Banff to Elgin light rail campaign

[GusB]

I've just heard a bit on Radio Scotland's Out of Doors programme about a campaign to reinstate the line from Banff to Elgin.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08c3jn5

A campaign has been launched in Moray to rebuild the railway from Banff to Elgin. Inspired by the success of the Borders light railway this narrow gauge railway is hoped to bring tourists and commuters to this area which lost its trains as part of the infamous Beeching cuts. Euan takes a look back at what the cuts meant for the area ahead of a public meeting being held tomorrow.

What it doesn't mention is who is organising the campaign, or tomorrow's meeting, and I can't find much online either. I think it would be great to be able to travel along the Moray coast, but it seems a wee bit far-fetched. Does anyone have any knowledge of this scheme?

 

[signallerscot]

The Borders line isn't a light railway.

 

[GusB]

The Borders line isn't a light railway.

Indeed! This was pointed out by one of the listeners, but was then rubbished by one of the presenters who insisted that a light railway was one that was designed to carry passengers only... It was too early in the day to be shouting at the radio!

 

[daikilo]

Indeed! This was pointed out by one of the listeners, but was then rubbished by one of the presenters who insisted that a light railway was one that was designed to carry passengers only... It was too early in the day to be shouting at the radio!

Well, the presenter is not entirely wrong though he/she should have perhaps used alternative words. It is possible to operate a light railway for passengers and for freight, but the latter will have low load densities and probably low total loads. Likewise, the passenger vehicles and trains will have weight limits but they are far easier to achieve.

The real issue is what benefit light-rail would bring versus a minimalist heavy rail, and it is not much, other than possibly maintenance and maybe structure load limits.

 

[cf111]

Anything would be better than the no. 35 bus!!

 

[edwin_m]

Possibly some confusion between Light Railway (passengers and freight but reduced standards and no Parliamentary Bill, under the Light Railways Act 1896) and Light Rail (the more modern concept with lightweight passenger vehicles and usually line of sight operation - a couple of freight operations in Europe but not in the UK)?

I tend to agree that in the unlikely event of this happening at all, minimalist heavy rail, would be the way to go, perhaps with line of sight operation by trains fitted with track brakes.

 

[me123]

As someone who has lived in the area, loves the area and would support anything that would help the area... this sounds like nonsense conceived on the back of a napkin. I'm not convinced there's a good business case unless you could build one around getting people to and from Inverness (as an extension of the proposed Elgin terminators on the Aberdeen-Inverness route). Even then, Aberdeen's probably going to be a more popular (hence economically viable) destination which would be essentially unserved by this plan. Light rail is not appropriate, it would need to be a proper railway. I remain to be convinced.