From the train...

[Amor de Cosmos]

What grounds can you see?

I'm always on the lookout for floodlight pylons when taking a rail trip in the UK.

Innumerable journeys from Kings Cross to Baldock give the traveler a panoramic close-up of the Emirates, with the bums of famous Gooners leering down at you. This is followed half an hour later by the lights of Broadhall Way peeking over the treetops as the train passes Stevenage. Finally, as it pulls into Baldock, the artificial pitch of Norton Road (once home of Baldock Town) can be seen from above.)

Euston to the Lake District offers a little more, as you'd expect from a journey that's three times as long. From the left of the carriage Wembley can seen in the middle-distance. Then not a lot happens until the Midlands when Villa Park, rather unexpectedly, leaps into view. Next comes Wigan Athletic looking rather impressive, and a just a bit incongruous. Finally Lancaster City's ground is just outside the station. The unevenness of it's pitch is shown off to great advantage as you pull away.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

From the train...

Euston to the Lakes on what train? The Virgin west coast mainline doesn't pass within fifty miles of Birmingham.

It does however pass through Crewe, is that what you meant?

[ursus arctos]

From the train...

This was one of my favourite things about long distance rail travel in the UK.

We've also done it before, but that doesn't matter.

For some reason, the one that always occurs first to be isn't a football ground, but Murrayfield, which is basically adjacent to the ECML.

I'm also always on the lookout for grounds when flying into UK airports, and can pretty much always count on seeing Griffin Park and its rooftop adverts on the way into Heathrow.

[Southport Zeb]

From the train...

On the Southport to Manchester train you can see the grounds of Southport, Burscough, Wigan Athletic, Atherton LR and Manchester United. Old Trafford is just about visible on the distance, but you get a much better view on the Liverpool-Manchester train that goes through Manchester United Station.

[Patrick Thistle]

From the train...

Have enjoyed going right past Shrewsbury's new ground on the train. But miss going past Gay Meadow just as you get to / leave the station.

[Snake Plissken]

From the train...

Euston to the Lakes will pass through Watford Junction and you can see Vicarage Road on the left.

Euston - Manchester via Crewe will give you Wembley, Watford, Crewe, Stockport County and Manchester City.

Stockport - Liverpool gives you sight of Stockport, Manchester City, Manchester United, Warrington Wolves, possibly Salford City Reds stadium and goes through where the old South Liverpool ground was.

[Auntie Beryl]

From the train...

My commute takes me past Broadwater (Berkhamsted FC), Vicarage Road as above, and not that far from Wembley.

[Amor de Cosmos]

From the train...

Rogin the Armchair Fan wrote: Euston to the Lakes on what train? The Virgin west coast mainline doesn't pass within fifty miles of Birmingham.

It does however pass through Crewe, is that what you meant?

There're are two lines. One goes through Milton Keynes, Rugby, Crewe and Birmingham (and you can see the St Andrews, I think, as you pull in to Birmingham.) The other, more direct route runs further East. The train doesn't stop until Warrington, but it passes Aston, and Villa Park is right there on the left of the carriage.

[Amor de Cosmos]

From the train...

snakeplissken wrote: Euston to the Lakes will pass through Watford Junction and you can see Vicarage Road on the left.

Never noticed that. If I take that trip again (unlikely) I'll look out for it.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

From the train...

You've confused me with east and west, but okay. Never been on that one. The direct mainline train from Euston to Preston goes nowhere near Birmingham, but through places like Stafford.

Wembley's also on the right (east) going north of Euston on that train as it leaves, so if it's on your left I wonder if it starts off on a totally different direction right from the get-go?

Paul S to thread.

[Kevin S]

From the train...

I go past Cambridge's Abbey stadium on the train every day.

[Capybara]

From the train...

Oh dear. What started as a mild interest became a matchday superstition and travelling from London to Middlesbrough I kept discovering more until I became a twitching wreck trying to strain and see them all. Over the years there's been two Arsenals, two Doncasters, two Darlingtons, two Arleseys, two St Neotses and two different Biggleswade clubs as well as Hitchin, York City, Peterborough, the Boro training ground, Eynesbury Rovers and others I've probably forgotten. Binning the whole thing was the best thing (possibly) I've done.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

From the train...

Elland Road is easily seen from the train coming into Leeds from the south.

[dalliance]

From the train...

One of the Renfrewshite commuter lines runs right behind Morton's Cappielow.

[Snake Plissken]

From the train...

Blackburn - Manchester line goes past Ewood Park, and Preston - Piccadilly goes through Horwich Parkway, which is the stop for the [strike]Reebok[/strike] Macron Stadium.

[Amor de Cosmos]

From the train...

Rogin the Armchair Fan wrote: You've confused me with east and west, but okay. Never been on that one. The direct mainline train from Euston to Preston goes nowhere near Birmingham, but through places like Stafford.

Yes but before that it skirts Birmingham. It's the green line on the map below. Aston and Witton are just before Lichfield.

https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/stations-destinations

Google map showing location.

[Geoffrey de Ste. Croix]

From the train...

dalliance wrote: One of the Renfrewshite commuter lines runs right behind Morton's Cappielow.

The Motherwell-Balloch line ran directly behind Kilbowie. When the Bankies were in the Premier League, I distinctly remember the trains going extremely slowly or stopping at the ground when Clydebank were playing the Old Firm, so the driver could get a good view. The same if the Bankies drew a big team in the cup.

[ursus arctos]

From the train...

Expanding this a bit, the Koln - Dusseldorf main line runs between the BayArena and Bayer's iconic factory



and is adjacent to Bayer Leverkusen's training facility for a few hundred metres.

The New York - Washington mainline also allows one views of both Red Bull Arena in Harrison and the Philadelphia Union's ground in Chester, PA

[tee rex]

From the train...

Sub-theme: grounds you have to lift up thine eyes to see ...



Judging by the empty terrace, there must be a game on.

[dalliance]

From the train...

Geoffrey de Ste. Croix wrote:

One of the Renfrewshite commuter lines runs right behind Morton's Cappielow.

The Motherwell-Balloch line ran directly behind Kilbowie. When the Bankies were in the Premier League, I distinctly remember the trains going extremely slowly or stopping at the ground when Clydebank were playing the Old Firm, so the driver could get a good view. The same if the Bankies drew a big team in the cup.

They were slow trains anyway and if I remember they were barely moving when they passed the ground because they were just pulling out of the station.

[SouthdownRebel]

From the train...

A trip along the Sussex coast will include Lewes (well, the land adjacent to the ground, the ground itself might just be out of sight), Brighton's new stadium at Falmer, the site of the old Goldstone Ground at Hove, Southwick FC and then Brighton's new training facility at Lancing.

Head north from Brighton for a couple of miles and you'll see the Withdean just past Preston Park station, Albion's temporary home of 10 years. Continue past East Croydon heading for Clapham Junction for a glimpse of the main stand at Selhurst Park.

St. Mary's is right next to the line heading into Southampton docks, though possibly just out of sight of the passenger services that swing west into Central station. Fratton Park is clearly visible as you head down into Portsmouth.

[SouthdownRebel]

From the train...

I seem to recall that Carrow Road is also visible on the approaches to the station.

[Snake Plissken]

From the train...

Just checked, and Euston - Manchester also passes directly behind Moss Rose, but you won't see it from the train as it is in a cutting.

[Various Artist]

From the train...

Carrow Road is indeed very visible as you pull into Norwich from the south, SdR. It feels like the railway track practically bends around the stands, from memory, although that may be more than slightly hyperbolic (my recollection, not the curvature) as I haven't come in that way for a good few years.

[Hot Orange]

From the train...

And further down the Norwich to London line, you can see Stowmarket Town's Greens Meadow if you peek through the trees at the right time. And then Portman Road is visible from Ipswich station.