Projects you'd build but will (probably) never happen

[Sad Sprinter]

A bit of fun, what are your pet projects that you would love to see happen even if it's likelihood (and usefulness) is very low?

For me, it's a Birmingham through station on HS2, to allow London-Birmingham-Manchester services. If not that, a Great Central freight line from Manchester to the Chunnel.

 

[YourMum666]

A HS2 - HS1 rail link

 

[Sad Sprinter]

A HS2 - HS1 rail link

Yes, not even providing the provision for one, just in case, if there's even the faintest glimmer of hope, a future government might think there is the demand for greater UK-EU rail links, seemed a bit doctrinal. But no, ruled out forever. Unless you build the HS4Air plan of course.

 

[HSTEd]

South Coast Shinkansen

Line from central london (location unsure), running Clapham Junction, Gatwick Airport, Brighton, Littlehampton, Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth.
Line would be operated at highest possible intensity (12tph+) using one platform in each direction, all trains stopping at all stations. Based on N700 series Shinkansen performance, end to end journey time of around 88 minutes.

In essence, what if a tube line had 400m long trains that could run at 285km/h. Trains would be driverless (GoA 3) with one staff member on board (probably in a compact buffet)

Easily beats journey times on the conventional railway from London to all destinations (smallest margin of victory is Southampton at about 15 minutes advantage). Negligible wait times will ensure turn-up-and-go-service and relieve multple south-facing main lines.

 

[Bartsimho]

Yes, not even providing the provision for one, just in case, if there's even the faintest glimmer of hope, a future government might think there is the demand for greater UK-EU rail links, seemed a bit doctrinal. But no, ruled out forever. Unless you build the HS4Air plan of course.

I mean if they have Euston held off you might be able to change the path into the station by adding underground point work to make it happen

 

[FlyingPotato]

I have many ideas for projects but in the spirit of HS2

First: I'd have through tracks at Curzon Street to allow HS2 trains to go into new street to serve Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury Wales and the south west
These platforms would be similar to Manchester 13-14 but of course would have more capacity.

The second would be an extension of HS2 from Preston to North of Oxenholme via the M6. It would follow the path of the M6, avoiding Lancaster but with the creation of a Lancaster high speed Interchange Station and it would join the west coast mainline past Grayrigg. This part of HS2 would be used by TPE trains as well in theory. Line speed world be at least 150mph

The Interchange Station would be at the current M6 Interchange and park and ride in Lancaster

 

[SynthD]

The thread about a second channel tunnel has made me wonder if you could fit three Eurostar departure lounges at St Pancras. Turn the arrivals into A (with more escalators), the current one is B and build C where The Curve shops are now. It would sacrifice half the shops and maybe some domestic HS1 services so it won’t happen.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Holmfirth branch reopened.

In fact, seeing as we're in fantasy territory I'd go further and extend it under Holme Moss to a delta junction with a reopened Woodhead line!

 

[Bald Rick]

South Coast Shinkansen

That didn’t take you long!

 

[HSTEd]

That didn’t take you long!

One must always be ready to respond to the call!

EDIT:

I realise you are probably one of the few people still around from that period who posts regularly. That makes me feel old.

 

[MattRat]

Manchester commuter network (like a bigger Merseyrail), linking Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield into Manchester, using tunnels going under Manchester. Probably use the Hunts Cross line as well to go into a rebuilt Liverpool Central.

 

[SargeNpton]

A HS2 - HS1 rail link

Around 1990-1991 I acquired a map of the proposed HS1 below-ground station to the east of Kings Cross that would have facilitated this. Haven't looked at it for a while but it's got to be at least 10 feet long.

The scheme was dropped, of course, in favour of St Pancras.

 

[Sly Old Fox]

A spur from HS1 via Gatwick and Heathrow to HS2, with another junction near Heathrow for a high speed line to Bristol and Cardiff. Would love to join Schengen as well and have proper international services from places other than London.

 

[Bald Rick]

Around 1990-1991 I acquired a map of the proposed HS1 below-ground station to the east of Kings Cross that would have facilitated this. Haven't looked at it for a while but it's got to be at least 10 feet long.

I’ve never understood how that station got around all the underground lines in the area.

 

[Pete_uk]

Second Severn Tunnel.

It needs to be done at some point...

 

[Failed Unit]

Removal of the Newark Flat crossing (ideally with a spur to the ECML to enable trains to reverse at Newark Northgate towards Nottingham without a change of ends at the sewage farm.

 

[The Planner]

Second Severn Tunnel.

It needs to be done at some point...

Because the current one is knackered or another reason?

 

[deltic]

HS2 link from Crewe to Dublin - linking up with NPR to provide direct services from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds to Dublin

Upgrade and electrification of Derby to Stoke line to allow through services from Manchester to Derby and Leicester

 

[Bald Rick]

Upgrade and electrification of Derby to Stoke line to allow through services from Manchester to Derby and Leicester

Youdont need to electrify / upgrade to do that. What you do need is to have a market for the services!

 

[deltic]

Youdont need to electrify / upgrade to do that. What you do need is to have a market for the services!

There is a limited market because there are no through trains - built a gravity model a number of years ago on this - number of actual trips from Nottingham to Manchester is double that from Derby and Leicester combined - when it should be around two thirds if an equal level of service was provided.

 

[faltskog36abba]

Spend billions on central Manchester's rail infrastructure, Demolish the arena, make Victoria a ten platform station. HS underground in Piccadilly as well as extra platforms at Salford central, And flyovers where needed. If only.

 

[popeter45]

1) HSGW - Old oak common to Bristol Parkway then over a new high speed bridge to Cardiff

2) to carry on from the channel tunnel post on how to add capacity, keep st pancreas for open access or as a dedicated checks on arrivals terminal but route all normal Eurostar to a new massive 24-32 platform Euston international thru station perpendicular and under current Euston that is shared between HS1 and HS2, also allows HS2 to HS1 reginal Eurostar finally

 

[Bald Rick]

a new massive 24-32 platform Euston international thru station perpendicular and under current Euston that is shared between HS1 and HS2, also allows HS2 to HS1 reginal Eurostar finally

That’s a good one. Assuming we suspend the laws of physics and it is physically possible (which I doubt), it would lay waste to a whole swathe of Camden and cost as much as HS2.

 

[Snow1964]

I would have completed the 1910-1915 6-tracking of Waterloo suburban from Clapham area to Hampton Court and diverted the suburban services into a big loop tunnelled under Waterloo via Leicester square, the HS1-HS2 interchange, High Holborn (midtown) and Mansion House-Blackfriars.

 

[Thirteen]

Not a rail project but extending the London Trams either with the Sutton Loop or to other parts of South London.

The Bakerloo Line extension while I think will eventually happen is a long way off.

 

[m79900]

I would extend the Wirksworth branch to Manchester as originally intended

 

[NoRoute]

M1 Railway service connecting the major towns and cities along the M1 motorway corridor, to provide a competitive rail alternative for journeys along that route.

 

[stuu]

A VAL or similar light metro for Bristol

 

[Bartsimho]

M1 Railway service connecting the major towns and cities along the M1 motorway corridor, to provide a competitive rail alternative for journeys along that route.

That's basically re-adding part of the original Midland Counties railway from Rugby to South Wigston

 

[pokemonsuper9]

even if it's likelihood (and usefulness) is very low?

If a likelihood of 0 is considered "very low" I would like to propose a Zone 1 tube-style system across the entire country, with frequency to go alongside it.
It'd be stupidly expencive (and that's an underestimate) and absolutely never happen, but I bet it'd increase public transport usage.

Might also need some high speed services, once again at high frequency.
250mph > 62mph, especially if the change is just how long a lift takes to get you from however deep you'd have to built it.