...to consider buying a house that used to be a railway station?

[LookingUpIn21]

I'm not linking it!

But it's a beautiful Victorian building that used to be the station master's house and the railway station.

The train tracks are still in use - about every 40 minutes a train goes past.

The house is to-die for gorgeous, the garden is on all sides and the view is magnificent.

The house has been on the market for about 6 months now, so I think it must be off-putting.

Would you consider it? I think I could probably get used to the noise, myself. And the fence looks sturdy so I wouldn't worry about DC, although we do have cats. But I wonder if I'm blinded by the interior and would regret it in the end...

I wouldn't worry about cats. I used to visit a friend who lived next to the railway and took my cat with me on several weekends. The only time the cat ever crossed the track was on Christmas day when the electric was turned off. Then the cat was stuck there until we rescued it on the other side of the track as it wouldn't come back because the electric had been turned on again. They are super sensitive to the hum of the track.

I would go for it. I can cope with any kind of traffic noise but I cant cope with shouting and loud music. I loved staying near the tram on holiday

Really want to see the house now!

When I was growing up, we lived in a house where a train ran a few times a day at the bottom of the garden. I liked it but, to be honest, we soon forgot it was there because we grew used to it very quickly. We also had a cat and no problems.

I lived behind a train line in london, you get used to it.

It sounds super cool. Can you get extra soundproofing installed?

My parents live next to a train track. It’s fine. I quite like staying there. I occasionally hear the first train of the day at around 5.30 am and then I know it’s morning. I find the train noise comforting actually,

I live 25m from the train line and there another 1/2 a mile in the other direction.

It's so odd that I only seem to notice when they don't run!

We lived in a converted station with the trains going past about every 20 minutes. Within a week you no longer notice it. The only time you notice is when you have visitors and they jump the first time a train goes past.

Train every 15 min for me, don't notice now. Cargo trains going too fast on a night, can be weird (bed shakes) but a station sounds wonderful so quirky. WHAT YOU WAITING FOR.

I grew up with the main Norwich to London line running at the back of our garden. Garden was quite short, and we could only see the tops of the trains when in the garden. It was never an issue...we just stopped our conversation when in the garden. My bedroom was at the back of the house and I never got woken by trains at night. Only got woken when they were doing engineering work on the line.
There is so much wildlife along the sides of the tracks, and the birdsong was lovely. At weekends it is a lot quieter too.

It wouldn't put me off. The only thing that would put me off, was if the trains are diesel as they stink (if you've ever gone through Paddington station you'll know what I mean).

Also, if it's an old house you might not have double glazing to help keep out the noise...

I grew up 100 yards from a train station and never even noticed the trains until I was a teenager when a friend pointed one out in my garden. Im super observant 😁

OP (if you're still around) have a search through the local press and local groups to make sure that there isn't a local pressure group with ambitions of either increasing the number of trains or re-opening the station. There is a new government scheme (Restoring the Railway) to consider ideas put forward by the public and MPs and it does include some station rebuilds. A stopping train nearby - at a new station built because the old is now a private house - nearby would create much more noise.

Wonder if it’s the old station master’s house I’ve got bookmarked on rightmove for when I save the deposit. If so, you definitely shouldn’t buy it, OP. Definitely, definitely not.

I used to live next to a level crossing. It was lovely, tbh...

I found trains much less disruptive than traffic noise! Used to live next to a major train line out of London.

An earlier poster remarked that it might be harder to sell on. But it would be a lot of people’s dream, not the house (which you love) but there is so much nostalgia and interest in trains in general, you might get a premium! Just be sure you aren’t paying a premium yourself (unlikely if it’s been on the market for 6 months).

This one?? I want one now! www2.housescape.org.uk/cgi-bin/mobilefull.pl?&GUY1&&R10199&&

I live near a train track.... you hardly notice the noise after a few days. My cats go nowhere near the track. Well if they do they have managed to not get hit for seven years.

1. If there is a footpath crossing the track nearby there will be "whistle" boards and every train approaching must sound the horn - and it's loud.
2. If there is a signal nearby trains may stop there. Idling diesel engines are more annoying than passing trains, and accelerating trains are more noisy.
3. As others have said, major engineering work takes place overnight and can be very noisy and can use lights as bright as daylight, but by the description of the rail traffic you have given, this will be very, very infrequent.
4. Minor engineering work - 3 or 4 workers in yellow vests with hand tools - will happen more often and trains approaching must sound their horns.

Having said all that, I would love a home near the railway.

I have cats and wouldn't risk being close to railway tracks for that exact reason. I also think the noise will affect children sleeping a lot, and they do say that a lot of road noise/traffic noise can have effects on you later in life.

The house sounds incredible, and you need to do what works best for you, but the constant train traffic, noise, and risk to the cats would be an absolute deal breaker for me personally.

My friend grew up in a station house and my mum and I lived with them for a year. You get used to the noise, I actually liked it when trying to sleep, the whole house shook slightly and it was quite comforting. They lost a few cats but most just learn to stay away from the tracks. Her parents recently separated (a year ago) and the house still hasn't sold despite going to auction for a rock bottom price so do bear that in mind. It's not everyone's cup of tea

On,y you know if can get used to the noise

As a teenager I had a friend who lived by station. She didn’t hear trains

I did every night I stayed

Saying all that white noise while you get used to them

I love quirky houses

As a nanny I’ve worked in a church , pub and shop that’s been changed to living quarters

I lived next to a railway line for 18 months - you honestly don’t notice it very quickly. My penfriends parents live in a very similar sounding place up in Scotland and it’s stunning - go for it !!

Trains are easier to get used to rather than living next to a main road. Go for it it sounds fantastic.