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List of closed railway lines in Great Britain

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This list is for railway lines which are now disused, closed or dismantled.

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This list is for railway lines which are now disused, closed or dismantled.

See also:

List of railway lines in Great Britain for extant lines.
List of closed railway stations in Britain
History of rail transport in Great Britain
History of rail transport in Great Britain
The railway system of Great Britain, the principal territory of the United Kingdom, is the oldest in the world. The system was originally built as a patchwork of local rail links operated by small private railway companies. These isolated links developed during the railway boom of the 1840s into a...

England

Name of Line	Builder	Route (From/To)	Closure Date	Notes
Allhallows-on-Sea Allhallows, Kent Allhallows is a village and civil parish on the Hoo Peninsula in Kent, England. The parish is bounded on the north side by the River Thames, the northernmost part of mainland Kent, and in the east by the course of Yantlet creek, now silted up... to Stoke Junction	SR Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway , was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England and Kent...	Stoke Junction to Allhallows	4 December 1961	Southern branch off the Hoo branch line Hundred of Hoo Railway \|}The Hundred of Hoo Railway is a railway line in Kent, following the North Kent Line from Gravesend before diverging at Hoo Junction near Shorne Marshes and continuing in an easterly direction across the Hoo Peninsula, passing near the villages of Cooling, High Halstow, Cliffe and Stoke before... (off the North Kent Line North Kent Line The North Kent Line is a railway line which connects central and south east London with Dartford and Medway.-Construction:The North Kent Line was the means by which the South Eastern Railway were able to connect its system to London at London Bridge... ) (opened 14 May 1932
Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway The Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway is a former railway in the Cotswold Hills in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, England.-Origins and development:...	GWR Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835, and ran its first trains three years later...	Banbury to Cheltenham
Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway The Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway was a railway in Hampshire, UK, opened on Saturday, 1 June, 1901, with no formal ceremony.It was the first railway to be enabled by an Order of the Light Railway Commission under the Light Railways Act of 1896...	LSWR	Basingstoke to Alton	May 1936	Passenger service withdrawn 1932
Benwick goods railway Benwick goods railway \|}The Benwick Goods Railway was a Great Eastern Railway line serving the village of Benwick, Cambridgeshire.-History:The line was built in 1898 as a goods only line for moving agricultural produce from the Benwick area. It left the Ely to Peterborough line at Three Horseshoes Junction in Turves,...			1898	1966
Bishops Waltham Branch Bishops Waltham branch -Description:The Bishops Waltham branch was a railway line in Hampshire. It ran from Botley on the Eastleigh-Fareham line to Bishops Waltham. The line was opened by the LSWR on 1 June 1863, closed to passengers on 31 December 1932 and finally closed to freight in 1962.The line followed the course...
Brightlingsea branch	GER Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia... ?	Wivenhoe Wivenhoe Wivenhoe is a town in north eastern Essex, England. Historically Wivenhoe village, on the banks of the River Colne, and Wivenhoe Cross, on the higher ground to the north, were two separate settlements but with considerable development in the 19th century the two have merged.In 2008, the town had a... to Brightlingsea Brightlingsea Brightlingsea is a coastal town in the Tendring district of Essex, England, located between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, situated at the mouth of the River Colne, on Brightlingsea Creek. It has an estimated population of 8500....
Buckinghamshire Railway Buckinghamshire Railway The Buckinghamshire Railway was a railway in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England that provided services between Bletchley and Banbury, and between Bletchley and Oxford...		Banbury to Verney Junction(Where it joined the Varsity Line Varsity Line Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, London, Midland and Scottish Railway and British Railways... )	January 1961	Freight services lasted till June 1966
	SER South Eastern Railway (UK) South Eastern Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which linked London with Kent.The company was formed from the London and Greenwich Railway and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway...	Rochester Bridge Junction to Chatham Central		SER branch from North Kent Line North Kent Line The North Kent Line is a railway line which connects central and south east London with Dartford and Medway.-Construction:The North Kent Line was the means by which the South Eastern Railway were able to connect its system to London at London Bridge... to rival LCDR's Chatham Main Line Chatham Main Line The Chatham Main Line is a British railway line that runs from London Victoria to Dover Priory or Ramsgate via the Medway Towns and Bromley... - closed with advent of SECR circa 1890s
Cambridge to Mildenhall railway Cambridge to Mildenhall railway The Cambridge to Mildenhall railway is a closed railway between Cambridge and Mildenhall in England. The line was built by the Great Eastern Railway and opened from Cambridge to Fordham on 2 June 1884 and then to Mildenhall on 1 April 1885 with a length of ....	GER Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...	Cambridge Cambridge The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen.... to Mildenhall Mildenhall, Suffolk Mildenhall is a small market town and civil parish in Suffolk, England. It is run by Forest Heath District Council and has a population of 9,906 people. The town is near the A11 and is located north-west of county town, Ipswich. The large Royal Air Force base, RAF Mildenhall, is located...	1965
Canterbury and Whitstable Railway Canterbury and Whitstable Railway \|}The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, sometimes referred to colloquially as the Crab and Winkle Line, was an early British railway that opened in 1830 between Canterbury and Whitstable in the county of Kent, England.- Early history :...				aka "Crab and Winkle Line" - 1830-1952
Chester & Connah's Quay Railway Chester & Connah's Quay Railway \|}.The Chester & Connah's Quay Railway ran from Chester Northgate in Chester, Cheshire, England to Shotton, Flintshire, Wales.It was built by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and was opened on 31 March 1890.At Dee Marsh Junction it connected with the North Wales and Liverpool...
Colne Valley and Halstead Railway Colne Valley and Halstead Railway \|}The Colne Valley and Halstead Railway is a closed railway between Haverhill, Suffolk and Chappel and Wakes Colne, Essex, in England.-History:...	CV&HR	Chappel & Wakes Colne to Haverhill	April 1965	Opened in stages from 1860 to 1863. In 1865 GER opened a spur to Haverhill North and the LNER closed Haverhill South to passengers in 1924. Completely closed to passengers and fully closed between Great Yeldham and Colne Valley Junction, Haverhill on December 30 1961. Part now survives as the Colne Valley Railway Colne Valley Railway The Colne Valley Railway is a heritage railway based at Castle Hedingham station, near Halstead in Essex, England. The railway consists of a mile-long running line, with a fully reconstructed station, signal box and railway yard... and the East Anglian Railway Museum East Anglian Railway Museum The East Anglian Railway Museum is located at Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station in Essex, which is situated on the former Great Eastern Railway branch line from Marks Tey to Sudbury... is located at Chappel and Wakes Colne Station.
Corringham Light Railway Corringham Light Railway The Corringham Light Railway was incorporated on 10 July 1899 and opened to freight on 1 January 1901 and to passengers on 22 June 1901. It ran in the marshlands of South Essex, England and closed to passengers on the 1st March 1952.-Overview:...	Kynoch Kynoch Kynoch was a manufacturer of ammunition, later incorporated into ICI but remaining as a brand name for sporting cartridges.-History:Kynoch was established in Witton in Birmingham in 1862 by Scottish entrepreneur George Kynoch when he opened a percussion cap factory in Witton...	Thames Haven to Corringham via Kynochtown (now Coryton)	1952	Built under the 1896 Light Railways Act Light Railways Act 1896 The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . It defined a class of railways with the intention of enabling development of such railways without legislation specific to each line. A light railway is not a tramway but a separate class... to link Kynoch's explosives factory to the London Tilbury and Southend Railway at Thames Haven and to Corringham Corringham, Essex Corringham is a small English town within the unitary authority of Thurrock and one of the traditional parishes. It is situated in the east of the borough of Thurrock and has over time come to be considered an area within the larger neighbouring town of Stanford-Le-Hope... . Corringham section closed 1952, remainder in upgraded form serves Coryton Refinery Coryton Refinery Coryton Refinery is an oil refinery in Essex, England, situated on the estuary of the River Thames some from the centre of London.The refinery is located between Shell Haven Creek and Hole Haven Creek, which separates Canvey Island from the mainland.... . (1900/1-1952).
Cranleigh Line Cranleigh Line The Cranleigh Line was a short railway line that connected Guildford, the county town of Surrey, with the West Sussex market town of Horsham, via Cranleigh, a distance of 19¼ miles...	Horsham & Guildford Direct Railway	Horsham to Guildford via Cranleigh	14 June 1965
Cromford and High Peak Railway Cromford and High Peak Railway The Cromford and High Peak Railway in Derbyshire, England, was completed in 1831, to carry minerals and goods between the Cromford Canal wharf at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge.-Origins:...
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway was a cross-country railway running north-south between Didcot, Newbury and Southampton although it actually reached the latter by running over the London and South Western Railway tracks from Shawford Junction, south of Winchester...	DN&SR	Didcot to Shawford Junction	1967
Dover Marine or Dover Western Docks				For boat trains from Chatham Main Line Chatham Main Line The Chatham Main Line is a British railway line that runs from London Victoria to Dover Priory or Ramsgate via the Medway Towns and Bromley... / SER Main Line
East Kent Railways East Kent Railways East Kent Railway may refer to:* East Kent Railway, the predecessor of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway* East Kent Light Railway, one of the Colonel Stephens railways* East Kent Railway , a present-day heritage railway...				A series of lines built under the 1896 Light Railways Act Light Railways Act 1896 The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . It defined a class of railways with the intention of enabling development of such railways without legislation specific to each line. A light railway is not a tramway but a separate class... from 1911-17 around the East Kent Coalfield. Closed with decline of coalfield, part is still a heritage railway.
Edgware, Highgate and London Railway Edgware, Highgate and London Railway The Edgware, Highgate and London Railway was a railway in north London. The railway was a precursor of parts of London Underground's Northern Line and was, in the 1930s the core of an ambitious expansion plan for that line which was thwarted by the Second World War...
Elham Valley Railway Elham Valley Railway The Elham Valley Railway is a disused railway line that runs through the Elham Valley connecting Folkestone and Canterbury in East Kent. It was operational from 1887 to 1947.- History :...	SER South Eastern Railway (UK) South Eastern Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which linked London with Kent.The company was formed from the London and Greenwich Railway and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway...	Canterbury West and Folkestone West	1947	Opened in 1890 by SER, lasted until 1947. Branch ran for 16 miles
Eryholme-Richmond branch line Eryholme-Richmond branch line \|}The Eryholme-Richmond branch line was opened in 1846 by the York and Newcastle Railway Company. The original section of the line ran from between a point in between Darlington and Northallerton on what is now the East Coast Main Line and the terminus at Richmond.-Catterick sub branch:The start of...	Y&NR		1969	Opened in 1846. Catterick sub-branch constructed during WWI World War I World War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
Fairlop Loop Fairlop Loop The Fairlop Loop was a 6.5 mile branch line of the Great Eastern Railway . It was opened to passenger traffic on 1 May 1903 , and connected Woodford on the Ongar Branch to Ilford on the Main Line, along with an eastward freight-only connection to Seven...	GER	Woodford to Ilford	1956	Woodford to Newbury Park was transferred to London Underground Central line Central Line The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Out of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground... in 1947-8, but Ilford and Seven Kings to Newbury Park connections removed by 1956. Freight trains on remaining section operated by BR till 1965
Gravesend West Line Gravesend West Line The Gravesend West Line was a short railway line in Kent that branched off the Swanley to Chatham line at Fawkham Junction and continued for a distance of 5 miles to Gravesend where the railway company constructed a pier to connect trains with steamers...	LCDR	Longfield Halt to Gravesend West	1968	Opened in 1886. Passenger traffic ceased in 1953.
Great Central Great Central Main Line \|}The Great Central Main Line , also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway opened in 1899 linking Sheffield with Marylebone Station in London via Nottingham and Leicester...		London to Sheffield		Opened in 1899, closed 1966-69. Part still open between London Marylebone to Verney Junction north of Aylesbury Aylesbury Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in south east England. In the 2001 census the Aylesbury Urban Area, which includes Bierton, Fairford Leys, Stoke Mandeville and Watermead, had a population of 69,021, which included 56,392 for the Aylesbury civil parish.-History:The town name is of... .
Harborne Branch Line Harborne Branch Line \|}The Harborne Branch Line was a short railway branch line that connected the city centre of Birmingham, England with the outlying suburb of Harborne.-Origin:...
Hawkhurst Branch	SER South Eastern Railway (UK) South Eastern Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which linked London with Kent.The company was formed from the London and Greenwich Railway and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway...	Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst	1961	Opened in 1892 and ran for a distance of 11½ miles.
Helston Railway Helston Railway \|}Helston Railway was a railway branch line in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It opened in 1887 and closed in 1962. The line branched from the Cornish Main Line at Gwinear Road railway station and ran south to Helston....	GWR		1964
Hincaster Branch Hincaster Branch The Hincaster Branch was a single track railway branch line of the Furness Railway which ran from on the Furness main line to a junction with the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway at Hincaster . Intermediate stations were provided at and Heversham...
Honeybourne Line
Hull and Holderness Railway Hull and Holderness Railway \|}The Hull and Holderness Railway was a branch line in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which connected the city of Kingston upon Hull with the North Sea coast at Withernsea.-History:...			1964
Hull and Hornsea Railway Hull and Hornsea Railway \|}The Hull and Hornsea Railway was a branch line in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which connected the city of Kingston upon Hull with the seaside holiday resort of Hornsea.-Early proposals:...			1964
Hythe and Sandgate Branch Sandgate Branch The Sandgate branch was a three mile long railway branch line that ran from Sandling railway station in Kent on the South Eastern Main Line to Hythe and Sandgate stations...			1951	SER branch off SER main line at Sandling Sandling railway station Sandling railway station serves Sandling in Kent, England. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southeastern. The station is also 7 km west of Folkestone Central on the South Eastern Main Line... to Hythe, Kent Hythe, Kent Hythe is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway on the south coast of Kent. The word Hythe or Hithe is an Old English word meaning Haven or Landing Place.... and Sandgate Sandgate Sandgate can be:Sandgate, KentSandgate CastleSandgate, QueenslandSandgate, New South Wales, a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales*Sandgate, Vermont... .
Ilfracombe Branch Ilfracombe Branch Line The Ilfracombe Branch of the London & South Western Railway , ran between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe in North Devon. The branch opened as a single-track line in 1874, but was sufficiently popular that it needed to be upgraded to double-track in 1889....
Kent and East Sussex Railway Kent and East Sussex Railway The Kent & East Sussex Railway refers to both an historical private railway company in Kent and Sussex in England, as well as a heritage railway currently running on part of the route of the historical company.-Historical Company:-Background:...				1900 to 54/61 - Built under the 1896 Light Railways Act Light Railways Act 1896 The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . It defined a class of railways with the intention of enabling development of such railways without legislation specific to each line. A light railway is not a tramway but a separate class... , part of the line is currently a heritage railway, a large part is still closed.
Lambourn Valley Railway Lambourn Valley Railway \|}The Lambourn Valley Railway was a minor branch railway line running from the town of Newbury, Berkshire north-west to the village of Lambourn. It was opened in 1898. In 1904, the locomotives were sold and two steam railmotors were hired from the Great Western Railway...	LVR	Newbury to Lambourn	1973	Opened in 1893; part of the Great Western Railway Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835, and ran its first trains three years later... from 1905.
Langton Dock Branch Langton Dock Branch The Langton Branch was built in 1885 by the Midland Railway. This branch went from the Cheshire Lines Committee's North Liverpool Extension Line at Fazakerley Junction to Langton Goods station, with a spur to North Mersey Goods...
Leeds-Northallerton Railway Leeds-Northallerton Railway The Leeds-Northallerton railway is a partly disused railway line between West and North Yorkshire, in northern England.-History:The line was opened by the Leeds Northern Railway, in the 1850s.The Leeds and Thirsk Railway via Starbeck opened on 9 July 1848....	LNR		1969	Opened in 1850s, Leeds-Harrogate section still extant, there are plans to reopen Harrogate-Northallerton section by 2014.
Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway The Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway was a narrow gauge railway in Staffordshire, Great Britain that operated between 1904 and 1934. When in operation, the line mainly carried milk from dairies in the region, acting as a feeder to the standard gauge system. It also provided passenger...
Leicester and Swannington Railway Leicester and Swannington Railway The Leicester and Swannington Railway was one of England's first railways, being opened on July 17 1832 to bring coal from pits in west Leicestershire to Leicester.-Overview:...
Liverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway Liverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway The Liverpool, Southport & Preston Junction Railway was formed in 1884, and totaled 7 miles. In 1897 it became part of Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, and on 1 May, 1901, its northern terminus switched from to ....
Long Melford-Bury St Edmunds branch line Long Melford-Bury St Edmunds branch line \|}The Long Melford–Bury St Edmunds branch line was a railway between Long Melford on the Stour Valley Railway and Bury St Edmunds on the Ipswich to Ely Line. The line opened on 9 August 1865 and closed to passengers on 10 April 1961 and freight on 19 April 1965.-Sources:* at Subterranea Britannica...	GER	Long Melford Long Melford Long Melford is a large village and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England. It is on Suffolk's border with Essex, which is marked by the River Stour, approximately from Colchester and from Bury St. Edmunds... to Bury St Edmunds	1965-04-19
Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway The Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway was a railway line, 16 km long, linking Macclesfield with Marple in east Cheshire, England, opened in 1869 by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and the North Staffordshire Railway , as a part of an alternative link between...	MSLR Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed, by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension... and NSR North Staffordshire Railway The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....	Macclesfield to Marple		1970
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway initially served neither Manchester nor the Midlands, since its connection with the North Midland Railway at Ambergate Junction was in a northerly direction...
Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway \|}The Middlesbrough & Guisborough Railway was a railway line serving the towns of Middlesbrough and Guisborough as well as areas of the Eston Hills in North Yorkshire from 1853 through to 1964.-The Beginning:...
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, was a joint railway owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway in eastern England, affectionately known as the 'Muddle and Get Nowhere' to generations of passengers, enthusiasts, and other users.The main line ran from Peterborough to...
Midland and South Western Junction Railway Midland and South Western Junction Railway The Midland and South Western Junction Railway was, until the 1923 Grouping, an independent railway built to form a north-south link between the Midland and London and South Western Railways allowing the Midland and other companies' trains to reach the port of Southampton.-Formation:The M&SWJR...	Merger of earlier railways	Cheltenham to Andover	1961
Muswell Hill Railway
North Lindsey Light Railway North Lindsey Light Railway The North Lindsey Light Railway was a light railway in North Lincolnshire. It was later absorbed by the Great Central Railway and later, on grouping, it passed to theLondon and North Eastern Railway...	NLLR	Scunthorpe Scunthorpe railway station Scunthorpe railway station serves the town of Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire, England. The station is located a short walk from the town centre on Station Road.... to Whitton		Short section still open, freight only
North Liverpool Extension Line North Liverpool Extension Line The North Liverpool Extension Line is a now-disused railway line in Liverpool, England.-History:The line was built by the Cheshire Lines Committee, branching from the Committee's Liverpool to Manchester line at Hunts Cross and skirting the edge of Liverpool before finally arriving at the Walton...
Oxford-Cambridge Line Varsity Line Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, London, Midland and Scottish Railway and British Railways...				Section from Bedford to Bletchley still open (Marston Vale Line) Marston Vale Line The Marston Vale Line is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England. It is one of two surviving passenger-carrying sections of the "Varsity Line" between Oxford and Cambridge....
Palace Gates Line Palace Gates Line The Palace Gates Line was a short railway branch line in north London running from the main line at Seven Sisters station in Tottenham to Palace Gates station in Wood Green....
Potteries Loop Line Potteries Loop Line \|}The Potteries Loop Line was a railway line that ran through the heart of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. It was built by the North Staffordshire Railway off its main line .It was opened in many short sections due to the cost of railway construction during the 1870s...
Preston and Longridge Railway Preston and Longridge Railway The Preston and Longridge Railway was a branch line in Lancashire, England. Originally designed to carry quarried stone in horse-drawn wagons, it became part of an ambitious plan to link the Lancashire coast to the heart of Yorkshire...
"Romney Marsh Line"				Branch from Marshlink Line Marshlink Line \|}The Marshlink Line is the name given to services on the railway line linking Ashford with Hastings in the South East of England. The line was part of an original proposal by a company named the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Company to extend its coast route to Hastings... at Appledore, Kent Appledore, Kent Appledore is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village centre is 12 miles south-west of Ashford town, and on the northern edge of the Romney Marsh The northerly part of this village is Appledore Heath.... to Dungeness Dungeness Dungeness is a headland on the coast of Kent, England, formed largely of a shingle beach in the form of a cuspate foreland. It shelters a large area of low-lying land, Romney Marsh... and New Romney New Romney New Romney is a small town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marshan area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea. New Romney was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now over a mile from the sea... , part of the line is still used for freight to Dungeness nuclear power station - closed circa 1967
"Rye Harbour Branch"				Branch from Marshlink Line Marshlink Line \|}The Marshlink Line is the name given to services on the railway line linking Ashford with Hastings in the South East of England. The line was part of an original proposal by a company named the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Company to extend its coast route to Hastings... at Rye railway station Rye railway station Rye railway station serves Rye in East Sussex, England. It is on the Marshlink Line 18 km east of Hastings providing a passing place between two single track sections. Train services are provided by Southern... to the town distant Harbour (1854 to 1962)
Ryedale Ryedale Ryedale is a non-metropolitan district of the shire county of North Yorkshire in England. Settlements include Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Norton-on-Derwent, Pickering, and Terrington.-Derivation of name:... Lines (Malton, Gilling, Helmsley)
St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway, later known as St Helens Railway, was an early railway company in Lancashire, England, which opened in 1833. It ran originally from the town of St Helens to the area which would later develop into the town of Widnes. Branches were opened to Garston, Warrington...
Saffron Walden Railway Saffron Walden Railway \|}The Saffron Walden Railway was a branch of the Great Eastern Railway between Audley End and Bartlow on the Stour Valley Railway between Shelford to Haverhill, a distance of ....		Audley End Audley End railway station Audley End railway station serves the small village of Wendens Ambo and the nearby town of Saffron Walden. The station is named after the manor of Audley End in Essex. There was formerly a platform at the east end of the station for a branch line to Saffron Walden, though this was closed in 1964... to Bartlow Bartlow Bartlow is a village and civil parish in the South Cambridgeshire district of Cambridgeshire, England, about south-east of Cambridge and seven miles west of Haverhill in Suffolk....	December 1964
Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway \|}The Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway was a railway that ran in the English counties of Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset from 1866 until its closure in 1964. Working from Salisbury, trains left the Salisbury to Southampton line at the remote Alderbury Junction. Here there was a signal box,...
Scarborough to Whitby Branch
Scarborough to Pickering Branch Forge Valley Line The Forge Valley Line was a 16 mile long branch of the North Eastern Railway between Seamer and Pickering. The line was intended to link Scarborough with Pickering...				The Forge Valley Line
Rugby to Leamington Line	LNWR	Rugby Rugby, Warwickshire Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county... to Leamington Spa Leamington Spa Leamington Spa, properly Royal Leamington Spa, commonly Leamington or "Leam" to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr...
Sheppey Light Railway Sheppey Light Railway \|}The Sheppey Light Railway was a railway on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England which ran from Leysdown to Queenborough, where it connected with the South Eastern and Chatham Railway's Sheerness Line. It was engineered by Holman Fred Stephens and opened in 1901 and closed on December 4 1950...				SECR branch off Sheerness Line Sheerness Line \|}The Sheerness Line connects Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent with Sittingbourne on the mainland, and with the Chatham Main Line for trains to London and elsewhere in Kent... - 1901-1950 - Built under the 1896 Light Railways Act Light Railways Act 1896 The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . It defined a class of railways with the intention of enabling development of such railways without legislation specific to each line. A light railway is not a tramway but a separate class... .
Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company The Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company was a Company in England, formed in 1846, which managed several canals and a railway. It was leased by the London and North Western Railway from 1847, and bought by it in 1922, but continued to act as a semi-autonomous body, managing the canals until...
Skelmersdale Branch Skelmersdale Branch The Skelmersdale Branch railway connected the Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway at Ormskirk with Rainford Junction . At Rainford it connected with the Liverpool and Bury Railway and the St. Helens Railway. It was built by the East Lancashire Railway, which was taken over by the Lancashire...
Somerset & Dorset Joint Line Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...	Merger of earlier railways	Bath to Bournemouth	1966
South Staffordshire Line South Staffordshire Line The South Staffordshire Line was a railway line that connected Lichfield in Staffordshire, England with Dudley, formerly in Worcestershire. However, it joined the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway's line just north of Dudley Station, where it, in essence, continued to Stourbridge, in...				(section between Brierley Hill and Walsall)
Stafford and Uttoxeter Railway Stafford and Uttoxeter Railway The Stafford and Uttoxeter Railway was created by Act of Parliament in 1862, to run between Stafford and Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, England.It opened for traffic in 1867. It was nicknamed the Clog and Knocker....
Stour Valley Railway Stour Valley Railway \|}The Stour Valley Railway is a partially closed railway line that ran between , near Cambridge and in Essex, England. The line opened in sections between 1849 and 1865...		Shelford Shelford railway station Shelford railway station serves the villages of Great Shelford, Little Shelford and Stapleford in Cambridgeshire, England.-Service Patterns:A train leaves hourly in each direction... to Marks Tey Marks Tey railway station Marks Tey railway station is a railway station serving the village of Marks Tey in Essex, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line and is also a junction for the Sudbury Branch Line.The station is served by National Express East Anglia...	1967-03-06	Eastern end remains open as the Gainsborough Line
Southsea Railway Southsea Railway The Southsea Railway was a branch of the Portsmouth Direct Line.It was opened in 1885 from Fratton Station, terminating at East Southsea Station . It was 1.25 miles long and almost completely level. Two unstaffed halts were added in 1904 at Albert Road and Jessie Road/Devonshire Avenue...
Spa Valley Railway Spa Valley Railway The Spa Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway that runs between Tunbridge Wells, High Rocks, Groombridge, and Birchden; crossing the Kent and East Sussex border, a distance of 4 miles, along the former Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line / Cuckoo Line. Its headquarters is...
Steyning Line Steyning Line \|}The Steyning Line was a railway line that connected the West Sussex market town of Horsham with the once bustling south-coast port of Shoreham-by-Sea, with the possibility of an onward connection to Brighton...	LBSCR	Horsham Horsham Horsham is a market town situated on the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, in the county of West Sussex, England with a population of 55,657 . It lies south southwest from London, northwest from Brighton and northeast from the county town of Chichester. Nearby towns include Crawley to the... to Shoreham-by-Sea Shoreham-by-Sea Shoreham-by-Sea is a small town, port and seaside resort, also being the major settlement in the Adur District of West Sussex in South East England. Shoreham-by-Sea railway station is located less than a mile from the town centre and London Gatwick Airport is 23 miles away...	7 March 1966	Trackbed is now part of Downs Link Downs Link The Downs Link is a 36.7-mile footpath and bridleway linking the North Downs Way at St. Martha's Hill in Surrey with the South Downs Way near Steyning in West Sussex and on via the Coastal Link to Shoreham-by-Sea.- History :... footpath
LBSCR link between Oxted Line Oxted Line The Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise.... and SER's Hastings Line Hastings Line The Hastings Line is a railway line in Kent and East Sussex linking Hastings with the main town of Tunbridge Wells, and from there into London via Sevenoaks.-Openings:The line was opened by the South Eastern Railway in main three stages:...
Thetford to Bury St Edmunds line Thetford to Bury St Edmunds line \|}The Thetford to Bury St Edmunds line is a closed railway between Thetford in Norfolk and Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England. It was a single line railway of .The line opened on 1 March 1876 and was bought by the GER two years later...		Thetford Thetford Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland area of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just south of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , has a population of 21,588 -History:... to Bury St Edmunds	27 June 1960
Watford and Rickmansworth Railway Watford and Rickmansworth Railway The Watford and Rickmansworth Railway Company was a short-lived company that ran services between Watford and Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, England...
Waveney Valley Line Waveney Valley Line The Waveney Valley Line was a branch line running from Tivetshall in Norfolk to Beccles in Suffolk connecting the Great Eastern Main Line at Tivetshall with the East Suffolk Line at . It provided services to Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Ipswich and many other smaller towns in Suffolk with...	GER	Tivetshall to Beccles Beccles Beccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of Suffolk, England, within an area known as The Broads. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of...	19 April 1966	Passenger services widthdrawn 3 January 1953
Wealden Line Wealden Line Taking its name from its route through the chalk hills of the North and South Downs of the Weald, England, the Wealden Line is a partly abandoned double track railway line in East Sussex and Kent that connected Lewes with Tunbridge Wells, a distance of ....	LBSCR	Lewes to Uckfield	1969	Opened 1856. The line north of Lewes remains open.
Weedon to Marton Junction line	LNWR	Weedon Bec Weedon Bec Weedon Bec, usually just called "Weedon" is a large village and parish in the district of Daventry, Northamptonshire, England. It lies close to the source of the River Nene.-Demographics:... to Marton Marton, Warwickshire Marton is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England. The village is part of the borough of Rugby and in the 2001 census had a population of 484.... Junction.	1963	Opened 1888-95
West Lancashire Railway West Lancashire Railway \|}The West Lancashire Railway ran northeast from Southport to Preston in northwest England.-History:Construction was started by Samuel Swire the Mayor of Southport, on 19 April 1873....
Westerham branch Westerham Valley Branch Line \|}The Westerham Valley Branch Line was a short railway line in Kent that connected Westerham, Brasted and Chevening with the village of Dunton Green and the South Eastern Main Line, a distance of 4.5 miles .- History :...	SER	Dunton Green to Westerham	1961	off SER main line, see Westerham Westerham railway station Westerham railway station served the village of Westerham in Kent from 1881 until its closure in 1961.- History :No railway was ever constructed all the way between Sevenoaks and Redhill to parallel what is now the A25 road and the Pilgrims' Way... and Brasted Brasted railway station Brasted is a disused intermediate railway station on the closed Westerham Valley Branch Line in Kent.The station was built by the Westerham Valley Railway Company and soon taken over by the South Eastern Railway which became the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899...
Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway The Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway was conceived and built initially as a tramway to link the three small North Somerset coastal towns of Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Portishead in the 1880s.-Overview:...
Weymouth Harbour Tramway Weymouth Harbour Tramway The Weymouth Harbour Tramway is a goods and passenger railway constructed almost entirely on the streets of Weymouth, England...
Whitby-Saltburn Branch
Wirral Line (Hooton to West Kirby branch)
Witham-Maldon branch line Witham-Maldon branch line \|}The Witham-Maldon branch line is a long closed railway line between Witham and Maldon in Essex, England which operated between 1848 and finally closed in 1966.-Infrastructure:...	Maldon, Witham & Braintree Railway	Witham to Maldon Maldon, Essex Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...	1966
Woodhead Line Woodhead Line The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District through the Woodhead Tunnels...
Woodside and South Croydon Railway Woodside and South Croydon Railway \|}The Woodside and South Croydon Railway was a short, relatively short-lived and unsuccessful railway in the London Borough of Croydon in London, England. Its site is now largely occupied by Tramlink.- Route :- History :...	LBSCR	Sanderstead to Elmers End	1983	Also known as the "Back Garden Railway";
York to Beverley Line York to Beverley Line The York to Beverley Line formed the major part of a railway which ran directly between the English cities of York and Hull. It crossed the largely flat terrain of the Yorkshire Wolds and serviced the towns of Stamford Bridge, Pocklington, Market Weighton and Beverley.-Construction:The project for...

Scotland

See also Template:Historical Scottish railway companies

Name of Line	Builder	Route (From/To)	Closure Date
Bridge of Weir Railway Bridge of Weir Railway The Bridge of Weir Railway ran from Elderslie, Scotland, to Bridge of Weir. It was closed in January 1983.- Formation :The line from Elderslie to Bridge of Weir was built originally as the Bridge of Weir Railway, which had opened to passengers in 1864 between Johnstone and Bridge of Weir...
Callander and Oban Railway Callander and Oban Railway The Callander and Oban Railway company was formed in 1864 with the objective of linking Callander, Scotland to the west coast port of Oban over challenging terrain, particularly at Glen Ogle and the Pass of Brander at Loch Awe. Callander had been reached in 1858 by the Dunblane, Doune and Callander...
Crieff and Methven Junction Railway
Dalry and North Johnstone Line Dalry and North Johnstone Line The Dalry and North Johnstone Line was a branch of the Glasgow and South Western Railway in Renfrewshire and Ayrshire, Scotland, connecting the stations in Elderslie and Dalry via a route running parallel to the existing line built by the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway...
Darvel and Strathaven Railway
Darvel Branch Line
Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway The Dunblane, Doune and Callander Railway had been incorporated in 1846, but the powers were initially unexercised. Ten years later construction commenced, with Callander being reached in 1858...
Greenock and Ayrshire Railway Greenock and Ayrshire Railway The Greenock and Ayrshire Railway ran from Greenock, Scotland to Bridge of Weir. It closed progressively between 1959 and 1983. Despite its name it never reached Ayrshire; however by means of the line to Johnstone on the Bridge of Weir Railway trains could head directly to Ayrshire.- Formation :The...
Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway The Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway was a branch-line railway built in Scotland, and served by the Highland Railway, the North British Railway and later the London & North Eastern Railway- Beginnings :...
Killin Railway Killin Railway The Killin Railway opened to traffic on 13 March 1886, linking the Callander and Oban Railway to Killin.- History :Passenger services between and were withdrawn at the outbreak of the Second World War on 11 September 1939, and were not reinstated after the war...
Kincardine Line Kincardine Line The Kincardine Line was a railway in Clackmannanshire and Fife, Scotland connecting the stations in Alloa and near Dunfermline along the north shore of the Firth of Forth. From Charlestown Junction a short branch line to Charlestown on the shore of the Forth ran. This branch line had been part of...
Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway The Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway was a railway company in Scotland built in the late 19th century that provided services between Ardrossan and Glasgow, with branches to Irvine and Kilbirnie. The line was operated by the Caledonian Railway with an aim to compete with the Glasgow and South...
Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway - Early days :The Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was authorised in 1891, and opened in stages between 26 November 1894 and 1 October 1896.On 16 August 1909 the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway was absorbed into the Caledonian Railway...
Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie Railway
Maidens and Dunure Railway
Morayshire Railway Morayshire Railway The Morayshire Railway was the first railway to be built north of Aberdeen, in Scotland. It received royal assent in 1846 but construction did not start until 1851 due to the economic conditions existing in the United Kingdom at the time. The railway was built in two phases with the section from...	Morayshire Railway	Elgin to Lossiemouth Lossiemouth Lossiemouth is a town in Moray, Scotland. Originally the port belonging to Elgin, it became an important and innovative fishing town. Although there has been over a 1,000 years of settlement in the area, the present day town was formed over the past 250 years and consists of four separate... Elgin to Craigellachie Craigellachie Craigellachie may refer to:* Craigellachie, British Columbia, Canada* Craigellachie, Moray, Scotland* Craigellachie, New Zealand* Craigellachie, a National Nature Reserve near Aviemore, Scotland* Craigellachie Bridge* Craigellachie Whisky...	Elgin to Lossiemouth – 28 March 1966 Elgin to Craigellechie – 4 November 1968
Paisley and Renfrew Railway Paisley and Renfrew Railway The Paisley and Renfrew railway was a railway line from the town of Paisley to its neighbouring town Renfrew; and to the River Clyde at Renfrew wharf. The railway was built to the Scotch gauge of...
Perth, Almond Valley & Methven Railway Perth, Almond Valley & Methven Railway The Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Railway ran from Almond Valley Junction, 1½ miles north of Perth to the small town of Methven 6½ miles along the Almond Valley....
Stirling and Dunfermline Railway Stirling and Dunfermline Railway The Stirling and Dunfermline Railway was a railway in Clackmannanshire and Fife, Scotland connecting the stations in Stirling and Dunfermline. It had a branch line from Alloa to Tillicoultry.-Closure:...
Sutherland and Caithness Railway Sutherland and Caithness Railway The Sutherland and Caithness Railway was a railway worked by, and later absorbed by the Highland Railway running through Sutherland and Caithness, Scotland. Caithness and Sutherland are former counties, and former districts of the Highland region.- History :...
Waverley Line Waverley Line The Waverley Route is an abandoned double track railway line that ran south from Edinburgh in Scotland through Midlothian and the Scottish Borders to Carlisle in England. It was built by the North British Railway Company; the first section, from Edinburgh to Hawick opened in 1849. The final...
Wick and Lybster Railway Wick and Lybster Railway The Wick and Lybster Railway was a light railway worked by, and later absorbed by the Highland Railway in Caithness, Scotland following a coastal route south from Wick to Lybster. It was intended to profit from the fishery based in Lybster but the harbour declined not long after the line opened...

Wales

Name of Line	Builder	Route (From/To)	Closure Date	Notes
Bala Ffestiniog Line Bala Ffestiniog Line The Bala and Ffestiniog Railway was a standard-gauge railway backed by the Great Western Railway railway in North Wales which connected Bala with Blaenau Ffestiniog.- History :...
Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway \|}The Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway was a 21-mile long railway progressively opened between 1859 and 1891 as a coal carrier....
Carmarthen Aberystwyth Line
Carnarvonshire Railway Carnarvonshire Railway The Carnarvonshire Railway was a railway connecting Caernarfon railway station with Afon Wen.-History:...
Coleford, Monmouth, Usk & Pontypool Railway	CUMPR	Monmouth Monmouth Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire... to Pontypool Pontypool Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales....	12 October 1957	The line never reached Coleford Coleford Coleford may refer to a number of settlements in England:* Coleford, Devon* Coleford, Gloucestershire* Coleford, Somerset... due to the fact that GWR bought it. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1955.
Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway \|}The Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway was a standard-gauge line which connected Corwen with Denbigh via Ruthin.At Corwen the line connected with the Ruabon Barmouth Line....
Denbigh & Mold Junction Railway Denbigh & Mold Junction Railway The Mold and Denbigh Junction Railway was incorporated in north Wales, on the 6 August 1861 to build a link railway between the Mold Railway and the Vale of Clwyd Railway. It closed to passengers in 1962...
Ruabon Barmouth Line Ruabon Barmouth Line The Ruabon to Barmouth Line was a standard-gauge branch line of the Great Western Railway across the north of Wales which connected Ruabon, in the east, with Barmouth on the west coast.-Connections:...
Swansea and Mumbles Railway Swansea and Mumbles Railway The Swansea and Mumbles Railway was the world's first passenger railway service , located in Swansea, Wales.Originally built under an Act of Parliament of 1804 to move limestone from the quarries of Mumbles to Swansea and to the markets beyond, it carried the world's first fare-paying railway...
Vale of Clwyd Railway Vale of Clwyd Railway \|}The Vale of Clwyd Railway was a standard-gauge line which connected the towns of Rhyl and Denbigh via St. Asaph.At Rhyl the line connected with the North Wales Coast Line....
Wye Valley Railway Wye Valley Railway The Wye Valley Railway ran for nearly between Chepstow and Monmouth along the lower part of the scenic Wye Valley in Monmouthshire, Wales, and Gloucestershire, England. It followed the route of the River Wye for most of it's length. The line opened on 1 November 1876 as an independent company but...	WVR	Chepstow Chepstow Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway... to Monmouth Monmouth Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire...	4 January 1964	Passenger Services were withdrawn on 4 January 1959. Freight trains carrying Limestone Limestone Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite . The deposition of limestone strata is often a by-product and indicator of biological activity in the geologic record... to Dayhouse Quarries continued until 1992.