Worst Railway Journeys in the UK

[yorksrob]

Highland Main Line, glorious sunny morning, Paxman Valenta power front and back and breakfast in the restaurant car. Can’t beat it.

Ooh yes, I was post Valetta when I experienced it, but the comfort of a mk3 was superb !

 

[urbophile]

There seems to be an awful lot of what you might call the opposite of the ‘worst rail journeys in the UK’ creeping into this thread…

Well yes, because so many of these routes are 'Marmite": some people hate them and others love them.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Although, alas not the same now that Factory Junction signal box has gone !

A good mate ,who was a relief SM on the Southern - had to keep this important box going at times of staff shortages , (otherwise everything on the SE Division out of Victoria was kyboshed) , used to arrange special delivery of refreshments etc by 4EPB , until signalling cover was arranged. Off topic - but worth mentioning (well I think so)

 

[yorksrob]

There seems to be an awful lot of what you might call the opposite of the ‘worst rail journeys in the UK’ creeping into this thread…

I guess we're lucky to have a network where it's impossible to document "worst" rail journeys without spilling on to iconic best journeys :

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jun 2023 ==

A good mate ,who was a relief SM on the Southern - had to keep this important box going at times of staff shortages , (otherwise everything on the SE Division out of Victoria was kyboshed) , used to arrange special delivery of refreshments etc by 4EPB , until signalling cover was arranged. Off topic - but worth mentioning (well I think so)

Oh definitely worth mentioning

It was a proper landmark on my youthful trips from Ashford to London on VEP's (preferably) in standard class compartments. So much so that I still look out for the blank bit of concrete where it once was now !

 

[Iskra]

Ooh yes, I was post Valetta when I experienced it, but the comfort of a mk3 was superb !

While the HML is nowhere near the worst line in the UK, it wasn’t all that great in winter on a freezing winter night on a HST, with the droplights being left open after every stop and the cold air freezing you for several hours and the heating being totally unable to deal with it…

 

[yorksrob]

While the HML is nowhere near the worst line in the UK, it wasn’t all that great in winter on a freezing winter night on a HST, with the droplights being left open after every stop and the cold air freezing you for several hours and the heating being totally unable to deal with it…

I was lucky enough to use it in summer

That said, I've used mk3's all year round around the country for around twenty five years and not noticed a cold problem.

 

[Cowley]

Yes it’s very subjective isn’t it? I quite like a bit of post industrial or inner city bleakness because it’s different to where I live. I probably wouldn’t feel the same way if I saw it every day though!

 

[xotGD]

The "boring south ECML" isn't unpleasant to travel on generally, either.

I just get triggered by all those solar farms that have appeared alongside the route.

 

[Geoff DC]

One of the worst journeys must be the 5+ hours journey on an IET from Penzance to Paddington.
What was once one of the best journeys in Britain is now a lucky dip as to whether you suffer injury from sitting on collapsed seats with protruding steel bars or you take your own seat cushion, (Or Stand Up)
At least 1st class passengers have the option of using the removable headrest as a cushion

 

[yorksrob]

I just get triggered by all those solar farms that have appeared alongside the route.

Ha ha. On some level, hopefully they should be contributing to the countries energy security (although knowing us, they'll be floating the energy on the market and selling it to us at inflated rates !

 

[WesternBiker]

Cardiff Central to Barry on the last train on a Friday night (when visiting the parents) was always a bit grim. Lots of stops on a Pacer, too many drunks, and not helped by the fact that I was stone cold sober...

 

[Pigeon]

This is so well said and indeed my dad said exactly the same to me when we went on it; he commented we'd have seen far more if we drove to each scenic part of the line.

Thing about the S&C is it's been hyped for its own civil engineering works, rather than for the countryside around it as is the case for most lines with the "scenic" label. So yeah, people end up trying to look at the wrong things, and get disappointed because they can't see them instead of enjoying looking at the bits they can see.

 

[Requeststop]

I'm surprised that the Wirral lines have not been mentioned. From what I've seen of them the couple of times I've actually covered them, there was nothing whatsoever of interest and it was boring cuttings through Birkenhead, and nothing to get the heart racing North and West of Birkenhead North. The Borderlands route down to Shotton I found jaw-achingly boring, and don't get me started on the lines to Ellesmere Port, Helsby and Chester.
Surprisingly the Wirral Way walk on the old tracks from West Kirby to Hooton, does have some great views across to North Wales.
From what I see from the trains on the Wirral, wild horses couldn't drag me to live there.

 

[railfan99]

Yes it’s very subjective isn’t it? I quite like a bit of post industrial or inner city bleakness because it’s different to where I live. I probably wouldn’t feel the same way if I saw it every day though!

Hopefully I'll have travelled on it within the next few months, but is the Barton-on-Humber line a candidate for 'worst railway journey?'

I am oblogated to travel because others have implied with any cuts, it might be one of the first to be dispensed with.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Thing about the S&C is it's been hyped for its own civil engineering works, rather than for the countryside around it as is the case for most lines with the "scenic" label. So yeah, people end up trying to look at the wrong things, and get disappointed because they can't see them instead of enjoying looking at the bits they can see.

This seems passive aggressive, and if it was meant as such then take a look at the way Northern advertise it. Mind you, I still thought it was a very nice line.

 

[yorksrob]

Thing about the S&C is it's been hyped for its own civil engineering works, rather than for the countryside around it as is the case for most lines with the "scenic" label. So yeah, people end up trying to look at the wrong things, and get disappointed because they can't see them instead of enjoying looking at the bits they can see.

To be fair, the scenery's quite stunning as well, certainly between Settle and Appleby.

 

[railfan99]

Yes it’s very subjective isn’t it? I quite like a bit of post industrial or inner city bleakness because it’s different to where I live. I probably wouldn’t feel the same way if I saw it every day though!

Hopefully I'll have travelled on it within the next few months, but is the Barton-on-Humber line a candidate for 'worst railway journey?'

I am obligated to travel because others have implied with any cuts, it might be one of the first to be dispensed with.

 

[yorksrob]

Hopefully I'll have travelled on it within the next few months, but is the Barton-on-Humber line a candidate for 'worst railway journey?'

I am obligated to travel because others have implied with any cuts, it might be one of the first to be dispensed with.

I wouldn't say so. Some interesting industrial scenery there.

 

[Pigeon]

This seems passive aggressive, and if it was meant as such...

I don't know what that means. I was simply commenting on it being a line that is famous for its spectacular engineering, whereas with most lines labelled as "scenic" they're famous for the countryside they go through and nobody ever mentions the engineering. So with (to pull an example out of the air) the Kyle line, what you get to see when you ride on the train is what you expect from the picture on the outside of the box, but with the S&C you don't get to see any of the things like the picture on the outside of the box at all unless you're not riding on the train. Therefore expectations are inevitably not met.

 

[Djgr]

I'm surprised that the Wirral lines have not been mentioned. From what I've seen of them the couple of times I've actually covered them, there was nothing whatsoever of interest and it was boring cuttings through Birkenhead, and nothing to get the heart racing North and West of Birkenhead North. The Borderlands route down to Shotton I found jaw-achingly boring, and don't get me started on the lines to Ellesmere Port, Helsby and Chester.
Surprisingly the Wirral Way walk on the old tracks from West Kirby to Hooton, does have some great views across to North Wales.
From what I see from the trains on the Wirral, wild horses couldn't drag me to live there.

May I ask what you expected to see out of a Merseyrail train window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plains?

 

[InkyScrolls]

May I ask what you expected to see out of a Merseyrail train window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plains?

I'm afraid no-one can hear you, we've not got our hearing aid batteries in.

 

[Topological]

May I ask what you expected to see out of a Merseyrail train window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plains?

To be fair the trains pass through Birkenhead

 

[andythebrave]

Anything that has, unbeknownst to me, originated in Blackpool, especially anytime from Saturday morning to Sunday night.

 

[urbophile]

To be fair the trains pass through Birkenhead

I wouldn't describe the wildlife of Birkenhead as majestic.

 

[43066]

I wouldn't describe the wildlife of Birkenhead as majestic.

He might have been talking about the people? Then again, probably not.

 

[Topological]

He might have been talking about the people? Then again, probably not.

One and the same. So long as a definition of sweeping includes staggering and shouting loudly, then said sweeping could be majestic.

Probably should stop all of this lest Wildebeest become offended

 

[GN Boy]

I often hear my Thameslink coworkers talking about how awful the Rainham and Sutton services are south of the river in terms of the antisocial behaviour they receive, with the latter being pretty boring to drive along too.

 

[PGAT]

I often hear my Thameslink coworkers talking about how awful the Rainham and Sutton services are south of the river in terms of the antisocial behaviour they receive, with the latter being pretty boring to drive along too.

Can second this, especially during school rush-hours

 

[AndrewE]

May I ask what you expected to see out of a Merseyrail train window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plains?

Very good... I do like the James St westbound platforms though, and the ride through the river tunnel. Will be doing it at least a couple of times in the next few weeks. Also a shout-out (from me) for the line towards Southport. Interesting views of the docks and river - I wish I could have ridden the Overhead - then lots of happy memories of walks reached from most of the stations on the line.
Part of the pleasure is that we have a London-style Metro / underground railway with relatively good service frequencies even though we do live out in the sticks! Using the Tyneside Metro last year was very satisfying too.

 

[traingeek97]

A lot of dislikes on here for the NKML, personally i don't think its that bad. East of Strood its not bad view wise as you get to see a nice view of Rochester from the train, then past Gillingham there is some good countryside all the way out to Faversham and both the Canterbury East and towards Margate lines have some nice sights.

A Kent line that is rather dull in the Maidstone East line West From Maidstone East up until Victoria as the views are rather uninteresting as you go through a lot of cuttings and tunnels with little to look at outside of the train scenery wise. You can feel the 1hr and 10mins journey to Victoria and its crammed between Bromley South to Victoria . The section of the line from Maidstone East to Ashford intl is quite the contrast as there is some nice views from the train and its a decent 20mins for that section of the line.

Yes, I agree. As a regular commuter between Maidstone and London I dread a journey on the Maidstone East Line, mainly due to the frequent stops. The views between Otford and Swanley are enjoyable though, and the new direct service to Charing Cross has made it much more bearable.

The Medway Valley Line is another line of two halves. The stretch between Maidstone West and Strood is pretty dull and inspiring with a lot of unfavourable passengers, but the Maidstone West to Paddock Wood stretch is a lovely little ride through the Kent countryside.