Preserved railways with considerable expansion opportunities/potential

[Cowley]

I spent half of it on wine, women and song ... and then I wasted the rest!!

I like your style!

 

[L&Y Robert]

I want one down in Great Western country for my Broad Gauge project! See my thread starter, from which I quote:

Does anyone know if there is any group out there wishing to re-create a Brunel broad-gauge line? I imagine (easy to imagine!) the formation of a derelict line could be utilised, and a single line of some length – say a couple of miles - laid down to 7’-0”. I have seen the little bit of Broad Gauge at Didcot, and ridden in the bench-seat wagon behind a broad gauge steam engine, but the trip is very short. If there were to be a line of some length, then the replica engine could really ‘run’, and we would really lose our hats!

 

[Bevan Price]

I think that there is only very limited scope for significant extensions of many heritage lines. Apart from the cost of reopening, you would need to find more (usually unpaid) volunteers to operate & maintain it. And you will probably need more locos & coaching stock. **

Already in the past few years, we have seen some heritage lines struggle to maintain enough operating locos; repairing steam locos is hard and expensive. I doubt whether many heritage lines could afford to extend their lines very far.

** - Yes, they could reduce service frequencies to avoid using more locos and stock - but that would make services less attractive to the casual (non-enthusiast) visitor. What proportion of casual visitors will be willing to hang around if there is no train in the next 2 hours or more ?

 

[Thebaz]

There would seem little point in Lavender and Spa Valley lines extending anywhere. They will be swallowed up by the almost certain re-establishment of Uckfield-Lewes and Eridge-Tunbridge Wells as part of the badly needed BML2 project (whatever eventual form it takes.)

 

[RichmondCommu]

Yes, it needs some work but the farmer is using it as storage and it hasn't collapsed! Looks like a standard project to me in need of a grant to preserve . . . . . maybe one day!

Assuming that you have visited the tunnel you will have no doubt noted that the local farmer has stayed well away from the area of the tunnel that has been damaged.

Not only that but the damage to the tunnel lining is so severe that it has in fact been forced up upwards. I'm no civil engineer but the cost to repair the tunnel would be huge. Indeed I wonder whether it would be cheaper to simply open up the tunnel. Either way I can't ever see the line reopening to Garsdale because of the cost of the tunnel.

 

[steamybrian]

There would seem little point in Lavender and Spa Valley lines extending anywhere. They will be swallowed up by the almost certain re-establishment of Uckfield-Lewes and Eridge-Tunbridge Wells as part of the badly needed BML2 project (whatever eventual form it takes.)

See paragraph no. 77 above..

The reopening of the Uckfield- Lewes also Eridge and Tunbridge Wells lines as part of the National Rail Network has been campaigned by the Wealden Line Campaign group (formed in 1987) for about 30 years.........!:roll:

 

[paul1609]

There would seem little point in Lavender and Spa Valley lines extending anywhere. They will be swallowed up by the almost certain re-establishment of Uckfield-Lewes and Eridge-Tunbridge Wells as part of the badly needed BML2 project (whatever eventual form it takes.)

If you need more capacity and an alternative route to Brighton. The Arundel curve, reversing the West Coastway service, so Brighton to London via Worthing, Horsham and Epsom would seem to be a no brainer to me.

 

[Thebaz]

See paragraph no. 77 above..

The reopening of the Uckfield- Lewes also Eridge and Tunbridge Wells lines as part of the National Rail Network has been campaigned by the Wealden Line Campaign group (formed in 1987) for about 30 years.........!:roll:

I know. Actually there have been various reinstatement campaigns pretty much since the day it was closed! Do you not think there's a certain inevitability about it the eventual reinstatement though? The population of Sussex is not going into terminal decline and you can't get anymore trains onto the BML and the HML. It has to happen.

If you need more capacity and an alternative route to Brighton. The Arundel curve, reversing the West Coastway service, so Brighton to London via Worthing, Horsham and Epsom would seem to be a no brainer to me.

Yes this is one of the options, but really only diversionary as the route would be rather long, plus the serious pathing constraints north of Leatherhead. It has been shown that by the time a coastway train has reached the 'chord', a BML train would already be at Crowborough, some latitude further north.

Anyway let's not hijack the thread and turn into a Wealden line chat, that wasn't my intention.