• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

9 Miles of electrified track

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
13 Feb 2011
Messages
1,056
Location
Cardiff
I've just read that the last Labour government electrified 9 miles of track between 1997 and 2010 (but anounced projects that where then handed over to the current govt).

Does anyone know if the figure of 9 miles is true and where it is?

(really don't want to get into a political argument)
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

LNW-GW Joint

Veteran Member
Joined
22 Feb 2011
Messages
19,555
Location
Mold, Clwyd
I've just read that the last Labour government electrified 9 miles of track between 1997 and 2010 (but anounced projects that where then handed over to the current govt).

Does anyone know if the figure of 9 miles is true and where it is?

(really don't want to get into a political argument)

Kidsgrove-Crewe as part of WCRM in 2002-ish.
Not even a government scheme - just to allow a diversionary route during the Crewe-Stafford upgrade.
But it did help give us the current LM electric Trent Valley service.
9 miles is pushing it - 8.25 I think (and some of it was single track).
 

rail-britain

Established Member
Joined
12 Aug 2007
Messages
4,102
One could argue that the WCML was electrified / upgraded, as very little of it now compares to what it was before
Also take into account the new section / upgrade to the Trent Valley section of the WCML, completed in 2008

Basically 1997 onwards would be RailTrack / Network Rail
2003 : Kidsgrove - Crewe
2010 : Airdrie - Bathgate - Haymarket

That's more than 9 miles of electrification

As above, not even including HS1 / HS2
 

ainsworth74

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
16 Nov 2009
Messages
27,542
Location
Redcar
2003 as part of the WCML upgrade. HS1 was also electrified during the Labour years.

It's a new route though so I don't HS1 really counts.

As above, not even including HS1 / HS2

As HS2 hasn't even been fully authorized yet, let alone built, I'm not sure why it would count towards total miles electrified...
 

tbtc

Veteran Member
Joined
16 Dec 2008
Messages
17,882
Location
Reston City Centre
One could argue that the WCML was electrified / upgraded, as very little of it now compares to what it was before
Also take into account the new section / upgrade to the Trent Valley section of the WCML, completed in 2008

True - four tracking some stretches that were previously only double track can be a huge benefit to the railway, even if it doesn't "count" for the purposes of political claims
 

LNW-GW Joint

Veteran Member
Joined
22 Feb 2011
Messages
19,555
Location
Mold, Clwyd
The pedants might also want to count the re-electrification of parts of the North London line (DC to AC).
And the rewiring of the GE main line (still in progress).
There were also some changes around Old Trafford for the freight terminals, but I can't remember when.
 

HSTEd

Veteran Member
Joined
14 Jul 2011
Messages
16,636
Saying that it was "under the Labour Government" is rather inappropriate in my opinion.....

How much has been done since privatisation that was committed after privatisation?
I think the answer is the same? (Electrification of GWML to Airport Junction was committed under BR right?)
 

Bald Rick

Veteran Member
Joined
28 Sep 2010
Messages
29,070
The City Lines from the WCML at Willesden up to Willesden HL was committed in 1998 and done in 1999. Every little helps.
 

LNW-GW Joint

Veteran Member
Joined
22 Feb 2011
Messages
19,555
Location
Mold, Clwyd
And what about Paddington - Heathrow, or was that done pre 1997?

Completed to T4 in 1998, so qualifies. Also the 2008 extension to T5.
On the other hand HEx is not theoretically part of the national network (it's owned/funded by BAA) and nothing to do with DfT.
 

HSTEd

Veteran Member
Joined
14 Jul 2011
Messages
16,636
Completed to T4 in 1998, so qualifies. Also the 2008 extension to T5.
On the other hand HEx is not theoretically part of the national network (it's owned/funded by BAA) and nothing to do with DfT.

When did the wiring work actually start?
As I understand it construction started in 1993 so its a bit odd..... (also as I said that means it was committed under a Tory Government/BR)
 

LNW-GW Joint

Veteran Member
Joined
22 Feb 2011
Messages
19,555
Location
Mold, Clwyd
When did the wiring work actually start?
As I understand it construction started in 1993 so its a bit odd..... (also as I said that means it was committed under a Tory Government/BR)

Must have been about 1996.
It's complicated because it triggered Paddington remodelling, resignalling and then wiring to Airport Junction (all BR jobs), which took a fair while to do.
Then the tunnelling collapsed at Heathrow Central so there was another hiatus during construction.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top