Could an ECML diversionary route be created using East-West Rail?

[Midnight Sun]

Moderator note: Split from

ECML Wires Down 02.09.20

Surprised no-one's mentioned this yet but the OHLE came down in the Biggleswade area this afternoon, with all lines blocked. As well as no trains between King's Cross and Peterborough no trains were running to Cambridge either. No trains expected to run between London and Peterborough for the...

www.railforums.co.uk

Badly needs an electrified diversionary route

Wire the planned East West Route between Bedford and St Neots. This would allow Thameslink Bedford services in times of failure on the ECML to be extended to Peterborough.

 

[Ianno87]

Moderator note: Split from

ECML Wires Down 02.09.20

Surprised no-one's mentioned this yet but the OHLE came down in the Biggleswade area this afternoon, with all lines blocked. As well as no trains between King's Cross and Peterborough no trains were running to Cambridge either. No trains expected to run between London and Peterborough for the...

www.railforums.co.uk

Wire the planned East West Route between Bedford and St Neots. This would allow Thameslink Bedford services in times of failure on the ECML to be extended to Peterborough.

Unlikely to be a west-to-north chord where EWR and the ECML cross.

Passengers could however be directed to travel via Bedford and Tempsford (chamging trains) during disruption.

 

[37424]

I think HS2 wasn't going ahead it should have been considered as a priority ECML being able to be diverted into Euston and WCML being able to be diverted into KX, with Midland being able to be diverted into either, Obviously St Pancras has limited platform capacity which is why I have kind of left it out, but it would need probably significant extra provision on the East West Rail Link not least of which it isn't planned to be electrified now, but with HS2 it would seem less of a priority even if the whole thing doesn't get built there will at least be a good alternative to the West Coast Route.

 

[Steve Harris]

Unlikely to be a west-to-north chord where EWR and the ECML cross.

Passengers could however be directed to travel via Bedford and Tempsford (chamging trains) during disruption.

That is providing that trains can reach that far south on the ECML (during disruption) and be turned to go North again. Otherwise that advice would be pointless, would it not ?

Taking last weeks trouble at Biggleswade as an example, trains were being turned at St Neots and as far as I'm aware the next place trains can be turned is Biggleswade itself (which wasn't possible last week).

I think HS2 wasn't going ahead it should have been considered as a priority ECML being able to be diverted into Euston and WCML being able to be diverted into KX, with Midland being able to be diverted into either, Obviously St Pancras has limited platform capacity which is why I have kind of left it out, but it would need probably significant extra provision on the East West Rail Link not least of which it isn't planned to be electrified now, but with HS2 it would seem less of a priority even if the whole thing doesn't get built there will at least be a good alternative to the West Coast Route.

Great idea if there was the capacity, but there isn't anymore. If we were still in the 1980's, well, you might of stood a chance.

 

[Ianno87]

That is providing that trains can reach that far south on the ECML (during disruption) and be turned to go North again. Otherwise that advice would be pointless, would it not ?

Taking last weeks trouble at Biggleswade as an example, trains were being turned at St Neots and as far as I'm aware the next place trains can be turned is Biggleswade itself (which wasn't possible last week).

If you could at least get a couple of 700s an hour shuttling between the EWR connection and Peterborough.

 

[Steve Harris]

If you could at least get a couple of 700s an hour shuttling between the EWR connection and Peterborough.

Indeed. However, that would need switches installing at the new station when it's built (Which is the point I was trying to make).

Btw during the Biggleswade disruption they did eventually have 1tph shuttling between St Neots and Peterborough.

 

[Hey 3]

Hopefully EWR will be a diversionary route

 

[A0wen]

Hopefully EWR will be a diversionary route

Except to do so means adding junctions and leaving spare paths "just in case". Far better not to and allow disrupted passengers to use EWR services to cross between lines as necessary.

There are precisely no benefits to creating "diversionary" routes.