adrock1976
Established Member
Having noted that in the IRP report that upgrades would allow 8 tph between York and Newcastle, and with it looking likely that 2tph London Kings Cross - Leeds would still remain, what would a post HS2 (truncated form) ECML traditional InterCity service provision look like?
My suggestion is as follows:
From London Kings Cross
2tph Leeds, calling Doncaster and Wakefield Westgate only (reduced journey time to compensate the East Mids - Leeds section of HS2 not going ahead)
2tph Newcastle, calling York, Darlington, and Durham, with 1tph extending to Edinburgh Waverley calling Morpeth and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Further extended every 2 hours* to Glasgow Central calling Haymarket and Motherwell, taking back this section from ICXC which can then be curtailed at Edinburgh.
1tph Hull, calling Peterborough, Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden, Brough, and Hull. Joint operation with ICEC and Hull Trains
1tph Sunderland, calling Peterborough, Newark Northgate, Retford, Doncaster, York, Northallerton, Eaglescliffe, Hartlepool, and Sunderland. Joint operation with ICEC and Grand Central
1tph Lincoln Central, calling Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark Northgate, and Lincoln Central (or alternatively after Peterborough, Spalding and Lincoln Central as it is the shortest route between Peterborough and Lincoln). Extensions to Grimsby Town and/or Cleethorpes.
1tph Bradford Interchange, calling Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Doncaster, maybe Askern if reopened, Pontefract Monkhill, Wakefield Kirkgate (or alternatively direct to Kirkgate from Doncaster via Hare Park Junction), Mirfield, Brighouse, Halifax, Low Moor, and Bradford Interchange. Joint operation with ICEC and Grand Central.
The 2tph at Retford would allow interchange with the Sheffield - Worksop - Gainsborough - Lincoln trains when eventually doubled in frequency to every 30 minutes.
*The existing extensions to Inverness and Aberdeen would remain, which would be in the opposite hour to the Glasgow extensions.
Common section between York and Newcastle
2tph London KGX - Newcastle/Edinburgh/Glasgow as above (ICEC)
2tph Liverpool - Newcastle via HS2/Northern Powerhouse/Transpennine Route Upgrade, calling Warrington Bank Quay etc to York, then Darlington, then alternating 1tph each at Durham and Chester-le-Street, and Newcastle Central (TPE)
2tph Newcastle Central - Bradford Interchange, calling York, Leeds, Bradford Interchange? (TPE or ICEC?). This appears to be shown on a map in the report.
1tph Plymouth/Exeter St Davids - Edinburgh via Doncaster with the calling points beyond Sheffield being Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle Central, Alnmouth for Alnwick, then alternating every 2 hours between Reston and Dunbar, then Edinburgh Waverley. (ICXC)
Although not the whole route between York and Newcastle, the existing TPE Middlesbrough/Redcar/Saltburn would still run every 60 minutes diverging/converging to/from the mainline at Northallerton.
The above is what I have thought of at this moment in time, other suggestions and tweaks are acceptable as this is speculative.
My suggestion is as follows:
From London Kings Cross
2tph Leeds, calling Doncaster and Wakefield Westgate only (reduced journey time to compensate the East Mids - Leeds section of HS2 not going ahead)
2tph Newcastle, calling York, Darlington, and Durham, with 1tph extending to Edinburgh Waverley calling Morpeth and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Further extended every 2 hours* to Glasgow Central calling Haymarket and Motherwell, taking back this section from ICXC which can then be curtailed at Edinburgh.
1tph Hull, calling Peterborough, Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden, Brough, and Hull. Joint operation with ICEC and Hull Trains
1tph Sunderland, calling Peterborough, Newark Northgate, Retford, Doncaster, York, Northallerton, Eaglescliffe, Hartlepool, and Sunderland. Joint operation with ICEC and Grand Central
1tph Lincoln Central, calling Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark Northgate, and Lincoln Central (or alternatively after Peterborough, Spalding and Lincoln Central as it is the shortest route between Peterborough and Lincoln). Extensions to Grimsby Town and/or Cleethorpes.
1tph Bradford Interchange, calling Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Doncaster, maybe Askern if reopened, Pontefract Monkhill, Wakefield Kirkgate (or alternatively direct to Kirkgate from Doncaster via Hare Park Junction), Mirfield, Brighouse, Halifax, Low Moor, and Bradford Interchange. Joint operation with ICEC and Grand Central.
The 2tph at Retford would allow interchange with the Sheffield - Worksop - Gainsborough - Lincoln trains when eventually doubled in frequency to every 30 minutes.
*The existing extensions to Inverness and Aberdeen would remain, which would be in the opposite hour to the Glasgow extensions.
Common section between York and Newcastle
2tph London KGX - Newcastle/Edinburgh/Glasgow as above (ICEC)
2tph Liverpool - Newcastle via HS2/Northern Powerhouse/Transpennine Route Upgrade, calling Warrington Bank Quay etc to York, then Darlington, then alternating 1tph each at Durham and Chester-le-Street, and Newcastle Central (TPE)
2tph Newcastle Central - Bradford Interchange, calling York, Leeds, Bradford Interchange? (TPE or ICEC?). This appears to be shown on a map in the report.
1tph Plymouth/Exeter St Davids - Edinburgh via Doncaster with the calling points beyond Sheffield being Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle Central, Alnmouth for Alnwick, then alternating every 2 hours between Reston and Dunbar, then Edinburgh Waverley. (ICXC)
Although not the whole route between York and Newcastle, the existing TPE Middlesbrough/Redcar/Saltburn would still run every 60 minutes diverging/converging to/from the mainline at Northallerton.
The above is what I have thought of at this moment in time, other suggestions and tweaks are acceptable as this is speculative.