More trains on ECML thanks to Allington Chord

[yorkie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/4337682.stm

Mainline increase is just ticket
More trains are set to run on the East Coast mainline between Leeds and London, rail firm GNER has announced.
The opening of a new line near Grantham, diverting local trains off the main track, will allow an extra 12 services a day on the high-speed route.

The expansion, subject to government approval, equates to 1.8m more seats a year on the 200-mile route.

The 12 extra weekday services and some additional weekend trains could be running by December 2006.

The opening of the so-called Allington Chord, a track which allows slower local services to be moved off the mainline around Grantham, means GNER can run 65 trains each day on the route.

Currently the firm runs 53 trains north and south between the two cities.

Christopher Garnett, chief executive of GNER said: "We are very keen to start these extra services as soon as possible.

"Leeds-London is the biggest and fastest growing long-distance rail market in the UK and these additional trains will deliver a 'walk up and go' railway and many more connection opportunities."

I'm not sure that the Allington Chord alone is enough to allow the extra trains to operate though, I think it also depends on the Hambleton-Neville Hill electrification (due to lack of paths via Wakefield Westgate) and also the extra platform at Finsbury Park (souhthbound - creating a similar layout to what exists northbound). Peterborough and Doncaster are also quite congested, I expect some of the additional trains may have to not call at Peterborough as there are only 5 platforms for all GNER, WAGN and CT services (one of which is a bay only useable by WAGN).

 

[Tomnick]

When exactly did Allington Chord open? I was under the impression that Barkston curve closed last weekend, implying that the new route would be open by the start of this week. However, local radio (well, local to back home in Lincolnshire at least!) has just reported that it opened today... anyone know any more?