Motorway / Railway Sections

[Mike395]

Can I suggest the HS1 - (High Speed 1) route between Maidstone and Ashford which runs alongside the M20.
With Eurostars doing up to 186mph and Javelins a slower 140 mph makes the road traffic appear as a crawl.

LewisF just beat me to mentioning it

Similarly the Medway bridge on the A2 - quite clearly some people try n race the train!

Edit: Got beaten to it myself! :P

 

[Nonsense]

There is that section on the WCML just before Lancaster where the M6 touches the railway for a bit. No chance for the cars though, cos your Virgin is doing well over 100mph! However, I did see what looked like an AMG Mercedes go past us a few weeks back!

I know it well. Its usually on this stretch I see something interesting like a class 70 pass by but I can't take my eyes off the road

 

[strange6]

I know it well. Its usually on this stretch I see something interesting like a class 70 pass by but I can't take my eyes off the road

When i pass the M62 on the Liverpool - Manchester train, everybody looks at the train because it's so, so close to them. Must be a very rare sight on the road to have a moving train so close to you! Never seen it from the road point of view so I just may try it one day if I'm in that area.
Coaches are best cos they all look at you overtaking them, even if it is on a knackered looking Northern 156. I sense a bit of envy with them too!

 

[Crossover]

There are a few I can think of:

As has been mentioned, the M1 passes alongside the WCML and disappears off behind Watford Gap services. Someone may know but I've guessed linespeed here to be possibly 100-110mph based on VERY rough calculations based on time taken to go from the mile marker for the services and the services themselves (travelling North)

The A5 in MK follows the railway for a bit. Joining at MK and heading towards Bletchley, the A5 runs parallel to the WCML (and railway station) for a fair distance before branching off from the road - it then passes over the A5 just before the turn off for Bletchley.

There is also a small section where the trains between Huddersfield and Stalybridge pass next to a road and it looks like it is separated by only a wall.

I have also travelled across a bridge which was rail/road but I can't remember where (possibly somewhere Oldham way). There is a station fairly close by to it and its served by Northern. I just recall seeing a light engine loco move when I was going by a couple of years or so ago.

EDIT: Nowhere near Oldham - I'm thinking of the Keadby Bridge in Lincolnshire...

 

[table38]

A55, North Wales coast - go on!

Here's a video of the Holy Oakes tour taken from the A55 between Llandudno and Colwyn Bay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcU1Pg7z9bg&t=2m5s

 

[SprinterMan]

Ones I can think of:
A12 Colchester - Witham
A12 Hatfiel Peverel - Chelmsford
A12 Ingatestone - Shenfield
A14 Bury - Newmarket
A143 Near Diss
A47 Acle - Great Yarmouth
A338 Near Salisbury
M11 Elsenham - Great Chesterford
A142 Near Fordham
A55 Abergale - Bangor

 

[strange6]

Here's a video of the Holy Oakes tour taken from the A55 between Llandudno and Colwyn Bay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcU1Pg7z9bg&t=2m5s

That's really good! many thanks! And thanks to everybody for all the information!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

We can add nearly all of the Highland Main Line and A9 between Perth and Inverness, certainly the 90 miles between Dunkeld and Moy where the 2 are very close.
Is that the UK's longest stretch of roal and rail through the same corridor?

 

[notadriver]

Voyagers (operating with all engines working ) do not struggle up Beattock lol

Most car drivers can't afford to be racing with the price of fuel these days.

 

[westcoaster]

If you come off the A1(M) at North Stevenage and head for Luton there's a road that runs right next to the Great Northern route. Though I don't know it's name as I've never been down there.

Might be the A505
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I can't remember where because it's been a while since I've been over that way by train, but the Skegness line runs right alongside a road for quite a distance. Around Boston I think. It tends to be a case of overtaking and then being overtaken, as the railway is not that fast (50mph I think) and IIRC has to slow at one point where the line goes from double to single track, but the road also has to slow down a few times passing through villages.

The MML from north of Cricklewood to north of Mill Hill Broadway that's been mentioned is a good one as the M1 follows the railway very closely, mostly at the same level and with just the crash barrier, a low wall and a fence between the two. The MML is 110mph for most of that (drops to 105 from where the North Circular passes over to just north of Hendon) so the cars don't stand much chance.

You would like to think, I've come along there doing a 100 and still been overtaken, the m1 also comes back along side the mml for a short distance, maybe a mile or so behind toddington services.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

The sad thing is that I can believe this. Because that stretch of the A4 is both dualled and straight, many use it as an excuse to put their foot down after trawling through Bath at 20 (if that). I'm sure I seen cars doing 100+ down there before now, but never with a train in sight.

N.B.: I sent you a reply to that PM. It kinda mentions the Globe in it

I am surprised there isn't a police camera van there unless they do now and again? I haven't seen one at the Batheaston Bypass overtake a HST/158/whatever yet but I wouldn't put it past me, have you seen a car speed down there before?

 

[strange6]

Might be the A505
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


You would like to think, I've come along there doing a 100 and still been overtaken, the m1 also comes back along side the mml for a short distance, maybe a mile or so behind toddington services.

Do you always have a quick look to your left or right to see if you're being beaten?? Best not to answer that really because being the professional that you are, I would imagine not!

 

[Mojo]

There was apparently a car overtaking a HST on the road past Keynsham (Bristol end, I think it's the A4) near The Globe, must be doing some serious speed!

Are you referring to the Keynsham Bypass? This was one of the roads I took my driving test on.

I believe the line speed here is only 90/100HST on the Up and 90/100HST on the Down, going down to 90HST.

 

[Oracle]

The dual cariageway parallel to the line between Dean and Laverstock South Junction is the A36...I once passed the SWT Diesel railcar heading south to preservation and also Clan Line on a tour! I have known cars to do what I estimated to be 100 on that road!

Leigh Road, Eastleigh runs alongside the SWT main line and at 30mph legal max you can sometimes pass a EWS infrastructure train heading for Eastleigh Yard, as I did today!

 

[ACE1888]

The GWML runs parallel with the M5 around Cullompton and Tiverton Parkway, and then a minor road behind Powderham Castle and the A379 at Starcross.

Always enjoy that section!

 

[westcoaster]

Do you always have a quick look to your left or right to see if you're being beaten?? Best not to answer that really because being the professional that you are, I would imagine not!

Not always, but you can't help but see as its in your line of sight.

 

[strange6]

And I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the biggest section of the lot - Blackpool - Fleetwood prom!

 

[ChrisCooper]

One where the trains don't have a great chance, the North Norfolk Railway runs alongside the A149 a short while coming out of Sherringham. It's only 30mph at that point, but of cource the trains are 25mph. The A149 and the Sherringham line also come alongside each other south of North Walsham, although not that close.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I can't remember where because it's been a while since I've been over that way by train, but the Skegness line runs right alongside a road for quite a distance. Around Boston I think. It tends to be a case of overtaking and then being overtaken, as the railway is not that fast (50mph I think) and IIRC has to slow at one point where the line goes from double to single track, but the road also has to slow down a few times passing through villages.

Found it, it runs alongside the A1121 between Swineshead and the outskirts of Boston. It's 5 miles, mostly dead straight and level, other than a slight curve before Hubberts Bridge, with the road one side and the Forty Foot Drain the other side. It singles East of Hubberts Bridge.

 

[TDK]

Between Wellington and Shrewsbury the line runs along the A5.

Here is a video of a WSMR doing 70mph alongside the A5 - starts at 1m22s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HZcZgQ04h8

 

[HST Power]

Nice! I'd be racing if I was there!

 

[flymo]

There is a bit of the Tyne Valley line running alongside the A69 for about 2 miles or so from Greenhead to Haltwhistle. The line speed is not so fast there though, maybe 55 or 65.

 

[PaulLothian]

Not a main road at all, but what about the Welsh Highland Railway at Pont Croesor

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...=7UEKq1pJoX0-2HrZvcHchw&cbp=12,56.16,,0,-5.09

The B4410 shares a bridge with the WHR and then has a level crossing over the line! There is a fair chance the train could be traveling faster than cars as they cross the bridge!

 

[HST Power]

You can get a good car view of the HST on the way to Peterborough when taking the road into Arelsey from Ickelford.

 

[The Barlow Boy]

No-one's mentioned the line between Winnersh and Reading where it parallels the A3290.

 

[David Dunning]

Just reading all this makes me wonder . Do train drivers in these sections ever have problems with car headlight on full beam. There's a back road near me which is a few feet from the ECML and I must say I always dip my headlights if a train is coming the other way . I dont think the trains can do likewise tho lol .

 

[TDK]

Just reading all this makes me wonder . Do train drivers in these sections ever have problems with car headlight on full beam. There's a back road near me which is a few feet from the ECML and I must say I always dip my headlights if a train is coming the other way . I dont think the trains can do likewise tho lol .

There is a short section between Baschurch and Shrewsbury where car headlight full beam does hit the drivers cab but there are not any stop signals for 2 miles.

 

[Invincibles]

The Bolton to Preston line gives a good view of the M61, not quite alongside but you can race cars a little. Frustrating section as my train often gets overtaken

 

[Zoe]

The GWML is parralel to the A30 east of Redruth.

 

[HST Power]

You can also get quite close to the railway in the country roads of Willian.

 

[krus_aragon]

Slower than a motorway, but once when driving North on the A470, I found I was tagging a 158 at every single bridge and clearing from Caersws to Comins Coch. Then I turned north while it carried on toward Machynlleth.