signalnorth Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 Just wondering what is or was, the longest stretch of completely level line in the UK? Anyone know.? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trog Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 The section from Paddington to Didcot is quite flat steepest gradient shown as 1 in 1320. The WCML out of Euston by contrast has many sections at the ruling gradient of 1 in 330, plus the steep climb out of Euston station up Camden bank. But when at the design stage the L&B had a better much locomotive engineer on the staff than the GWR. So they were perhaps not as worried as the GWR by gradients. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomag Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 There are quite a few 'level' sections however you don't need that long a distance for the curveture of the earth to make a difference. When levelling the line to Kings Lynn for electicfation there was a streach of about 2 mile where the track was within 30mm of the same height obove OBM. However when using the level it was obviously on a crest curve. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 12 minutes ago, Trog said: The section from Paddington to Didcot is quite flat steepest gradient shown as 1 in 1320. The WCML out of Euston by contrast has many sections at the ruling gradient of 1 in 330, plus the steep climb out of Euston station up Camden bank. But when at the design stage the L&B had a better much locomotive engineer on the staff than the GWR. So they were perhaps not as worried as the GWR by gradients. Don't forget that trains were originally hauled up Camden Bank by cable ........... but that's a gradient so it's off topic. If you want a whole railway with little in terms of gradients, you could check out the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium iands Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2019 According to The Railway Magazine 'Gradients of the British Main Line Railways (1936)' it records a section of the Edinburgh (Inverkeithing) - Aberdeen line between milepost 61 and milepost 75 as being "level" - so 14 miles. How accurate this is I've no way of telling, but given what Bomag says about taking into account the curvature of the earth/crest curve etc., this "14 mile" bit of line may not actually be "dead level", to use an unscientific term. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamysandy Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 (edited) 17 minutes ago, iands said: According to The Railway Magazine 'Gradients of the British Main Line Railways (1936)' it records a section of the Edinburgh (Inverkeithing) - Aberdeen line between milepost 61 and milepost 75 as being "level" - so 14 miles. How accurate this is I've no way of telling, but given what Bomag says about taking into account the curvature of the earth/crest curve etc., this "14 mile" bit of line may not actually be "dead level", to use an unscientific term. This is the stretch from East of Brought Ferry through Carnoustie to (approx) Elliot Junction which runs through a very level area. Edited July 11, 2019 by Steamysandy Error 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 11, 2019 Anything in Norfolk or Lincolnshire would probably be flat... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2019 17 minutes ago, Stubby47 said: Anything in Norfolk or Lincolnshire would probably be flat... Sorry everyone for going off topic but I must take issue with my mate Stu. Not all of Lincolnshire is flat. When I shopping to Louth (capital of the Wolds) I get altitude sickness. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 11, 2019 Lincoln Cathedral is up a hill that even I think is a bit steep, and I’m Welsh... The SWML between Severn Tunnel and Cardiff has level sections, as it does between Loughor and Carmarthen, but I doubt any of these hold any records. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 There is the so called "Race track" between York and Thirsk. Not sure how long it is but basically straight and level across the plain of York on the ECML. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium iands Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2019 1 hour ago, iands said: According to The Railway Magazine 'Gradients of the British Main Line Railways (1936)' it records a section of the Edinburgh (Inverkeithing) - Aberdeen line between milepost 61 and milepost 75 as being "level" - so 14 miles. How accurate this is I've no way of telling, but given what Bomag says about taking into account the curvature of the earth/crest curve etc., this "14 mile" bit of line may not actually be "dead level", to use an unscientific term. Further to my previous post, I've been able to look at more recent documentation (5 Mile diagrams, 2017). For the section of line I quoted above, this document shows 11 actual gradients, ranging from 1:1100 to 1:4800. There is one gradient however, of 1:534 - for approximately 250 yards. No doubt the more modern methods of surveying have increased the accuracy of such data. Even so, I'm sure if you were able to walk that section, I doubt you would really notice the gradients as anything significant. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium iands Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2019 4 minutes ago, Titan said: There is the so called "Race track" between York and Thirsk. Not sure how long it is but basically straight and level across the plain of York on the ECML. Hi Titan, That stretch of the ECML is about 11 miles on the "level" (again, according to the Gradients book of 1936). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2019 56 minutes ago, Stubby47 said: Anything in Norfolk or Lincolnshire would probably be flat... A game is not the best source of accurate information but from some playing on the Wherry Lines route on Train Simulator there are gradients for bridges there (easy to get speed a bit if you're not careful on them). So not long gradients but still there. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Stubby47 said: Anything in Norfolk or Lincolnshire would probably be flat... That's not dead flat that's just dead boring.... Sorry. That wasn't me that was Stephen Fry on QI. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 12 minutes ago, iands said: Hi Titan, That stretch of the ECML is about 11 miles on the "level" (again, according to the Gradients book of 1936). Curious. I've just dug up the Ian Allan book and it only shows about 7 miles (between about MP205 1/4 and 212). To pick up some other sections mentioned here from the same source (mileages approximate due to the small scale, I've given the nearest former stations for bearings): Dundee (MP61) to nearly Abroath (MP74 3/4): about 14 miles. The main line in South Wales doesn't have any levels longer than 5 miles. And some others over 10 miels from a quick skim, bearing in mind this book only includes profiles that the authors considered (pre-Beeching) to be main lines: Fakirk High (24 3/4) to Croy (35 1/4) 11.5 miles Shippea Hail (75) to Bandon (85 3/4) about 11 miles. Spalding (93) to Boston (107 1/4) about 14 miles Brean (140 1/2) to Bridgwater (151) 10.5 miles Edgside (28 3/4) to Newton-on-Ayr (39 1/2) about 11 miles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 31A Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2019 Selby to Hull is pretty flat, that must be about 30 miles! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
25901 Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 A rough guide would be figuring out where the old water troughs were, just a thought ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 5 minutes ago, 25901 said: A rough guide would be figuring out where the old water troughs were, just a thought ! Like Shap? They were only short so you just need a level section of a few hundred yards. Dillicar being a prime example. Take water just before hitting the gradient. http://www.aidan.co.uk/photo9360.htm Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
62613 Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 I suppose there were 3 miles or so through Standedge Tunnel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium iands Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Edwin_m said: Curious. I've just dug up the Ian Allan book and it only shows about 7 miles (between about MP205 1/4 and 212). Hi Edwin, It's the bit before that, from just after the 189 milepost to the 200 milepost (roughly from Poppleton Jn to about a mile before Raskelf). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 33 minutes ago, 25901 said: A rough guide would be figuring out where the old water troughs were, just a thought ! In fact, you put water troughs into a dip in the track. That way you don't need end walls in the trough - they knock the scoops off Richard 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium iands Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2019 43 minutes ago, 31A said: Selby to Hull is pretty flat, that must be about 30 miles! Straight yes (about 18miles), but surprisingly not as level as you might think, although the gradients perhaps fall into the "reasonably gentle" category. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 3 hours ago, Stubby47 said: Anything in Norfolk or Lincolnshire would probably be flat... Norfolk is NOT a flat County, far from it, though there are bits. Lincolnshire as a County, along with the Fens in Cambridgeshire, and some of West Norfolk, is quite flat, but the railways aren't. The undulate over rivers and drains. Stewart 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted July 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 11, 2019 5 minutes ago, stewartingram said: Norfolk is NOT a flat County, far from it, though there are bits. Lincolnshire as a County, along with the Fens in Cambridgeshire, and some of West Norfolk, is quite flat, but the railways aren't. The undulate over rivers and drains. Stewart Having grown up in North Wales, in the Vale of Clwyd, and married within sight of Snowdon, I guess my perspective is slightly skewed 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brack Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 There were several lines converted from canals. They ought to be somewhere near level. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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