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Chiltern Main line...

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TSR :D

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I can see some tracks that was removed. I only saw it between Tyseley to Solihull. I think there are spaces for about 2 more tracks.
Is it true that line originally had 4 tracks?
 
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jamie_

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Yes, was 4 track all the way to Lapworth, rails around birmingham website shows some good pictures of the line with 4 tracks :)
 

ainsworth74

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Why was it removed?

It was probably deemed an oversupply of capacity when the Chiltern Main Line was being run-down and so to simplify maintenance and signalling it will have been removed.
 

Cherry_Picker

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I think it was all Beeching. The West Coast had been recently electrified, so the Paddington - Snow Hill service was being shut down as people were travelling between Euston and New Street instead. The line didnt need to be four tracked any more, so they mothballed it. It could do with being back now, but I cant see it happening any time soon. Some of the trackbed is still in place, but some of it is now under tarmac and being used as railway station car parking. Widney Manor and Acocks Green spring to mind instantly.
 

HSTEd

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Its the same story as the remaining stub of the GCML, the traffic on the route simply didn't justify the extra maintenance and signalling costs associated with the extra trackage, especially at a time when the railway was chronically short of money.

I believe the last bits were taken out during the route modernisation immediately prior to privatisation.
 

lancastrian

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Its the same story as the remaining stub of the GCML, the traffic on the route simply didn't justify the extra maintenance and signalling costs associated with the extra trackage, especially at a time when the railway was chronically short of money.

I believe the last bits were taken out during the route modernisation immediately prior to privatisation.

The question is how much will it now cost to replace the capacity removed to save a few pounds.
 

Penmorfa

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Why was it removed?

As I recall the line was reduced from four to two tracks in 1971, it was also resignalled using 4 aspect colour lights worked from Saltley. So the overall effect on capacity was'nt that great. At that time there were only a few Paddington - Birmingham trains and not many cross country services to and through Oxford. Today's railway is a very different proposition. Nobody could have predicted the emergence of Marylebone as a destination, the huge growth in cross - country services or the flood of container trains out of Southampton.
 

The Planner

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I still don't think it needs four tracks, it is longer freight trains that cause issues along there.
 

ainsworth74

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The question is how much will it now cost to replace the capacity removed to save a few pounds.

Probably a fair few pounds but I think it would be harsh to criticise BR for removing the through roads on a route that looked like it was in near terminal decline (after all BR at one point was proposing closing Marylebone!) until the mid-80s and NSE managed to turn it around.
 

TSR :D

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Also, what's average TPH on Tyseley (Just before the line branches) including the freights. Also what is the average TPH Acocks Green - Dorrige line, again including the freights.

Trains doesn't have to stop on those lines.

Does anyone know?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
^@ Never mind, I already know TPH of trains stopping at those stations, but what about freights and BHM to reading XC trains?
 

The Planner

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There is one class 4/6 path an hour which isn't necessarily used and a XC per hour both ways.
 

swt_passenger

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Of course if the plan to run both the XCs via Coventry ever happens there'll be a useful reduction in services...
 
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