My idea for a London - Doncaster service via the GNGE

[Waverley125]

Obviously would require the electrification of the line to work as a service, but in the case it did happen, would it be viable and useful? Something like:

Finsbury Park, Stevenage, St Neots, Huntingdon, Peterborough, Werrington Parkway*, Littleworth*, Spalding, Donington*, Sleaford, Ruskington, Metheringham, Washingborough*, Lincoln Central, Saxilby, Gainsborough Lea Road, Misterton*, Robin Hood Airport& & Doncaster

*New / re-opened station

Might be especially useful if the EC Lincoln service ever got off the ground & was extended to Cleethorpes, something like:

Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Lincoln Central, Market Rasen, Barnetby, Grimsby Town & Cleethorpes

 

[Tobbes]

Or could be done with HSTs, 221s, 67/68s + LHCS, or even bi-mode IEPs...!

Seems like a good idea. What sort of end-to-end times would you be looking at?

 

[Lincoln]

The Cleethorpes open access proposal would fit nicely with being routed like that as it would open up many new direct journey opportunities for example Scunthorpe to Lincoln along with everywhere served to London.

A pity they aren't looking into this!

 

[DarloRich]

surely the point must be: Why?

 

[Whistler40145]

Exactly, DarloRich, it would be a rather long stagger via Spalding!

 

[lincolnshire]

Might be especially useful if the EC Lincoln service ever got off the ground & was extended to Cleethorpes, something like:

Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Lincoln Central, Market Rasen, Barnetby, Grimsby Town & Cleethorpes

Would you believe it that once upon a time there was a service from Cleethorpes to London by all the stations above except it was Via Lincoln St, marks in them days and run by a HST and prior to that a loco hauled service hauled by Deltics too.

Very much doubt it will happen now as it never really fitted the Platform at Grimsby Town, and will no longer fit the platform ay Barnetby after shortening back the platforms to save money, Market Rasen it never did fit the platform even then. Knowing all the claptrap about H&S I very much they would allow a new service to stop at stations without the correct platform length for the train, as against present services which may stop at a station somewhere that the train doesn,t fit the platform they will play the grandfather rights card to save them extending the platform.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I would say that rather than run to London why not get a 170 or 2 and have it shuttling up and down on the Northern end of the route. Connections and Doncaster and PBO for the many london services

 

[Whistler40145]

Paths would now be a problem, especially with more freight being moved away from the ECML.

 

[Searle]

I like the idea (Lincoln needs some new London services!), even if it isn't very plausible. One thing that I'd say is that the GNGE line does not need any more stops at all, it's already as slow as it is!

Oh and the point of it is to get direct services to London for the GNGE line

 

[Suraggu]

Obviously would require the electrification of the line to work as a service, but in the case it did happen, would it be viable and useful? Something like:

Finsbury Park, Stevenage, St Neots, Huntingdon, Peterborough, Werrington Parkway*, Littleworth*, Spalding, Donington*, Sleaford, Ruskington, Metheringham, Washingborough*, Lincoln Central, Saxilby, Gainsborough Lea Road, Misterton*, Robin Hood Airport& & Doncaster

*New / re-opened station

Might be especially useful if the EC Lincoln service ever got off the ground & was extended to Cleethorpes, something like:

Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Lincoln Central, Market Rasen, Barnetby, Grimsby Town & Cleethorpes

Renaissance Trains created a proposal a few years ago called Humber Coast & City IIRC. Cleethorpes -Stratford via Lincoln, Joint Line & Stevenage. It never came to anything for various reasons including Financial backing, Rolling Stock, Available Paths.

 

[ultrabox]

Paths would now be a problem, especially with more freight being moved away from the ECML.

There has been a noticeable increase in freight since the 15th December but not to the level where there isn't enough paths but you probably mean south of Peterborough.

Though you can do Werrington Junction to Lincoln Central running non-stop in 55 mins, Spalding and Sleaford will never get a direct service as I don't think there is the demand and in any case I believe that the current extended dwell times at the stations will disappear in the May 2015 timetable.

 

[muddythefish]

We need better east-west services in this country, not more London trains.

 

[Aictos]

We need better east-west services in this country, not more London trains.

I quite agree, for example it be nice with the May 2015/Dec 2015 timetables for a more regular clockwork timetable for the likes of Lincolnshire passengers so rather then introduce more trains to London which is what everyone these days is doing why not concentrate on bettering existing connections to hubs at Lincoln, Newark Northgate, Grantham, Peterborough, Doncaster etc?

I mean surely bettering the existing service is better then trying to introduce a new service, you hear about the appalling state of Lincolnshire railways well here would be a chance to do something about it.

East Coast could extend their existing 4 Newark Northgate terminators to Lincoln or northwards to York which could decrease journey times for Anglo Scottish services.

 

[Waverley125]

London is one of the biggest travel markets on the network, both as a population centre and for the connections from the south & west it offers.

It's all very well saying 'let's improve east-west connections', but that's of less use for those places (such as Lincolnshire) with already very limited connections to London.

Personally I'd like to see Cleethorpes & Lincoln both get a direct hourly service to Leeds (via Doncaster) and Manchester (via Sheffield) as well as extending the XC Cardiff-Swansea service to Cleethorpes via Lincoln to give central & North Lincolnshire a quick & direct service to the West Midlands.

But on top of that, a direct London service and a connecting service along the GNGE would be very useful.

Specifically on 'what's the point of that service', two things:

1. Connections along the GNGE between all stops, it'd be difficult to platform at Peterborough anyway and can be incorporated into an existing service to improve connections.

2. Calls at Sleaford & Spalding serve areas those towns act as railheads for, such as East Lincolnshire (Boston, Skegness, Louth, Horncastle etc.)

 

[class26]

There has been a noticeable increase in freight since the 15th December but not to the level where there isn't enough paths but you probably mean south of Peterborough.

Though you can do Werrington Junction to Lincoln Central running non-stop in 55 mins, Spalding and Sleaford will never get a direct service as I don't think there is the demand and in any case I believe that the current extended dwell times at the stations will disappear in the May 2015 timetable.

......which is faster than the direct morning HST from Lincoln to Peterborough in the current timetable. Ok, there are pathing problems which includes a wait at Newark but in reality times along the Joint Line now speeds are much higher would be little different than those via the ECML between Lincoln and Peterborough.

There is demand from Sleaford and Spalding for a direct service. I live near Sleaford and scores of people drive to Grantham or Peterborough at the moment. Connections at Newark and Grantham are just not reliable or much too long. Such a service WOULD be used. During electrification for a while a train DID go from Lincoln down the joint line , stopping at Sleaford and Spalding and I assure you it was used. Locals pleaded with BR to maintain it but to no avail.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

I think this is a great idea. Not only does it improve services and connections at Sleaford, Spalding and Gainsborough, it also allows a better backup line if a landslide hit Grantham or lines went down at Retford and thus improve reliabillity.

I think it's a myth that people would only use the fastest way to get from A to B, sometimes Grimsby to Peterborough is faster via Lincoln, yet virtually everyone goes via Doncaster as the train is more frequent and comfy despite it's slow speed journey.