Name 5 reopenings that you support the most

[backontrack]

This is a simple concept: which 5 reopenings do you support the most? Name them! I'm mainly referring to line reopenings; however, you are also welcome to list 5 separate stations on lines that are already open too.

I'll start us off with my top 5:

1. Levenmouth
2. Middlewich
3. Ashington & Blyth
4. Hawick
5. Washington
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The reason why I didn't include HS3 (or Inverkeithing-Perth) is because that would be an entirely new line. Similarly, I'm not counting the Woodhead Line despite supporting a new high-speed line from Manchester to Sheffield through the tunnels; I'd consider this more a new line than a reopening.

As for Dunfermline to Perth, that would probably start off as an ordinary line and then be upgraded. I'm not sure, but that gets a mention here.

 

[yorksrob]

For me, with the most important at the top:

1, Bedford - Cambridge
2, Okehampton - Bere Alston
3, Lewes - Tunbridge Wells
4, Matlock - Chinley
5, Leicester - Burton

I think that these ones offer the greatest potential benefit to the country.

 

[Techniquest]

Can't believe there's only one English entry in your list!

Bristol to Portbury
Re-opening Stranraer Town and closing Harbour
Uckfield to Lewes

Those are the three I'd want to see back the most. Now if we were talking about re-doubling...

 

[backontrack]

For me, with the most important at the top:

1, Bedford - Cambridge
2, Okehampton - Bere Alston
3, Lewes - Tunbridge Wells
4, Matlock - Chinley
5, Leicester - Burton

I think that these ones offer the greatest potential benefit to the country.

Hmm. Three of those (Okehampton-Bere Alston, Leicester-Burton and Matlock-Buxton) would probably be in my top 10; I think that Bedford-Cambridge is already being planned, though I may be wrong on that.

 

[Tobbes]

Ok, the five I'd like most to see, not because they have the best case (and it assumes that Bedford - Cambridge is going to happen):

1. Haverhill - Cambridge
2. St Andrews
3. Levenmouth
4. Leamside
5. March - Spalding

We can dream!

 

[backontrack]

Can't believe there's only one English entry in your list!

Can't believe there's only 2 lines in your whole list!

Also, Stocksbridge and Ashington are both in England.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Ok, the five I'd like most to see, not because they have the best case (and it assumes that Bedford - Cambridge is going to happen):

1. Haverhill - Cambridge
2. St Andrews
3. Levenmouth
4. Leamside
5. March - Spalding

We can dream!

I'd forgotten about Leamside; that would probably displace Stocksbridge. I also particularly agree with St Andrews.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

For me it would be:-

1) Bedford - Cambridge
2) Levenmouth
3) Leicester - Burton
4) Tweedbank - Hawick
5) Matlock - Chinley

 

[Altfish]

Middlewich Branch (Northwich to Sandbach)
Borders Railway to Hawick (and Carlisle)
Harrogate to Northallerton
Whitby to Scarborough
Bangor to Caernarfon
Amlwch Branch

Ooops that's 6

 

[Techniquest]

Also, Stocksbridge and Ashington are both in England.

Oops, mis-read that post clearly then

I'd support the line through Blyth to be re-opened too.

 

[yorksrob]

Hmm. Three of those (Okehampton-Bere Alston, Leicester-Burton and Matlock-Buxton) would probably be in my top 10; I think that Bedford-Cambridge is already being planned, though I may be wrong on that.

Bedford - Cambridge may be planned, but I'm not counting my chickens until it's over the line !

 

[backontrack]

Bedford - Cambridge may be planned, but I'm not counting my chickens until it's over the line !

That's probably wise...

 

[Mojo]

1) Henbury loop
2) Portishead
3) Bicester Town & Aylesbury - Bletchley
4) Bedford - Cambridge
5) Bourne End - High Wycombe

 

[najaB]

1. Levenmouth
2. Leamside
3. Tweedbank - Hawick
4. Aviemore - Keith Forres (of course!)
5. Bridgetown - Belleplaine (you never said they had to be in the UK!)

 

[Tobbes]

5) Bourne End - High Wycombe

That's a very good call, especially if LHR gets its new runway; direct services to Heathrow from the Chiltern mainline are an excellent idea.

 

[backontrack]

1. Levenmouth
2. Leamside
3. Tweedbank - Hawick
4. Aviemore - Keith
5. Bridgetown - Belleplaine (you never said they had to be in the UK!)

I will now

All proposals most be in the UK (or in Éire).

 

[Tobbes]

Ok, the five I'd like most to see, not because they have the best case (and it assumes that Bedford - Cambridge is going to happen):

1. Haverhill - Cambridge
2. St Andrews
3. Levenmouth
4. Leamside
5. March - Spalding

We can dream!

I should add the rationale for these:

1. Greater Cambridge is growing rapidly and improving transport links to Cambridge (as well as Addenbrookes and the Science Park) is a good pro-prosperity plan. It is for this reason I'd route Bedford-Cambs via Sandy and then north via Cambourne and Histon (replacing busway). If the USAF does close Mildenhall, then there's also a good case for 10k+ houses on that site, provided that the Mildenhall branch is relaid (at least to Fordham, if not all the way to Cambs via Burwell but via Newmarket and a relaid West/North curve there). Haverhill is also the first step to connect to Sudbury and Colchester.

2. St. A's - the STARLINK proposal provides a good technical answer (and allows rather better services than the old line).

3. Levenmouth is the most likely on this list, and is even deliverable! Good socio-economic payoff for a depressed part of southern Fife.

4. Leamside - ditto for a poorly connected element of the northeast, as well as providing a strategic freight route away from the ECML.

5. March - Spalding: similarly, could move the intermodal freights off the ECML at Peterborough and send them through Lincoln direct to Doncaster. Capacity, capacity, capacity.

 

[backontrack]

Greater Cambridge is growing rapidly and improving transport links to Cambridge (as well as Addenbrookes and the Science Park) is a good pro-prosperity plan. It is for this reason I'd route Bedford-Cambs via Sandy and then north via Cambourne and Histon (replacing busway). If the USAF does close Mildenhall, then there's also a good case for 10k+ houses on that site, provided that the Mildenhall branch is relaid (at least to Fordham, if not all the way to Cambs via Burwell but via Newmarket and a relaid West/North curve there). Haverhill is also the first step to connect to Sudbury and Colchester.

Don't forget stations at Soham and Fulbourn!

 

[Tobbes]

Don't forget stations at Soham and Fulbourn!

Indeed, and at Fordham!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

5. March - Spalding: similarly, could move the intermodal freights off the ECML at Peterborough and send them through Lincoln direct to Doncaster. Capacity, capacity, capacity.

A new link by-passing PBO could do the job far better - Kings Dyke to Peakirk on the GE / GN joint - presented to NR as part of a strategic ATOC review back in the day - save the tricky Werrington Jct works.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Ashington/Blyth: the track is mostly in place so should be as quick a win as is likely to appear in such a list.
Horbury Curve: only a couple of miles of track, no demolition required, allows a semi-fast Huddersfield to Sheffield service.
Brockholes to Holmfirth: no realistic chance but would be a success if there was the money to rebuild the viaduct and demolish a few homes near the junction.
Cross Gates to Wetherby: better investment than more (mis)guided busways in Leeds. Would also make use of the underused eastbound bays at Leeds or be linked in with other local services, including Airedale if wired.
Struggling to think of another, but Barnsley to Mexborough could be a goer.

 

[backontrack]

Indeed, and at Fordham!

Or even...Six Mile Bottom?

Also, did you know that, currently, the nearest station to Haverhill is actually Dullingham?

 

[Harbornite]

Stratford- Honeybourne
Round Oak- Walsall
Afonwen- Bangor
Monument Lane- Harborne
Longbridge- Old Hill

The last two are pretty unlikely, but whatever.

Having said that, I also wouldn't mind seeing Blaneau Ffestiniog- Trawsfynydd, Edinburgh- Peebles via Penicuik, Okehampton- Plymouth via Tavistock and Ilfracombe- Barnstaple.

 

[fgwrich]

I'm going to split my list into lines which should be re-opened, and lines which should have passenger services re-instated over them.

1. Exeter - Crediton - Okehampton - Bere Alston - Plymouth. (Both ends of this line are open I know, however would require some modernisation to return them from a branch line to more 'mainline' status).
2. Uckfield to Lewis
3. Hawick to Tweedbank
4. St Andrews
5. Leamside

Re-instated Services.
1. Levenmouth
1. Edinburgh Suburban
2. Stirling to Dunfermline via Alloa / Kincardine / Culross
3. Bristol / Henbury Loop in full Metro West Plan.
4. Blyth / Ashington

I also would love to see more 'Metro Network' type schemes drawn up for cities like Edinburgh on the lines of the Glasgow Electric Network / Metro West / Network West Midlands & London Overground - A proper Cardiff Valleys / Valley Lines set up would be ideal.

 

[bluenoxid]

I'm going to dismiss Portishead because it is pretty well a goer.

Ashington/Bedlington/Blyth
Soham
Earby North
Leeds East Parkway
Wisbech

I lived in the North East for a good seven years and I think the restoration of the railway would work wonders for the economy and outlook of this area. I would also back Washington but it would be more of a park and ride than a major change for these towns.

Soham has so much potential that it's heart breaking to not see it on the network.

The whole of SELRAP is screaming. Earby North doesn't feature in their plans but the cheapest way to get this area on the network will be a single lead junction at Skipton and six miles of railway serving Earby behind the Punch Bowl pub. I believe the route has potential and the right car park in the right location will attract enough traffic to justify a fairly costly bypass of Earby and the disruption that it will bring. It also prevents what I think will be an extension of the M65 to Earby being built on the back of the railway line.

Leeds East Parkway offers an opportunity to get a lot of traffic out of East Leeds and on to public transport. With the right services, it could really influence the usage of the rail network.

Wisbech is close yet so far. I think it really offers the opportunity to put a major town back on the rail map.

 

[backontrack]

I'm going to split my list into lines which should be re-opened, and lines which should have passenger services re-instated over them.

1. Exeter - Crediton - Okehampton - Bere Alston - Plymouth. (Both ends of this line are open I know, however would require some modernisation to return them from a branch line to more 'mainline' status).
2. Leamside
3. Hawick to Tweedbank
4. St Andrews
5. Leamside

Re-instated Services.
1. Levenmouth
1. Edinburgh Suburban
2. Stirling to Dunfermline via Alloa / Kincardine / Culross
3. Bristol / Henbury Loop in full Metro West Plan.
4. Blyth / Ashington

I also would love to see more 'Metro Network' type schemes drawn up for cities like Edinburgh on the lines of the Glasgow Electric Network / Metro West / Network West Midlands & London Overground - A proper Cardiff Valleys / Valley Lines set up would be ideal.

You have Leamside twice. And it belongs in the other category.

 

[Bald Rick]

Skipton - Colne is notable by its absence.

Is my bet safe?

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=583223&postcount=124

(One of my first ever posts)

 

[backontrack]

Skipton - Colne is notable by its absence.

Is my bet safe?

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=583223&postcount=124

(One of my first ever posts)

Earby's been mentioned...

 

[Bald Rick]

Earby's been mentioned...

Ah, that happened between me starting the post and posting it!

Anyway, my 5:

1) Aberbeeg-Abertillery (to revitalise a town that has been left behind by the country)
2) Cranleigh branch (accompanied by much house building)
3) Bicester - Bletchley (ditto)

Err, that's it.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

No mention of Aberystwyth - Carmarthen .?...I feel let down.

Or Wick - Lybster - both potential gold mines (hang on -the Carmarthen line is not too far from a Roman Gold mine at Pumsaint).....

To be boring - Skipton - Colne was looked at by ATOC - "unable to be supported due to very high infrastructure costs"

How about a new thread on "new lines" as a replacement ? (a) Watford - Uxbridge - Heathrow via Maple Cross - M25 alignement -might add a bit of value to UK PLC .

 

[backontrack]

No mention of Aberystwyth - Carmarthen .?...I feel let down.

Or Wick - Lybster - both potential gold mines (hang on -the Carmarthen line is not too far from a Roman Gold mine at Pumsaint).....

To be boring - Skipton - Colne was looked at by ATOC - "unable to be supported due to very high infrastructure costs"

How about a new thread on "new lines" as a replacement ? (a) Watford - Uxbridge - Heathrow via Maple Cross - M25 alignement -might add a bit of value to UK PLC .

Of course, Thrumster has a thriving economy...