Around 20 trains an hour passing back garden - everyone saying "you'd get used to it" - would you?

[DecisionTime123]

Been to see a house where I knew there was a trainline, the garden is less than 30 foot long and about 5 foot from the back fence is line A, then another (say) 15 foot away is line B. I suspect line B is the Gatwick express but don't hold me to it. Anyway, I knew there'd be some noise but thought let's have a look. In the 15 minutes we were there at least 6 trains went through, sometimes 2 trains at once - one on each line. The "express" train line was slightly higher than the other and that was quite loud. I've checked the timetable and I think the 20 trains is a good guesstimate, and it would be going around 19 hours a day.

House had lots of other thing we really wanted, but honestly, could you get used to it? We've been looking for ages so I am feeling a bit suspect at friends saying nah that'll be fine etc. (edited to say I suspect this as everyone is fed up of hearing me going on about the house search!) Also I wonder if the noise would affect the dog, again there's no way of knowing. Any thoughts?

No a 30 foot garden is too small so the line is too close for 20 trains an hour. A few less trains or bigger gap, maybe.

I previously lived near the Elizabeth line, so had the airport not far away and the train line.
You soon tune out the noise.
I would say though you could sometimes feel when the trains went past, a vibrating sort of feeling.
Also, when they did works on the railway we got rodent problems.
The cats seemed unbothered though.

Check out the Reticular Activating System; that's the bit of your brain that filters out the unimportant stuff that you can safely ignore 😁

We lived in a flat next to West Brompton station. We had the underground trains and overground trains going past. Never bothered us, you learn to sub consciously filter the sound and we never had to shout over it when we were on our balcony.

If there's none already you can plant more trees and shrubs along fence to help with noise.
I'd be more concerned about fence security to keep dog and children off the line. Even if you have none you might get visiting ones.
I'd also be concerned about any overhead electric lines.

Lived by a road for 2.5 years (after living in a quiet cul d' sac for my whole child hood) and I never got used to it! I was so exhausted I had to move as constantly being woken up, I'm a very light sleeper so need it dark and quiet. I personally would never buy a house next to a train line.

I used to live in South London next to a railway line, although it was more like 10 trains and hour. The trains didn't bother me at all, after the first few weeks I had tuned them out. If you are in London there is always background noise of some kind and many houses are near railways, it's not unusual . But if you are a light sleeper or very noise sensitive you'd perhaps be better to avoid.

We have a Train line parallel to our house (right next to us, we're the end house). Direct trains to London. You very quickly get used to it. I'll actually miss them a bit when we go. Far better than a busy road.

Exactly!
We have Foxes, badgers, Jays, squirrels, woodpeckers, collared Doves etc all wandering in and out 🥰

It's rare i ever hear the trains unless it's a freight train (rare) or a steam train (really rare!)

I wouldn’t, partly in case I didn’t get use to it but also incase it affected selling.

I love the sound of trains but not that many

Used to live next to a train line and a hospital. The hospital was much worse because of the constant ambulance sirens. The train line was only a problem during construction work, which typically took place during the night.

We thought living right next to a hospital would be a good thing: oooh we will always be okay in an emergency. And oooh we could always rent to doctors.

While the former was true, especially during labour (I went for a “walk” around the grounds and actually nipped home for a sandwich after being induced), the hospital noise was much, much worse. Train noise turns into white noise but sirens are made to alert us. It was like a smoke alarm going off multiple times every night.

So I’m dropping this here for anyone ever looking at a house near a hospital, while reassuring you about the trains.

See this is my worry - 20 trains an hour from around 4am to 1am, say 400 trains a day. I am not sure those saying they got used to really did have that many? I'm going to sit down with Trainline or something tomorrow and try to get a more exact figure.

I think 1 an hour or at a push every half hour would be background noise any more would mean not having the windows open, but another thing is would there be screeching brake noises, an occasional smooth running train I would find soothing

My dad didn’t have anywhere near that amount, his wife had her son had only ever lived there and they said he’d get used to it but after 20+ years of living with her he never did. If it matters he was autistic though so that’s maybe why, his was also really close to line, as it would take 30 seconds to leave his front door and cross the road and get near the track.

You just need the signal box app. It’s like flight radar for trains. You can see the trains live on a map. Don’t think it shows goods trains though.

I used to live in a top floor flat that backed onto a large end of the line station.

I really did stop noticing after a couple of weeks. I was woken up a few times by passing trains the first week (I was on night shifts and sleeping during peak travel times) but I started sleeping through it after that. It was loud enough to make my bed vibrate a bit.

Oh I'd love that! I once lost out on a house with a railway line at the bottom of the garden. I was so disappointed! I don't know why, probably The Railway Children vibes 😄 sorry can't answer whether you'd get used to it!

Gone through trainline already; it is 200 a day ordinary trains (10 per hour, 5 up 5 down from 5am till 1am) and then the Gatwick Express which I'm still trying to work out but seems to run all day and night: 2 an hour. So it's not 20 an hour, more like 240 a day? 240 trains a day. When I wrote down 20 an hour in the title of this thread, it didn't seem so much (that would have been 400+ a day!!) but when you actually write down 240 a day I am just thinking how on earth is this feasible? I mean it must be, as other people are living in the area, but what if I personally can't cope? A train will pass 30ish foot from my living room 240 times a day. When people are saying you'll get used to it, is this what they were envisaging?

Sounds like my childhood line and why I can only sleep to train noise. Constantly background really. Why don't you go and see at night? Only you know your personal limits but if you're already feeling anxious about it maybe that's your answer

We live next to a mainline railway line up on an embankment down the end of the garden, it's a longer garden though but being on an embankment probably means it's about the same.
There are local trains 4 times an hour every hour (and some through the night), a fair few mainline fast trains each way, and heavy goods trains including during the night. I sleep on the side of the house nearest the line and have no problems. I only notice it outside if I'm talking to someone and all we need to do is just pause a couple of seconds.

No, I don't think I could live that close to a train line personally.
However, I do live under the flight path to one of the London Airports. I think they're about 2.5-4k ft up when they go over. In-laws commented on it when they were here in the Summer, but we really don't notice it. They can go over every 2-3 minutes at times during the peak period. So I suppose it depends how noisy they are inside the house, because we can't really hear them unless you're sat in silence. Vs a train I'd imagine you can hear when you're wfh etc.

Two issues: would you notice it or not? And… would prospective buyers be put off.

The answer to the second question is that you undoubtedly reduce the pool of buyers. Then you need to ask whether that reduced price (inevitably) is currently reflected in the purchase price. Is this house quite a bit cheaper than comparables without the blight?

If so, it might be ok to proceed.

I myself wouldn’t as I am risk averse and would rather have a smaller house with no definitely known issues.

Thats the thing @GlobalTravellerbutespeciallyBognor I dont know how to decide if I'd notice it. I think I would? But hence I started the thread as so many people say they wouldn't.

I think resale/price wise I'd be fine as there were quite a few offers before mine was accepted.

Grew up on Heathrow flight path, no issues, loved seeing Concorde. Also grandparents backed onto the southern mainline which I presume is the one op is talking about, was fine