devon_metro
Established Member
Personally i'd consider it the most boring and endless journey known! Would always go B&H!
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Most beautiful line in Britain
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Personally i'd consider it the most boring and endless journey known! Would always go B&H!
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Vulcan
Member
Another vote here for the Welsh Highland, but also the Ffestiniog. The scenery over the cob alone is better then many preserved lines can dream of!
shinkansen1966
Member
That's probably why it sends be to sleep. The B&H is quite scenic in places: racing by the M5 nr Collumpton through those tight bends, across the vale of Pewsey and then the final sprint from Reading into Paddington.
Waverley125
Member
a fair few candidates here
Helensburgh Upper-Mallaig (West Highland line)
Halifax-Burnley Manchester Road/Rochdale (Caldervale line)
Settle-Appleby (Settle & Carlisle line)
Newcastle-Edinburgh Waverley (North Sea Coast line)
Perth-Inverness (Highland Main line)
Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh (Kyle line)
Helensburgh Upper-Mallaig (West Highland line)
Halifax-Burnley Manchester Road/Rochdale (Caldervale line)
Settle-Appleby (Settle & Carlisle line)
Newcastle-Edinburgh Waverley (North Sea Coast line)
Perth-Inverness (Highland Main line)
Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh (Kyle line)
Vulcan
Member
The upper reaches of the ECML, Berwick upwards, is pretty nice on the seaward side of the train.
A couple that Im surprised havent been mentioned:
The last 500 yards into Charing Cross: you get to see The Royal Opera House, The Eye, parliament, and so much else in such a short space of time!
Severn Tunnel Junction to Lydney (though probably best done as Cardiff to Gloucester), all along the severn estuary.
Exeter to Exmouth: nowhere near as popular as dawlish, which is on the other side of the estuary. I guess because the Exmouth line can only be done by pacer.
MIddlesbrough to Saltburn. For those of you who enjoy the more industrial scenery.
Exeter to Barnstaple. Again, you can only do it by pacer these days, which is annoying.
The last 500 yards into Charing Cross: you get to see The Royal Opera House, The Eye, parliament, and so much else in such a short space of time!
Severn Tunnel Junction to Lydney (though probably best done as Cardiff to Gloucester), all along the severn estuary.
Exeter to Exmouth: nowhere near as popular as dawlish, which is on the other side of the estuary. I guess because the Exmouth line can only be done by pacer.
MIddlesbrough to Saltburn. For those of you who enjoy the more industrial scenery.
Exeter to Barnstaple. Again, you can only do it by pacer these days, which is annoying.
TGV
Member
It's all subjective of course, but Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh, the lines round Crianlarich and the ECML on the coast near Berwick are favourites of mine.
Here's one I bet nobody will list: The ECML between Huntingdon and Peterborough. It's an unsual one - from the train it seems featurless, flat and dull. But get in a car, and drive to the Fenlands near Holme - the fens are spectacular - SO flat you can see the curvature of the earth - the tallest things for miles are trees and telegraph poles. There is an 11ft tall steel pole sunk into the ground, about 600yds from (and within sight of) the ECML at Holme Fen level crossing that marks the lowest point in the UK - over 9ft BELOW sea level. Walk along the tree-lined road and the railway is DEAD straight and TOTALLY flat and level for miles in each direction - it also marks the lowest point of railway in the UK.
Scenery-wise, it's like Kansas - if anyone knows what that looks like. As I said - not one that many would think of from the train, but take a trip off it and you get some great views of the ECML from a long way away.
Here's one I bet nobody will list: The ECML between Huntingdon and Peterborough. It's an unsual one - from the train it seems featurless, flat and dull. But get in a car, and drive to the Fenlands near Holme - the fens are spectacular - SO flat you can see the curvature of the earth - the tallest things for miles are trees and telegraph poles. There is an 11ft tall steel pole sunk into the ground, about 600yds from (and within sight of) the ECML at Holme Fen level crossing that marks the lowest point in the UK - over 9ft BELOW sea level. Walk along the tree-lined road and the railway is DEAD straight and TOTALLY flat and level for miles in each direction - it also marks the lowest point of railway in the UK.
Scenery-wise, it's like Kansas - if anyone knows what that looks like. As I said - not one that many would think of from the train, but take a trip off it and you get some great views of the ECML from a long way away.
Lots of candidates. In no particular order I go for S&C, West Highland, Heart of Wales, Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland, Severn Valley, North Yorkshire Moors. Both the ECML and WCML blend speed with scenery when you approach the border with Scotland, I love the Lune Gorge and the coastal section from Berwick too.
tbtc
Veteran Member
For those who like the clifftop line around Berwick (as do I!), I'd recommend the line from Stonehaven north to Aberdeen
87031
Member
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Still require Inverness-Kyle so cant judge that yet but would rather wait and do some loco hauled service over the line for heads out.
Last Year on an ALR i did Fort William and Mallaig and id say they for me beat Settle & Carlisle by a long way. Did the Highland Mainline on the Sleeper but was asleep for most so gona have another go on the Highland Chieftan sometime.
like the Whole West Coast Euston-Glasgow big range of scenery but the traction is awful these days!
Exeter-Penzance is superb as well, Sea Wall, Tamar Bridge, Sweeping curves through from Bodmin-Penzance goes though some fantastic rolling scenery.
Until ive done Kyle and the Far North and Cumbrian Coast i cant say but so far Fort William-Mallaig is just stunning for me.
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Lune Gorge with an 87 up top is just awesome, traction motors screaming
Last Year on an ALR i did Fort William and Mallaig and id say they for me beat Settle & Carlisle by a long way. Did the Highland Mainline on the Sleeper but was asleep for most so gona have another go on the Highland Chieftan sometime.
like the Whole West Coast Euston-Glasgow big range of scenery but the traction is awful these days!
Exeter-Penzance is superb as well, Sea Wall, Tamar Bridge, Sweeping curves through from Bodmin-Penzance goes though some fantastic rolling scenery.
Until ive done Kyle and the Far North and Cumbrian Coast i cant say but so far Fort William-Mallaig is just stunning for me.
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Lune Gorge with an 87 up top is just awesome, traction motors screaming
asylumxl
Established Member
As a regular visitor to Plymouth, I gotta say, I don't find the Seawall all that beautiful. It's much nicer to be on the seafront than on the train, which kinda kills it for me.
I do like the viaducts and steep gradients around Totnes mentioned previously though.
I do like the viaducts and steep gradients around Totnes mentioned previously though.
TheExmoorBeast
Member
I must admit I do like the section from St Budeaux Ferry Road to Saltash across the Tamar Bridge and when you go over it, everything below it looks just like a model village. 
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I second that. I was put on one of those services once, when FGW was all screwed up & I thought it was never going to end. How do people put up with those engines underneath them!
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I second that. I was put on one of those services once, when FGW was all screwed up & I thought it was never going to end. How do people put up with those engines underneath them!
spoony
Member
Esk Valley line for me
I'd extend St Budeaux - Saltash and make it Plymouth - Liskeard which is my favourite stretch of the GW main line (along with Exeter - Newton Abbot), looking down on the estuaries to the west of Saltash, and then the Looe line as you approach Liskeard.
Two other lines that I like, because I did not expect the journey to be so interesting, are Inverness to Wick for its remoteness and some fairly long sea/estuary side sections, and Stratford on Avon to Birmingham NS although the atmosphere of the latter is about to be destroyed by the removal of the semaphore signals.
I was a bit disappointed with the Highland main line though when I travelled on it for the first time in daylight last summer, the scenery was not as dramatic as I thought it would be, although it seemed to be far better on the way back when the sun was shining.
I went to Mallaig by road last week and the West Highland is now at the top of my list of lines to do for the first time.
As far as the LSWR v GWR route to Exeter is concerned, I'd vote for LSWR - at least the Salisbury - Exeter section, although I would say that London - Penzance is probably my favourite of the old Inter City main lines out of London.
As for a country station to sit and relax in the sunshine and soak up the atmosphere for a couple of hours, it would have to be Bewdley or Horsted Keynes.
Two other lines that I like, because I did not expect the journey to be so interesting, are Inverness to Wick for its remoteness and some fairly long sea/estuary side sections, and Stratford on Avon to Birmingham NS although the atmosphere of the latter is about to be destroyed by the removal of the semaphore signals.
I was a bit disappointed with the Highland main line though when I travelled on it for the first time in daylight last summer, the scenery was not as dramatic as I thought it would be, although it seemed to be far better on the way back when the sun was shining.
I went to Mallaig by road last week and the West Highland is now at the top of my list of lines to do for the first time.
As far as the LSWR v GWR route to Exeter is concerned, I'd vote for LSWR - at least the Salisbury - Exeter section, although I would say that London - Penzance is probably my favourite of the old Inter City main lines out of London.
As for a country station to sit and relax in the sunshine and soak up the atmosphere for a couple of hours, it would have to be Bewdley or Horsted Keynes.
christopher
Member
*sarcasm* Romford - Upminster *sarcasm*
The Sudbury - Marks Tey line is scenic in some places, especially over the viaduct.
The Sudbury - Marks Tey line is scenic in some places, especially over the viaduct.
Yep. Thing about the West Highland though, its very tightly curved and has more of a branch line feel. The line curves round following the contours of the land a good deal and has very few tunnels and not that many viaducts. It's very different from the Highland main line, which as it's name describes is far quicker - there are some 100mph sections the HSTs make use of.
Pity the west highland is Sprinters these days, missed the 37s and Mk1s. Still get them on the sleeper though
It is one of the most beautiful lines in the world, no question. Not sure its quite on a par with some of the lines in Switzerland (which like Scotland is a bit special for rail journeys) think for me the old Lotschberg route surpasses it and Marseilles to Nice and Monto Carlo takes a lot of beating too.
Pity the west highland is Sprinters these days, missed the 37s and Mk1s. Still get them on the sleeper though
It is one of the most beautiful lines in the world, no question. Not sure its quite on a par with some of the lines in Switzerland (which like Scotland is a bit special for rail journeys) think for me the old Lotschberg route surpasses it and Marseilles to Nice and Monto Carlo takes a lot of beating too.
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asylumxl
Established Member
Something oddly ironic about choosing a photo with pylons in it don't you think?
thefab444
Established Member
The Sleeper has used Class 67s for a few years now.
Are we in Britain as in "Great Britain" or as in the UK? If the latter I'd raise a mention for some stretches of the line along the coast between Londonderry and Coleraine. And would further voice support for some of the better known places of beauty in GB already mentioned (if only they would run more trains on the West Highland Line during daylight hours in winter!).
Something - almost entirely overlooked - and less than 40 miles from London - which I, quite seriously, think could be a contender for the most beautiful train journey in the southeast of England, is the stretch of the LTS/c2c line between Pitsea (well, once you get out of Pitsea anyway!) and Chalkwell. First you have a really delightfully melancholic, atmospheric, bit of marshland (the travel programme on Radio 4 was encourging people to consider the Vange and Fobbing marshes near here as a place to take a walking holiday! and strangely enough they might have a point) - that extremely flat, low-lying, almost treeless, feel; and then you head through Benfleet which looks glorious from the viaduct, it's stout norman church, three mediaeval pubs, and tree-lined streets raising up a curved hill in one direction, and lots of boats, yachts and the melancholia of Canvey in the other...then a bit more marshland on one side, tumbling streams from the hills and forests of Thundersley on the other side, the remains of Hadleigh Castle looming overhead (c2c clearly saw the beauty of this bit, they used photos of it on various publicity photos prior to their recent rebranding)...and then, after Leigh-on-Sea you run right along the coast, through the old town and right next to cockle sheds, and past loads more little fishing boats all the walk through to Chalkwell.
Oh, and the enormously cinematic windows of the 357s add something to it too...
Something - almost entirely overlooked - and less than 40 miles from London - which I, quite seriously, think could be a contender for the most beautiful train journey in the southeast of England, is the stretch of the LTS/c2c line between Pitsea (well, once you get out of Pitsea anyway!) and Chalkwell. First you have a really delightfully melancholic, atmospheric, bit of marshland (the travel programme on Radio 4 was encourging people to consider the Vange and Fobbing marshes near here as a place to take a walking holiday! and strangely enough they might have a point) - that extremely flat, low-lying, almost treeless, feel; and then you head through Benfleet which looks glorious from the viaduct, it's stout norman church, three mediaeval pubs, and tree-lined streets raising up a curved hill in one direction, and lots of boats, yachts and the melancholia of Canvey in the other...then a bit more marshland on one side, tumbling streams from the hills and forests of Thundersley on the other side, the remains of Hadleigh Castle looming overhead (c2c clearly saw the beauty of this bit, they used photos of it on various publicity photos prior to their recent rebranding)...and then, after Leigh-on-Sea you run right along the coast, through the old town and right next to cockle sheds, and past loads more little fishing boats all the walk through to Chalkwell.
Oh, and the enormously cinematic windows of the 357s add something to it too...
....Seriously? Wow.
Britain = Great Britain
UK = United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
90019
Established Member
We could be talking the British Isles as well
People tend to use Britain and the UK interchangably, despite them including different places.
So would Scotrail, but apparently some of the curves (Horseshoe Curve perhaps) are too tight for their bogies to cope with (or so I hear). That's certainly the case for the 67s (which is why we still see Syphons up there). Personally, I prefer the Sprinters, but never mind.
Most beautiful doesn't always demand hills. I would vote for the Bittern Line (and I'm not name-dropping). Now that they're connected, you can probably add the NNR to it as a continuation. It's a classic East Anglian line, some of it hardly changed in the last forty years. Several river bridges, open fields, reedbeds, and some decent views of the sea. Some of the stations let it down somewhat (don't they ever). Still, it's a nice little line.
90019
Established Member
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