PlexiDriver
Member
- Joined
- 5 Aug 2019
- Messages
- 174
So I'm sure this is not the first time this has been covered in this forum so I added a little extra for new discussion!
Reopening the Penrith to Keswick line but then continuing it on through Cockermouth and to Workington.
Here is the general outlook for both sections. (Red is the alternative "new" route around Bassenthwaite lake that does not follow the old alignment - the thicker yellow section is a tunnel proposal as the old alignment now forms the A66 and is a vital road link to the area)
The entire route would be built using only ERTMS signalling, not colour light, this is the save on infrastructure and improve line speed.
The route from Penrith to Keswick is the "easiest" section of the line to build. Much of the old bed has been protected and therefore there would be very little clearance before work could begin. However, the first section:
This is slightly different from the original, which can still be seen looping around Newbiggin to the North, becoming coming back down between Newbiggin and Greystoke Gill. It's a rather superfluous section so this proposal calls to create a straight section of track, next to the A66 instead, ideally shortening journey times. Again following much of the old alignment, it would require 2 small bridges that go over B-roads that connect to the A66, along with the junction being built to the West Coast Mainline, most of which the old areas are still intact.
This next section would require a larger bridge over the A66 itself, again using the old embankments which are still, for the most part, intact.
The next stage would be following the route into Keswick. Using the old alignment that has been saved for this very reason. A new station could be built or even half of the old one could be bought back and used. The leisure centre at the end of the old line has now gone out of business, therefore, as part of this, it is one of the few large buildings that would need to be demolished for the line to continue onto Cockermouth and Workington.
From here, its the same as the old route until the A66 Roundabout on the outskirts of Keswick. However it would require some minimal land buyback as a section is now a single house's back garden.
This is where the proposal diverges. For now we will follow the original route, or the yellow route. Which tracks west of Bassenthwaite Lake, following more or less the original alignment. However with some bridges needed to cross the A66 in several places.
What really holds up this particular proposal is that there is no room around the lake to build the line without some form of tunnelling, which would considerably increase the cost of the line. It is therefore not the preferred option. But I left it in if someone wanted to make a case for it.
This would then join back to the area in which the A66 diverges from the old alignment towards Cockermouth.
Much of the old track bed has been built over in Cockermouth however there is just enough space to create a line through the town, leaving a station is an easily accessible area without having to demolish much at all. In fact the station could be located reasonably close to where the original was.
The line then cuts across the A66 roundabout until it picks up the original alignment all the way to Workington.
An estimated cost for this would be somewhere in the region of £500m-£780m, with the lower amount hoping to save on infrastructure that is needed with colour light signals. Instead relying on in-cab signalling with ETCS.
The red line is a relatively simple one and I can't include photos as I can only include 9, but it follows the route of the recent Water Works that has scarred the landscape in that area, showing that a straight route could be plotted in that area. It may also be the better route, as it would be cheaper than tunnelling through one of the fells.
The business case is clear, tourism is a major part of the lake district and link West Cumbria to the Lakes is important for the regions economic growth and would allow for a much easier spread of jobs west than is currently possible.
EDIT: I'd even suggest, although I think this to be unlikely, reopening of the Eamont Junction (South facing at Penrith), you could run trains from Manchester and London to Workington and through Keswick, express, a little like the Windermere branch now. Going even further the opening of a spur to Appleby (much of the track bed remains intact), it could even be a diversionary route for trains on the WCML, making the destination of Keswick more appealing.
Stations along the line would be:
Penrith - Stainton - Threlkeld - Keswick - Cockermouth - Brigham - Workington
Let me know what you all think!
Reopening the Penrith to Keswick line but then continuing it on through Cockermouth and to Workington.
Here is the general outlook for both sections. (Red is the alternative "new" route around Bassenthwaite lake that does not follow the old alignment - the thicker yellow section is a tunnel proposal as the old alignment now forms the A66 and is a vital road link to the area)
The entire route would be built using only ERTMS signalling, not colour light, this is the save on infrastructure and improve line speed.
The route from Penrith to Keswick is the "easiest" section of the line to build. Much of the old bed has been protected and therefore there would be very little clearance before work could begin. However, the first section:
This is slightly different from the original, which can still be seen looping around Newbiggin to the North, becoming coming back down between Newbiggin and Greystoke Gill. It's a rather superfluous section so this proposal calls to create a straight section of track, next to the A66 instead, ideally shortening journey times. Again following much of the old alignment, it would require 2 small bridges that go over B-roads that connect to the A66, along with the junction being built to the West Coast Mainline, most of which the old areas are still intact.
This next section would require a larger bridge over the A66 itself, again using the old embankments which are still, for the most part, intact.
The next stage would be following the route into Keswick. Using the old alignment that has been saved for this very reason. A new station could be built or even half of the old one could be bought back and used. The leisure centre at the end of the old line has now gone out of business, therefore, as part of this, it is one of the few large buildings that would need to be demolished for the line to continue onto Cockermouth and Workington.
From here, its the same as the old route until the A66 Roundabout on the outskirts of Keswick. However it would require some minimal land buyback as a section is now a single house's back garden.
This is where the proposal diverges. For now we will follow the original route, or the yellow route. Which tracks west of Bassenthwaite Lake, following more or less the original alignment. However with some bridges needed to cross the A66 in several places.
What really holds up this particular proposal is that there is no room around the lake to build the line without some form of tunnelling, which would considerably increase the cost of the line. It is therefore not the preferred option. But I left it in if someone wanted to make a case for it.
This would then join back to the area in which the A66 diverges from the old alignment towards Cockermouth.
Much of the old track bed has been built over in Cockermouth however there is just enough space to create a line through the town, leaving a station is an easily accessible area without having to demolish much at all. In fact the station could be located reasonably close to where the original was.
The line then cuts across the A66 roundabout until it picks up the original alignment all the way to Workington.
An estimated cost for this would be somewhere in the region of £500m-£780m, with the lower amount hoping to save on infrastructure that is needed with colour light signals. Instead relying on in-cab signalling with ETCS.
The red line is a relatively simple one and I can't include photos as I can only include 9, but it follows the route of the recent Water Works that has scarred the landscape in that area, showing that a straight route could be plotted in that area. It may also be the better route, as it would be cheaper than tunnelling through one of the fells.
The business case is clear, tourism is a major part of the lake district and link West Cumbria to the Lakes is important for the regions economic growth and would allow for a much easier spread of jobs west than is currently possible.
EDIT: I'd even suggest, although I think this to be unlikely, reopening of the Eamont Junction (South facing at Penrith), you could run trains from Manchester and London to Workington and through Keswick, express, a little like the Windermere branch now. Going even further the opening of a spur to Appleby (much of the track bed remains intact), it could even be a diversionary route for trains on the WCML, making the destination of Keswick more appealing.
Stations along the line would be:
Penrith - Stainton - Threlkeld - Keswick - Cockermouth - Brigham - Workington
Let me know what you all think!
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