Direct line from Chester - Manc Airport?

[Chilled Phill]

Interesting read from the Network Rail Route 20 report

The creation of the third platform in CP3, will mean the capacity at Manchester Airport will become constrained by the layover of the trains and congestion at the throat. In the future it is anticipated that extending the line underneath the airport towards Northwich will be required in order to enable the airport station to handle increased traffic. This will allow for both future rail growth and the potential for new journey opportunities.

It makes an interesting point, creating a line up to Northwich will mean a direct service from Chester to Manchester Airport without the needs of changing at Crewe and catching the Northern service from there.

Curiously, however, this doesn't really solve the problem of congestion towards the "throat" of the airport which is what the paragraph originally discussed. One could argue a third line from the D/Manchester side of the Heald Green junction could be created, although is there space?

Furthermore, none of the current services actually go in that direction so how would a like all the way to Northwich actually ease the pressure on the station whilst also considering the new journeys this line would create which would add more pressure on an otherwise rather busy station.

Anyway, anybody else have any thoughts?

 

[bluenoxid]

Good spot. It's a strange solution and would probably result in more trains wanting to use it.

I suppose there is the chance that TPE services could be run through the station and round in a loop. A new Liverpool - Manchester opportunity could be created running through Manc Airport as would a service from Crewe through Man Air. Plenty of opportunities could be created by it.

 

[350401]

If the link from the line near Hale to the Airport ever happens, It'd open a lot of new journey opportunities -

Firstly at least 2tph from Chester/Northwhich to Manchester (1 or more via the Airport) could become a reality at last as Stockport viaduct could be avoided, which is where the current bottleneck lies. Northwhich, Knutsford and Hale easily have enough use to justify 2 if not 3tph. Knutsford gets 250k users a year - way more than Alderley Edge at 90k users a year which gets 3tph. Imagine how numbers would skyrocket with a frequent service.

Could also build "Knutsford Parkway" where the Mid Cheshire crosses the M6 - huge carpark and 3tph to Manchester - A556 congestion problem solved?

IF Sandbach to Northwhich was reopened, track upgraded etc, could then run a Crewe-Manc service via Northwhich/Knutsford or re-route the current ATW express service via it, freeing capacity on the WCML for Northerns Crewe-Manc via Stockport stoppers to return to even half hourly frequency.

The linespeed on the Mid-Cheshire is generally 60 to 75mph, (though is 20 for pacers or 50 for sprinters on Northwhich viaduct), I'm sure with a bit of trackwork, continual 75mph operation could be achieved? Or Even 90? The line I think has plenty of spare capacity, however, the main problem with the Mid Cheshire is that its the 'slow' route from Chester to Mcr, thus limiting the useful of a chord to the Airport. That would need looking at I guess? Also need to think what rolling stock would be used? I'm noticing 156s are creeping in more on the line, so maybe a mix of 156s and new build 172s for any new services?

 

[Chilled Phill]

Indeed, Bran. That's the question, IF Sandbach-Northwich is reopened. Seems costling to me because the whole purpose of reopening that line atm is to put Middlewich back on the railroad map. One could also say Sandbach could get a third train every hour which would be very impressive. But first, Northern will have to find new stock to serve said line. I fear the Chester-Altrinchan-Manchester service could suffer.

But still, this proposal serves NO purpose to combating the traffic problems going into the airport from Manchester and South Cheshire (from Wilmslow). If anything, this will just create further congestion with more and more trains wishing to use the Heald Green junction...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I don't know the exact layout of the junctions around the Airport, but presumably the congestion they intend to ease is that of the train crossing from up to down line (and vice versa) to serve the platforms. Through trains wouldn't need to crossover and so there are fewer trains 'in the way'.