(Entirely) new railway lines

[A0wen]

Links to Heathrow allowing intercity trains from the ECML, WCML and a chord off the GWML allowing direct trains from pretty much all over the country to the UK's busiest international airport, and vice versa.

Isn't HS2 going to do that?

First of all, Luton-Dunstable had a railway so this isn't entirely new. 2nd (related) question is what happens to the Busway? 3rd question is why a Heavy rail link when the existing 99 MK-Luton Airport bus is reasonably well-used and provides more than enough capacity. None of the settlements (they're not really towns) west of Dunstable are anything like big enough to sustain a rail link. EWR will provide a WCML-MML link far close to far more people than Tring.

The Dunstable line actually ran to Leighton Buzzard - the Victorian's worked out why Tring to Dunstable wasn't viable as @Bald Rick's post explains.

 

[popeter45]

Links to Heathrow allowing intercity trains from the ECML, WCML and a chord off the GWML allowing direct trains from pretty much all over the country to the UK's busiest international airport, and vice versa.

apart from a western access line for the GWML thats already doable for WCML (via the dudding hill line and acton curve) and ECML (via west london line/GOBLIN and again acton curve), but would need electrification at sections of the route and sutaible platforms at heathrow

 

[zwk500]

Isn't HS2 going to do that?


The Dunstable line actually ran to Leighton Buzzard - the Victorian's worked out why Tring to Dunstable wasn't viable as @Bald Rick's post explains.

I hadn't realised it went beyond dunstable! There you go, learn something new every day, cheers.

 

[Bald Rick]

apart from a western access line for the GWML thats already doable for WCML (via the dudding hill line and acton curve) and ECML (via west london line/GOBLIN and again acton curve), but would need electrification at sections of the route and sutaible platforms at heathrow

And suitable capacity on the GWML - ie more tracks or removing trains already running.

 

[Andyjs247]

If we’re getting the crayons out, how about Cambridge - Haverhill - Colchester? Could be part of an alternative route to Felixstowe as an extension to EWR.

Or Chelmsford - Basildon - Medway Towns - Maidstone. Connects some largish towns that are geographically close but separated by the Thames Estuary and would otherwise require travel via London.

 

[A0wen]

If we’re getting the crayons out, how about Cambridge - Haverhill - Colchester? Could be part of an alternative route to Felixstowe as an extension to EWR.

Or Chelmsford - Basildon - Medway Towns - Maidstone. Connects some largish towns that are geographically close but separated by the Thames Estuary and would otherwise require travel via London.

The former was effectively the old Cambridge - Haverhill line which ran onto Sudbury and still exists to Marks Tey.

The second one isn't a bad shout, though I'd be more inclined to head for Stansted than Chelmsford.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

apart from a western access line for the GWML thats already doable for WCML (via the dudding hill line and acton curve) and ECML (via west london line/GOBLIN and again acton curve), but would need electrification at sections of the route and sutaible platforms at heathrow

That route is from the Midland Main Line. The WCML route is via Acton Canal Wharf Junction.

 

[21C101]

Weymouth-Axminster, along the coast. Would allow Weymouth trains to carry on to Exeter.

A south curve into Yeovil Junction allowing Westbury to Weymouth trains to call there would sort that. The embankment for it was built when the LSW line was built, but track has never been laid on it. It nearly happened in the 1980s. The disused clifton maybank curve north would enable Westbury to Weymouth trains to use the disused down island platform without conflicting with London to Exeter trains.

 

[D365]

Yes, the idea of a Snake pass line is rarely talked about and it does seem slightly unrealistic, but it could do a few favours.

100% unrealistic and would do no ”favours”.

Reopening the entire Great Central would be more likely to happen than this.

 

[MarkyT]

A south curve into Yeovil Junction allowing Westbury to Weymouth trains to call there would sort that. The embankment for it was built when the LSW line was built, but track has never been laid on it. It nearly happened in the 1980s. The disused clifton maybank curve north would enable Westbury to Weymouth trains to use the disused down island platform without conflicting with London to Exeter trains.

An alternative might be to reconstruct Yeovil Jn station about 500m to the east and add a connected single platform on the Weymouth line at the existing intersection bridge where it passes below. Access roads, car parking etc for the new facilities would be needed but, being largely in the middle of nowhere already, the precise location of the mainline station is not critical. My preference though would be to construct a new Yeovil Town terminus station and direct both Weymouth and mainline services into it with a reversal.

 

[BrianW]

100% unrealistic and would do no ”favours”.

Reopening the entire Great Central would be more likely to happen than this.

Ah yes, Great Central, now you're talking Isn't that what's called HS2 now?
I'm pretty sure the GC is what Justine Greening had in mind- a pre-existing route London to 'the north' (well Birmingham) ... little to no expenditure, few people affected (!) ...
It could have been presented as a Beeching reversal!

As regards something (entirely) NEW ... that's tough- so many lines went from nowhere to nowhere let alone those going somewhere. OK, so some of today's somewhere's were nowhere back in the day, and some of those became somewhere when rail was so yesteryear. It took ages for rail to reach Heathrow for instance, and even now it's rather 'hit-and-miss'. Parkways came as a response to urban congestion and accessibility issues. Some remaining post-Beeching stations were poorly situated but at least survived. HS2 is the closest to starting with a blank sheet to link places 'deserving' of being linked, and had a lot of poring over of 'options'.

I've a feeling it's going to be hard enough 'at this difficult time' to keep going what we already have and keep current plans moving forward. My crayons stand ready tho.

MY personal favourite- a no-brainer- would be from my house to my gran's- there's a definite need and I would definitely use it at least once in a blue moon. Actually I have that already- it's parked on the street.