Fantasy: Given no limits, how would you modernise your line?

[Killingworth]

Would the Barrow branch be worth electrifying in your opinion, considering it is much busier than the Morecambe branch?

The Morecambe branch from Lancaster takes 9 minutes, and is a geat deal shorter than the line to Barrow taking over an hour. The full through route from Lancaster goes on around the Cumbrian coast to Carlisle, taking half an hour longer than from Lancaster to Euston.

 

[randyrippley]

Would the Barrow branch be worth electrifying in your opinion, considering it is much busier than the Morecambe branch?

There's a massive latent passenger flow Heysham-Morecambe-Lancaster-University with a ridiculous number of buses currently linking the towns.
Converting Heysham-Morecambe-Lancaster to a light rail solution should be an immediate fix, especially with new stations at all the bridges / road intersections. Extending the service to a new station at the site of the long-closed Bailrigg private halt would bring the University into the network. There could even be a case for four-tracking the line to Preston, reinstating Galgate, Garstang and other stations along with a new halt at Central Lancashire Uni, linking the educational sites

 

[Agent_Squash]

The Morecambe branch from Lancaster takes 9 minutes, and is a geat deal shorter than the line to Barrow taking over an hour. The full through route from Lancaster goes on around the Cumbrian coast to Carlisle, taking half an hour longer than from Lancaster to Euston.

I'm more than aware that the Furness line extends from Barrow as the Cumbrian Coast - but there are several limitations on stock already making it hard to justify electrification. Barrow, on the other hand, with every service under the wires at some point...

 

[gingertom]

ok, this is a fantasy thread with money no object so these thoughts aren't realistic in any way shape or form.
I would review all decisions taken on our railway: loading gauge- make it UIC throughout; Beeching- reverse the cuts; single track- restore double/quadruple tracks where appropriate; electrification- 25kv OLE everywhere, as per the Swiss, and yes that means converting 3rd rail to OLE; signalling- ERTMS everywhere; linespeeds- 140+mph where appropriate.

 

[Killingworth]

ok, this is a fantasy thread with money no object so these thoughts aren't realistic in any way shape or form.
I would review all decisions taken on our railway: loading gauge- make it UIC throughout; Beeching- reverse the cuts; single track- restore double/quadruple tracks where appropriate; electrification- 25kv OLE everywhere, as per the Swiss, and yes that means converting 3rd rail to OLE; signalling- ERTMS everywhere; line speeds- 140+mph where appropriate.

Sounds good. It's a century of job opportunities and missed deadlines.

I was recently talking to a young Chinese tourist at my local station. She was clearly interested in railway's, as was her boy friend. I explained that comparing our line with the new lines now being completed in China criss-crossing open spaces at 300mph revealed some interesting contrasts. The Pacer arrived as I was disputing 300mph (not yet) and pointing out the tracks she could see were built in the 1860s, before asking where all the money was coming from.

Dream on.

 

[ocelocelot]

Ely to Norwich line:

• Grade-separate Ely North Junction
• Improve linespeed through the fens around Shippea Hill and Lakenheath to 100mph (OK I guess this only saves at most about 2 minutes...)
  
• Close level crossing at Browick Road in Wymondham (Often seem to have to slow down for this to clear when heading towards Norwich)
  
• New station "Eaton & Cringleford" on outskirts of Norwich (Who knows, people might use it?)
  
• Grade-separate Trowse Junction (Why not? I have infinite money!)
  
• Double Trowse Swing Bridge

 

[gingertom]

Ely to Norwich line:

• Grade-separate Ely North Junction
• Improve linespeed through the fens around Shippea Hill and Lakenheath to 100mph (OK I guess this only saves at most about 2 minutes...)
  
• Close level crossing at Browick Road in Wymondham (Often seem to have to slow down for this to clear when heading towards Norwich)
  
• New station "Eaton & Cringleford" on outskirts of Norwich (Who knows, people might use it?)
  
• Grade-separate Trowse Junction (Why not? I have infinite money!)
  
• Double Trowse Swing Bridge

why keep the Trowse swing bridge at all? As money is no object so build a new double track bridge high enough not to need opening. Along with all the civils that go along with that...

 

[40145 Panther]

1. Quadruple track between Ardwick and Guide Bridge, and Diggle to Huddersfield;
2. Reopen the Micklehurst loop line from Stalybridge to Diggle;
3. Build a cable car system or funicular railway from Bottom Mossley to Top Mossley (with connections from Mossley railway station);
4. 100% disabled access along all stations (badly needed between Mossley and Slaithwaite).

 

[northwichcat]

Mid-Cheshire
- Eliminate single track sections
- New stations at Knutsford Parkgate, Cheadle and Baguley
- New link from Airport spur to Mid-Cheshire
- New interchange station at Hartford West (providing interchange with Crewe to Liverpool line)
- Electrify line

For pure fantasy:
- Electric & battery hybrid tram-trains to run to Tatton Park.

 

[Altfish]

Mid-Cheshire
- Eliminate single track sections
- New stations at Knutsford Parkgate, Cheadle and Baguley
- New link from Airport spur to Mid-Cheshire
- New interchange station at Hartford West (providing interchange with Crewe to Liverpool line)
- Electrify line

For pure fantasy:
- Electric & battery hybrid tram-trains to run to Tatton Park.

Firstly, getting rid of 30-year old rolling stock would be a major leap forward for this line.

 

[najaB]

Firstly, getting rid of 30-year old rolling stock...

Why, just because it's old?

 

[HSTEd]

Old rolling stock is probably pretty low on improvement priorities, assuming it can still make the performance required.

 

[Altfish]

Why, just because it's old?

No, because they have no acceleration, heaters that work in the middle of summer but not in winter, doors that can't open unless the guard is at the rear, I could go on...basically they are life expired and were 15-years ago.

 

[najaB]

No, because they have no acceleration, heaters that work in the middle of summer but not in winter, doors that can't open unless the guard is at the rear, I could go on...basically they are life expired and were 15-years ago.

So, the issue isn't that they are old, it's that they aren't suitable/capable. Personally I can't wait until we get our 40 year old stock up here in Scotland.

 

[Indigo Soup]

I'd see extensive upgrading of the Glasgow suburban network, broadly along the lines of the Glasgow Integrated Route Network, aiming for 4tph each way through the core on each route with infrastructure designed to support 8tph on each route, plus the Helensburgh services through the core. Lengthen all the platforms to support 8x23m vehicles to comfortably handle traffic growth.

Probably not the most cost-effective use of public funds, but it would be nice!

 

[Altfish]

So, the issue isn't that they are old, it's that they aren't suitable/capable. Personally I can't wait until we get our 40 year old stock up here in Scotland.

I'll swop you your 158s, 170's for our 142s and 150s anyday.

 

[bavvo]

Henley Branch.
Either complete electrification as planned, or introduce battery/electric bi mode trains.
But also, since money is no object...
Introduce a south to west connection from the branch to the GWR line towards Reading, and run a shuttle every 30 mins calling Reading > Henley > Shiplake > Wargrave > Twyford and back Twyford > Wargrave > Shiplake > Henley > Reading. Probably need a passing loop as well.
Also, since there's always budget left over in fantasy land, rebuild the station facilities that were bulldozed in the eighties so there are shelters and waiting rooms.

 

[route101]

East Kilbride Branch .
Electrify
Double the single sections.
New EMUs or use the class 365s.
Extend platforms to accommodate 8 car length.
Earlier and later services.
Increase freq to 4x hour

 

[Killingworth]

Bring back toilets and warm waiting rooms (or air conditioned in this weather). Almost all stations used to have them. When standing, often in the open, for long periods and all weathers and seasons it's little consolation to know the now cancelled hourly train has a disabled friendly toilet. Maybe it's because a weak bladder isn't normally a recognised disability. Where's the nearest good tree?

 

[gingertom]

There's always the debate about London cast-offs. I'd be very happy for Scotland to take on class 395s (with suitable interior refurb and OLE) for the Central belt to Aberdeen/Inverness services.

 

[jyte]

Does the tube count?

In which case air-con on deep level lines would be nice....

 

[gingertom]

Does the tube count?

In which case air-con on deep level lines would be nice....

was under the impression that was happening?

Regenerative braking would help a bit too.

 

[jyte]

was under the impression that was happening?

Regenerative braking would help a bit too.

They're adding 'air-cooling' rather than air conditioning, who knows what that really means..

 

[vlad]

They're adding 'air-cooling' rather than air conditioning, who knows what that really means..

The problem is that the heat has got to go somewhere, so by cooling the trains they're warming up the tunnels.

Can we cool the stations down by expelling the warm air into Piccadilly Circus or somewhere?

 

[jyte]

The problem is that the heat has got to go somewhere, so by cooling the trains they're warming up the tunnels.

Can we cool the stations down by expelling the warm air into Piccadilly Circus or somewhere?

Yeah it's a problem with the deep level trains. There have been various ideas of how to exchange heat down in the tunnels - it seems TFL has decided more vigorous fans are the solution.

 

[causton]

Marston Vale line isn't too hard!

• Electrification (personally, class 323s on the line I would love!)
• 2tph throughout the day and later/earlier (maybe just one hour earlier westbound)/Sunday services
• Extension to Milton Keynes Central...
• If you wanted to be adventurous, a through London service! You could have the xx34 off Euston to provide the Watford - Hemel - Berko - Tring - Leighton Buzzard - Bletchley corridor to 4tph (times from WFJ: xx11 NMP, xx21 MKC, xx41 MKC and xx55 BLY/BDM... I can wish okay!)

 

[backontrack]

The Highland Main Line should be fully doubled. Electrification should take place on the route. A new, double-track, electrified line from Inverkeithing to Perth and St Madoes (with stops at Halbeath, Kelty, Kinross, Milnathort and Oudenard) should form the southern part of the route for Edinburgh trains. Newtonmore should have two platforms. New stations should be opened at Culloden and Beechwood.

 

[Esker-pades]

The Highland Main Line should be fully doubled. Electrification should take place on the route. A new, double-track, electrified line from Inverkeithing to Perth and St Madoes (with stops at Halbeath, Kelty, Kinross, Milnathort and Oudenard) should form the southern part of the route for Edinburgh trains. Newtonmore should have two platforms. New stations should be opened at Culloden and Beechwood.

What about Tomatin, Kincraig, Stormontfield, Stanley and Murthly?

 

[backontrack]

What about Tomatin, Kincraig, Stormontfield, Stanley and Murthly?

Let's not go crazy. But yes, there are certainly cases for stations at Tomatin, Kincraig and Stanley (plus Luncarty).

 

[InterCity:125]

Electrify the whole network