Many picturesque railway lines could be listed of the most scenic railway lines in England. In the article, I briefly described the most popular scenic railway lines in England with scheduled passenger traffic.
Settle – Carlisle – most famous scenic railway line in England. Over 100 kilometers of the line runs through the Yorkshire Dales National Park, through green valleys, moorland and marshy areas. Completed in 1876, the line has 21 viaducts and 19 tunnels, the most famous is the Ribblehead Viaduct, 400 meters long and 32 meters high.
St. Ives Bay Line – a short seven kilometer branch from St. Erth to St. Ives, built in 1877 to carry passengers from London to St. Ives from the mainline railway. The line runs along the coastline and the journey takes about 10 minutes.
Cotswold Line – a line connecting the historic towns of Oxford and Hereford. The length of the line is 139.2 km, and it is known for its picturesque landscape of the English countryside and interesting places along the way. Commissioned in 1851, modernized in 2008-2011. Another attraction are the railway tunnels: Colwall Tunnels (1,433 m), Ledbury Tunnel (1,210 m), as well as the viaducts in Worcester and Ledbury.
Apart from the lines mentioned above, the following lines are characterized by great landscape values:
Esk Valley Railway – scenic between Middlesbrough and Whitby, 48 kilometers long. The line follows the course of the River Esk and is considered one of the most rural railway lines in England. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs vintage trains between Whitby and Grosmont.
The Durham – Berwick Upon-Tweed line – many interesting places along the way.
Carlisle – Camforth – a local line, appears in various combinations on lists.
Hope Valley Line – a railway line connecting Sheffield and Manchester. The line was completed in 1894. Viaducts, tunnels (for example Totley Tunnel, the fourth-longest tunnel in England), historic villages and the Peak District National Park.
Related articles:
Train travel in Great Britain
The best heritage railways in England
The best narrow gauge railways in England
