querie for those that ride next to railways?

[ester]

Considering doing a new hacking route but for approx 500yds the road is right next to the railway. I wouldn't be too bothered about this but being on the levels road is flanked by 2 gert ditches albeit these aren't really visible at the mo cos the grass on the verges is soo long (think that might be worse!)

Now horsey is fab in traffic, will happily go over mway bridges (despite quivering mother and old ladies driving straight for us (another story)) and doesn't mind if we end up on the railway bridge at just the wrong moment, lorries, buses, airbrakes all fine

But is there anywhere online I can find out when any trains are passing a given point? We are close to the station but the fast virgin ones don't stop there. I think he will be fine but for the first time am thinking would be best avoided! He does get bored doing the same route and this is nice quiet one track lane which could get us to 2!!! different bridleways which would make a nice change!

thanks muchly

 

[*hic*]

I keep my horses next to the railway line - and can see it as I sit here. Whilst there are timetables that the trains should run to in actual practice they can be so far outside those times that I certainly wouldn't want to rely on not having a train coming along the track at any given time.

Your best bet would be to get the phone number of the guys at the station, chat them up a bit and then phone them just before you are about to get to the railway section to check if they've got anything on it's way through.

 

[BigRed]

My horse is very good with really big traffic, but I have to say that a train is a whole different kettle of fish. I sometimes ride on a BP that has a railway to the left, and that is some 100m from the BP track. My horse was fairly gobsmacked about a train whizzing past. This is a horse that does not bat an eyelid about an HGV with a JCB on it's back. So take care, especially if there is a potential ditch hazard.

 

[Sprout]

You should be able to get trains times on line, which will give you an idea of when they might come thundering past the section you will have to ride - you could then maybe go on foot/in your car at a time when you might be riding, to check the exact time they go through.

I had to ride several miles right next to a main line track, and the horses coped really well if they were facing the oncoming train, but sometimes it would suddenly appear from behind, and that did cause some problems!

Good luck, I am sure after one good experience your horse will be fine.

 

[vhf]

I have a level crossing, line runs past field, bridge over line, and ride pretty close alongside it. Despite all this for 9 years now, I still can't begin to predict train times, and it's pretty close to the "end of the line" (or beginning!) so predicting anywhere else must be a nightmare!
However, apart from one horse being convinced the barriers coming down was a clever way of creating a showjump on the road(

) they've all handled the trains remarkably well once they were used to them.
Just take it easy and see if you can find an "old hand" for company a few times.

 

[ester]

lol he is the resident 'old hand' I wouldn't dare take my mothers horse down there. Interestingly I suspect he wouldn't mind them from in front but might not like them coming up from behind if anything as suggested. Its not far from home so fancy cycling up there this weekend and having a recee (sp?) understand that times might not be accurate but would prefer to try and not put myself in that situ the first time, though he is inherently better behaved on new routes.

Bridleways are a rarity around here and it would open up several more nice routes if I could be happy to take him that way. We had a train go under the bridge just as we were coming down off it twice this weekend and despite me being a tense passenger he didn't even flinch. However there is a reason I haven't used this route in the 4 years I have had him but just wondered if with a little planning I could make it reasonably safe.

 

[ester]

oh and jemima too, most local station is unmanned!

 

[vhf]

Trainline.com (?) I think should be able to tell you trains going past if you know the stations either side, then do the maths a bit and work out roughly what time, go on your bike and see if you were right?! Then try and ride so that you time it to see a face-on one first few times?!
They hear the lines "singing" well before the train comes, and so will you with practice on a quietish day.
Good luck - I know how precious a bridleway ride is...

 

[Hullabaloo]

I used to ride a friend's horse along a bridleway next to a railway line. We had a few problems at first and the passangers were treated to the sight of me being carted across the field a few times. Then I realised the horse was just taking the piss - she'd lived there all her life and been hacked along the side of the railway since she was 4. Once she'd had a telling off and she knew she'd been rumbled we were fine.

I'm sure you could check on train times, but they probably don't always go according to the timetable (at least they never do when I catch them!). It sounds like you might be lucky and he won't have too much of an issue but unfortunately I can't think of any way to find out except to try it! Failing that there is always christmas day!

 

[DuckToller]

Instead of trying to avoid the trains, might it be worth actually aiming for rush hour, and riding up to a safe point where you can stop and watch a few, give him a pat and then ride home again? Then do this for a few days so the noise and sight are no longer strange?

We live quite close to the main eastcoast line into London and with any new horses we ride round some nearby woods and try to wait for a few trains so they get used to them at a distance. Then we edge closer and eventually ride parallel and we can now do intercity, freight, commuter and even large metal maintenance trains, although the accompanying men in yellow jackets are still considered to be ultra- terrifying monsters by my horse, bless him

Ours are now so used to trains that my daughter has 'raced' them (it was a slow commuter train) and she and her friend had the whole train waiving at them, Railway Children style. The driver hooted, which did cause a little extra impulsion, but being teenagers they thought it was the best thing 'eva'

 

[Archangel]

Also check what trains use the line - I had a chance encounter with the Orient Express - in full steam mode - you would not believe the noise, the steam... the amount of time it took me to pull up

 

[ester]

lol Rebel, we have a steam train on a friday evening, and sunday afternoon I think, no fear will def be avoiding those!

I wouldn't mind to take him to a nice safe spot and watch a few but it is ditches all the way! road has 'ditch in its name'

 

[*hic*]

[ QUOTE ]
oh and jemima too, most local station is unmanned!

[/ QUOTE ]

So get to know the next manned station along, they will have a board with the "sections" next to theirs and should be able to tell you if there are any trains about to come along.

btw, what we do to avoid the train from behind problem is to turn the horses round to see them. I've found that most of ours are absolutely fine being ridden past trains (but as I said they do live next to the track) but Flynn is only utterly trainproof up to 12 goods trucks, more than that and he starts to twitch, more than 20 and he begins to shake and over 30 he can't really decide which direction to run in - that's ridden or out in his field.

 

[ester]

thanks, will do.

will update on if we survive!

 

[alsxx]

Theres the main line from Southampton to Salisbury near where my parents live, horses field was in just about view of the trainline, they could certainly hear it, and my rides used to take me over the line at various points and along side it. There is one section where a lane runs alongside the track and under the bridge for the M27 motorway, and the only thing seperating the lane from the track is a chain line fence and about 2 metres of gravel! No kidding!! There is truely nothing worse than being under the bridge when a train goes through on top of a horse!! It happened to me twice....first time I had a small bolt up the road but managed to stop quickly and the second time the horse just froze! Have also been on top of a bridge a few times when a train has gone underneath!!

You can check the train times all you like, however trains are often delayed, and in my case the line was used for goods trains which wont be listed on any train timetable! These were the worse as they were very noisy diesel engines!!

The best thing to do is to stop and listen, if a train is coming you will here the tracks almost hissing (really hard to describe!) quite a bit before a train comes through. At least that way you can be prepared and face the horse so it sees it coming.

 

[OWLIE185]

Used to ride mine alongside the overground section of an underground train line in North London without any problems.

 

[Janah]

I ride along a lane with a bridge over the railway line. It means going up a slippery hill and down the other side, also slippery. It is impossible to see oncoming traffic until ontop of the hill. It does make for an interesting ride. Not many trains use the line so a bit difficult to wait for him to see them.

I havent been caught on the bridge yet, just on the downhill bit and my boy didn't break pace. So I hope if we are caught on top he will be OK, fingers crossed.

Jane

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

We have a railway line in sight of the farm (about half a mile away at the closest point) as well as 2 level crossings and a foot crossing. We have a mix of trains from local 'noddy' trains to big fast trains and long noisy freight trains. All the horses here are used to them and will stand at the level crossings when they pass ignoring the horns etc not keen on the flashing lights of the crossing but otherwise ok we also have a bridleway that runs alongside a section of track and they all tootle along there quite happily regardless of which direction the train is coming from. If you want a quiet train free ride the best time is sunday morning as there are no trains until lunchtime - be worth checking to see if it is like that near you, even if not sunday timetables are a lot quieter so you should be able to plan a quieter ride while getting used to it.

 

[Bug]

We have a railway that goes through some of the common we ride on, all horses that have been at the yard have been absolutley fine.
Even going over the railway bridge when a train is approaching is fine too.

My advice would be to go on a Sunday first as you may get 1 or 2 trains but not anywhere near as many as in the week.
You can usually hear them coming too as the track starts humming.

Good Luck

 

[tabithakat64]

My horse has a viaduct going through his field and is pretty much bombproof in all traffic although he's not keen on the hopper bus for some unknown reason

 

[rach1984horse]

I work for the railway. I wouldn't ever try and second guess the train times as although there is a passenger timetable, there is also a seperate time table that takes into account other services, freight trains, and re routing due to problems. I would never take a risk crossing a line without getting permission from the signaller (there will be a phone next to the crossing) first. I have seen what's happened when people have run the risk and it's not nice.

I would introduce your horse to trains slowly. Maybe find out when a train WILL be passing, and give him plenty of space to see it face on from a distance so he can see it coming, from a safe place well back and outside the boundary fence. Let him get used to them this way.

As for trains coming from behind they are very difficult to hear. You pretty much won't hear one until it is near enough next to you. It's because of the effect of the air turbulance they cause that the sound is not projected forwards, so best make sure your horse is used to seeing them coming, or passing before you hack along somewhere where one might creep up behind him.