Newport Maindee Junction track lifting

[andypops]

Hi all,

I have a question about the track north of Newport, around Maindee Junct on the Marches line.

I have noted over the past year or so that there has been quite a lot of track lifting / replacement here. I had assumed that this was just track reallignment work due to the Newport resignalling project. However, there were up and down slows / reliefs / long headshunts either side of the running lines. My best guess is about 1/4 - 1/2 a mile long. These are now / have recently been lifted, and it looks as if there is no replacement being made.

Can anyone give a bit of insight into this, if it is lifting or relaying?

All the best,


Andy

 

[Old Timer]

Maindee Jcts have been remodelled to a new configuration as part of the resignalling works. The work should have been completed in late 2010 and early 2011, however various delays, especially during the severe Christmas snow meant that the staging had to be revised and extended.

 

[The Planner]

They have been lifted permanently as there is no traffic that will use them, the same reason why Maindee North to East was singled.

 

[Gareth Marston]

They have been lifted permanently as there is no traffic that will use them, the same reason why Maindee North to East was singled.

Don't you think that reason is short termist given all the posts debating reinstatement (actual and proposed) of ripped out infrastructure that no doubt had the same reason given?

 

[The Planner]

Not really in this case, as it would have been for shunting freight or coaching stock about in the past, it is unlikely it would ever need to be put back in again. I cannot imagine a massive upturn in traffic that is going to require parallel moves on the east curve and most freight will either get dumped at East Usk or Alex Jn.

 

[trainfanatic]

In my day, that chord was very busy with passenger traffic between north of England and the west Country as well as loads of freight....the summer broccoli specials between Marazion and Manchester come to mind.

I heard and briefly spotted my first diesel hauled passenger train between Maindee and East Usk as my bedroom backed onto the this section of line...

All good things come to an end however in pursuit of shadows...

 

[a good off]

They have been lifted permanently as there is no traffic that will use them, the same reason why Maindee North to East was singled.

As someone who works with Maindee on a daily basis, I think the rationalisation went too far. If everything is running to time, there are no ongoing incidents and no short notice freights, then yes the current layout is just about workable. In reality if something goes wrong that requires a bit of contingency, we now have no bolt holes or ways out of things. Also if the SW - NW freight traffic ever picked up in the future, any spare capacity they once had has just been lost.

As there is now no alternative apart from having the job stopped when something fails, the delay minutes per incident are higher.

 

[The Planner]

I still can't see the chord singling as a massive loss, the chances of a parallel move across it all are still pretty slim and considering a vast majority of the freight will be on the reliefs we still have to get it across the job and will be pathing it out anyway.

 

[RP]

Interesting that in the SEWTA report published on 14.11.11 produced by Jacobs suggests that there may have to be a turnback siding created in the Maindee area to faciltate Ebbw Vale - Newport services when (or if) they eventually start because they cannot be accommodated in platforms at Newport station!

 

[a good off]

I still can't see the chord singling as a massive loss, the chances of a parallel move across it all are still pretty slim and considering a vast majority of the freight will
be on the reliefs we still have to get it across the job and will be pathing it out anyway.

The problem sometimes occurs when a freight coming down the North & West either requires acceptance into East Usk/Llanwern or requires a run to Severn TJ such as an empty coal to Stoke Gifford or the MoL - Acton stone trains. If the train has passed Panteg Loop then the next place it can be held is on Maindee which effectively causes a bottleneck to anything bound for Hereford heading from the East. It has stuffed us up a few times and leaves no option for future growth. Very short sighted but only in my opinion.