Another way to pass the lockdown time

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I like looking at Google earth on a large, 27" monitor and thought it would be easy to highlight all the disused railways in the UK. Starting with great confidence, I have found that with luck and much research, my realistic chances of marking all of the disused lines have dropped to about 80% of branch lines and 20% of industrial lines. They are certainly not all from the Beeching era, many predated that by a long time.

I thought I would post this as another way of keeping mentally busy, there are many ways required to unearth some of the more elusive track remains. I keep finding more just when I think a region is complete. I may also add the airfields in the country, there are more than you would think. The detailed picture is of Barnsley, Yorkshire.

Edited By old mart on 12/11/2020 17:35:49

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Don't lose track of what you are doing!

[Sam StonesParticipant @samstones42903]

For a different reason OM, (I was born near there in 1935) I traced the rough lines of two 'long gone' railways.

They are from an area west of Farnworth (Lancashire) called New Bury. The north south line was from Manchester Victoria, to Great Moor Street, Bolton.

The east west railway was very short, taking coal from Brackley Colliery to George Street depot.

That's some exercise your doing!

Good luck. Keep safe.

Sam

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I think this is really interesting. Is there a way you can make all your work more available? It would be far more useful than making all 5 star resaurants or lotsof the other stuff google make show up.

Could you put in preserved railways in another colour, then commercial miniature railways, then of course ME clubs though I think that has been done before.

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

Have you found the Crab and winkle line yet

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

This is where the old maps available online from the Scottish National Library will help. Maps

This map shows the Aintree Sorting Depot that is now all new houses. The Bootle Goods Branch is the disused line that Jamie Bulger was walked along before he was killed. Bootle Cum Linacre

Martin C

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Sam, I have the north-south line already marked, but would never have found the colliery line, thats the reason I have come to the conclusion that 20% is a realistic goal for the industrial lines. Some of the maps can show back to 1945 arial photographs which is useful. Mind you, there is a 1945 overlay south of Edinburgh which should be north of the Firth of Forth.

I have found several sources of old maps which are invaluble, and also Wikipedia. Sometimes even street names help, station road is a dead giveaway, and there are even some Beeching terrace and the like, type of names.

Edited By old mart on 12/11/2020 19:17:49

[Maurice TaylorParticipant @mauricetaylor82093]

Hi,This website shows all old railways including narrow gauge industrial ones,superimposed on modern maps.

**LINK**

Maurice

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I've just looked for the crab and winkle line by googling it and to be sure, it is missing from my GE markings. Having some practice, I'm pretty sure of the route from the clues and it will be added straight away. I am sure more lines are there waiting to be found.

Maurice, thanks for the link, it shows one of the most difficult to find lines in Suffolk, but misses most of the Bordon Military Railway in Hampshire. I have bookmarked all of the links so far, they will be very useful.

Edited By old mart on 12/11/2020 19:41:34

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