Invincibles
Member
Are there any simple things that can be done to increase capacity on this route?
Some ideas I think could work:
I believe that the second track at Dore is already planned to make the short single section for joining the MML less of a bottleneck (particularly given Northern stop at Dore and Totley station and so clog the single track section even more)
The junction at Hazel Grove is also a bit of a problem, although I do not know if it would be possible to squeeze a third train per hour through there without changing it.
The bit that I am most interested in is the section from the junction near New Mills down to where the freight line diverges to Buxton. What I would like to see happen there is for the line to be 4 tracked (there is definitely space) so that the "fasts" were on the outside and did not touch Chinley station, while the "slows" were on the inside and would allow calls at Chinley). These would also serve as freight loops.
The thinking here is that Buxton trains could be taken out of Stockport - Manchester and made to be extensions of the New Mills terminators. This would give Chinley a much better service to Manchester and with the slows being in the middle should not cause too many obstructions to paths on the fast.
As far as I know the big problem is then at the Buxton end where the station is not accessible from the freight loop. Could this be changed or would a new Buxton station be necessary. The latter would certainly be expensive.
Finally the current route to Buxton would be handed over to tram-train, which would enable an increased frequency if demand suggested it, and remove 1tph from Manchester to Stockport by terminating at Stockport platform 0 (There was a single line laid and then never plumbed in on the east side of the lines on the southerly approach. I would bring this into use).
The path of the Buxton train would then be available for a third Sheffield train, or a train operating to the East Midlands via the south curve at Dore.
The main winners would be Chinley and passengers between Manchester and Sheffield.
The main losers would be those on the current Buxton to Manchester route, but I believe their new service would actually be just as good as an old 150.
Some ideas I think could work:
- Double tracking through Dore (already happening?)
- Double track the junction at Hazel Grove
- Four tracks from New Mills to the Buxton line junction
I believe that the second track at Dore is already planned to make the short single section for joining the MML less of a bottleneck (particularly given Northern stop at Dore and Totley station and so clog the single track section even more)
The junction at Hazel Grove is also a bit of a problem, although I do not know if it would be possible to squeeze a third train per hour through there without changing it.
The bit that I am most interested in is the section from the junction near New Mills down to where the freight line diverges to Buxton. What I would like to see happen there is for the line to be 4 tracked (there is definitely space) so that the "fasts" were on the outside and did not touch Chinley station, while the "slows" were on the inside and would allow calls at Chinley). These would also serve as freight loops.
The thinking here is that Buxton trains could be taken out of Stockport - Manchester and made to be extensions of the New Mills terminators. This would give Chinley a much better service to Manchester and with the slows being in the middle should not cause too many obstructions to paths on the fast.
As far as I know the big problem is then at the Buxton end where the station is not accessible from the freight loop. Could this be changed or would a new Buxton station be necessary. The latter would certainly be expensive.
Finally the current route to Buxton would be handed over to tram-train, which would enable an increased frequency if demand suggested it, and remove 1tph from Manchester to Stockport by terminating at Stockport platform 0 (There was a single line laid and then never plumbed in on the east side of the lines on the southerly approach. I would bring this into use).
The path of the Buxton train would then be available for a third Sheffield train, or a train operating to the East Midlands via the south curve at Dore.
The main winners would be Chinley and passengers between Manchester and Sheffield.
The main losers would be those on the current Buxton to Manchester route, but I believe their new service would actually be just as good as an old 150.
