Next 50 Bids for reopenings

[Tobbes]

NR have said previously that it doesn’t allow any extra services because there is nowhere for them to go towards London. Cue the “diversionary route“ card being played.

Fair enough - but what do the Arundel chord proponents actually want to run, were there capacity?

 

[swt_passenger]

Fair enough - but what do the Arundel chord proponents actually want to run, were there capacity?

No idea really. Some sort of West Coastway to Horsham and beyond.

 

[Energy]

Reopening Stratford-upon-Avon to Honeybourne-Worcester/Oxford (SWO) Railway Line

This one actually looks quite reasonable, I've stuck an image below from their website For only 6 miles of track it looks to be actually quite useful and would allow a direct train from the tourist area of Stratford upon Avon (Shakespeare attracts quite a few tourists...) to London, and it seems to be a fairly reasonable diversionary route if WCML works happen again.

 

[Bald Rick]

What's the case for Arundel? Looking at a map, I presume this is a E-N curve off the Brighton line, but what direct services would it allow?

There isn’t a case for Arindel; or at least there wasn’t the last umpteen times it’s been looked at. I’d be surprised if anything has changed.

Theory is a direct service from the Arun Valley to Brighton. Because of the service patterns on the West Coastway it would need a recast of that line, and result in an extension of what are now the West Worthing terminators round the chord and up to Horsham. In theory they could then link up with something that terminates there from the north.

The issue is that there isn’t the demand for it. It wouldn’t be any quicker for London / Croydon / Gatwick passengers to anywhere on the West Coastway, with the possible exception of Angmering, and no quicker for Horsham / Crawley passengers to Brighton than changing at Three Bridges. Therefore it’s only benefits are that of a slower direct link Horsham to Brighton (vs a quicker trip with one change), and direct local trips between the Arun Valley Stations and the West Coastway and Brighton. All of which can be done today by changing at Barnham (albeit the connections aren’t great great in one direction.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Finally a sensible one.

Camberwell.

As the North has been starved of rail investment for years I don't really think throwing yet more money at London and the South East would go down well with voters.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

More stopping services at Radcliffe-on-Trent and Bottesford stations on the Poacher line between Grantham and Nottingham

This seems a very sensible proposal as both towns deserve a far better service than they currently get but why does it need any funding at all if the trains are already running but not stopping?

 

[Bald Rick]

This one actually looks quite reasonable, I've stuck an image below from their website For only 6 miles of track it looks to be actually quite useful and would allow a direct train from the tourist area of Stratford upon Avon (Shakespeare attracts quite a few tourists...) to London, and it seems to be a fairly reasonable diversionary route if WCML works happen again.
View attachment 80215

I agree this is worth looking at. However there is already a route for direct trains from London to Stratford, and a diversionary route for London to Birmingham passengers if he WCML is closed - it’s called the Chiltern line.

 

[Horizon22]

This one actually looks quite reasonable, I've stuck an image below from their website For only 6 miles of track it looks to be actually quite useful and would allow a direct train from the tourist area of Stratford upon Avon (Shakespeare attracts quite a few tourists...) to London, and it seems to be a fairly reasonable diversionary route if WCML works happen again.
View attachment 80215

The A4390 is now in the way of the old alignment and the Long Marston area might need reformatting. The former is the bigger obstacle and would need tunnelling probably.

 

[Energy]

I agree this is worth looking at. However there is already a route for direct trains from London to Stratford, and a diversionary route for London to Birmingham passengers if he WCML is closed - it’s called the Chiltern line.

Chiltern can be used for diversions but Marylebone is currently full and can't easily be expanded.

 

[Ianno87]

As the North has been starved of rail investment for years I don't really think throwing yet more money at London and the South East would go down well with voters.

Even if Camberwell does have a case (you can certainly see the transport case for it in a relatively inaccessible area of London, even if it is expensive), doesn't feel like its in the spirit of this fund when there are probably other funding mechanisms for it.

 

[Ianno87]

Chiltern can be used for diversions but Marylebone is currently full and can't easily be expanded.

Ditto Paddington.

 

[deltic]

Finally a sensible one.

Camberwell.

Not sure what has happened since 2018 to turn a basket case into a sensible one- TfL's business case for the scheme - see http://content.tfl.gov.uk/camberwell-station-strategic-outline-business-case-september-2018.pdf showed that every option looked at had negative benefits and goes on to state

This report concludes that a reinstated National Rail station at Camberwell would deliver local benefits but in overall terms would not be a good use of public funds at this time

At this time, it is not recommended that further work is done to develop the proposa

 

[swt_passenger]

Perhaps they should just build loads of random diversionary routes and then have another study to see what possible day to day use they throw up?

 

[Bald Rick]

This seems a very sensible proposal as both towns deserve a far better service than they currently get but why does it need any funding at all if the trains are already running but not stopping?

As a former regular user of Bottesford I agree it deserves a better service, however it is something of a stretch to describe it as a town!

It will need money as someone will need to assess the cost and social-economic impact on existing passengers who will have a longer journey.

 

[Bald Rick]

Perhaps they should just build loads of random diversionary routes and then have another study to see what possible day to day use they throw up?

Quite! And what happens when the new route is shut? We’ll need a new diversionary route!

 

[TPlanner93]

The Times has the full list:

Beeching reversal: Fifty disused rail lines on track to reopen

The reopening of up to 50 disused railway lines or stations will be considered as part of a reversal of the infamous Beeching cuts, it was announced yesterday.At present many of the disused lines are used as cycle or walking tracks while some remain as heritage lines staffed by volunteers, or as

www.thetimes.co.uk

THE SHORTLISTED BIDS

Yorkshire and Humberside
Reinstatement of the Beverley to York rail line
Restoration of a daily train service on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway
Upper Wensleydale Railway
Restoring Passenger Rail to the Sheaf Valley
Restoring a South Humber Link
South Yorkshire Joint Railway
New station at Waverley

Midlands
Reopening Stratford-upon-Avon to Honeybourne-Worcester/Oxford (SWO) Railway Line
More stopping services at Radcliffe-on-Trent and Bottesford stations on the Poacher line between Grantham and Nottingham
Increased services to Nottingham and Leicester, via Syston and Loughborough from Melton Mowbray
Reconnecting Ashfield Communities through the Maid Marian Line

Wales
Magor and Undy Walkway Station
Restoring services on the Anglesey Central Railway between Gaerwen and Amlych

South West
Shepton Mallet (Mendip Vale)
Radstock railway reinstatement
St Anne’s Park station
Primrose Line
Transforming the Newquay Line
Mid Cornwall Metro
Restoring secondary services on the Great Western main line
Goodrington and Churston Stations
New station for Langport and Somerton Area
Charfield Station
Reinstatement of Bodmin-Wadebridge railway and associated works
Increased service provision Bodmin General-Bodmin Parkway
Ashburton & Buckfastleigh junction railway
Bristol West capacity enhancement
Light railway extension to the Barnstaple Branch (Chivenor Braunton) “TawLink”
Cirencester Community Rail Project
Project Wareham – Complete the link

South East
The Arundel Chord
Re-opening of Camberwell Station, London SE5
Unlocking capacity and services through Bramley (Hants)
Chinnor Railway Aston Rowant extension
Carshalton Beeches step-free access

North West
South Fylde Line Passing Loop
Kenyon Junction Station
Reopening Golborne Railway Station
Reinstatement of Bolton-Radcliffe / Bolton-Bury
Reinstating Beeston Castle and Tarporley railway station
Reopen Midge Hall Station
Re-doubling of the Mid Cheshire Line between Stockport and Altrincham and associated station reopenings
Stockport to Ashton Line
Glazebrook Junction to Skelton Junction
East Didsbury – Stockport

North East
Consett-Newcastle connection
Ferryhill restoration

East
Reopening Wymondham-Dereham line
King’s Lynn to Hunstanton Railway

Edit: Incorrect Post

 

[Irascible]

Ashburton?! we'd need a diversionary route for the A38, that seems economical...

And again no mention of a few more miles of double track on the WoE. Just some really bizarre ideas.

 

[Ashley Hill]

South West
Shepton Mallet (Mendip Vale) So which part of the S&D are they rebuilding?
Radstock railway reinstatement Well at least the track is there but not to Bristol.
St Anne’s Park station Yes,a viable commuter station along with Saltford.
Primrose Line Most people drive to Totnes.
Transforming the Newquay Line Perhaps via Shepherds to Truro.
Mid Cornwall Metro Falmouth to Newquay via Shepherds?
Restoring secondary services on the Great Western main line. Worthwhile if reopening intermediate stations.
Goodrington and Churston Stations. So farewell T&DR? They do it much better.
Even in BR days an extension to Goodrington was dismissed
New station for Langport and Somerton Area. See above
Charfield Station Dont know the area.
Reinstatement of Bodmin-Wadebridge railway and associated works.So farewell B&W?
You'll be fighting Sustrans for this one too!
Increased service provision Bodmin General-Bodmin Parkway As above.
Ashburton & Buckfastleigh junction railway. So farewell SDR? The towns dont warrant a service. Most drive to N Abbot.
Bristol West capacity enhancement Much needed. Reinstate Down relief to Parson Street junction and reinstate its platforms at Bedminster and Parson Street. Double track Worle Jct to Weston SM perhaps even to Uphill Jct.
Light railway extension to the Barnstaple Branch (Chivenor Braunton) “TawLink” New bridge required. Better extending to Bideford ,though
again you'll be fighting the cyclists.
Cirencester Community Rail Project. Dont know the area.
Project Wareham – Complete the link Yes.

My thoughts on the South West are added to the above quote.

 

[BayPaul]

As someone who lives nearby in Brixham, I can't quite understand the theory behind Goodrington & Churston. Neither station is very well located for new markets - Goodrington is only 1km from Paignton, and being located between the coast and a park, there is only a small area of low-density housing that is closer to it than to Paignton. Churston station is located right on the edge of the mid-sized village of Galmpton - which has a population of only 1400 people. The wider Churston-with-Galmpton area has a more reasonable population of 6657, but most of them are located inconveniently between Churston and Goodrington stations.
Churston is often mentionned as a railhead for Brixham, but I really don't see how that would work - (almost) every bus passing Churston will also take you to Paignton station, which would almost certainly have a better rail service, and there is minimal parking provision at Churston. With road improvements recently completed, the bus journey time into Paignton is no less reliable than to Churston, so I can't see any benefit to Brixham of using Churston rather than just continuing to use Paignton.

The other major issue is timetabling - the steam railway is very busy and popular in the summer, and runs on a 45 minute timetable, with a variation in pattern between peak and off peak days, and with the mainly single track lines, the timetable would need to be very co-ordinated with the National Rail service passing the steam service at Goodrington, and then having quite a short turnaround at Churston to get back to Goodrington at the same time as the steam train. I don't see how a 45 minute frequency on this section could sensibly coordinate with a 30 minute frequency on the main line. Suggesting the steam railway reduce their frequency to hourly is likely to go down like a lead balloon, as their trains run full even at 45 min frequency. It would, I suppose, be quite possible to do early morning and evening commuter services, but equally I don't think these would need any infrastructure work at all, as everything is there for a trial service at least, which could also extend to Kingswear, so I don't think that this is what they are talking about here.

 

[Mikey C]

"Chinnor Railway Aston Rowant extension"

I assume that wouldn't just be for the heritage railway? There was talk of Chiltern running services along this line as well

 

[MontyP]

We actually did Penrith -> Keswick to death on another thread recently, the general consensus was that it was a basket case of a proposal and that any funding attracted would be far better spent on improving local bus services between the two towns. Hopefully any funding with respect to this latest news announcement won't be frittered away on yet more feasibility studies and the suchlike on dubious and highly marginal lines elsewhere.

I think we will find that this is true for many (if not most) of these proposals, that a decent bus service that is properly integrated into the rail network through visibility in online journey planners, through ticketing, well-planned connections,etc, will be far more cost-effective. The restoration of branch lines to small country towns will surely not justify huge sums of money being spent.

 

[fgwrich]

Unlocking capacity and services through Bramley (Hants)

I'm rather intrigued to know what this one entails - perhaps it includes better signal spacing provision (the inclusion of emergency crossovers would be handy) and a much campaigned (locally) bridge to replace the level crossing? Although the latter now has further issues as the fields to the left on the northern side of the station have just been built over.

 

[BayPaul]

I like the idea of improving the Newquay Branch. The service on it is so bad at the moment that it is effectively non-existant, and could be counted as a re-opening. The line is 20.75 miles long, but trains take almost an hour for the run, even for the non-stop services, and they can't even manage a 2 hour frequency. Altnabreac's 5 golden rules of a successful rail reopening

• Population of 10,000+ - Yes, the Newquay area has a population of around 30,000
• 60 minutes (75 at a push) journey time of a major employment centre. Plymouth - Par is about an hour, so if the journey time from Par-Newquay could be dropped to under 30 mins, then we are approaching that, as well as <60 min journey times to St Austell, Bodmin & Truro
• Extant or mainly unobstructed trackbed - Yes, it still exists, but is very poor quality
• Ability to extend an existing service so more terminal capacity is not required - Yes, it would presumably be possible to extend some London or XC Plymouth terminators to Newquay on a regular, rather than summer Sunday, basis, or the back half of some of the 2x5 car splitters. I can also see no capacity limitations to running additional shuttles to Par, though perhaps running them through to St Austell or Truro could be more sensible.
• Regeneration Potential of a deprived area - Yes, Newquay is in the top (bottom) 10% deprived areas in the country. Areas of St Austell, Bodmin, St Blazey and Liskeard are also in this category, which would all also benefit from increased services.

I would make this 4.75/5

I like the idea that has previously been proposed of diverting the line via Burngullow, so St Austell becomes the main junction station, much more useful than Par both for local and long distance traffic, and running at least an hourly service on the branch (probably every 30 minutes if the journey time could be reduced sufficiently to allow this to be operated with a single passing loop, after all the Falmouth & St Ives branches support this level of traffic), and ideally a regular through service to Plymouth, with daily trains to London and the north.

 

[J-Rod]

East
Reopening Wymondham-Dereham line
King’s Lynn to Hunstanton Railway

Totally agree with these two - seeing as they're very much in my neck of the woods - but unfortunately, I can't see the KL- Hunstanton line ever opening again, despite the blatant benefits that it would bring the local area (a massive reduction in congestion on the Hunstanton road every time there's a vague suggestion of a few seconds of sunshine for one). There's a vanishingly small chance it could even get close to the original route and looking at a new route would result in an outpouring of NIMBYism to rival anything seen thus far in the HS2 debates. Also, the grace and favour property owners that surround Wolferton would be up in arms about bringing the railway back to their chocolate-box village ("The railway USED to go through here. But it won't go past my front room any more. No sir..."). Ehh... so much cold water...

Dereham could work and again, would be a good idea but might be a bit of a wrangle to get those nice chaps at the MNR out. Would be a better idea to extend to KL though as then it would be a useful link to Norwich... but again, severely doubtful!

However, someone come along and go 'NO. You are WRONG' as it's a bit depressing to feel right on this one... *sigh*

 

[DarloRich]

However there are some (in my view) sensible proposals in here which do need looking at, and which this process is ideally placed to test.

Some - not many mind!

 

[Ianno87]

I like the idea of improving the Newquay Branch

There's always the idea of reviving the section between Parkandillack and St Denis Jn and re-routeing the entire branch to St Austell rather than Par.

The problem with Par is generating very little demand beyond changing trains.

 

[MontyP]

Beverley to York is an interesting one. Presumably with stations in Market Weighton and Pocklington. Hasn’t a lot of the trackbed disappeared under various road schemes? If it is feasible then the Hull-York hourly service could be sent this way. The main Hull-York road is always very busy and there is a regular and well-used express bus service on the route.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Beverley to York is an interesting one. Presumably with stations in Market Weighton and Pocklington. Hasn’t a lot of the trackbed disappeared under various road schemes? If it is feasible then the Hull-York hourly service could be sent this way. The main Hull-York road is always very busy and there is a regular and well-used express bus service on the route.

Nice idea but in reality a prohibitively expensive pipedream. I've cycled a lot in this area and you're right, much of the trackbed has either been incorporated into road schemes or returned to farmland. It's a largely rural area with Market Weighton and Pocklington the only two towns of any great significance along the route and anyone wanting to travel through from Beverley to York can already do so with just a change at Hull.

 

[BayPaul]

There's always the idea of reviving the section between Parkandillack and St Denis Jn and re-routeing the entire branch to St Austell rather than Par.

The problem with Par is generating very little demand beyond changing trains.

Agreed - I can't see how the current setup would really produce any local demand at all, just connections from the Intercity services. Regular, direct, Newquay - St Austell services taking around 30 minutes could be very popular on their own right, as well as improving freqency and journey time on the connections to the long distance trains.

 

[TheGrew]

My local scheme of the Golborne Station re-opening sounds good but my main concern would be which services would stop there. The obvious candidate is probably the Manchester - Cumbria service but not sure if that would causing pathing problems. Ultimately I would like to see a Warrington-Wigan stopping service (via NLW perhaps extended either end).