[Sox]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk...nning_by_2013/

Originally Posted by Tom Moseley in Lancashire Telegraph

Todmorden Curve could be running by 2013

FASTER trains could be running between Burnley and Manchester as soon as December 2013 after engineers gave their seal of approval to the project.

Network Rail has completed a detailed assessment into whether the vital Todmorden Curve link could be reinstated.

Its engineers say the project, which would cost between £7.5million and £8million, is feasible, despite complications over the exact route. This means the only obstacle now is finding the cash.

Keith Lumley, of Network Rail, said: “It is good news. We are saying it can be done. From an engineering and railway point of view there is nothing to stop it being done.”

The company’s verdict is a major step forward for the project, which council bosses have made their top rail priority in Lancashire.

The 500-metre stretch of track known as the Todmorden Curve, which has not been used since the 1960s, connects the Burnley to Manchester lines and would cut the travel time to 40 minutes. Commuters currently have to change at Hebden Bridge.

A single line has been recommended, although it cannot follow the original path because the curve would be too sharp.

Mr Lumley said the engineers had ‘tinkered’ with the route and put forward an alternative.

The project has now completed the first three of eight stages, and the onus on Burnley and Lancashire council chiefs is now to bid for money and submit a final business case to the government.

If cash can be found by early next year, a detailed engineering stage will begin. The link could then be built, handed back to the rail industry, and begin operating by the end of 2013.

Lancashire County Council’s transport chief, Tim Ashton, said: “Out of seven schemes related to rail in Lancashire, this is our top one. I am fully supportive of it.”

[Paul Sidorczuk]

After the demise of the Manchester to Accrington direct route (now part ELR), this link would give that part of North Lancashire a faster link to Manchester than the line through Blackburn and Bolton. It would give more emphasis on the Manchester to Todmorden part of the Calder Valley route.

I note that it is stated that the original line path cannot be followed because the curve would be too sharp and that only a single line is envisaged. Have any suggested path proposals been yet put into the public domain?

[cle]

Single line is better than nothing. It would probably only need 4tph to use it - 2tph each way I would guess. Manchester - Tod might become quite high frequency!

They could run as circular services (up round Bolton and Blackburn then down again) to avoid clogging Victoria. Clitheroe services could be additional, and maybe run semi-fast (with a view to extending to Hellifield).

[Invincibles]

Originally Posted by cle

Single line is better than nothing. It would probably only need 4tph to use it - 2tph each way I would guess. Manchester - Tod might become quite high frequency!

They could run as circular services (up round Bolton and Blackburn then down again) to avoid clogging Victoria. Clitheroe services could be additional, and maybe run semi-fast (with a view to extending to Hellifield).

Be interesting to know what the demand for Bolton/Darwen to Burnley would be, because that would then become possible with a circular service.

[cle]

It would probably exist, and Accrington too. They're both rubbish for shopping for example, and so people might want to go to Bolton which is better. Not to mention employment prospects.

The circular route would probably be used for lots of different, short journeys rather than long ones (Bolton to Tod would be unlikely for example) - but as such, might take a lot of people out of their cars and off buses.

[Paul Sidorczuk]

What are the views of both the Local Authorities named in this thread under the current economic climate and would Central Government view the case for strategic re-opening of the link with favour in the coming period of time?

[bluenoxid]

LCC are very supportive of it and I believe it is their main priority for rail investment.

[Nym]

Will be very nice to have aswell, I'm wondering if it will either be an extra tph on the loop with the Clitheroe service being kept, or if it will be incorparated into the current Clitheroe diagram.

It could divert one of the Wigan via Bolton services toward Blackburn and onto Clitheroe, but it would need more 2 tack between Bolton and Blackburn again IIRC

[WatcherZero]

Lanashires priorities (and the chance of them happening) could probably be ordered:

1. Todmorden
2. ELR commuter service
3. Burscough Curve
4. Kirkby-Skem Merseyrail extension
5. New heritage rail
6. Skipton

[185]

Always makes me giggle the figures quoted for streches of line 500metres long, or for example the Halton Curve points reinstatement. I bet the someone like the Llangollen Railway could put track in for about 5% of these stupid prices quoted

[Nym]

Watcher, I get the distinct feeling that the only thing that would need to happen for a commuter service on the ELR, well, maybe two things, possibly three

If a mainline connection to Castleford is wanted, or onward travel into Victoria, would be if they have enough mainline registered stock, I'm not sure of the current situation of mainline reg stock at the ELR, but I don't think theres much.

Other than that

1) Drivers that can sign to Castleford?
2) If the DaFT would alow it
3) Funding

If the ELR joined ATOC as a ToC and had some of their drivers sign the routes into Victoria, or even just to Castleford, or even just into Bury, but all the way into Victoria would be nicer.

ELR as an open access TOC, able to set fares on their own route, and potentially joining the System One Travelcard system, or Metrolink's ticketing system, I can see an hourly or better service to Rawthenstall working.

[WatcherZero]

To a couple of those questions, money is the big thing, probably around £20m needed possibly TFGM and LCC throwing some into the pot but would probably need a grant from somewhere to reach the right amount. The next biggest issue is legislation/licensing of the ELR for a passenger service, in particular if higher line speeds were desired. As to vehicles Whitmore was being given a guided tour of the Stourbridge Class 139 last week and told RAIL that we could be seeing them in Manchester very soon. A larger variant of the PPM50 would be what they would use I imagine, something like the PPM175. As to how far it would go im not sure, quite possibly it would start off only on the ELR track, possibly being extended to Victoria later but that would require track changes unless they decided to make the route on the existing connection to Metrolink through the ELR's depot.

[Nym]

Or it could be the case that these PPMs (The biggest ones available) could run on Metrolink inferstructure to Victoria...?

PPM to make a Tram/Train?

[bluenoxid]

Could be done a lot cheaper by connecting with the existing tram at Bury using a PPM or a train. Looking at other options, I was parked at Junction 2 of the M66 to pick up a phone call where the line crosses towards Castleton. A lot of brownfield area for parking with a simple platform.

[WatcherZero]

If theres no infrastructure works this project could be done on the cheap, its if they need to start altering signalling, replacing track or laying new connections the cost will mount up.





Little video from before it entered service which I think is quite informative.