To consider this?

[shiveringwiggles]

We're looking to buy our first house as soon as the full selection of mortgage offers return to the market. We have found a property which is perfect for us in absolutely every way, with one exception. The (fairly long) garden backs on to a train track.

I don't think it's a problem but my partner thinks it would mean unbearable noise.

Would you consider it?

Does anyone live in a house which backs onto train tracks, who wouldn't mind sharing what the impact is?

I grew up in a house by a tube line. Parents still live there.
Once I moved out I found I missed the noise. Never noticed it until it wasn't there.
Still sleep better when I visit my parent's house.

Munsnetters, I'm sold. (Pun intended)

Now to convince him! :-)

I lived about 30m from a train track, I stopped noticing them fairly quickly and most you couldn't hear if you had the TV on. It was a fairly quiet line though with only a few an hour between 0600-2300 ish. Every now and then there would be a night freight train that would wake me but they were so rare it wasn't an issue.
When I sold I did have a fair bit of feedback that people didn't want to buy so close to the train line, I asked the estate agents to stretch out viewings until a train had passed so they could see that you really didn't hear much noise whilst inside

I live close enough to a train track to see and hear the trains go by. There are no buildings between us and the tracks. The freight trains run all through the night and I don't mind it at all. I find it oddly comforting in fact. I'd live in that house no problem.

Sometimes at night we can hear trains from the line a little way from our house and i love it! Sounds strange but the rhythm of it is really quite comforting, i wouldnt hesitate on buying the house. A friend of mine has a really long garden, a little path and then the railway line next to it so probably about 50 metres away and has never had any problems. Shes not overlooked and it will never be built on or redeveloped. Theres high trees so the wind in those is really restfull too. I want to live there!

Better than a white noise machine!

It wouldn't bother me. But then I have lived directly under the Heathrow flight path for nearly 37 years!

From your picture it looks perfect - we were around a mile from the nearest station too in our second one. Get him to go for a walk around the area, he’ll realise it’s nothing like he imagined (and hopefully falls in love with it too )

Maybe go and hang out there for an hour or so when you’re able to. I’m sure even from outside the house you’d get a feel for the level of noise (although of course the frequency of trains might be different in future once things are all back up and running).

We were thinking of renting a house once near a train line so we checked the timetable for a busy time and asked to visit at that time so we could hear for ourselves.

It really depends I guess on the line - is it super busy? We were considering a line going into lewisham in south London that would have had trains every few minutes

Is it a main line or a branch line? Friends of mine live on the side of a branch line and there are no trains between 22:00 and about 06:30. Might be differ t if it’s the west coast main line. They say you do t notice the noise after the first week or so.

Have you considered the chance of rats? My sister lived next to a train line and had rats all over the garden - she was told that always happens if you live near a train line.

If it’s a line into a major commuting city (ie London) I would. Train tracks mean nothing when it comes to the London market.

@HollowTalk interesting! Definitely researching that.

For those asking the type of trainline, it's local trains from Stratford upon Avon- one train every 30ish minutes in both directions.

My dads house backs on to a train track. You do get used to it, couldn't comment on selling though as he still lives there

I was born and grew up in a house with a railway line at the end of the garden. The railway's strip of land was divided off by a fence, and many residents used this as an unofficial allotment. South-east London, commuter trains every twenty minutes. When I moved out into my own place (quiet street, double-glazing) I was puzzled at first as to why I couldn't sleep, until I realized that I was used to sleeping through the noise of trains every night.
My young nephews loved playing in that garden, as there were real trains every twenty minutes!

There could be an additional noise problem if the line is used for freight traffic. Much noisier than passenger traffic

I've lived near train lines a couple of times - I love the noise. Freight hasn't bothered me either. I actually find the noise soothing.

It really depends where it is and how regularly the trains pass. If its a house in zone 3 with trains passing every few mkns from 5am to 11pm then no.

I know someone who lives backing on to a train track. Having sat in their garden, the noise is an absolute racket. They however have lived there for 20 years and it hasn't driven them out so I assume you must get used to it.

I always thought there was a recognised risk for those living near high voltage power stations and lines/electricity pylons etc, but I don’t know how high the voltage has to be in order for an increase in leukaemia for those living nearby.
You’d have to check what power goes through the overhead wires in the railway line and check your distance from it.
Electromagnetic energy can affect some people who are sensitive to it as well.
That’s why houses with a pylon nearby are cheaper and it’s written into their survey.
If it’s not electric there is still a risk to health from diesel trains fumes.

Sorry to be so depressing OP. But worth looking into for the latest guidance as my info may have been superseded. I’d looked it up when a friend moved. And yes, the only person I know whose house backs onto a railway has rats in her garden.

My garden backs into a 24hr busy train line and there is no problem at all with the noise of the trains....

HOWEVER. Line maintenance and tree trimming on the bankings are another story. Usually between 11pm and 6am, chainsaws and floodlights galore. Usually on a Saturday which is fine if you don't work shifts.

We get letters probably monthly warning us in advance, but honestly it's a nightmare.

It’s never bothered me and I’ve lived close to railway lines for the last 20yrs. Not right at the bottom of the garden though. Guess a few questions is are they high speed trains, how often do they go passed, until what time / what time do they start up etc?

I used to live in a house that backed onto a train track, my bedroom was at the back and I was only ever disturbed by the noise on the rare occasion that maintenance work was being done overnight with loud equipment.

That was near a station on a small local route though, I think the last train was about 11pm, then restarted about 6am. A busy mainline would probably be a totally different experience.

Ah yes, the maintenance work - first year we lived here we had no idea what was happening, was like rise of the machines!! 😂😂