Trivia: Longest Rail Journey Avoiding Tunnels

[DynamicSpirit]

Odd bit of trivia I was idly wondering about? How far could you travel by train without ever going in a tunnel? You can measure distance either by miles travelled or by number of stations passed through.

For people who like quibbling about rules : The journey has to start and end at a station and you're not permitted to cheat by traversing the same bit of route multiple times (except for short distances where doubling back along a bit of track would be a normal passenger journey - for example Esher-Hampton Court would require doubling back at Surbiton, so traversing that bit of track twice is allowed). A tunnel should normally mean that the track is going underground: Buildings built on top of stations don't count, and buildings built over the track outside stations don't count unless they completely cover the track for more than about 50m - sufficient to make it feel as if you're in a tunnel.

 

[greatkingrat]

You can get from Wick to just before Aberdeen without going through a tunnel.

 

[Acfb]

I don't think there are any tunnels between Haymarket and Preston so I'm guessing something like Haymarket to just before Chorley?

 

[adc82140]

Buildings built on top of stations don't count, and buildings built over the track outside stations don't count unless they completely cover the track for more than about 50m - sufficient to make it feel as if you're in a tunnel.

Would you count Wimbledon Bridge as a tunnel? That's got to be over 50m long.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Preston Brook Tunnel (south of Warrington) to Kippenross Tunnel (south of Dunblane) on Joseph Locke's splendid route via Coatbridge is 246* miles.
Preston Brook tunnel itself is only 78 yards long, which is less than some modern overhead structures such as motorway flyovers, otherwise you could add another 80-odd miles from Berkswell via Bescot and Stafford.

Similarly, on the ECML there are two short tunnels (Askew Road 53y and Red Barns 98y) either side of Newcastle, which spoil longer open sections on the route.
Askham tunnel (57 yards) south of Retford also interrupts the ECML (133 miles to just short of Newcastle).
On the other hand the opening up of the Penmanshiel tunnel in the borders gave a 123 mile open section virtually all the way from Newcastle to Edinburgh.

Paddington to Somerton tunnel is 140 miles via Swindon and Westbury, which is I think the longest tunnel-less route from London (126 miles via Newbury).
All from Trackmaps. Happy to be corrected on all these...

* although once plied by the Royal Highlander and the Clansman, these days there are no through trains over the whole route.
The best on a through train today (eg Euston-Carstairs-Edinburgh/Glasgow), are both about 22 miles shorter at 224 miles.
The first tunnels on those routes are east of Haymarket approaching Edinburgh, and at Eglinton St approaching Glasgow Central.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Would you count Wimbledon Bridge as a tunnel? That's got to be over 50m long.

That's a tricky one. I'm inclined to say 'no' because the ambience when you go through it is more like a long bridge, it's never felt to me like a tunnel. If my memory serves correctly, you can see the other tracks, and t has an air of, that bit where you're going under the buildings as you get to a station. Things like that are very subjective though. So maybe my 'rule' was too strict.

 

[Falcon1200]

Preston Brook Tunnel (south of Warrington) to Kippenross Tunnel (south of Dunblane) on Joseph Locke's splendid route via Coatbridge is 246* miles.

The only problem being; Carmuirs Twin Tunnels, between Greenhill Lower Jc and Carmuirs West Jc. Sorry !

 

[The exile]

Paddington to Somerton tunnel is 140 miles via Swindon and Westbury, which is I think the longest tunnel-less route from London (126 miles via Newbury).

You can go a bit further (but not much) by turning left at Castle Cary and getting to the eastern portal of Crewkerne Tunnel. If a reversal at Redbridge is allowed then Paddington - Reading - Basingstoke - Laverstock - Redbridge - Poole etc will get you all the way to Bincombe Tunnel just short of Weymouth.

 

[DanNCL]

Similarly, on the ECML there are two short tunnels (Askew Road 53y and Red Barns 98y) either side of Newcastle, which spoil longer open sections on the route.
Askham tunnel (57 yards) south of Retford also interrupts the ECML (133 miles to just short of Newcastle).
On the other hand the opening up of the Penmanshiel tunnel in the borders gave a 123 mile open section virtually all the way from Newcastle to Edinburgh.

I've never understood why Askew Road and Red Barns are classed as tunnels - in both cases they're road bridges that are a little bit wider than most road bridges in order to accomodate a road junction, and that's certainly what passengers will see them as.
Askham is a "proper" tunnel, though blink and you'll miss it. I've done that journey hundreds of times as a passenger and could probably count on one hand the number of times I've actually noticed the very short tunnel.
On an Edinburgh - London journey via the ECML, apart from the tunnel immediately after leaving Edinburgh, the first tunnel the majority of passengers will notice is near Grantham.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

If a reversal at Redbridge is allowed then Paddington - Reading - Basingstoke - Laverstock - Redbridge - Poole etc will get you all the way to Bincombe Tunnel just short of Weymouth.

That's pretty good in terms of combining different routes to get a very long tunnel-less stretch. Yes, reversal at Redbridge is completely within the rules. Using the freight line at Laverstock is a bit cheeky as I don't think it's in regular use for passenger service. I guess there are some occasional trains in engineering works

Wouldn't you be able to extend that route by reversing at Upwey and heading up towards Yeovil? Or does Bincombe tunnel come before that?

 

[OzLoon]

Adelaide to Perth would be a fair way, even longer if you start, or end, at Broken Hill. Darwin to Adelaide would be even longer still.

 

[Gloster]

That's pretty good in terms of combining different routes to get a very long tunnel-less stretch. Yes, reversal at Redbridge is completely within the rules. Using the freight line at Laverstock is a bit cheeky as I don't think it's in regular use for passenger service. I guess there are some occasional trains in engineering works

Wouldn't you be able to extend that route by reversing at Upwey and heading up towards Yeovil? Or does Bincombe tunnel come before that?

Bincombe is north of Upwey. You could reverse at Dorchester Junction, but Poundbury Tunnel is only half a mile north of Dorchester West.

 

[PTR 444]

Poundbury Tunnel is only half a mile north of Dorchester West.

If it wasn’t for that, you could do a complete loop back to Paddington where you started from

 

[Gloster]

If it wasn’t for that, you could do a complete loop back to Paddington where you started from

...and Grimstone & Frampton Tunnel and Evershot Tunnel.