If you could reopen fifteen UK railway lines, which would they be?

[Bevan Price]

The lack of connectivity between the Midland and WCML all the way from Euston to Nuneaton is indeed a tragedy, IMO. (Bletchley to Bedford is not really a 'serious' connection from a strategic pov, and didnt' exist until the closure of the old St Johns in any case.)

And yes, probably* the best route to have been kept would have been the Midland from Rugby. (* Was it a high speed turnout at Rugby? I'm not sure). But, in practice, that was the first to go! There are housing estates all over it now south of Leicester, so no chance of re-opening.
.

Property in the way is not a problem - apart from the cost of compulsory purchase - as people with property in the way of HS2 are finding out. However, sadly Leicester to Rugby is unlikely to be judged of sufficient priority / value to justify the huge cost of reopening.

In terms of intermediate populations, the GCR line was better sited, with Lutterworth (now over 9000) & Whetstone (6500), whereas the MR line served only tiny populations until it reached South Wigston. A GC line connection to the WCML at Rugby might have been the best option, together with a connection north of Whetstone onto the Nuneaton - Wigston - Leicester line.

 

[frodshamfella]

The Liverpool loop line from Hunts Cross north so to include Gateacre and other areas of a lot of housing ( and chocked roads) and no rail. Ideally right up to Aintree where it once ended.

 

[cactustwirly]

One local to me, Leicester to Burton on Trent via Coalville.
The line is open but is freight only, but I would like to see passenger services.

 

[Spartacus]

One local to me, Leicester to Burton on Trent via Coalville.
The line is open but is freight only, but I would like to see passenger services.

Not too difficult at the Drakelow/Burton end with a double lead junction onto the main line and a mostly double tracked branch that's hardly used, it's Bardon Hill to Leicester that would be difficult, not only because of the amount of freight over the single line, but trying to get out onto the main line and into Leicester would be bad, I suspect it couldn't be done without severely impacting main line services unless another line was put in to Leicester. It's bad enough at times with the freight, and that doesn't moan when it's stood waiting a path for ages!

 

[Bevan Price]

Not too difficult at the Drakelow/Burton end with a double lead junction onto the main line and a mostly double tracked branch that's hardly used, it's Bardon Hill to Leicester that would be difficult, not only because of the amount of freight over the single line, but trying to get out onto the main line and into Leicester would be bad, I suspect it couldn't be done without severely impacting main line services unless another line was put in to Leicester. It's bad enough at times with the freight, and that doesn't moan when it's stood waiting a path for ages!

Yes, not helped when they closed the north curve from Knighton (south of Leicester) to the Coalville line, and (I think) built over the formation.

 

[billio]

Agree with :
Northampton - Wellingborough
Lea Valley line

And add :
Bolton - Castleton : faster east - west services from north Manchester.
Bacup - Clifton Junction : commuting and faster service from Rossendale and Bury to central Manchester, airport etc.
Oldham - Middleton Junction : faster access to central Manchester from Oldham and termination of service from the west through Victoria. (Possibly extend this line through to Greenfield.)
New Mills - Hayfield : commuting and tourism potential

Castleford - Burton Salmon : too blinking obvious.
Tadcaster - Wetherby - Cross Gates : faster commuting access to Leeds
Harrogate - Ripon - Thirsk : link major towns of North Yorkshire, commuting to West Yorkshire.
Three routes linked together to allow Bradford to Doncaster : a major link between towns in Yorkshire
Low Moor - Thornhill
Horbury west to south curve
Mexborough - Barnsley

Stockton - Ferryhill : faster Middlesborough , Durham, Newcastle service.

Menai Bridge - Caernarvon - Afon Wen : tourism potential

 

[Bevan Price]

Agree with :
Northampton - Wellingborough
Lea Valley line

And add :
Bolton - Castleton : faster east - west services from north Manchester.
Bacup - Clifton Junction : commuting and faster service from Rossendale and Bury to central Manchester, airport etc.
Oldham - Middleton Junction : faster access to central Manchester from Oldham and termination of service from the west through Victoria. (Possibly extend this line through to Greenfield.)

l

I think these would now need to be Metrolink routes, with some rerouting to avoid the East Lancashire Railway, and other obstructions on the former trackbed. I would also suggest that Oldham - Middleton Junction should extend to Middleton town centre (also as Metrolink)

 

[FQTV]

Stockton - Ferryhill : faster Middlesborough , Durham, Newcastle service.

This line was planned to have its passenger service resumed as part of the Northern Connect system in 2019, however the parties involved seem to have cooled on the idea of late.

 

[billio]

I think these would now need to be Metrolink routes, with some rerouting to avoid the East Lancashire Railway, and other obstructions on the former trackbed. I would also suggest that Oldham - Middleton Junction should extend to Middleton town centre (also as Metrolink)

Well whilst Metrolink is more than successful compared with the services it replaced, the journey times between towns like Bury and Oldham and access to heavy rail services in Manchester is poor, this being particularly true when HS2 services and perhaps "HS3" services become focused on Piccadilly. This meaning perhaps spending almost as much time getting to Piccadilly as getting from there to London .

Therefore I can see the need for electrified heavy rail services from these towns providing faster services to Manchester and places beyond such as the airport. In Victorian times the fastest train from Bury to Manchester/Salford took 14 minutes.