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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to consider moving near a busy railway line

36 replies

whoneedssleepanyway · 19/09/2011 10:45

this isn't really AIBU but want some opinions.

a house has come up near where we currently live, it is more than twice the size of our existing house, 4 bedrooms, needs completely renovating so could be amazing, we can afford it, DD1 can stay at the school she has just started as it is only 1 mile away.....but

It is at the top of a cul de sac and there is a busy railway line that goes past the top of the cul de sac. We are talking a train every couple of minutes, some are quiet but there are some noisier ones. There are two houses between this one and the top of the cul de sac so you aren't the closest to the train line but pretty close.

I just can't decide if this is a deal-breaker and am really torn. We would never ever normally be able to afford a house like this in the area we live in at the moment but due to condition and the fact that it is by the train line we can. It is other than that a very good location.

DH has put off and put off moving and I know the real reason is that he doesn't want to move away from our area and we have never thought we could get a big family home round here, this is the first time he has seriously entertained moving as a possiblity.

Does anyone live near a busy railway line, how do you find it?

OP posts:

VivaLeBeaver · 19/09/2011 10:51

I have a friend who has a train line at the bottom of her little garden and she says that she doesn't notice them anymore, goods trains and passenger trains. I was at her house once for coffee and after a couple of hours I'd stopped noting them as well. One made me jump when I saw it as I hadn't heard it.

Do you know if the trains run in the night?

piprabbit · 19/09/2011 10:54

I used to live very near a major train line. I agree with what Viva says about ceasing to notice them.

steamedtreaclesponge · 19/09/2011 10:55

I used to live in a flat with a busy London train line at the bottom of the garden. Honestly, you will stop noticing them after a couple of days. I would far rather live near a train line than near a busy road.

Scholes34 · 19/09/2011 10:59

Agree with both. Used to live in a flat backing on to the main line from Victoria to Brighton and could see the signs with the station name from the back garden. Trains, fast and slow, regularly, plus the Gatwick Express through the night. Eventually, didn't notice them. If you're not near a station, the time the train is passing will be quick and you won't have to put up with announcements from the station.

Only problem could be in future years if you want to sell, that some buyers may be put off, but if your aim in buying is to stay for a while, that shouldn't be an issue to worry about. I think you'll be more hacked off about the amount of decorating you need to do, rather than the trains.

Mandy2003 · 19/09/2011 11:00

At my old house in Hackney, the Stanstead Express used to pass within 15 metres of my front windows! Fortunately trains didn't run 24/7 but I didn't really notice them after a short while. The only effect it had was that it was impossible to play Jenga - Victorian houses vibrate a bit when trains pass!

harassedandherbug · 19/09/2011 11:02

My last house had the railway line at the bottom of the garden. Trains ran day and night, and we soon got used to them. I never noticed them after a couple of weeks......

I've also lived under Concorde's flight path. Another one you get used to!

steamedtreaclesponge · 19/09/2011 11:05

PS I now live right next to a hospital with a helipad and can even tune out helicopters flying past my window now!

cookcleanerchaufferetc · 19/09/2011 11:06

Personally it would put me off. However, I have two friends and like others said, they barely notice the trains now. Another friend lives near a major motorway and doesnt hear the traffic anymore either. I guess you just block it out. Does the house have good double glazing? Are there any plans to make that railway line into some high speed train line?

VivaLeBeaver · 19/09/2011 11:07

I'm actually Nearish to a train line now. It's behind the houses on the opposite side of the road to me. I can hear the trains from here but they don't bother me but I think the houses probably act as a good sound barrier.

Scholes34 · 19/09/2011 11:08

Concorde used to make my windows rattle, and we were in South London, nowhere near Heathrow.

Jacksterbear · 19/09/2011 11:11

The two houses between "your" house and the train line will really block the noise. It makes a massive difference whether there is anything between you and the train line. I live across the other side of a field from the train line but with nothing in between my house and the train line. My friend lives on the road right next to the train line but on the far side of the road so there are the houses on the other side of her road in between her house and the line. The train noise is MUCH louder in my house than in hers.

JjandtheBeanlovesUnicorns · 19/09/2011 11:12

We live at the top of a culdesac, were opposite the houses backing onto the track iyswim. We've been here 2mnths and rarely notice it. I do keep ds bedroom window shut as occasionally a big freight will go by and disturb him he's easily spooked though so its easier that way.

I'm not saying I can never hear them but its not something I notice or disturbs us iyswim

going · 19/09/2011 11:17

I used to live close to a train line. When we moved house I found it quite hard to sleep as I was so used to the noice of the trains going by!

stepawayfromtheecclescakes · 19/09/2011 11:20

go and see the house during the day and hang out waiting for the train to pass, then judge.

meravigliosa · 19/09/2011 11:26

Had a similar choice to make last year. Decided no, as we have cats and the railway line (part of East Coast main line) was right at the bottom of the garden, although level of line was actually above level of garden. Would not have been able to allow cats to go out. Was also concerned that while own kids would not attempt to breach the security on to the line, I would be constantly worried about whether visiting kids could be relied on not to at least attempt something stupid. I suspect I'd have got used to the noise. The presence of the railway line I am sure knocked about £200K off what would otherwise have been the price of such a large house.

Xiaoxiong · 19/09/2011 11:32

We live 5 miles from heathrow right under the westerly departures flight path, which is far louder than the arrivals flight path over south london that we used to live under before (I grew up with Concorde shaking the windows). When we first moved here it was so loud DH and I had to shout to hear each other when a plane went overhead - and they go from 6am to 11pm every day of the week. After a year now we notice only when we are watching or listening to something quiet and a particularly noisy plane goes over. We also can hear the M4 loud and clear (less than a quarter of a mile away) but that we tune out entirely, it's just like the sound of the sea or the wind now.

Long story short - if you like the house and it's the right price and location, go for it.

porcamiseria · 19/09/2011 12:10

ha ha at tyler, me too! I think pretty much everyone in outer west london has same issue

OP you will tune out the noise

lesley33 · 19/09/2011 12:20

Used to live right next to a railway line. The neighbours all said they didn't hear the trains any more - and I didn't believe them! Then 9 days after living there I suddenly realised that I hadn't heard any trains that day! I found if I was in the kitchen I could see and hear the trains. Everywhere else, I didn't hear them at all.

But it really depends on you. Are you sensitive to noise or the kind of people who don't notice noise such as traffic noise once you are used to it?

NotADudeExactly · 19/09/2011 12:24

What everybody else has said: you stop noticing after a while. My kitchen window used to directly overlook the tracks. Still, every time there was a suspension of service I'd faithfully turn up at the station to go to work. You'd think I'd have noticed that no trains were going past - not a chance!

redexpat · 19/09/2011 12:29

Could you still hang your washing out on the line? Not sure how much dust trains produce. Surely no more than cars though? Sounds wonderful!

piprabbit · 19/09/2011 12:35

Washing on the line was fine (didn't have a tumble drier at the time).
Windows needed washing slightly more frequently than my current house, but it's not like they are steam trains any more.

The only excitement were the occasional fires on the embankment (trains were on embankment at house roof height) when sparks from the brakes set foliage on fire. Never a threat - but a good excuse to see our excellent fire brigade swing into action .

Original poster

whoneedssleepanyway · 19/09/2011 13:07

This is all really encouraging....! Given we live very very close to a busy high street at the moment so can hear sirens etc, and people coming out of the pubs at closing time it is not like we are used to peace and quiet.

I would love a bigger house, where we can have people to stay can entertain etc etc, this is an opportunity to have this which has never arisen before.

We are going to view tomorrow (have been to the outside and listened to the trains) and so we will see what it is like on the inside.

I guess there is the other issue of buying a wreck....but that is a whole other thread

OP posts:

shesparkles · 19/09/2011 13:09

I was brought up 2 houses away from the main east coast railway line in Scotland-dad still lives there, and I can hand on heart say that we never noticed or paid attention to the trains, and that was at a time when there were a lot more frequent trains and they were noisier.
I actually notice the LACK of them now!

Kladdkaka · 19/09/2011 13:11

My previous house was not only next to a busy track but a level cross with flashing lights and clanging bells. Becuase it goes off so often the brain just tunes it out and I didn't even notice it. So it wouldn't put me off.

SwingingBetty · 19/09/2011 13:12

i live very close to a railway track and very rarely register a train going through

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