Anglia service improvements

[Trainfan344]

Over the next few years the Anglia region appears to be expecting significant growth. However I don't see any ambition from the regions rail network to cope with the demand. I would expect there to be demand for Lowestoft to Norwich and definitely Norwich to Ely/Peterborough to go half hourly to be there.

I would advocate that the Ely to Norwich/Peterborough be prime contenders for electrification and line speed improvements along with the nessecary improvements at Ely North Junction.

I know there is local support for two stations at Leiston and a through service to Ipswich running hourly to give a half hourly service from Saxmundham with the Lowestoft train which would run through to London. I also believe that the improvements should be made to allow Ipswich to Peterborough to run hourly alongside at least an extra freight path.

If East Anglia is to develop into a major buisness hub we need these improvements. Sadly I can't see it happening.

 

[TheBigD]

Over the next few years the Anglia region appears to be expecting significant growth. However I don't see any ambition from the regions rail network to cope with the demand. I would expect there to be demand for Lowestoft to Norwich and definitely Norwich to Ely/Peterborough to go half hourly to be there.

I would advocate that the Ely to Norwich/Peterborough be prime contenders for electrification and line speed improvements along with the nessecary improvements at Ely North Junction.

I know there is local support for two stations at Leiston and a through service to Ipswich running hourly to give a half hourly service from Saxmundham with the Lowestoft train which would run through to London. I also believe that the improvements should be made to allow Ipswich to Peterborough to run hourly alongside at least an extra freight path.

If East Anglia is to develop into a major buisness hub we need these improvements. Sadly I can't see it happening.

Good luck with line speed improvements over the fens! I doubt that the formation or ground conditions will allow it.

Regarding Ely North Junction, various schemes are being looked at. But with a bridge/bridges required to replace Queen Adelaide and Kiln Lane level crossings a very large price tag is attached.

I don't see electrification being on the agenda either, despite all the climate change hysteria.

 

[ashkeba]

Peterborough-Ely-Ipswich-Felixstowe will probably be electrified next because of freight but I doubt that will be soon unless something changes. The bi modes means that electrification could benefit the connected routes too.

 

[30907]

Norwich to Ely is already 2 tph, Ely to Peterborough 2.5tph and intended for 3, but that's dependent on infrastructure work. I suspect there would be pathing issues west of Ely too.

 

[Trainfan344]

You have misunderstood, Norwich to Ely is XX:40 And XX:57 most hours. Of which the XX:40 goes to Cambridge and the XX:57 goes to Peterborough. Ideally there would be at least a half hourly service to both these destinations. We need these improvements for growth in East Anglia. Of course nobody actually cares about East Anglia...

 

[30907]

You have misunderstood, Norwich to Ely is XX:40 And XX:57 most hours. Of which the XX:40 goes to Cambridge and the XX:57 goes to Peterborough. Ideally there would be at least a half hourly service to both these destinations. We need these improvements for growth in East Anglia. Of course nobody actually cares about East Anglia...

Nobody cares about an area where virtually every train service has doubled in frequency in the last 20-odd years, or is about to?
4tph Norwich-Ely would be impressive - Metro frequency.

 

[ashkeba]

Nobody cares about an area where virtually every train service has doubled in frequency in the last 20-odd years, or is about to?

We have been told that Cambridge-Littleport is "about to" double in frequency for so long that few believe it any more. There are a few extra trains but no sign of work at Ely North, trains take longer than they did 20-odd years ago and there are more peak restrictions.

 

[Bald Rick]

Is buying a new fleet for the region with significantly increased capacity not showing ambition?

 

[gingerheid]

Is buying a new fleet for the region with significantly increased capacity not showing ambition?

Not really, as there are too many services where the new trains aren't big enough even before they arrive

 

[Bald Rick]

Not really, as there are too many services where the new trains aren't big enough even before they arrive

Well I disagree.

 

[gingerheid]

Well I disagree.

Think the trains are big enough, or think that buying bigger trains that still aren't big enough for existing demand is ambitious?

 

[Trainfan344]

We're now getting to the point we should have been at 10-15 years ago! I'd say the demand could be there for 4tph between Norwich and Ely, maybe even 3tph with a Norwich to Peterborouh local woul be acceptable, as this would allow for demand from Wymondham and Thetford to be met and encouraged

 

[Bald Rick]

Think the trains are big enough, or think that buying bigger trains that still aren't big enough for existing demand is ambitious?

I think increasing fleet size for rural routes by around 50%, with an all new fleet of trains is pretty ambitious.

 

[gingerheid]

I think increasing fleet size for rural routes by around 50%, with an all new fleet of trains is pretty ambitious.

I guess it has ambitious aspects. People in Newmarket won't find it ambitious, though!

 

[Aictos]

Well for Norfolk, it’s certainly a upgrade from Class 153s on the Wherry lines so I think that’s pretty ambitious considering.

 

[gingerheid]

They're an upgrade for sure.

But struggle to call buying trains that are insufficient for existing demand on certain services "ambitious" . I would prefer to call it "unsatisfactory" .

They'rw upgrading from scandalously bad to merely poor.

 

[Alfie1014]

These are Network Rail latest thoughts on the GEML and branches. https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-co...k-Rail-Great-Eastern-Main-Line-Study-2019.pdf though it doesn’t cover all of Anglia. I’m not sure about all of the them, the Marks Tey loop seems a bit of a non starter not least because of the low speed of the turnout off the branch on to the mainline. Since Norwich in 90 and the Felixstowe line upgrade Ipswich to Haughley Jn seems to have become a particular bottleneck, especially as some signal sections are somewhat long.

 

[30907]

They're an upgrade for sure.

But struggle to call buying trains that are insufficient for existing demand on certain services "ambitious" . I would prefer to call it "unsatisfactory" .

They'rw upgrading from scandalously bad to merely poor.

Can you give an example, based on the planned workings of the new trains?

 

[gingerheid]

Can you give an example, based on the planned workings of the new trains?

0752 Newmarket to Cambridge, 1747 Cambridge to Newmarket.

0733 Norwich to Cambridge, 1729 Cambridge to Norwich (at least from / to Ely, not sure if further).

 

[30907]

0752 Newmarket to Cambridge, 1747 Cambridge to Newmarket.

0733 Norwich to Cambridge, 1729 Cambridge to Norwich (at least from / to Ely, not sure if further).

Thanks. So, forcthose of us who don't live near Cambridge, what stock currently works them and what will the new provision be?

 

[gingerheid]

Well, currently is a special case because of the recent disruption. In the long term its 170 to 755/4, which is more capacity but not enough for peak journeys. I'm happy to call it pragmatic, but not ambitious!

 

[Adrian1980uk]

I tend to agree with the sentiment, every 1/2 hour norwich to Cambridge in an ideal world and 100mph electric but Ely junction has been discussed numerous times as a bottleneck.

I'd like to see the line speed increased on the Norwich end to improve timings to Cambridge and Stansted (already wondering what the extension to Stansted will do to loadings in the summer)