Beyond Headbolt Lane: could we see further extensions to Skelmersdale/Rainford?

[Bletchleyite]

The fact that a branch to Skelmersdale has been seriosly contemplated shows that this is a very live issue. A pity therefore that the abyssmally planned and expensive Headbolt Station (an Ormskirk pattern would have done) will put any extension off for decades

An Ormskirk pattern wouldn't have done as due to the diagrams two units need to be there at once.

 

[Greybeard33]

An Ormskirk pattern wouldn't have done as due to the diagrams two units need to be there at once.

Furthermore, the timetable has to avoid conflicts on the single track section through Kirkby. Redoubling through Kirkby, requiring a new platform on the second track, would have made the project much more costly.

 

[Chester1]

The case for extending beyond Headbolt does not rest upon Railway Operators' convenience but upon the socio-economic needs of the settlements through which this LYR main line passes or skirts.

It is true that much of this demand is potential rather than evident in present travel statistics, so a business case would depend upon rocky projections. For this reason, an extension of Merseyrail towards Warrington would probably be easier to justify as it would pass through a more prosperous area.

The fact that a branch to Skelmersdale has been seriosly contemplated shows that this is a very live issue. A pity therefore that the abyssmally planned and expensive Headbolt Station (an Ormskirk pattern would have done) will put any extension off for decades.

WAO

Rail operators convenience roughly matches the business case. Delays cost money.

Headbolt Lane provides a useful service to a lot of people today and is designed for Merseyrail to be extended. Perhaps one option would be redoubling the line between Headbolt Lane and Rainford. With seperate passenger and freight tracks and buffer stops at Upholland, Merseyrail could be extended to Upholland with no addtional signaling.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Perhaps one option would be redoubling the line between Headbolt Lane and Rainford. With seperate passenger and freight tracks and buffer stops at Upholland, Merseyrail could be extended to Upholland with no addtional signaling.

I'd wondered about this the other day - but would a single (Merseyrail) track of that length be able to support a useful service from Upholland to wherever the double track starts in the Liverpool direction?

 

[WAO]

An Ormskirk pattern wouldn't have done as due to the diagrams two units need to be there at once.

Ormskirk has a (disused) South facing bay. A pity the Headbolt substation was sited where it was.

WAO

 

[Chester1]

I'd wondered about this the other day - but would a single (Merseyrail) track of that length be able to support a useful service from Upholland to wherever the double track starts in the Liverpool direction?

It could support a half hourly service if the current Merseyrail line was fully redoubled. That would leave an 11 minute single section between Headbolt Lane and Upholland. A half hourly service would mean the single section would be occupied for 44 minutes per hour on current timings. 777s acceleration would probably mean that is conservative.

 

[urbophile]

For this reason, an extension of Merseyrail towards Warrington would probably be easier to justify as it would pass through a more prosperous area.

Basing transport planning on 'a business case' rather than a social one is a very poor policy. Why should poor communities, just because they might not provide enough season ticket income or whatever, be deprived of decent transport? Public transport should be an essential part of 'levelling up' – something I know one can't expect the present government to take seriously despite their rhetoric, but which should be entrenched at the heart of aa regional development strategy.

You are probably more realistic in predicting which is most likely to happen. But it doesn't stop us wishing for an alternative.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ormskirk has a (disused) South facing bay.

Not for 30-40 years. The bus station path was built over it.

 

[WAO]

The point was that Headbolt could have had a bay.

In fact it now has three!

WAO

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Not for 30-40 years.

I suppose this Speculative Discussion thread will still be running at that time with still no official decision made....