Most scenic lines in the uk

[trainsonrails]

I am wondering what are the most scenic lines in the UK which are quite long in distance?

 

[TGVDUDE]

I think they are a number of threads like this already, try a search, but the most popular answers always seem to be settle & Carlisle, as well as the West Highlands.

 

[charlee]

Atlantic Coast Line
Tamar Valley Line
Looe Line
St Ives Branch

Are all stunning

 

[YorkshireBear]

Many of the welsh lines are also very scenic. East coast main line north of morpeth is nice. The little north western (hellifield to carnforth) the cumbrian coast, the West coast main line north of lancaster. Many of the scottish lines.

In my opinion every line is scenic in its own way but depends what your after. I even think the North London Line is scenic.

 

[robschopper]

Cambrian Coast from Machynlleth to Pwllheli. 5 hour round trip for about £9.

 

[Con]

Not National Rail, but still the UK(ish). Coleraine to Londonderry, which runs up the River Bann to the Atlantic and down Lough Foyle, but you'll have to wait until April next to have a go!

Should be accelerated from one hour to forty minutes when the relay is completed.

 

[DXMachina]

if you want long and scenic, any train leaving Paddington and some from Waterloo should do !

 

[ainsworth74]

Settle and Carlisle
Looe Branch
Esk Valley Line
North WCML/ECML
Dawlish Sea Wall (between roughly Starcross and Newton Abbot)

Those would be some of my nominations.

 

[6Gman]

The Blaenau Ffestiniog branch - an hour takes you from seaside through estuary, castle, verdant valley, woodlands, uplands, a splendid tunnel ... and then the unique uniqueness of that unique place ... Blaenau Ffestiniog!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I personally think the S&C is pretty mundane, was disappointed when I did a 156 from Leeds to Carlisle. My best has to be the Fort William West Highland Line and the bit to Mallaig, though I'd imagine the latter is 10 times better on the Jacobite but doing to bit to Fort William on the 67 hauled Sleeper was very good!

I also had the pleasure of going to Wick in 2005 IIRC on a 158 in the snow, now that I'd like to do again!

I also remember watching a video where the narrator said that the Marches line was arguably the most scenic line in the UK, I dread any trip up here to be honest, I'd vote for the WCML through the Lake District.

For Wales, either the Valleys or the Heart of Wales line.

 

[Roylang]

Atlantic Coast Line
Tamar Valley Line
Looe Line
St Ives Branch

Are all stunning

Fully agree, but not quite sure they all qualify as long in length?

Roy

 

[Johnuk123]

Have we ever had the most unscenic line yet ?

 

[PFX]

Have we ever had the most unscenic line yet ?

I particularly enjoy the Severn Tunnel and its lack of scenery.

 

[SprinterMan]

Scenic Lines

The Cornish Mainline - London Paddington to Penzance via Newbury & Castle Cary

The Welsh Marches line - Newport to Chester via Shrewsbury & Wrexham General

The North Wales Coast line - Crewe to Holyhead via Chester

The Lune Gorge - Lancaster to Carlisle via WCML

The Chiltern Mainline - London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street via High Wycombe & Banbury

Unscenic Lines

Motherwell to Glasgow Central via WCML

HS1/North Kent Line - London St Pancras Intl. to Strood via Ebbsfleet Intl.

Adam

 

[Johnuk123]

I particularly enjoy the Severn Tunnel and its lack of scenery.

What I was thinking of was the last few miles into a lot of terminus stations especially London.

You can marvel at the childish immature daubings blighting anything they can get to with a spray can.

 

[PFX]

Alas, my attempt at humour is wasted.

Oh well, I would nominate the line between Cumbernauld and Stepps as being particularly devoid of aesthetically pleasing scenery. Even more so on a grim post-industrial winter day.

 

[bAzTNM]

There is a bit from Kilpatrick to Dumbarton East in Scotland that I've always liked. Excellent views of the River Clyde.

UNSCENIC: Not a fan of the whole Glasgow Central to Whifflet line.

 

[317666]

Someone mentioned the Conwy Valley line down to Blaenau Ffestiniog. I have to add the Ffestiniog Railway itself to that, followed by the Cambrian line from Porthmadog down to Machynlleth. Brilliant day out, and very scenic

 

[Essexman]

Personal favourites are Cambrian Coast and West Highland lines, but this week I've been on the far North (as far as Altnabreac) and found that extremely scenic with a mix of coast, valleys & moorland.

 

[3141]

The Penistone Line. Some years ago there was a booklet about it, "Through Scenes of Surpassing Loveliness", which I think is a quote from a Victorian traveller along it.

But I guess that's not a description of the scenery as you get nearer to Sheffield.

 

[yorksrob]

The Penistone Line. Some years ago there was a booklet about it, "Through Scenes of Surpassing Loveliness", which I think is a quote from a Victorian traveller along it.

A marvellous route - and sadly underrated.

 

[Penmorfa]

Someone mentioned the Conwy Valley line down to Blaenau Ffestiniog. I have to add the Ffestiniog Railway itself to that, followed by the Cambrian line from Porthmadog down to Machynlleth. Brilliant day out, and very scenic

and keep on going back to where you started from!

http://www.penmorfa.com/Cambrian/

 

[317666]

and keep on going back to where you started from!

http://www.penmorfa.com/Cambrian/

That's exactly what I did funnily enough, highly recommended!

Another nice line is the Caldervale from Leeds to Manchester Victoria via Hebden Bridge, enjoyed the journey I did along there

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Unscenic Lines

Motherwell to Glasgow Central via WCML

To be fair, the 5 seconds or so as you traverse the bridge over the Clyde just out of Uddingston is actually OK but I tend to agree on the rest of the route.

PS: until the Central Station bridge (over the Clyde again) but that is pretty brief as well.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

I would say the Fowey branchline is the most scenic.
At the moment freight only, there were many years ago regular Summer Sunday trains to Carne Point, but the extremely hefty access charges levied by Railtrack when they came into existence put paid to the service.
Hopefully in the distant future (with the reduction in clay traffic) Fowey may be able to reclaim its rail service.
If you get the chance of a tour on this line it is well worth it.

Dawlish is spectacular, especially in a storm! (Not in a Voyager!!!)

 

[telstarbox]

Orpington to London Bridge The Hope Valley is a good one.

 

[cuccir]

Furness Line....

 

[steamybrian]

My vote for the most scenic is a 3 way tie between- Cambrian Coast (Machynlleth-Pwhelli), Settle & Carlisle and the West Highland Line.

The most unscenic-
North Kent Line London Bridge- Dartford via Greenwich and Woolwich which is the only line I try to avoid travelling on.
Some of the suburban lines around Glasgow were a close second- but I cannot remember which ones!!

 

[ainsworth74]

St Ives Branch is no longer there unfortunately, all the track has been ripped up and concreted over for buses to run along it

Really? Well that 'bus' I was on earlier in the year when I down there certainly looked a lot like a 150...

 

[Rich McLean]

I was down there a couple of weeks ago, the St Ives Branch is very much alive and kicking.

Two weeks ago on a Saturday, there were 2x150's operating on both diagrams