Future Routes that would be viable?

[MCR247]

Oh god. Another one.

Do I laugh or cry?

Tbh I'm past the point of laughing, as really when you think about it, the Mods/Admin have had to purchase additional bandwith, for the likes of these threads

But anyway, back to reality, how about an Elston & Orston - Ore, with bi-hourly extensions to Lille via Ashford?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It would probably take an hour to go York via Huddersfield avoiding Leeds as per this. The issue is linespeed from Church Fenton through to Cas more than anything, if this was speeded up then it would be more competitve timewise

Is the line from Castleford to South Milford only freght-train rated as such? Also I cannot see any TOC missing even one service a day through Leeds station for obvious commercial reasons.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Is the line from Castleford to South Milford only freght-train rated as such? Also I cannot see any TOC missing even one service a day through Leeds station for obvious commercial reasons.

Some passenger trains are booked through Castleford-Burton Salmon: it does get used a fair bit on the small hour services between YRK-MIA. For daylight hour services though its either TPE on diversion when Garforth is closed, or the Scarborough Spa Express.

 

[Anvil1984]

There are booked services beyond Castkeford

Taken from PSUL

Milford Junction - Castleford (39,40) YE04
2230 SSuX Liverpool Lime Street - York
2318 FSSuX, 0038 MSSuX Manchester Airport - York
2006 SuO Manchester Piccadilly / 2033 SuO Huddersfield - Hull
1525 SO Plymouth - York
0138 MSSuX, 0252 MSSuX, 0352 SO, 0400 MSSuX York - Manchester Airport
0617 SO York - Plymouth
ND1 1655 TWThO Scarborough - York (via York circular)
ND1 1014 TWThO York - Scarborough (via York circular)
ND1 = West Coast Railways' Scarborough Spa Express; July until September (2012 dates awaited); traverses this section on York - York circular section of journey; information from 0845 128 4681, by email via their website or at their website.Timings and other details subject to confirmation.
ND 0712 FO Crewe - Scarborough
ND 1655 FO Scarborough - Crewe
ND = The Railway Touring Co's Scarborough Flyer; 20 July until 14 September 2012; information from 01553 661500, by email or at their website. Timings and other details subject to confirmation.

¶ SUNDAY MORNINGS 19 FEBRUARY UNTIL 25 MARCH 2012:
0229 SuO, 0344 SuO, 0458 SuO, 0555 SuO, 0655 SuO York - Manchester Piccadilly
2324 SO, 0122 SuO, 0443 SuO, 0634 SuO Manchester Airport - York
¶ SUNDAYS UNTIL 25 MARCH 2012:
2152 SuO Liverpool Lime Street - York

Milford Junction - Gascoigne Wood (39) YG04
2006 SuO Manchester Piccadilly / 2033 SuO Huddersfield - Hull

 

[IanXC]

Now of course I would be for this route.

I guess the fourth platform could come from where the metro platform is currently (when it ever gets moved).

The platforms are very wide at the north end of Snow Hill, so I have always thought that it would be possible to slice a couple of bays into them. The GWR station had something not dissimilar to that kind of layout.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Read PSUL 2012 incorrectly last night, Anvil1984 is correct. I've edited my post to display such.

 

[jimmy90]

Always thought that Fishguard-Harwich International would be intresting, linking Ireland with NL or Denmark

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

just also wondering about Weymouth to Cardiff and Glasgow to Wales, via WCML to Warrington and onto Chester where it can take a variety of routes.
Also TPX Cumbrian Coastliner would either go underwater between Fleetwood and Barrow or from Manchester Airport, via the CC then onto Newcastle.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Were you not coming from Blackburn to Leeds that very day?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Thanks for that information. It is not exactly what you would call a regular DIRECT service from Glasgow to Blackpool.

Aye, I intentionally went out that way to get the track done! IIRC, Blackpool North-York trains terminated at Leeds that day, with only TPE services carrying on via Castleford to Selby / York. I'm not sure what the Selby terminators (from Manchester Victoria / to Wakefield Westgate) did.

Regular? No. Direct? I'd say yes. Just because it reverses doesn't mean it isn't direct: if that were the case, there'd be no direct Blackpool North-York or Inverness-Wick trains etc

 

[tbtc]

Regular? No. Direct? I'd say yes. Just because it reverses doesn't mean it isn't direct: if that were the case, there'd be no direct Blackpool North-York or Inverness-Wick trains etc

There'd be a lot of services withdrawn in that case, like all Halifax - Leeds services, or Nottingham - Manchester services or (dare I say it) all those services from Yorkshire to Manchester Airport...

 

[Bald Rick]

Always thought that Fishguard-Harwich International would be intresting, linking Ireland with NL or Denmark

Or more accurately, Wales with Essex.

I still want to see Harwich - Hook of Holland, via HS1 and Brussels. Then have Clarkson (train) race Hammond and May (ferry).

 

[Ivo]

Or more accurately, Wales with Essex.

I still want to see Harwich - Hook of Holland, via HS1 and Brussels. Then have Clarkson (train) race Hammond and May (ferry).

Surely Clarkson would drive? I can see a three-way event happening though, probably with May on the rails.

 

[martinsh]

Surely Clarkson would drive? I can see a three-way event happening though, probably with May on the rails.

I thought Clarkson would walk across !!

 

[Altrincham]

A direct train running Derby-Manchester Piccadilly. Preferably via Stoke, calling at Uttoxeter, Stoke, Macclesfield, and Stockport.

Keep the hourly stopping service from Derby to Crewe but also run an express service to Piccadilly. This way the North Staffordshire Line gets a train running half hourly instead of the current hourly. At times the North Staffs line does feel like it's underestimated in potential usage. The single unit vehicle laid on at most times feels woefully inadequate when I've travelled Stoke - Tutbury.

 

[TheWalrus]

How about extend the xx50 pad-oxf to birmingham? This would increase the frequency to 3tph, give slough direct connections to the midlands, and increase competition between london-reading-birmingham, leading to lower ticket prices and better services. There must be a fairly large market for this route. However i would wait until we get the 5car bi mode super express to be able to run it well.

 

[TheJRB]

Not so much a new route but rather a new service. It would be good to see through trains running Margate-Ramsgate-Canterbury West-Ashford-Tonbridge-Redhill-Gatwick. I believe this appeared in a RUS not so long ago, so it's not too far towards fiction. Then if Manston ever became popular, you could have a station there and have direct trains from Manston to Gatwick.

On the more fictional side, how about a direct link between Ashford and Faversham? That would dramatically reduce journey times between south and north Kent (although HS1's already helped this). Then with an additional spur east of Tonbridge, you could have Tunbridge Wells-Faversham via Ashford trains. Also with an electrified Marshlink, through trains from Hastings to Faversham/Gatwick...

Actually, now that I think about it, make a spur from the Canterbury West to the Canterbury East line. That would take away any need for a whole new line through the middle of nowhere!

 

[Class172]

An idea I have mentioned before:

A new open access between Birmingham and Brighton, whch removes the need for changes between the places; also linking fairly large settlements on the way, under the name of Severn & Thames Ltd.

Birmingham New St
Birmingham Moor St (after Bordesley Chords built; New St no longer served)
Camp Hill Line
Kings Norton (limited service)
Bromsgrove
Droitwich Spa
Worcester Shrub Hill
Cheltenham Spa
Gloucester (limited service)
Stroud
Swindon
Didcot Parkway (limited service)
Reading
Farnborough North (limited service)
Guildford
Dorking Deepdene
Redhill
Gatwick Airport
Brighton

 

[atomicdanny]

On the more fictional side, how about a direct link between Ashford and Faversham? That would dramatically reduce journey times between south and north Kent (although HS1's already helped this). Then with an additional spur east of Tonbridge, you could have Tunbridge Wells-Faversham via Ashford trains. Also with an electrified Marshlink, through trains from Hastings to Faversham/Gatwick...

Actually, now that I think about it, make a spur from the Canterbury West to the Canterbury East line. That would take away any need for a whole new line through the middle of nowhere!

To be fair though that isn't completely fictional because there used to be at least one service from Ashford - Faversham (direct) in the mornings i think!, and there was once a link from the Faversham end (Cant East line) to Canterbury West but was taken up.

 

[Ivo]

An idea I have mentioned before:

A new open access between Birmingham and Brighton, whch removes the need for changes between the places; also linking fairly large settlements on the way, under the name of Severn & Thames Ltd.

Birmingham New St
Birmingham Moor St (after Bordesley Chords built; New St no longer served)
Camp Hill Line
Kings Norton (limited service)
Bromsgrove
Droitwich Spa
Worcester Shrub Hill
Cheltenham Spa
Gloucester (limited service)
Stroud
Swindon
Didcot Parkway (limited service)
Reading
Farnborough North (limited service)
Guildford
Dorking Deepdene
Redhill
Gatwick Airport
Brighton

The only station I would contest here is Farnborough North. It is poorly located and fairly quiet as a result. You would be much better off using North Camp instead, which also covers some of Aldershot.