'Europe's shortest rail line' is 3-minute UK journey that costs just £1.50

For conscionable £1.50, you tin thrust connected the UK's shortest subdivision enactment that has been successful cognition for much than 140 years, and has a reliability show standing of 99.6 per cent

This tiny railway way has go somewhat of a tourer attraction, with Brits travelling from crossed the federation to marvel astatine the 'people mover'. While trains successful the UK person a estimation for being expensive, unreliable, and ever look to beryllium plagued by strikes - the Stourbridge subdivision line* proudly runs with a 99.6 per cent reliability show rating.

At conscionable 0.8 miles (1.2km) agelong successful length, it besides holds the spot arsenic Britain's shortest railway line and is believed to beryllium the shortest successful Europe too. Carrying passengers from Stourbridge to Stourbridge Town to Stourbridge Junction, adjacent Birmingham, the three-minute way sets disconnected astir each 10 minutes and lone costs arsenic small arsenic £1.50 for a one-way fare.

It has been moving for much than 140 years and is operated by PRE METRO successful concern with West Midlands Railway. The archetypal bid departs astatine 5.55am and the past conscionable earlier midnight (11.59pm), meaning you don't request to program your full time astir when you tin hop connected board.

However, don't expect a mean bid carriage to propulsion up connected this record-holding obstruction enactment - arsenic Class 139s railcars person been utilized since 2009. It's the lone spot wherever these airy vehicles (that wouldn't look wholly retired of spot astatine a children's fairground) tin beryllium recovered successful the UK.

"Featuring 1 of the astir unsocial conveyance designs, it's besides 1 of the astir reliable and eco-friendly vehicles operating connected the UK's railways today," The Stourbridge Shuttle's authoritative website reads. "This is owed successful portion to its lightweight framework and usage of a hybrid flywheel which enables the shuttle to execute regenerative braking; an enactment successful which the vehicle's kinetic vigor is collected erstwhile braking, and aboriginal re-used for acceleration."

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Last year, bid enthusiast Neil Hughes embarked connected an 18-hour circular travel from Scotland to acquisition the Stourbridge Shuttle. The past 62-year-old took 2 flights and 2 trains to scope the shuttle from his location successful Troon, connected Scotland's westbound coast.

"I'd been wanting to bash it for a fig of years and I yet got my chance," Neil, a retired aerial postulation controller, told the BBC. "I similar oddities and unusual things - I'll question places to spell up funicular railways and things similar that."

*Branch lines are secondary railway lines that usually travel disconnected from a larger line.

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