List of railway lines in Great Britain

This is a list of railway lines in Great Britain that are currently in operation, split by country and region.
There are a limited number of main inter-regional lines, with all but one entering Greater London.[1] The line from London to the Channel Tunnel is the only line designated 'high speed', although the other main routes also operate limited-stop express services.
The bulk of the secondary network is concentrated in London and the surrounding East and South East regions; an area marketed by National Rail as London and the South East. The majority of these lines are radial to London.[2] There is a further concentration of routes around Birmingham in the West Midlands[3] and in the urbanised part of northern England that stretches from Liverpool in the west, via Greater Manchester to Leeds in the east.[4]
Some areas, such as Wales and Scotland, have relatively sparse railway provision.[1] There are local lines throughout all areas of Great Britain with some services designated as community railways.
England
London

This is a list of routes entirely contained within Greater London.[5]
Terminus
| Name | End and major calling points | Countries and regions | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiltern Main Line | London, High Wycombe, Bicester, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Solihull, Birmingham | England: London, South East, West Midlands | Main Line 100 mph |
| East Coast Main Line | London, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh | England: East, East Midlands, London, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber; Scotland | High Speed Main Line 125 mph |
| Great Eastern Main Line | London, Ipswich, Norwich | England: East, London | Main Line 100 mph |
| Great Western Main Line | London, Bristol | England: London, South East, South West | High Speed Main Line 125 mph |
| High Speed 1 | London, Channel Tunnel | England: East, London, South East. Continental Europe: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany | High Speed Line 186 mph |
| Midland Main Line | London, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield | England: East, East Midlands, London, Yorkshire and the Humber | High Speed Main Line 125 mph |
| South West Main Line | London, Southampton, Bournemouth, Weymouth | England: London, South East, South West | Main Line 100 mph |
| West Coast Main Line | London, Glasgow with spurs to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Holyhead and Edinburgh | England: London, North West, South East, West Midlands; Scotland; North Wales | High Speed Main Line 125 mph |
South East England

This is a list of all routes that enter the South East England region.
South West

This is a list of all routes that enter the South West England region.
| Name | Route, or previous name | Opened | Regions | Electrified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Coast Line | Par to Newquay | 1874 | South West | — |
| Avocet Line | Exeter to Exmouth | 1862 | South West | — |
| Bristol–Exeter line | 1841–1842 | South West | — | |
| Cornish Main Line | Plymouth to Penzance | 1867 | South West | — |
| Cotswold Line | Oxford to Hereford | 1851–1860 | South East, South West, West Midlands | — |
| Dartmoor line | Exeter to Okehampton | 1851–1871 | South West | — |
| Exeter–Plymouth line | 1846–1849 | South West | — | |
| Gloucester–Newport line | 1850 | South West | — | |
| Golden Valley line | Swindon to Cheltenham Spa | 1845 | South West | — |
| Heart of Wessex Line | Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth | 1857 | South West | — |
| Looe Valley Line | Liskeard to Looe | 1860–1901 | South West | — |
| Maritime Line | Truro to Falmouth Docks | 1863 | South West | — |
| Reading–Taunton line | 1847–1906 | South East, South West | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC (partial) | |
| Riviera Line | Exeter St Davids to Paignton | 1846–1859 | South West | — |
| Severn Beach line | Bristol to Severn Beach | 1840–1900 | South West | — |
| South Wales Main Line | Swindon to Swansea | 1850–1903 | South West, South Wales | — |
| St Ives Bay Line | St Erth to St Ives | 1877 | South West | — |
| Tamar Valley Line | Plymouth to Gunnislake | 1890–1908 | South West | — |
| Tarka Line | Exeter to Barnstaple | 1851–1854 | South West | — |
| Wessex Main Line | Bristol to Southampton | 1847–1856 | South East, South West | — |
| West of England line | SWML to Exeter | 1854–1860 | South East, South West | — |
Terminus
| Name | End and major calling points | Countries and regions | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Country Route | Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, York | England: East Midlands, South West, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands | High Speed Main Line 125 mph |
| South Wales Main Line | Bristol, Swansea via Cardiff | England: South West; Wales: South | Main Line (100 mph) |
North West England

This is a list of all routes that enter the North West England region.
West Midlands

This is a list of all routes that enter the West Midlands region.
| Name | Route, or previous name | Opened | Regions | Electrified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham to Peterborough line | 1840–1860 | East, East Midlands, West Midlands | — | |
| Birmingham to Worcester via Bromsgrove Line | 1840–1879 | West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC (partial) | |
| Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster line | 1852–1867 | West Midlands | — | |
| Camp Hill line | 1840-1841 | West Midlands | — | |
| Chase Line | Birmingham New Street to Walsall and Rugeley | 1837–1859 (partly closed 1965, reopened 1989–1997) | West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
| Chiltern Main Line | Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill | 1852–1910 | London, South East, West Midlands | — |
| Cotswold Line | Oxford to Hereford | 1851–1860 | South East, South West, West Midlands | — |
| Coventry–Leamington line | 1851 | West Midlands | — | |
| Coventry–Nuneaton line | 1850 | West Midlands | — | |
| Crewe–Derby line | 1848 | East Midlands, North West, West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC (partial) | |
| Cross-City Line | Redditch or Bromsgrove to Lichfield | 1837–1876 | West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
| Cross Country Route | 1948 | East Midlands, North East, Scotland, South West, Wales, West Anglia, & West Midlands | — | |
| Leamington–Stratford line | 1860 | West Midlands | — | |
| Leicester–Burton upon Trent line | 1832–1849 | East Midlands, West Midlands | — | |
| Northampton loop | 1881 | East Midlands, West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC | |
| North Warwickshire Line | Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon | 1908 | West Midlands | — |
| Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line | 1837 | West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC | |
| Shrewsbury–Chester line | 1848 | North West, West Midlands | — | |
| Stafford–Manchester line | 1848–1887 | North West, West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC | |
| Stone to Colwich Line | 1849 | West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC | |
| Stourbridge Town branch line | 1879 | West Midlands | — | |
| Sutton Park line | Walsall to Castle Bromwich and Water Orton | 1879 | West Midlands | — |
| Trent Valley line | part of the West Coast Main Line | 1847 | West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
| Walsall–Wolverhampton line | 1837 | West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC | |
| Welsh Marches line | Newport to Shrewsbury | 1852–1858 |
| — |
| Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line | 1848–1849 | West Midlands | — |
East of England

This is a list of all routes that enter the East of England region.
East Midlands

This is a list of all routes that enter the East Midlands region.
| Name | Route, or previous name | Opened | Regions | Electrified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barton line | Barton-on-Humber to Cleethorpes | 1848 | East Midlands | — |
| Birmingham–Peterborough line | 1840–1860 | East, East Midlands, West Midlands | — | |
| Buxton line | Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton | 1863 | East Midlands, North West | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC (partial) |
| Crewe–Derby line | 1848 | East Midlands, North West, West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC (partial) | |
| Derwent Valley line | Derby to Matlock | 1839–1849 | East Midlands | — |
| Doncaster–Lincoln line | 1849 | East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| Glossop line | Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop or Hadfield | 1844 | East Midlands, North West | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
| Ivanhoe line | part of the Midland Main Line | 1840 or 1993 | East Midlands | — |
| Leicester–Burton upon Trent line | 1832–1849 | East Midlands | — | |
| Northampton loop | 1881 | East Midlands, West Midlands | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC | |
| Nottingham–Grantham line | 1850 | East Midlands | — | |
| Nottingham–Lincoln line | 1846 | East Midlands | — | |
| Oakham–Kettering line | 1879 | East Midlands | — | |
| Poacher Line | Grantham to Skegness | 1848–1873 | East Midlands | — |
| Robin Hood Line | Nottingham to Worksop | 1848 (reopened 1993–1998) | East Midlands | — |
| Sheffield–Lincoln line | 1849 | East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| Erewash Valley Line | 1844–1862 | East Midlands | — |
Yorkshire and North East
This is a list of all routes that enter the Yorkshire and the Humber and North East England regions.
| Name | Route, or previous name | Opened | Regions | Electrified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham Coast Line | Newcastle to Middlesbrough | 1833–1905 | North East | Overhead line, 1,500 V DC (partial) |
| Esk Valley line | Middlesbrough to Whitby | 1835–54 | North East, Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Tyne Valley line | Newcastle to Carlisle | 1834–1837 | North East, North West | — |
| Northallerton–Eaglescliffe line | 1852 | North East, Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| Tees Valley line | Bishop Auckland to Saltburn | 1825–1887 | North East | — |
| Airedale line | Leeds to Skipton | 1846 | Yorkshire and the Humber | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
| Askern branch line | Knottingley to Doncaster | 1848 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Calder Valley line | Blackpool North or Manchester Victoria to Leeds | 1840s | North West, Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Dearne Valley line | Sheffield to York | 1839–40 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Doncaster–Lincoln line | 1849 | East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| Hallam Line | Sheffield to Leeds | Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| Harrogate line | Leeds to York | 1848 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Hope Valley line | Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield | 1894 | North West, Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Huddersfield line | Manchester Piccadilly or Victoria to Huddersfield | 1849 | North West, Yorkshire and the Humber | Planned |
| Hull to York Line | 1840 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| Leeds–Morecambe line | 1846–50 | North West, Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| Leeds–Bradford lines | Yorkshire and the Humber | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC (partial) | ||
| Northumberland Line | Newcastle to Ashington | 2024 | North East | — |
| Penistone Line | Huddersfield to Sheffield | 1845–50 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Pontefract line | Leeds to Goole | 1848 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Selby Line | Leeds to Hull | 1834 | Yorkshire and the Humber | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC (partial) |
| Settle–Carlisle line | 1875 | North West, Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| Sheffield–Lincoln line | 1849 | East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber | — | |
| South Humberside Main Line | Doncaster to Cleethorpes | 1848 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| Swinton–Doncaster line | South Yorkshire | — | ||
| Wakefield line | Leeds to Sheffield | Yorkshire and the Humber | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC (partial) | |
| Wharfedale line | Leeds to Bradford Forster Square or Ilkley | 1865 | Yorkshire and the Humber | OHLE, 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
| Hull–Scarborough line | Hull to Scarborough | 1845–46 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
| York–Scarborough line | 1845 | Yorkshire and the Humber | — |
Scotland

Scotrail Intercity lines
- Edinburgh–Dundee line
- Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line
- Glasgow–Dundee line
- Highland Main Line
- Dundee–Aberdeen line
- Aberdeen–Inverness line
Glasgow commuter lines
- Argyle Line
- Ayrshire Coast Line
- Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line
- Cathcart Circle Lines
- Croy Line
- Cumbernauld Line
- Inverclyde Line
- Maryhill Line
- Motherwell–Cumbernauld line
- North Clyde Line
- Paisley Canal line
- Shotts Line
- Glasgow South Western Line
- Whifflet Line
Edinburgh commuter lines
- Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line
- Edinburgh–Dunblane line
- Fife Circle Line
- Levenmouth rail link
- North Berwick Branch
- North Clyde Line
- Shotts Line
- Borders Railway
Rural lines and Great Scenic Railways
Wales
Main lines
Cardiff commuter lines
- Butetown branch line
- Cardiff City Line
- Coryton Line
- Ebbw Valley Railway
- Gloucester–Newport line
- Maesteg Line
- Merthyr line
- Rhondda line
- Rhymney line
- Vale of Glamorgan Line
Rural lines
Lines under construction
| Name | Between | Opening | Regions | Electrification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Speed 2 | London Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street | c. 2033 | South East England | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead line |
| Portishead Railway | Bristol Temple Meads to Portishead | c. 2027 | South West England | None |
References
Note: many maps cited are dead links as of 2016. Current maps are on the National Rail Enquiries - Maps of the UK National Rail Network Web site.[8]
- ^ a b c "National Rail Timetable Map" (PDF). Association of Train Operating Companies. 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d "London and the South East Rail Services" (PDF). Association of Train Operating Companies. 17 May 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ a b "Birmingham West Midlands" (PDF). Association of Train Operating Companies. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ a b c "Liverpool Leeds Manchester Sheffield" (PDF). Association of Train Operating Companies. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d "London Connections Rail Services" (PDF). Association of Train Operating Companies. 17 May 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ "Cardiff Bristol" (PDF). Association of Train Operating Companies. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
- ^ "Newcastle" (PDF). Association of Train Operating Companies. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
- ^ "National Rail Enquiries - Maps of the UK National Rail Network". Nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2016.









