Lines under stadia

[EM2]

After the brilliant repsonse to my hidden stations question, I have another one for you!
This time, can anyone tell me of a railway line that runs under a football stadium?
Ideally, it'll be a national route, rather than a Metro/Underground, and if it's a closed route that's fine.
Any takers?

 

[Striker]

Seattle.

 

[jopsuk]

Not in this country, and I think at the new stadium they've moved the pitch, so it merely runs through the site rather than under a stand, but Landsdowne Road Rugby ground in Dublin was a classic.

 

[tbtc]

I liked your last thread.

The Guardian had an article on the closest stadiums to "main" roads, and mentioned the Parc de Princes in Paris having a dual carriageway underneath it (IIRC).

However, the only railway example I can think of is Mel Park, home of Melchester Rovers, who had an Underground line underneath their pitch in one Roy Of The Rovers story. Not a "real" example, sorry.

 

[Darandio]

The closest I can get doesn't count as it probably misses by around 40-50 feet and is Underground\Light Rail anyway!

St James Park - Newcastle

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Between Imperial Wharf and Kensington Olympia (I think) is Stamford Bridge, not even a stone's throw away from the passing West London Line...

 

[asylumxl]

It's gone now, but the Luton to Dunstable branch used to run right beside the Luton FC ground, Kenilworth Road, which also ran next to Hatters Way.

 

[91101]

Again not entirely what you are looking for but I feel close enough to worth mentioning is all of the lines through ManVic sit directly under the MEN arena!

 

[CallySleeperKid]

Again not entirely what you are looking for but I feel close enough to worth mentioning is all of the lines through ManVic sit directly under the MEN arena!

That is the first one that came to my mind. Also the line into Marylebone is very very close to Wembley, but again not under it!

 

[mrcheek]

It appears there is no line in the UK going under a stadium.
But of course, the line out of Marylebone runs under Lord's cricket ground!

 

[CallySleeperKid]

It appears there is no line in the UK going under a stadium.
But of course, the line out of Marylebone runs under Lord's cricket ground!

Well Lords certainly would be classed as 'Stadia' as the title of the thread asks, but the OP does also state football stadia.

But I would give the thumbs up to Lords.

 

[alexjames]

The railway end at the toilet called St Andrews (Birmingham City's ground for those that do not do football) is near enough directly above a line out of New Street towards Leamington. Not quite underneath the stadium tho'.

 

[EM2]

Seattle.

Seahawks or Sounders?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Thanks for the ideas! It's for an upcoming layout, and I've *always* wanted a football ground on a layout.
Unfortunately, the only space I have to put it is *over* the tracks.

 

[Flying Snail]

Not in this country, and I think at the new stadium they've moved the pitch, so it merely runs through the site rather than under a stand, but Landsdowne Road Rugby ground in Dublin was a classic.

The new stadium building was constructed with some of the stand access around, over and under the line although as you said the pitch was moved so the stand itself is no longer hanging over the lines.

The city's other (larger) main stadium Croke Park is also in close proximity to the railway, being essentially boxed in by 2 parallel lines (and a canal) at different elevations. Any plan to complete the stand ring would involve building over one of the lines which is at present hidden from the stadium by the outer wall of the terrace end.

 

[313103]

The London Underground Piccadilly line runs right underneath the Emirates stadium between Holloway Road and Arsenal stations. The East Coast Main Line runs right next to the same said stadium. Drayton Park is also a stones throw away.

 

[krus_aragon]

There may well be some tracks underneath Pride Park in Derby, if BREL left some lying around...

 

[alexjames]

Chap above is wrong apropos Arsenal's ground. The Picc line does not go underneath but does pass nearby. ECML goes past the other side and was helpful in selling the naming rights for the ground - 100,000 or so commuters etc per day travel past the ground and do, in theory, see the large advertising sign attached to the stadium. Of course most commuters are busy reading, playing with phones and laptops, sleeping etc and pay no attention .

 

[Striker]

Seahawks or Sounders?

Neither. It's the Seattle Mariners who play at Safeco Field which are the baseball team. The Seahawks (American Football) and Sounders (Major League Soccer) play at Qwest Filed which is situated next door.

Safeco Field's roof actually straddles the tracks just north of the main Seattle railway station (which can be seen in the photograph below). You would pass under the stadium when on a trip from Vancouver to Seattle or indeed most stations from the northern suburbs.

From Wikipedia:
"In the open position, the roof rests over the BNSF Railway tracks that bound the stadium to the east, with part of it hanging over the stands in right field. This has the effect of echoing the horns from passing trains into the stadium, a frequent occurrence due to a working passenger train station and rail yards nearby. Consequently, train horns have become a fixture of the Safeco Field experience, for spectators and players alike."

 

[Invincibles]

A slight technicality in Strikers post is that the SafeCo is south of Seattle station on the line to Portland, not north on the line to Vancouver. Having been to both QWest and Safeco and on the train to Portland as part of a tour watching my football team play in America, I know this area well. Shame we have not had a trip like that since, it is usually Motherwell or other glamorous scottish location.

 

[Striker]

(A slight technicality in Strikers post is that the SafeCo is south of Seattle station on the line to Portland, not north on the line to Vancouver.

Yeah, sorry, you're correct. My memory must be failing me.

 

[Capybara]

In Cape Town the railway runs right under one of the stands of the Newlands rugby stadium.

 

[westcoaster]

It's gone now, but the Luton to Dunstable branch used to run right beside the Luton FC ground, Kenilworth Road, which also ran next to Hatters Way.

Beat me to it.

Your quiet correct, there is actually part of the ground above the railway line, it's plain to see on google maps. It is also the reason for the funny 5 sides of the stadia.

 

[Max]

The Manchester-Liverpool (via Warrington) line runs very close to Old Trafford - the platform for the station halt has turnstiles going directly into the stand!

 

[tbtc]

There are quite a few lines running close to grounds - I think the Alloa line goes behind Recreation Park, for example. There can't be much space between the stand at Raith Rovers and the ECML.

In fact, there are probably quite a few Scottish Football League grounds you can "spot" at (Berwick Rangers, Cove Rangers, Arbroath, Stranraer...)

 

[GNER 91128]

The London Underground Piccadilly line runs right underneath the Emirates stadium between Holloway Road and Arsenal stations.

As does the the Victoria Line on its way from Highbury & Islington To Finsbury Park.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

From Wikipedia:
"In the open position, the roof rests over the BNSF Railway tracks that bound the stadium to the east, with part of it hanging over the stands in right field. This has the effect of echoing the horns from passing trains into the stadium, a frequent occurrence due to a working passenger train station and rail yards nearby. Consequently, train horns have become a fixture of the Safeco Field experience, for spectators and players alike."

They're not kidding about the sound of the horns!

 

[trainosaurus]

The train line runs within yards of Aldershot Town's Recreation Ground, with Aldershot station moments away.

 

[Striker]

I love this thread. The OP specifically asks for trainlines that run UNDER football stadiums and he gets a load of replies from people telling him about lines that go close to stadiums. Not what was being asked was it? :roll:

Although, technically, my response was a BASEBALL stadium, which also isn't a football stadium, so I shall slap myself. However, at least a line does run underneath it.

After the brilliant repsonse to my hidden stations question, I have another one for you!
This time, can anyone tell me of a railway line that runs under a football stadium?

The closest I can get doesn't count as it probably misses by around 40-50 feet and is Underground\Light Rail anyway!

St James Park - Newcastle

So not under it then.

Between Imperial Wharf and Kensington Olympia (I think) is Stamford Bridge, not even a stone's throw away from the passing West London Line...

So not under it then.

It's gone now, but the Luton to Dunstable branch used to run right beside the Luton FC ground, Kenilworth Road, which also ran next to Hatters Way.

It's gone now anyway, but it didn't run under it.

Again not entirely what you are looking for but I feel close enough to worth mentioning is all of the lines through ManVic sit directly under the MEN arena!

Not a football stadium.

That is the first one that came to my mind. Also the line into Marylebone is very very close to Wembley, but again not under it!

No....not under it.

It appears there is no line in the UK going under a stadium.
But of course, the line out of Marylebone runs under Lord's cricket ground!

Not a football stadium.

The railway end at the toilet called St Andrews (Birmingham City's ground for those that do not do football) is near enough directly above a line out of New Street towards Leamington. Not quite underneath the stadium tho'.

Not under it.

The London Underground Piccadilly line runs right underneath the Emirates stadium between Holloway Road and Arsenal stations. The East Coast Main Line runs right next to the same said stadium. Drayton Park is also a stones throw away.

Apparently it doesn't run under it, and as it's underground anyway, what good is that? I think when the OP said he would accept light railway he meant as long as that section is overground.

The Manchester-Liverpool (via Warrington) line runs very close to Old Trafford - the platform for the station halt has turnstiles going directly into the stand!

So not under it then.

The train line runs within yards of Aldershot Town's Recreation Ground, with Aldershot station moments away.

Not under it!!! :roll:

 

[trainosaurus]

Well it'd be a pretty short thread if people just posted lines underneath stadiums, wouldn't it? Chill your beans mate.

 

[Striker]

Well it'd be a pretty short thread if people just posted lines underneath stadiums, wouldn't it? Chill your beans mate.

So are you suggesting that if a thread looks short on answers we should post irrelevant information then?

 

[CallySleeperKid]

So are you suggesting that if a thread looks short on answers we should post irrelevant information then?

Dalwhinne, in the Highalnd's of Scotland has a colder average yearly temperature than Iceland.