Moving to Winchester- experience living on a trainline?!

[Saltysunshine]

Hi all,

We’re hoping to move to Winchester this summer. We’ve seen a few nice houses which back on to the trainline. They are otherwise in very nice roads etc. Does anyone have direct experience of this? We don’t think it would bother us too much but obviously haven’t experienced it at night. Also has anyone ever had an issue selling on a house that backs on to a trainline?

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Can you hear the trains when inside the house? Especially living areas and bedrooms.
Are you walkable to the station? That would be a premium in Winchester, wouldn't it?

We back onto a trainline, although admittedly it’s not a high speed line (the Reading to Gatwick stopper). We love it - we have a long garden and are totally not overlooked, I love it when I wake up early and hear the first train going in the morning. Our section of the line is down in a dip rather than elevated so we’re not overlooked and the noise isn’t too intrusive. I’d happily buy another house backing onto the train line, but I’d do my research on train times - when the last one is and the first one, particularly on the weekends, and I’d make sure I was viewing at a busy time so it was representative.

I grew up next to a Trainline (not very busy though) and I loved hearing the trains when I was in bed!

Electric or diesel?
How long are the gardens (for instance 50ft or 300ft)?
Same level, embankment or cutting?
Will trains be going past at speed or approaching/leaving station?
Any obstructions separating the house from the line (acoustic fencing, mature hedging, trees etc)?

Growing up we used to live about 3/4-mile from a mainline (diesel, open countryside etc) and TBH although you could hear the trains it was in no way ever more than a bit of insignificant background noise (there was no road noise).
The only time we really noticed it was when a steam train was on an excursion, the whistle was much more penetrating.

Can hear it a little at the back but it’s a low rumble as opposed to a lot of noise. It’s only 5 min walk to station which is massive benefit for us so may outweigh it!

I grew up in Winchester and went to a church that was about 20 meters from the train tracks. You actually stop even noticing the trains after a while.

I'm near Winchester and live backed onto a train line.

I never really noticed it until covid when suddenly they weren't running as frequently and now on train strike days. 😂

It's taken me a while to realise I notice it when it's not there rather than be bothered when it is - but have read that this is actually a thing!

As a student we lived in a house right next to a busy train line. The first few nights were awful as we were woken up every time a train went past, but after that we just stopped noticing them. The only downsides were when they were doing work on the line (which was often at night and was more disturbing as it was different noise) and it did make sitting in the garden less relaxing.

5 minutes from the station is fab

I def wouldn’t rule out but research train times and not just scheduled passenger trains- the train line near us has super long freight trains up and down all night

I’ve lived on a busy road and under the flight path and in both cases got used to it.

We used to have a house backing on to a trainline....the line was in a deep cutting and the trains were slowing as they pulled towards the station so it was fine. The garden was very long too. As a PP said, it was only really an issue when they were doing night working; it was quite loud, with arc lights and workmen shouting, but it was rare.

I wouldn't want a house where the line is elevated above the garden so ones privacy was compromised, or on a high speed line though....but it doesn't sound as though that is the case here.

How frequent are the trains?

We have a small garden and beck on to a train line, but the trains are one an hour each way (single track line, so two an hour). Since they upgraded the line the trains run more smoothly and we don't notice trains going past unless we are outside. The trains are only three coaches so it doesn't take long for one to go past. We don't get goods trains or any other train traffic.

This means we are also just a 5 minute walk from the station.

I am in the London to Brighton line and the train track is two roads over, about 200m, I can hear it but it's not an issue. It's quite soothing

I grew up in a house that backed onto a train line . The only time I noticed it was when I videoed my son playing in the back garden and watched it back. Otherwise it made no difference at all. Actually I used to like to watch the trains go past when I was little and my son ( who was obsessed with Thomas the tank engine) was so impressed that grandma lived next to Thomas.

I grew up in 2 houses, first backed onto train, second a motorway. Current third is on a flight path. Not an issue really. Long garden and tree cover helps and there is double glazing. Might be worth checking train timetable if a light sleeper. I also find it extremely comforting. Silence is more deafening to be honest.

Just don't get a cat, relatives back onto a quiet line and you can guess the rest

Thanks so much so far everyone! The house is about 130ft away from trainline maybe and slightly elevated, so isn’t overlooked which is very good. Luckily the main bedrooms are at front of the house so with double glazing this might not be a problem. The garden might be the most affected area but will look into freight train timings…