What lines did Railtrack (1994-2002) open or reopen?

[S&CLER]

One odd bit of trivia I noticed in Joe Brown's atlas of Liverpool and Manchester is that the short curve from Heald Green S Jn to Heald Green W Jn was opened under Railtrack on 16.07.95. Was this the only bit of track opened or reopened under the late unlamented Railtrack, or were there any others? I imagine the planning had largely been done under BR in any case.

 

[Snow1964]

Not sure of the reopening date, but the spur from Queenstown Road to West London line for Eurostar was used for discovery service from Nov 1994 (and railtrack started April 1994)

May have been some other bits associated with Eurostar, although they would have been under construction in BR era even if they technically opened after railtrack came into being.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Would redoubling of part of the Chiltern line between Princes Risborough and Bicester North in c. 1998 count as a "new" bit of track?

 

[WesternLancer]

One odd bit of trivia I noticed in Joe Brown's atlas of Liverpool and Manchester is that the short curve from Heald Green S Jn to Heald Green W Jn was opened under Railtrack on 16.07.95. Was this the only bit of track opened or reopened under the late unlamented Railtrack, or were there any others? I imagine the planning had largely been done under BR in any case.

No doubt planning mostly done by BR - but wasn't northern sections of Robin Hood Line in Notts actually delivered when Railtrack in charge?

IIRC the local authorities who were helping fund it said that costs escalated notably in run up to and after privatisation.

 

[Ianno87]

Hednesford-Rugeley Trent Valley passenger service.

 

[Bald Rick]

No doubt planning mostly done by BR - but wasn't northern sections of Robin Hood Line in Notts actually delivered when Railtrack in charge?

IIRC the local authorities who were helping fund it said that costs escalated notably in run up to and after privatisation.

Yes, the second section was built by Railtrack, and the third section was planned and built by Railtrack.

The line from Birmingham Snow Hill to Smethwick was delivered by Railtrack too.

I’m sure there’s others.

 

[Ianno87]

Would the Heathrow Airport branch count as a "Railtrack" project?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Would the Heathrow Airport branch count as a "Railtrack" project?

Railtrack dates from 1 April 1994.
So virtually all the GW infrastructure for the Heathrow Express service was under their remit (electrification, flyover, HEx depot etc).
The branch itself was constructed by BAA Heathrow, but Railtrack operated the line for them.
Paddington remodelling and resignalling were completed before Railtrack started.
Railtrack did Euston remodelling though, a little later.
I think Proof House Jn also came in during their tenure, and was lauded for being on time and on budget (things went downhill from there on WCRM!).

 

[steamybrian]

A list of stations...Category:Railway stations opened by Railtrack - Wikipedia

Nottingham- Mansfield- Worksop was reopened in in the 1990s
Edinburgh- Newcraighall (the first section of the Waverley Line)

 

[WesternLancer]

Nottingham- Mansfield- Worksop was reopened in in the 1990s

Indeed - a decade that spanned both BR and Railtrack ownership of course.

But post #6 clarifies

 

[Bald Rick]

Railtrack did Euston remodelling though, a little later.
I think Proof House Jn also came in during their tenure, and was lauded for being on time and on budget (things went downhill from there on WCRM!).

Both done in 2000. Neither were new railway though (unless you’re counting the Down Vauxhall Chord).

Both show how to get things ‘on time / on budget’ - make sure you don’t announce the budget or the schedule until you are absolutely certain! Proof House was supposed to be a 10 day job, but when detailed planning was done became 19. And it was very tight at the end of those 19 days - almost anyone with functioning hands was building up OLE small part steelwork.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Railtrack also built new infrastructure for the first round of TOCs, particularly those ordering new trains, eg:
XC - Central Rivers depot (for 22x)
NWT - Chester depot (for 175)
LT&S line upgrade and resignalling
Eurostar - Longsight depot, NLL AC (re-) electrification

 

[Dr Hoo]

Portbury Dock line in Bristol - several miles long
Leeds 'six-track' including new Copley Hill Chord

 

[Bob M]

Not a line, but they did renovate ( rather than demollsh) Bournemouth Station. The station clock is inscribed 'Railtrack 2000). Rather appropriately it stopped a few years later and hasn't worked since.

 

[WesternLancer]

Not a line, but they did renovate ( rather than demollsh) Bournemouth Station. The station clock is inscribed 'Railtrack 2000). Rather appropriately it stopped a few years later and hasn't worked since.

Some of the station restoration works were genuinely excellent outcomes - also Brighton comes to mind, and Hellifeld I think both during the Railtrack era

 

[Ianno87]

Some of the station restoration works were genuinely excellent outcomes - also Brighton comes to mind, and Hellifeld I think both during the Railtrack era

The jewel in the crown: Manchester Piccadilly.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The Bradley curve (Huddersfield to Brighouse) I don't think ever officially closed, but when Brighouse reopened (2000) the rusting rails had trees growing between them so the whole lot was rebuilt. The link from Greetland junction to Salterhebble junction at the Halifax end of the line had been lifted in the previous years so would probably count as a reopening even if Bradley doesn't.

 

[JKF]

i guess Leeds Whitehall counts!