Infill schemes to keep Electrification teams from dispersing?

[bussnapperwm]

Bromgrove onto Worcester

And then back fill through Stourbridge to Smethwick where finally LNWR could potentially start a "spoiler" to Chilterns Kidderminster to London morning/evening peak services plus electric Worcester - New Street stoppers.

After that fill in Round Oak through to Stourbridge/Stourbridge Town branch, get some dual voltage Trams and run a tram-train operation.

 

[59CosG95]

In East Anglia, there a few which I think could be useful.

1. Ipswich to Felixstowe - obviously for freight, but passenger services would be easy to turn over.
2. Stowmarket to Cambridge/Ely - again, mainly for freight, but would give passenger benefits too.
3. Cambridge/Ely to Peterborough - along with beefing up the power supply along the Fen Line, wiring up the line via March into Peterborough would also bring massive benefits for passenger and freight trains alike, potentially being a useful diversionary route if the ECML is shut.
4. Peterborough to Leicester (via Stamford) - this would only be an "infill" if the MML gets wired north of Market H'boro.

In the East Midlands:

1. Corby to Manton Jct - mainly freight, but could be used to catalyse *potential* passenger service reintroduction. Again dependent on MML wiring.
2. The GN/GE Joint Line - while mainly useful for freight, could also be useful on some pax workings, particularly LNER.
3. Nottingham to Grantham - assuming the MML gets wired, could allow EMT services to Norwich to be operated by EMUs, as well as providing a useful electrified freight corridor.

Scotland:

1. The Maryhill Line (Glasgow QS to Anniesland via Maryhill) - blindingly obvious for ScotRail commuter traffic.
2. The East Kilbride Line - ditto.

The West Midlands:

1. Leicester to Birmingham via Nuneaton - assuming the MML gets wired, this could allow XC's B'ham-Leics/Stansted services to go electric, and also allow services into Hams Hall to be electrically-hauled.
2. The Camp Hill Line - mainly for freight at present, but plans are afoot to restore passenger running, making wiring potentially more appealing in the eyes of the DfT.
3. The Cross-Country Route - perhaps not infill, but wiring Bristol Parkway to Bromsgrove, upgrading feeding arrangements for Bromsgrove-B'ham New St, and wiring New St to Derby would deliver immeasurable benefits for passengers and freight.

SW England:

1. The Golden Valley Line - would allow Swindon-Glos/Chelt services to go over to electric operation.
2. The Severn Beach Line (+ Henbury Loop/Hallen Marsh) - enables all traffic (passenger/freight) via Avonmouth to use OLE.
3. B&H + Wessex Main Line (Newbury to Bathampton Jct via Westbury) - would allow the envelope of GWR electric running to be extended to Westbury, and allow services to be diverted in case the route via Chippenham is blocked.
4. The TransWilts Line (via Melksham) - could allow the local Swindon-Westbury services to go over to electric operation. (depends on Point 3's implementation)

 

[Steve Harris]

Not the bi-mode bit.

I kinda thought that was obvious, lol. I'll have to quote you less next time (bit hard to do on a mobile in a rush).

 

[gingertom]

Maryhill line , Barrhead and East Kilbride

Maryhill's a no brainer. As is EK and Barrhead. But continue onward to Kilmarnock and Carlisle via Dumfries and you have an electrified diversionary route for WCML trains.

 

[Aictos]

I don't have a Quail diagram to hand but what about Acton Main Line to Acton Wells Jn as well as Carlton Road Junction/Silkstream Junction to /from Dudding Hill Line as you're talking no more then about 6 miles of OHL which surely fits the description of infill Electrification?

Also Carlton Road Junction to Upper Holloway, Bedford to Bletchley, Blackpool South to Kirkham as they're ideal infill schemes.

 

[swt_passenger]

I don't have a Quail diagram to hand but what about Acton Main Line to Acton Wells Jn as well as Carlton Road Junction/Silkstream Junction to /from Dudding Hill Line as you're talking no more then about 6 miles of OHL which surely fits the description of infill Electrification?

.

Acton Main to Acton Wells is still in the EDP, (described as Acton to Willesden Jn) although it’s been showing as “assumed CP6” since the Hendy Review. At least it doesn’t show “ cancelled” yet...

 

[Killingworth]

I suspect preliminary plans already exist for many of these suggestions, but adding them all together it might be easier to start a separate list of lines that aren't suitable for electrification! Looking at other countries that have electrified almost everything we aren't short of projects for 4 times as many electrification teams. Just short of the money trees to pay for it all.

I noted at the public inquiry for the Hope Valley Capacity Scheme that a new footbridge at Hathersage West (to replace a foot crossing used by perhaps at very most 10 people a day, with an alternative path not far away) is to cost £750,000 at 2016 prices and will be an eyesore because it has to comply with electrification specifications. Any further visual intrusion will be resisted in the Peak District! I understand a small team prepared a serious outline plan for that ultimate electrification - for it to be discounted due to the cost and massive blockades it would need to get it done, particularly through 3 long and wet tunnels.

I suspect a lot of the other suggestions in this thread may have been looked at already and will be on wish lists - and also on too hard lists like this one.

 

[AndrewE]

Looking at other countries that have electrified almost everything we aren't short of projects for 4 times as many electrification teams. Just short of the money trees to pay for it all.

The idea for the thread was to look for relatively easy low profile jobs that could be progressed "under the radar," so to speak, avoiding the political consequences of big jobs going over-budget etc. Ideally we shall soon get a scaled-back version of the GWML overheads which isn't so gross or over-engineered but which can be put up at a sensible price while still doing the job.
Then when all public transport gets a massive boost, being begged to shift 10 times more people with less fuel use, rail will be able to respond appropriately - rather than just answering back "You shut us down, remember?"

 

[Meerkat]

Are the signalling teams short of work too?
Otherwise my first question would be what lines/routes are suitable for electrification without resignalling and layout changes?
If you want them quick then you can’t pick anwhere that could really do with major track and signalling changes which should really be done at the same time (or at least a lot of the planning/design has been done)
My priorities (without knowing the signalling situation) would be
Thames Haven
Felixstowe
Nuneaton-Birmingham
Newbury to the Mendip quarries
Kettering to Croft to Nuneaton.