Would you buy a house that backed onto a train line?

[nicolllaaaaaaa]

Hello, Great house, great area. Backs onto a trainline. Would love some perspective. Thank you.

My MIL owns a house next to the metropolitan line in zone 8ish. When we've stayed we don't hear it, only her damn chiming clock!

It might feel like more of a positive if it’s pretty close to a station you use....close to the station is a selling point.

A genuine downside if it’s a busy line, is in the summer when it interferes with your enjoyment of being in the garden. I think people do get used to the noise in the house when they have double or triple glazing etc, but the noise level of a big whoosh when you’re in the garden is harder to ignore.

I did, we’ve lived here for 14 years now. I don’t even notice it, it’s overground rather than a met line so not as busy but trains are still every 20 mins or so.

Depends on the alternatives - we're on a main road, with no neighbours - good trade-off in my opinion.

I have family who live in a house that backs on to a train line.

You can hear the trains faintly when inside.

Outside is completely different, very noisy. However for me the biggest concern is one of my curious children escaping from the garden onto the tracks. I cannot relax for a minute when visiting during the summer.

I would but would want a garden of a reasonable size, a good fence, and maybe some trees to block out noise, sight of the trains, and don't forget any lighting (e.g. if near a station.)

I would not if on a major freight line, or a busy long distance line (e.g. London to Wales)

I would not if I could see the trains directly from a short distance.

Personally, no. But I have anxiety and would worry about a detailing train. I also have trouble sleeping so I know I’d hear it.

With that said, we have friends who have a house with a very long garden at the end they have leylandi across the back - then there’s the train line. So you can’t see it. It’s not too loud and they say they can’t hear the trains anymore. It isn’t a main line though (Hampton court line).

I lived in a house next to a level crossing when I was at university. I loved it! The sound of the trains was somehow a comforting sort of routine.

I grew up in a house backing in to a train line and you very very quickly get used to the noise and don't even notice. If it's perfect in every other way go for it

@HermioneMakepeace

Yes! I’d love that. But then I love trains and buses. Also I suffer with insomnia and hearing early morning trains rolling by would make me feel less alone.

I would love the sound of trains too, very soothing but do agree about what kind of train and frequency

Yes. I grew up in a house with a railway 30m away.

The only issue I had was when I moved away to study, I woke up at 1.40am every night. Couldn't work out why. Then realised that at home, there was a nightly cement train that went past at 1.40 every morning. I was waking up because it wasn't there.

I love all the people growing up near train lines seem to love them on this thread. We are ‘The Railway Children’.’

Yes, I would. It's a very comforting sound.

I used to live in flat above a tube station (the overground bit) - now that was noisy! But a train line at the end of the garden wouldn't bother me at all.

In the years we've lived in our house with a railway line at the end of the garden, I've been regularly surprised at how many people have said how they love it, and would see it s a real bonus !

As I say, I would see it on the 'cons' side of a pros and cons list, which meant that we can afford to live in a much, much bigger house with a much bigger garden than we could have otherwise afforded, and that meant 'the whole package' was right for us - I don't mind the trains - but it happens quite often that people say "I'd love to live here", which is the bit that makes me think it isn't going to be as hard to sell when the time comes as you might have thought.

I lived under the flight path for Manchester airport, it's surprising what you get used to