love industrial scenery and landscapes. Power stations, factories, chemical plants, steelworks, railway goods yards.
So, what are the most interesting journeys on the British rail network for this type of scenery?

Middlesborough! There's a reason they're called the "smoggies"! The whole Teesside area is rife with chemical plants, cooling towers and all the related industrial paraphernalia. I would suggest a journey around the Tees estuary from Hartlepool to Redcar via Middlesborough. Although not nearly as industrialised as it was perhaps 15 years ago, it still displays the "cream" of remaining north east industry. There's also the steelworks at Redcar, check it out before they probably level half the site, given the recent job losses there. It's not my cup of tea, but that's probably because I grew up around that area!

There's also the nuclear power station visible on the seaward side at Hartlepool, and the now sadly bare remants of Thornaby TMD on the left on the approach to Middlesborough: Unfortunately the depot is no longer full of class 56s and 60s as it was even 10 years ago :cry:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I love industry scenary too . I recall seeing a large power station on the horizon in the east from the WCML.

Rugeley Power Station is alongside the WCML on the Trent Valley line, but that's on the west side. And the ECML between Doncaster and York is virtually "hemmed in" by power stations; with Drax to the East, and Eggborough and Ferrybridge on the West.

I must admit that given the right lighting, the massive cooling towers of a power station can look pretty impressive belching clouds of steam. I've nicknamed them "cloud factories" thanks to this attribute! I took a couple of photos from a train on the Birmingham-Derby line one particularly clear, cold morning of Ratcliffe on Soar power station living up to this nickname, when the cool conditions meant that the clouds of condensing steam were visible from at least 15 miles away! (Ratcliffe on Soar PS is the one next door to East Midlands Parkway station)

 

[4SRKT]

Middlesborough! There's a reason they're called the "smoggies"! The whole Teesside area is rife with chemical plants, cooling towers and all the related industrial paraphernalia. I would suggest a journey around the Tees estuary from Hartlepool to Redcar via Middlesborough. Although not nearly as industrialised as it was perhaps 15 years ago, it still displays the "cream" of remaining north east industry. There's also the steelworks at Redcar, check it out before they probably level half the site, given the recent job losses there. It's not my cup of tea, but that's probably because I grew up around that area!

There's also the nuclear power station visible on the seaward side at Hartlepool, and the now sadly bare remants of Thornaby TMD on the left on the approach to Middlesborough: Unfortunately the depot is no longer full of class 56s and 60s as it was even 10 years ago :cry:

Happy memories of Thornaby TMD, home of the filthiest class 31s and 37s in the country!

 

[mrcheek]

Middlesborough! There's a reason they're called the "smoggies"! The whole Teesside area is rife with chemical plants, cooling towers and all the related industrial paraphernalia. I would suggest a journey around the Tees estuary from Hartlepool to Redcar via Middlesborough. Although not nearly as industrialised as it was perhaps 15 years ago, it still displays the "cream" of remaining north east industry. There's also the steelworks at Redcar, check it out before they probably level half the site, given the recent job losses there. It's not my cup of tea, but that's probably because I grew up around that area!

There's also the nuclear power station visible on the seaward side at Hartlepool, and the now sadly bare remants of Thornaby TMD on the left on the approach to Middlesborough: Unfortunately the depot is no longer full of class 56s and 60s as it was even 10 years ago :cry:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Rugeley Power Station is alongside the WCML on the Trent Valley line, but that's on the west side. And the ECML between Doncaster and York is virtually "hemmed in" by power stations; with Drax to the East, and Eggborough and Ferrybridge on the West.

I must admit that given the right lighting, the massive cooling towers of a power station can look pretty impressive belching clouds of steam. I've nicknamed them "cloud factories" thanks to this attribute! I took a couple of photos from a train on the Birmingham-Derby line one particularly clear, cold morning of Ratcliffe on Soar power station living up to this nickname, when the cool conditions meant that the clouds of condensing steam were visible from at least 15 miles away! (Ratcliffe on Soar PS is the one next door to East Midlands Parkway station)

I agree with all of this.
I was looking for other people's ideas, so I didnt mention my own favoruites at the start. But Middlesbrough is awesome (best thing to do is head to Saltburn, and you get a charming seaside town to roam around for a while before returning).
And I always enjoy the "power station run" on the ECML.

Surprised nobody's mentioned Scunthorpe yet.....

 

[Max]

Sheffield-York via Pontefract is probably one of the best for industrial scenery. You'll see the remains of the steel industry in the Don Valley, various works in the Rotherham area and the power station at Ferrybridge.

 

[mrcheek]

Sheffield-York via Pontefract is probably one of the best for industrial scenery. You'll see the remains of the steel industry in the Don Valley, various works in the Rotherham area and the power station at Ferrybridge.

Now theres one I havent done!

Presumably this route is only served by Northern?

 

[route101]

The Power Station was far away on the Horizon so it well could of been in the East Midlands . Newcastle to Middlesborough via the coast sounds like a good trip i could do . I like the run into Glasgow along the WCML , after all that remoteness after Preston at long last a big city .

 

[cuccir]

I love the scenery on rail journeys. I love the English countryside. I love the Scottish mountains and lochs. And I love the coast in Cumbria and at Dawlish.

But, I also love industrial scenery and landscapes. Power stations, factories, chemical plants, steelworks, railway goods yards.
So, what are the most interesting journeys on the British rail network for this type of scenery?

Surely the Cumbria coast line provides both? As well as all of the countryside that always gets mentioned, Barrow has its docks and gas-power plant visible from the train line, as well as a few other factories and the slag banks from the old steel industry. Then there's the views over to the Power Plant at Heysham, Glaxo at Ulverston, Sellafield at... Sellafield, the docks in Workington and the chemical factory at Wigton.

 

[Donny Dave]

Surprised nobody's mentioned Scunthorpe yet.....

That's because I've only just seen the topic :P

Barnetby - Scunthorpe is the best around here, as the line does cut through the steelworks, plus you have the exchange sidings, Trent Yard and the coal discharge point as well.

Scunthorpe - Doncaster isn't too bad either once you pass Thorne, as you have Hatfield colliery, plus all the industrial estates either side of the line as you approach Doncaster

 

[The Planner]

Severn Beach line, more contrasting scenery than most.

 

[mrcheek]

Surely the Cumbria coast line provides both? As well as all of the countryside that always gets mentioned, Barrow has its docks and gas-power plant visible from the train line, as well as a few other factories and the slag banks from the old steel industry. Then there's the views over to the Power Plant at Heysham, Glaxo at Ulverston, Sellafield at... Sellafield, the docks in Workington and the chemical factory at Wigton.

Indeed it does! But I usually seem to be sat on the wrong side for the industrial bits....

 

[W-on-Sea]

I'm not quite sure that this doesn't compete with what the area around Middlesbrough or South Yorks has to offer, actually...

Barking - Dagenham Dock - Rainham - Purfleet - Grays - Tilbury Town - East Tilbury

In order: you go through the big railway yards of Ripple Lane, then right thru the middle of what remains of Dagenham Fords, and various other heavy industry and dock-related places between the old A13 and the Thames; the next stretch (from after Rainham to after Purfleet) is perhaps a bit less industrial - more about infrastructure: the M25, the new A13, HS1 across Rainham Marshes, the M25 and all the paraphenalia around Lakeside; but then a bit more heavy industry between the railway and the Thames (not least the Procter and Gamble plant that hides a Norman church amongst its smoking chimneys); then after Grays you're by the side of the inland access to Tilbury Docks, and close to Tilbury power station too. A bit of a rural interlude and then you get to East Tilbury - and the great hulking mass of what remains of the 1930s Bata shoe factory and assocaited housing, which is just perfectly framed from the train. If you stay on further things are a bit more rural, but the oil refinery at Coryton and, across the Thames, the power station at Sheerness, are inescapable sights. Barking to Grays and a bit around and just after Tilbury Town are the hyper-industrial bits though.

 

[Max]

Now theres one I havent done!

Presumably this route is only served by Northern?

Yes and the odd CrossCountry, look for services that run non-stop from Sheffield-York and vice versa.

 

[4SRKT]

Now theres one I havent done!

Presumably this route is only served by Northern?

Only two stopping trains a day each way though, making it a right pain to red pen (for those unfortunate enough not to already have it that is!).

Mining subsidence on part of this route caused NESW trains to be diverted off it in the early 80s via Castleford, Normanton and on the now closed line via Cudworth and Royston to Rotherham. This line went right through the middle of Manvers coking plant at Wath. As a young child I was actually quite frightened by this: a huge, sprawling, filthy blackened metal complex, that smelt quite appalling and with occasional glimpses of furnaces and huge jets of smoke and flame. It was like getting a train through Barad Dur!

 

[Wyvern]

I wonder if that's the place that's stuick in my mind from a school trip to York in the early fifties?

Certainly it was somewhere just north of Sheffield and the train came nearly to a stand. There were rows of furnaces tier upon tier - maybe thirty or forty feet high? - with catwalks along and tiny figures that were the men tending them. It was like something straight out of Dante's inferno.

 

[4SRKT]

I wonder if that's the place that's stuick in my mind from a school trip to York in the early fifties?

Certainly it was somewhere just north of Sheffield and the train came nearly to a stand. There were rows of furnaces tier upon tier - maybe thirty or forty feet high? - with catwalks along and tiny figures that were the men tending them. It was like something straight out of Dante's inferno.

It's bound to have been.