Rail stations near canals

[rubblequeen]

Hi,

first major trip and will need to nip home occasionally and relatives joining at different points. Just wondered if there are any canal maps identifying where the nearest railway station is? I can see on some Nicholson guides stations are identified but that is only if they happen to be situated within the limited area of the actual map it also doesn't say anything such as what line it is on. I haven't specified what routes as I was looking toward the future trips also when I plan to use the trains also.

 

I noticed on another thread someone wanting camp sites might be helpful if there was a map showing these also.

 

Thanks

[the grinch]

which canal/s are you intending to visit? I regularly left one station and returned to another when i worked 4 days a week so know a lot of them.

[nicknorman]

Hi,

first major trip and will need to nip home occasionally and relatives joining at different points. Just wondered if there are any canal maps identifying where the nearest railway station is? I can see on some Nicholson guides stations are identified but that is only if they happen to be situated within the limited area of the actual map it also doesn't say anything such as what line it is on. I haven't specified what routes as I was looking toward the future trips also when I plan to use the trains also.

 

I noticed on another thread someone wanting camp sites might be helpful if there was a map showing these also.

 

Thanks

You can of course see this sort of info on an iPad/iPhone maps App etc, especially one that hasn't been updated to IOS6! I've found this very useful in the past when working out where to drop the rellies off etc.

[PilgrimFather]

We have got quite good at this, as our actress daughter always gets called for auditions as soon as she comes away with us. I have just spec'ed our our May fortnight via BCN, Worcs & Staffs, Severn, Avon & Stratford canals with interchange options every day!

[trackman]

We use trains loads and many canals are well served. However, some are not, so you are right to plan ahead.

Google maps will show you rail stations. The Pearson canal guides are pretty good at saying where there are nearby stations too.

Where are you planning to go?

[oarfish]

This site has canal routes overlaid onto google maps. You can zoom in and check the location of stations.

[plainsman]

Hi,

first major trip and will need to nip home occasionally and relatives joining at different points. Just wondered if there are any canal maps identifying where the nearest railway station is? I can see on some Nicholson guides stations are identified but that is only if they happen to be situated within the limited area of the actual map it also doesn't say anything such as what line it is on. I haven't specified what routes as I was looking toward the future trips also when I plan to use the trains also.

 

I noticed on another thread someone wanting camp sites might be helpful if there was a map showing these also.

 

Thanks

 

I use this quite a lot http://traveline.info. Gives me train times and bus times from and to any location. I get it on my phone or more usually at an internet cafe or better free wi-fi in pubs etc, or public libraries.(most cases free or a nominal charge). If you intend to do a fair bit of travelling may be worth getting a railcard. As I am of a certain age I use my bus pass and a senior citizen railcard

[Keeping Up]

I find that Transport Direct is a useful planner too - it gives a choice of journeys from one point to another by bus, train, coach, walking, etc.

 

If you use both trains and Tesco, you can buy half-price tickets from your Clubcard points on Red Spotted Hanky

[keble]

I find that Transport Direct is a useful planner too - it gives a choice of journeys from one point to another by bus, train, coach, walking, etc.

 

If you use both trains and Tesco, you can buy half-price tickets from your Clubcard points on Red Spotted Hanky

You can put a post code into the transport direct web site mentioned by Allan.

You can get a canal place post code from Canalplan (click on places, then get to your place).

E.g for the Commandery lock in Worcester I entered this into transport direct:

 

WR1 2AH

 

And got

 

Worcester Foregate St 0.5 miles.

 

Could be a useful addition to Canalplan!

[Ange]

This site has canal routes overlaid onto google maps. You can zoom in and check the location of stations.

 

That looks to be a very useful site! Thank you oarfish for posting that link.

[sueb]

The First Mate Guides have hhis info

[the grinch]

just because a station is nearby doesn't mean its safe to leave a boat unattended so again you need to weigh up your options GU south is well served by the local trains Euston - Northampton, the Southern Oxford though only has a couple of stations Oxford, Banbury and Kings Sutton

the Coventry has Coventry, Bedworth, Nuneaton & Atherstone but very good bus services within walking distance of Hawkesbury

 

The Leicester section is poor for rail transport but Buses pass foxton village and A5 bridges

but then again would you want to leave a boat at Wolverhampton? as said earlier a planned route would lead to a good selection of tie ups

[Wumpty]

University, Selly Oak, Bournville, most cross city stations in Birmingham...

[Up-Side-Down]

Hi,

first major trip and will need to nip home occasionally and relatives joining at different points. Just wondered if there are any canal maps identifying where the nearest railway station is? I can see on some Nicholson guides stations are identified but that is only if they happen to be situated within the limited area of the actual map it also doesn't say anything such as what line it is on. I haven't specified what routes as I was looking toward the future trips also when I plan to use the trains also.

 

I noticed on another thread someone wanting camp sites might be helpful if there was a map showing these also.

 

Thanks

 

If you look at the listing of the individual place names in Nicholson you will find that if there is a station it will be be annotated. Those stations that are a little way away are also mentioned with an appropriate caption.

[Doug Scullery]

The orange Ordnance Survey maps (the maps in Nicholson guides are tiny bits of these maps) show all canals and rail stations, and much more besides. If you want accurate paper maps of the UK they really are the only way to go.

[rubblequeen]

Wow this is great info guys many thanks.

heading north from Iver to Shardlow via Coventry is the first trip, but as I said I want to go further afield but no plans as yet where.

 

Actually I'll enjoy using all your suggestions as much of the enjoyment of all my travels by bicycle has been the logistics of the journey.

 

So again big thank you.

[Chris Pink]

The orange Ordnance Survey maps (the maps in Nicholson guides are tiny bits of these maps) show all canals and rail stations, and much more besides. If you want accurate paper maps of the UK they really are the only way to go.

 

just to move this on a century or so, there's an app called RailEasy that will find your nearest station in its journey planner. I don't know whether it's intelligent enough to find the bet nearest station for your journey, that may take a couple of stabs.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Chris Pink

[the grinch]

so heading north from Iver you have tube at Uxbridge and Rickmansworth both less than 10 minute walk, train station at Croxley (not a fantastic service) berkhampstead and hemel hempstead are alongside the canal, tring is about a 15 minute walk from Bulbourne Cheddleton is convienient for slapton/pitstone

then you have leighton buzzard and wolverton and then long buckby before a long no mans land to the North oxford canal rugby and hawkesbury (buses to Coventry on foleshill road) atherstone then alvecote (safest place for Tamworth) again Burton on trent has a station but not very good for leaving a boat unattended and finally Shardlow is a taxi to long eaton

[Ange]

so heading north from Iver you have tube at Uxbridge and Rickmansworth both less than 10 minute walk, train station at Croxley (not a fantastic service) berkhampstead and hemel hempstead are alongside the canal, tring is about a 15 minute walk from Bulbourne Cheddleton is convienient for slapton/pitstone

then you have leighton buzzard and wolverton and then long buckby before a long no mans land to the North oxford canal rugby and hawkesbury (buses to Coventry on foleshill road) atherstone then alvecote (safest place for Tamworth) again Burton on trent has a station but not very good for leaving a boat unattended and finally Shardlow is a taxi to long eaton

 

Willington also has a station, albeit with fairly infrequent trains.

 

If you decide to go up the Soar from Shardlow you can moor near Redhill Marina which is very handy for East Midlands Parkway. After that there's Loughborough - excellent moorings walking distance from Loughborough Station, then ditto Barrow - though the trains are more infrequent here, then Sileby. That's as far as we've been so I'm not sure about mooring safety in Leicester and proximity to the station.

 

Heading up towards the Trent from Shardlow Beeston is withing walking distance of the station and Thane Road moorings are right next to the Park and Ride for Nottingham Station.

[Pembroke]

I used to use the Northampton to Euston line every day and the canal and rail are never that far apart

There are only about 10 stations once you get North of Watford so they are quite well spaced but not very evenly

From memory having spent years looking out of the window:

Kings Langley, Hemel and Berkhamsted the canal is close to the station

Not sure about Tring and Cheddington but they were stations not all that close to the settlement they served - particularly Cheddington which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere

Leighton Buzzard the canal is close as well

Not sure about Bletchley but MK central and Wolverton it always seemed close there as well

[Keeping Up]

Don't forget Apsley as well (just south of Hemel Hempstead).

[Pembroke]

Oh I knew I'd missed a a station

Used to go through that one at about 120MPH on a Pendolino

Good point though as im pretty sure there is a marina pretty close it

[bizzard]

I used to go through it on the ''Red Rose and Manxman'' Euston to Liverpool Limestreet.

[David Mack]

train station at Croxley (not a fantastic service)

 

Croxley and Watford Met stations are on the Metropolitan Line, on opposite sides of the canal, and have a pretty good service. Croxley Green Station was very close to the canal but has been closed for a number of years.

[the grinch]

i bow to your knowledge there dave was thinking the green station hadn't realised it had gone