sprinterguy
Established Member
142s are regular fodder on the Morpeth services whenever I see them but I believe that a 156 operates the Chathill service (and some Morpeth runs). It certainly did a couple of years ago.
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Most deserving town to be reconnected to Rail Network
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knocker1962
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Ilkeston Derbyshire
Ivo
Established Member
Saffron Walden is very close to Audley End so if an alignment could be identified* the distance would be so short that it could probably be justified. The town's links to other places in the area are appalling - 1bph to Cambridge and ~2bph south towards Stansted Airport and Bishop's Stortford, via hideously indirect routes, are basically it - and yet it does have a sizeable commuting population. You need only look at the Citi7 to Cambridge (even off-peak) to see the potential there.
Even a 2tph shuttle to Audley End would be a start, although I would hope that something better than that would be provided. There are probably 10 different ways of making such an arrangement work, although the best in my opinion - both in terms of simplicity and in terms of units required (a grand total of two, assuming services are 4-car) would be to extend the Stratford to Bishop's Stortford services, not stopping at Stansted Mountfichet, Elsenham or Newport and thus allowing both the hourly XC service and the Cambridge fasts to skip Audley End. The paths appear to exist; in fact, the times seem to work so well that the services would be due to pass at Audley End! A singled branch would be enough, although I would suggest dualling far enough from Audley End to allow to 8-car trains to pass (I don't think there's really a case for 12-car, even allowing for intermediate stops).
Most suggestions for new connections are just too difficult to justify, owing to market and/or route issues. And whilst Saffron Walden may not be the largest town in Essex, or even in this thread, to be without a station that is truly its own, its BCR must be among the best in the country.
* Leaving the West Anglia Main Line immediately north of Audley End bridge and following Walden Road etc until roughly opposite the High School seems like a sensible route, is less than two miles long, and ends up literally 400m from the High Street. See here. Even the old alignment is at least partially intact, although I can't tell from Google exactly how much of it is.
On the other hand, Maldon and especially Haverhill are probably too far.
Tell that to the pen pushers who thought a busway was the better option
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ReverendFozz
Member
Washington w/Leamside is a no brainer.
Although it is served at Gateshead by Metro, should they be connected on the main network
Although it is served at Gateshead by Metro, should they be connected on the main network
youngiecj
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Good shout is Ilkeston ! Busy place and on the main line! I believe that was one of the stations that has been mentioned for re-opening ?
And the other contender in West Yorkshire, Wetherby either continuing through to Tadcaster and Church Fenton (as it once did) or potentially going north from Wetherby on a completely new alignment to Boroughbridge and Thirsk (okay, it is unconceivable that a route that ever bypasses York would be considered).
ValleyLines142
Established Member
I'd have to say, a station in between Cardiff and Pontyclun would be very useful. Seems somewhat silly that there are no stations serving the western suburbs of Cardiff such as Ely, a very large community, and other places such as Michaelston, St Fagan's (where the level crossing is on the South Wales Main Line) and Drope. Fairwater, on the other hand, just across from Ely over Ely Bridge, has two stations, both with a half-hourly service on the City Line, despite being a smaller community than Ely.
However, a 12-minute journey time from Cardiff to Pontyclun is excellent and is a route I use regularly.
Exactly the same with the east of Cardiff. Areas such as St Mellons and Marshfield could really do with a station, as the only option at the moment is to take the 30, 44 and 45 bus into Cardiff centre.
I also agree with Porthcawl! I've seen a lot of people at Cardiff station asking if Porthcawl is connected to the railway line, and the staff have to inform them that they'll need to take a train to Bridgend and then a bus onwards to Porthcawl (not sure if through tickets are available).
However, a 12-minute journey time from Cardiff to Pontyclun is excellent and is a route I use regularly.
Exactly the same with the east of Cardiff. Areas such as St Mellons and Marshfield could really do with a station, as the only option at the moment is to take the 30, 44 and 45 bus into Cardiff centre.
I also agree with Porthcawl! I've seen a lot of people at Cardiff station asking if Porthcawl is connected to the railway line, and the staff have to inform them that they'll need to take a train to Bridgend and then a bus onwards to Porthcawl (not sure if through tickets are available).
paul1609
Established Member
Gosport as a rail reopening project is a complete non starter.
The end nearest Gosport itself which closed in 1970 has had homes, industrial estates and a primary school built over it
The bit that was recently converted to a bus way survived unbuilt on because it was retained as a freight only branch to the Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Bedenham where the last train rain in the mid 1990s.
This traffic moved to road with the end of the cold war and the end of Portsmouth as a submarine base
badger1badger
Member
Oxen hope or Middleton in leeds
Saffron Walden is very close to Audley End so if an alignment could be identified* the distance would be so short that it could probably be justified. The town's links to other places in the area are appalling - 1bph to Cambridge and ~2bph south towards Stansted Airport and Bishop's Stortford, via hideously indirect routes, are basically it - and yet it does have a sizeable commuting population. You need only look at the Citi7 to Cambridge (even off-peak) to see the potential there.
Even a 2tph shuttle to Audley End would be a start, although I would hope that something better than that would be provided. There are probably 10 different ways of making such an arrangement work, although the best in my opinion - both in terms of simplicity and in terms of units required (a grand total of two, assuming services are 4-car) would be to extend the Stratford to Bishop's Stortford services, not stopping at Stansted Mountfichet, Elsenham or Newport and thus allowing both the hourly XC service and the Cambridge fasts to skip Audley End. The paths appear to exist; in fact, the times seem to work so well that the services would be due to pass at Audley End! A singled branch would be enough, although I would suggest dualling far enough from Audley End to allow to 8-car trains to pass (I don't think there's really a case for 12-car, even allowing for intermediate stops).
Most suggestions for new connections are just too difficult to justify, owing to market and/or route issues. And whilst Saffron Walden may not be the largest town in Essex, or even in this thread, to be without a station that is truly its own, its BCR must be among the best in the country.
* Leaving the West Anglia Main Line immediately north of Audley End bridge and following Walden Road etc until roughly opposite the High School seems like a sensible route, is less than two miles long, and ends up literally 400m from the High Street. See here. Even the old alignment is at least partially intact, although I can't tell from Google exactly how much of it is.
On the other hand, Maldon and especially Haverhill are probably too far.
Tell that to the pen pushers who thought a busway was the better option
A new Town Center station in Saffron Waldon, obviously good news for commuters if they are within walking distance.
If they live on the outskirts or in the country, they will still have to drive/be dropped-off and so might still find Audley End a more attractive and more accessible option.
But it's more than just railway business cases and commuter lines, which might just view this scenario as spending money on infrastructure
and losing car parking revenue in return.
Where new or re connections generate significant NEW customers who have transferred partially or fully from car commuting, that would earn some "green" points to support a case for the infrastructure spend.
Maldon is about 6 miles away from the nearest rail car park, so I guess it would become attractive for existing commuters within a 3 mile radius: or more if there is no obligatory traffic jam.
Haverhill, however, is a good 12 miles from any rail line and I wouldn't like to suggest which one to connect it to: nevertheless, if it were connected through, say, Audley End, then it would give access to a very large rail less desert.
lancastrian
Member
Well I have a few choices personally.
First of all Earby, as this is on the Colne to Skipton route, reopening Earby means the reopening of the Colne to Skipton line. other stations I would like to see reopen are as follows:
These are just a few I can think off the top of my head, give me more time I am sure I could double it easily.
Just thought of another one that should be reopened and that is Hawick on the Waverley route, I cannot understand why they are stopping at Tweedbank.
First of all Earby, as this is on the Colne to Skipton route, reopening Earby means the reopening of the Colne to Skipton line. other stations I would like to see reopen are as follows:
- Fleetwood
- Leigh
- Oldham
- Ripon
- Weatherby
- Stamford Bridge (Yorkshire)
- Crook
- Skelmeresdale
- Blandford Forum
- Wadebridge
- Ilfracombe
- Torrington
- Hunstanton
- St. Ives (Hunts) will get rid of that silly Guided Bus Route
- Louth
- Deepcar (reopen the Woodhead line)
- Caernarvon
- Almwich
These are just a few I can think off the top of my head, give me more time I am sure I could double it easily.
Just thought of another one that should be reopened and that is Hawick on the Waverley route, I cannot understand why they are stopping at Tweedbank.
Not sure about Torrington, unless you wanted to promote it as a dormitory for Exeter - as a destination it's not really got much going for it. Bideford is rather more attractive, did they leave enough space under the new roundabout in Barnstaple in the end? I noticed one gap, but then it seems there was some encroachment on the formation after all.
Except for freight. Some sort of bypass route would be ideal to clear out York station. I know there's the line through the yard, but we still see 1,500 tons of coal rumbling through the station every now and then.
VTPreston_Tez
Member
Garstang? Receives a dreadful bus service which is always packed in the peaks and even off peak the amount of pax seen could justify a rail service.
While they're at it, a Barton Grange station would be just as useful.
While they're at it, a Barton Grange station would be just as useful.
davidknibb
Member
- Joined
- 30 Oct 2012
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- 81
When I was a very young child we used to change at Chathill for Seahouses. As a 5 year old I called it the 'ribby choo' - and it was
David
David
johnnyp_360
Member
Surely Soham should be in a thread for 'Next station to be reopened', since it doesn't need reconnecting, since the railway was never closed.
johnnyp_360
Member
It has been talked about many times in recent years, yet no action is being taken. There was an costly investigation (£38,000 apparently) a couple of years ago trying to find out what effect it would have on freight trains and current passenger services and how much it would cost to build a station. They discovered it would cost £1.8m for 1 platform unstaffed or £5.1m for 2 platforms staffed.
It has also been suggested that Network Rail/Local Council are waiting for the whole line between Soham and Ely to be dualed before building platforms and things.
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