Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

Original poster

House near railway line

25 replies

legfaced · 19/09/2019 06:59

We’ve viewed a house that would be incredible, and more than we thought we’d be able to get.

The garden is about 70ft and then beyond that there’s a steep bank to a railway line below and actually to the station itself. You can’t get anywhere near to the railway line itself from the house.

It’s a mainline (south west mainline) with electric passenger trains stopping and going straight through - probably 8 per hour at peak time. My main concern is freight trains - overnight between midnight and 6am there looks to be a fair number going through if my reading of network rail documents is correct?!

Any views on living close to a railway and particularly one where there’s freight trains at night?

OP posts:

ittooshallpass · 19/09/2019 07:01

I’m a really light sleeper, so it’d be a no for me. If you aren’t bothered by noise, go for it.

wowfudge · 19/09/2019 07:05

I'm a light sleeper but wear earplugs. You get used to train noise.

Northernsoullover · 19/09/2019 07:05

I lived approx 25 metres from a trainline. Trains every 10 mins. After a few days I stopped hearing them.

RunningOutOfCharacte · 19/09/2019 07:09

I'm next to swr line. You get used to it. In fact Christmas is odd as it's so quiet with no trains.

The freight trains are noisier. They're likely to be diesel and long. So so long. But honestly I think the first few times I looked out the window to wonder what had gone past. Now i don't notice.

Also unless they are engineering ones they don't tend to run when people are trying to sleep. We sometimes get a freight through about 9pm or 6am. But I don't notice any more. And I'm a hell of a lot closer than you are to the track.

acabria · 19/09/2019 07:15

You can view passenger and freight trains here:
www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/MMO?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Train noise is easy to get used to. It will help it is down a bank from you.

Is there significant early morning commuter traffic/station announcements at the station? Think that would be more annoying if you could hear that.

I'd go back to the area at different times of day and check you are ok with the noise. If the house is double-glazed that will help too.

Slinkenconken · 19/09/2019 07:17

I had a flat next to a railway line. It was fine. However, my living room and bedroom faced away from the track, so I didn't really notice it that much. I was much closer than 70ft. I noticed it at first, but after a while it became background noise.

I don't know if it would affect your enjoyment of the garden though.

onlyoneoftheregimentinstep · 19/09/2019 07:22

We lived right opposite a station for five years. For the first few nights the trains woke us, but after only a week or so we didn't notice them at all. In fact, on one day when there was a train strike, it was late afternoon before any of us realised that there hadn't been any trains all day.

VictoriaBun · 19/09/2019 07:28

I lived for 10 years close ( 5 average garden widths) away from a railway line.
I had to get ear plugs so that the dawn freight ones didn't wake me.
It took me about a year not to notice them indoors ( even above watching tv)
Never got used to them in the garden, and looking back never really sat out/enjoyed the garden.

Pimms0clock · 19/09/2019 07:32

I live right next to a mainline into London. The noise of trains won’t be a problem (you soon tune them out). The freight trains do vibrate the whole house, think doors rattling, glasses knocking together.

It’s difficult to hold a conversation in the garden during peak times but at the weekend with the reduced timetable it’s fine.

What I struggle with is station noise, beeping of opening doors, announcements, passenger noise etc etc.

Redannie118 · 19/09/2019 07:34

This reply has been withdrawn

The OP has privacy concerns, and so we've agreed to take this down now.

NotPennysBoat · 19/09/2019 07:34

My first flat was directly next to a Trainline. As pp have said you do get used to it and eventually don't even notice them. It can't have bothered me that much because ten years and two moves later I bought a family home next to another trainline. I actually find it comforting!

chopc · 19/09/2019 08:20

Our house backs onto the railway line. Whilst we can hear the noise it doesn't bother us and hasn't interrupted our sleep

FinallyHere · 19/09/2019 09:21

Our first home was next to a railway line. Agree with PP about how quickly you get used to the noise of the trains and how impersonal it seems.

After a day or two, we only noticed engineering works and/or strikes which disrupted the usual panel.

Highlight was visiting family children being fascinated and playing quietly while mostly watching out for the trains.

tentative3 · 19/09/2019 10:50

Engineering work, station announcements and freight trains would be my concerns. Is it a major station where freight drivers might change over? It's one thing to have electric trains stopping and starting but freight trains either idling in the station for ages or stopping/pulling away wouldn't be great. Also, does it have a depot/yard? Because if so I would say definitely not, there will be train movements all night.

I must admit I would be a bit less keen on living near a station. We used to live within earshot of the line but far away enough from the station and any signals/whistle boards that it wasn't a problem. We can now just hear the depot (horns being tested) on a quiet night and occasionally trains going over a viaduct but not the actual station itself nor the actual workings of the depot. I'm a train driver.

Ohflippineck · 19/09/2019 10:52

Wouldn’t bother me at all. Hate road noise but trains, not an issue. Friend had a flat in Clapham, line maybe 40ft away. Stayed for 2 nights and didn’t even notice by the time I went home. Go for it.

JoJoSM2 · 19/09/2019 12:18

I think it depends. Friends live by a train line and the whole house shakes when a train goes past. On the other hand, I take DS to a playground which is similar to your house, maybe 70ft from a steep bank with the trains below. It's only the faintest sound I hear when one goes past. I hate noise but would consider a house next to such a train track if it afforded a much better house and garden.

LenoVentura · 19/09/2019 12:23

My friend lives one minute's walk from the village station. When she moved into the house I asked her about train noise. She said "what noise?" as a train thundered past . Yes you'll be able to hear the trains, but you'll get used to it.

We live half a mile away down the village and can hear the trains from our house, especially in the early mornings when we have the windows open and its quiet outside. DH and I always say "there's one of those soundless trains..." However, we do have a lot of disturbance from aircraft noise and we haven't got used to that after three years here. It's horrific.

Blobby10 · 19/09/2019 14:05

I know someone who moved to a similar sounding house next to the Midland Mainline - she said that within a couple of months she just didn't register the trains!!

LochJessMonster · 19/09/2019 14:10

You get use to it. We had one in the field at the bottom of the garden.

The plus point is they will never build on that land!

Disfordarkchocolate · 19/09/2019 14:13

I found train noise surprising easy to get used to. I was about 120m away but it was a busy line with some very fast trains and lots of freight.

Bluntness100 · 19/09/2019 14:21

In my early teens I lived in a house like this, a steep bank after the back garden led to the track. Unless at the edge of the garden you couldn't even see the trains due to the depth of thr bank, and I can't recall ever being woken or disturbed by one.

What was it like on viewing?

Toddlerteaplease · 19/09/2019 14:46

We lived very close to the Midland Mainline. The only time we ever noticed it was when they are doing track maintenance at night. But that was only a couple of times a year. I live very close to a beach line and again barely notice it. I love seeing the trains go by.

Moonflower12 · 19/09/2019 15:08

My DB lives in a house like this. The only trains we 'hear' are the occasional steam trains- they obviously sound very different. They are only during the day and require a quick sprint down the garden to have a nose!

I used to live 25 feet from the M5- after a few days I only heard it when it stopped due to an accident etc.

Scarlett555 · 19/09/2019 15:11

I used to live next to a railway line - back garden was approx 25m and the railway line was directly behind the garden. I found the train noise relaxing - and I am a very light sleeper. Hearing the first train in the morning was also a nice way to know the time when I was only half awake.

I would have no hesitation in your shoes!

Original poster

legfaced · 19/09/2019 16:39

Thanks all.

No, not a depot and freight trains go straight through - never stop. Station announcements not really an issue as I get on one of the first commuter trains in the morning! I think they don’t announce that Early in the morning but may be wrong.

A freight train went through when viewing - could hear it in back of house where I happened to be and garden obviously a bit noisier but I think it’s fine. Going round again on Saturday so have another listen and consider.

Resale doesn’t seem to be a big concern - it’s a very very popular commuting location and houses don’t stick around for long when realistically priced.

Thanks all - really helpful!

OP posts:

Flip