Single track junctions away from stations.

[Kris]

I'm trying to think of any locations in the UK where a single (passenger carrying) track spilt and became two separate lines away from a station. 

 

At the moment I can think of Boscarn junction (Obviously before the halt was placed here). Were there any location that were more simple than this?

[Kris]

Not really Mickey.

 

I'm more thinking of a single track becoming 2 single tracks. In it's simplest form it could look line a Y . For what I'm thinking of the simpler the better.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Even Boscarne had some loops didn't it?

 

Coombe Jc on the Looe branch is some way from the station.

 

West of Alton, arrangements changed over the years but I think the junction from the Mid Hants onto the Light Railway to Basingstoke meets your criterion.

[Boris]

I'm trying to think where it was (North Yorkshire) where two single track lines split and then ran parallel for about 1/2 mile before going their seperate ways.

[phil-b259]

I'm trying to think of any locations in the UK where a single (passenger carrying) track spilt and became two separate lines away from a station. 

 

At the moment I can think of Boscarn junction (Obviously before the halt was placed here). Were there any location that were more simple than this?

 

The section between Alton & butts junction was initially worked as a conventional double track section when the Meon Valley line opened in anticipation of significant increases in traffic (the same reasons the Meon Valley line had ridiculously long 11 coach platforms and passing loops, etc). Later (and possibly in SR days) Butts junction simply became a divergence as it was obvious both the Mid Hants and the Meoan Valley lines were not that busy and moving the junction to Alton would do away with at least a couple of signalmen, plus maintaining all the signalling kit at Butts junction itself. Of course this was helped by the final closure of the Alton - Basingstoke line, the remains of which at Butts junction became a private siding accessed by a ground frame off the Mid Hants line (and presumably released by the Alton - Medstead token)

 

Another example on the isle of Wight was during the winter months where the signal arms at Smallbrook junction were removed, the points clipped and the double track from Ryde St Johns worked as two single lines - one to Newport, the other to Ventnor.

 

In Scotland I have a feeling that the two lines from Grantown on Spey ran parallel as two single lines for some distanec before parting - as did somewhere in the Strathaven area I think.

 

In modern times I believe that the junction for the two lines that terminate at Cromer was moved closer to the station in a bid to remove a signaman (thats well before the signal box at the station finally shut by the way)

[Southernman46]

Not quite the same but the 2 lines from Worcester Foregate St become two separate single lines that go to Worcester Shrub Hill and Droitwich Spa following the removal of Rainbow Hill Jn some years ago.

[Ian Kirk]

Hi,

You can't get anything much simpler than Fodderty Junction where the Strathpeffer branch left the Dingwall to Kyle line. A pair of points, a signal box and a cottage in open country.Now just a ruined cottage at the side of the line. The Strathpeffer branch being long closed. (although there is a good café in the station building!) When the line was first built the landowners objected and the main line looped around Strathpeffer. Later when the spa got going they wanted a railway so the branch was built into the town.

As phil b  said there were two parallel single tracks for quite a distance northwards from Boat of Garten which was the junction. The Highland Railway line to Forres  and the GNofS to Craigellachie.

 

best wishes,

 

Ian

[DavidBird]

...

In Scotland I have a feeling that the two lines from Grantown on Spey ran parallel as two single lines for some distanec before parting - as did somewhere in the Strathaven area I think.

 

...

 

The two lines from Boat of Garten to Inverness via Grantown on Spey and Forres (HR) and to Craigellachie (GNoSR) ran parallel form Boat of Garten to Croftnahaven, where there was no junction.

 

Its the HR Aviemore - Boat of Garten - Broomhill that forms the Strathspey Railway, with a proposed extention to Grantown dependant on the re-alignment of the A95 road.

 

Edit: Whilst I was typing...

[caradoc]

One present day example, although not exactly what Kris is looking for, is Ardrossan South Beach: The electrified single passenger line divides, after the one remaining platform, into the Ardrossan Harbour branch, a siding and the main line to Largs. However the former Up line still exists, retained as a non-electrified Up Freight line from Hunterston.

[Kris]

Thanks for all the replies, something for me to think on. 

[John_Hughes]

Aberayron Junction (The GWR spelling of the name!) on the Aber- Carmarthen line - in open country about a mile and a half north of Lampeter station; initially I believe it had a manned signal box, but latterly there was only a ground frame and staff machine for the branch, all electrically locked from Lampeter box.

[GordonC]

Crianlarach - where the Fort William and Oban lines split?

[DavidBird]

I'm trying to think of any locations in the UK where a single (passenger carrying) track spilt and became two separate lines away from a station. 

...

 

 

Crianlarach - where the Fort William and Oban lines split?

 

Crianlarich definitely has a station   The layout now is a single line that splits into a passing loop, immediately after the end of the loop, the running line splits again, into the Ft William mainline and Oban branch.  Before the removal of the signalbox, the layout at the north end was slightly different, in that the routes split before the end of the loops, in a sort of "splayed scissors crossover" arrangement. See this from http://www.signalbox.org/diagrams/crianlarich1934.jpg

[Friar Tuck]

North Cumbria may be of a little interest. The Solway Junction Railway and the North British had examples of very simple junctions, though not just a simple Y - those were generally banned, I believe, until relatively recently.

 

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SJR_Map.jpg for reference.

 

The junction at Wantage was very simple, though only a tramway in legal terms - and passenger trains only used the main line.

[DCB]

The usual practice was not to have a simle Y but to split the tracks four ways,to provide up and down on main line and up and down branch with a signal box to control the sections.  Where a station was provided this would be at the initial divergence into double track, Andoversford for instance, but Morebath Junction t the end of the Exe Valley line had no station until the GWR opened a halt nearby  and the trains terminated at Dulverton a tgree platform station on a single track line (and well worth modelling as long as you like 43XX Moguls and 2251 class.

[Trainshed Terry]

Just started to read this thread and had the following location come into my head.

 

Chappel and Wakes Colne here in Essex where the up line came into the station from Sudbury (suffolk) and the divergence route to Halstead ran parrel for 1/2 mile before it diverged to the left just under and past a road over bridge.

 

Terry.

[clachnaharry]

How about this - Lossie Junction GNSR - A single point, but plenty of signals.

 

 

 

http://www.signalbox.org/diagrams.php?id=324

[meil]

Broom Junction.

[keefer]

A bit more complex than Kris wants, but brechin sort of fits.

Just before you embark on a single line to bridge of dun, a double junction branches off to the North - looks like double track, but it was actually the forfar & brechin and brechin & edzell branches running side-by-side until they diverged north of the town

 

Station end: http://maps.nls.uk/view/82882896#zoom=4&lat=9505&lon=2655&layers=BT

 

Divergence: http://maps.nls.uk/view/82882866#zoom=4&lat=2809&lon=13342&layers=BT

 

From looking at these maps, there are no connections between the two lines once they have left the 'main' line

[Kris]

More great suggestions and thoughts on the subject, thanks to all. 

[DCB]

How about this - Lossie Junction GNSR - A single point, but plenty of signals.

 

 

 

http://www.signalbox.org/diagrams.php?id=324

Re Lossie  Just a thought, the Main Line diverges to the right, and there is a distant on the post for the "Branch" going straight on, so was there a loop or something just a few hundred yards down the branch, or why else would there be a distant there?, 

[The Stationmaster]

Re Lossie  Just a thought, the Main Line diverges to the right, and there is a distant on the post for the "Branch" going straight on, so was there a loop or something just a few hundred yards down the branch, or why else would there be a distant there?, 

Presumably the Distant for Linksfield Level  Crossing although I can't find the distance between it and Lossie Jcn.

[caradoc]

A present day single line junction (away from a station) is at Haughhead Jc, between Hamilton and Motherwell; Here the single line from Hamilton Central divides into the double line continuation towards Motherwell and the single line to Larkhall. The single line between Haughhead Jc and Hamilton Central has an off-peak service of 8 trains per hour !

[corneliuslundie]

Three examples no longer with us plus a third that never quite was.

 

On the Severn and Wye Joint, Serridge Junction for the Lydbrook branch was in open country though there was a nearby timber siding. Many coal trains reversed there and the gradients were severe. There were sidings on the branch where the train was shuffled.

 

Further up the same line the loop from the FoD branch came in at a single line junction. The Inspector was not impressed when it was presented for approval but the GWR as it was effectively by then (the S&W was joint with the Midland/LMS but the FoD was pure GWR) got away with it. Both lines had passenger services for some time.

 

On the Mid Wales line south of Rhayader there was a junction put in for the Elan Valley reservoir project. Initially it was just a single junction but as traffic increased it was changed to a conventional loop with a double junction. Later I think it reverted to a simple junction.

 

On the same line there was a junction put in for the line never built by the Manchester and Milford between Llangurig and Strata Florida..

[Market65]

I'm trying to think where it was (North Yorkshire) where two single track lines split and then ran parallel for about 1/2 mile before going their seperate ways.

The junction was Gilling on the Pilmoor to Malton line.

 

All the best

 

Market65