Emperors New Clothes? Surely the point of that story was that the Emperor wasnt wearing
any? Nobody is denying that bi-modes have some pros and some cons (we just argue about which are more significant).
Yes, they arent as perfect at being a DMU as a high-spec DMU would have been, and they arent as perfect at being an EMU as a high-spec EMU would have been. But given the reality of our botched electrification, they seem the best compromise we could hope for.
Many of the re-openings that we discuss on here tend to be the quaint rural branchlines that would never have a hope of being electrified (e.g. Carmarthen to Aberystwyth, Tavistock to Okehampton), so I dont think that bi-modes would affect the case for them.
Will bi-mode improve the business case for the Leamside? Depends on what the purpose of a Leamside re-opening would be. Is it to divert slow moving freight away from Durham, so that theres more scope for passenger services on the existing line? In which case there seems little need for electrification, given the lack of electrified freight on the ECML.
Or is it a new fast alignment to take the LDHS services away from Durham (to speed them up), in which case electrification does matter. But then there'll be diesel-only Voyagers on the ECML that aren't affected by electrification.
Or would it be predominantly a commuter shuttle from Washington to Newcastle (as part of the Northern franchise), in which case it may diesel operated, given the lack of EMUs on other local trains?
Regardless, a new station on the outskirts of Edinburgh recently cost over forty million pounds to build. Forty million pounds. Just for a two platform station on an existing line (not built in a tunnel, not requiring additional trackwork, just a common-or-garden new station). Given the way that those kind of expenses have escalated in recent years, I think that we have bigger problems to worry about (when dealing with the cost element of a BCR) than bi-modes.
when you would be reopening a line from scratch, the cost of electrification would be much more manageable. The line would get a totally modern track formation and signalling immune to electrification in any case. Various bridge rebuilds or replacements would be required anyway, especially if speeds were increased, meaning there would be little extra cost needed to provide clearance. Electrification teams would be able to work all day on a proper construction site, not an operational railway. They could either use rail-based tools after the track is laid, or they could use truck-mounted tools before the tracks are installed. The latter option was how recent LGV lines were built.
Agreed - much simpler with new lines (than trying to schedule possessions on operational lines)
If we can't find the funds to electrify the MML up to Sheffield how does anyone think that the money will be found to build new railways other than HS2?
Fair point.
I think that we can probably forget about most ambitions for new lines, given the electrification overspends. I doubt a Government of any colour would feel confident handing NR a cheque to deliver those kind of schemes, sadly.