R.I.P Leamside Line (in use from 1839 to 1991)

[transmanche]

The track was certainly not 'life expired'

Some of the track-work is badly corroded.

Seems to be a bit of a contradiction here...

 

[Frothy]

Well the track through Shincliffe is still there, overegrown though it is.

 

[ReverendFozz]

If it is due to be lifted through Shincliffe, could not imagine anybody wanting to lift track in this weather

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[Frothy]

If it is due to be lifted through Shincliffe, could not imagine anybody wanting to lift track in this weather

Hehe, yes Shincliffe village was flooded today, the sleepers on the Stillington Line were submerged too just outside Roseworth

 

[AutoKratz]

I’ve just watched BBC Inside Out and I'm staggered by the revelation of the extent of disparities in transport spending between regions.

To the Department for Transport we’re worth £5 per capita in the North East, whilst people in the South East are worth £2,700 per capita of expenditure! Disgusting!

It's no wonder a line like the Leamside Line is going to waste. Clearly, if we were in London this line would be open and a lot more

Inside Out on BBC iPlayer

 

[Ploughman]

Just found this whilst Googling for something.

Interesting comment on P44 re the Leamside.

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/upload...ute Specifications 2011 London North East.pdf

 

[transmanche]

To the Department for Transport we’re worth £5 per capita in the North East, whilst people in the South East are worth £2,700 per capita of expenditure! Disgusting!

Why is it 'disgusting'? Surely it's appropriate to spend money where it is most needed.

The transport needs of London and the South East are much greater than the North East. I forget the exact figures, but something like half of all the rail passenger journeys in GB are on the London Underground. Waterloo tube station alone sees twice as many passengers per year than the whole of the T&W Metro! (In fact there are about ten tube stations which have more passengers per year than the whole Metro.)

It's no wonder a line like the Leamside Line is going to waste. Clearly, if we were in London this line would be open and a lot more

I don't buy that argument. There are plenty of freight or disused lines in London which could provide really useful links (e.g. Dudding Hill Line)

The big difference is that London has one integrated transport authority; responsible for public transport and the main roads. It has a Mayor to lobby for funds from Central Government. If we in the North East had voted for an elected regional assembly; then maybe we'd be better off.

Having said all that; I do think that the Leamside Line should be brought back into use and for passenger trains. Unfortunately the lack of an integrated transport authority means that between the various local authorities - there are very differing views about how it should be used.

 

[AndyLandy]

Why is it 'disgusting'? Surely it's appropriate to spend money where it is most needed.

I suspect it's more to do with the magnitude of the ratio. 540:1 is pretty huge by anyone's definition. I don't think anyone would dispute that London and the South East need much more investment than other regions, but over 500 times as much? You could take a tiny fraction of London's money and use it to double the investment in the North.

 

[caliwag]

Sleepers delivered to Tursdale junction over the last few days...what's happening?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
...or i suppose they could be being taken away (if I'd read the whole thread...doh)

 

[142094]

Must be ones being removed - went past slowly on a diverted GC service on Sunday and there is a load of sleepers and cut up sections of rail waiting to be removed.

 

[JohnCarlson]

Why is it 'disgusting'? Surely it's appropriate to spend money where it is most needed.

T

Having said all that; I do think that the Leamside Line should be brought back into use and for passenger trains. Unfortunately the lack of an integrated transport authority means that between the various local authorities - there are very differing views about how it should be used.

Can you give examples of these differing views?

John

 

[Stephen55a1960]

I have heard of an apocryphal story about a freight-only line which was mothballed by BR. Over one weekend, an organised gang of metal thieves turned up and stole the track. They used yellow vans with the BR logo on it, and were all dressed up in Hi-Viz, so the residents thought nothing of the work which was taking place.

The theft went undetected until BR wanted to reopen the line and found large chunks of it were missing!

Yes, I've heard the same story. Not sure if it isn't a rural/urban myth?

 

[transmanche]

Can you give examples of these differing views?

A search of the forums will give you plenty..

Yes, I've heard the same story. Not sure if it isn't a rural/urban myth?

See post #18.

 

[Defn28]

It will be brought back into use - please try to have faith guys
It might not happen tomorrow but if there was no way it was going to be reopened - in this climate - NR would have the land sold off quicker than you can say 'Department for Transport'.
I must say though, the recent pics put on Flikr break my heart!

 

[ReverendFozz]

It will be brought back into use - please try to have faith guys
It might not happen tomorrow but if there was no way it was going to be reopened - in this climate - NR would have the land sold off quicker than you can say 'Department for Transport'.
I must say though, the recent pics put on Flikr break my heart!

I think seeing the track being ripped up leaves people less optimistic, me personally, I would like think it gets utilised, but Im not fully it will...

The Leamside debate seems to be one we can argue about till the cows come home and still not find a definitive answer

Sent by Comrade Marxista Fozzski

 

[Frothy]

It will be brought back into use - please try to have faith guys
It might not happen tomorrow but if there was no way it was going to be reopened - in this climate - NR would have the land sold off quicker than you can say 'Department for Transport'.
I must say though, the recent pics put on Flikr break my heart!

I think the line will definitely be reopened. In my mind it is not a question of 'if' but of 'when?' and 'by whom?'

The last thing I want it to come to is Network Rail taking the decision to re-open it. They will be the last party to put it forward, and even then only as a diversionary route for the ECML. This is a concern that is justified, as any impetus that local government may have, whose interest would lie with opening stations where they are needed along the route, creating a TyneTees Express or what have you, that would be in the interests of the local area, will come to nothing. The will to do it is definitely there, and there is no shortage of ideas, just an appalling shortage of funds.

Just look at the current rail infrastructure projects there are in the North East that have received funding.
-The James Cook University Hospital, a new station.
-Improvements to passenger provision at a few stations.

We are left with plenty of projects which should be up and running now. The rate of implementation of any of these mind-numbingly slow. Ashington Blyth Tyne, Leamside, Extensions to Metro, Tees Valley Metro...
Plenty of great ideas but no money or even willingness from centralised government to address them. Today I read about investments on the A1, running up into several tens of millions. Sure, these are needed. I just stop and wonder what would have happened if they'd decided to spend that on rail instead. We'd be singing their praises, there'd be a lot of grumbling from the motorists, but the whole region might have got a better deal out of it. We'll never know.

 

[JohnCarlson]

I think the line will definitely be reopened. In my mind it is not a question of 'if' but of 'when?' and 'by whom?'

SNIP
that would be in the interests of the local area, will come to nothing. The will to do it is definitely there, and there is no shortage of ideas, just an appalling shortage of funds.

Just look at the current rail infrastructure projects there are in the North East that have received funding.
-The James Cook University Hospital, a new station.
-Improvements to passenger provision at a few stations.

We are left with plenty of projects which should be up and running now. The rate of implementation of any of these mind-numbingly slow. Ashington Blyth Tyne, Leamside, Extensions to Metro, Tees Valley Metro...
Plenty of great ideas but no money or even willingness from centralised government to address them. Today I read about investments on the A1, running up into several tens of millions. Sure, these are needed. I just stop and wonder what would have happened if they'd decided to spend that on rail instead. We'd be singing their praises, there'd be a lot of grumbling from the motorists, but the whole region might have got a better deal out of it. We'll never know.

The 40 million plus lost in the west coast fiasco could have paid for quite a bit as well.

 

[ReverendFozz]

Just come trough Fencehouses on this morning and see the Northern End of the Leamside still has track laid, is this part of the track scheduled to be lifted anytime

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[fireftrm]

Remember there is no love for the North East among the present government, many of the towns and villages that lie astride the Leamside and Blyth and Tyne lines are still suffering the loss of pits and heavy industry from the Thatcher era. No votes to win here. During the Labour government there was an opposite problem that they have no real opposition. Having said that Railtrack had planned to reopen the line, but that went with all the other RT plans and money...........

 

[tbtc]

Remember there is no love for the North East among the present government, many of the towns and villages that lie astride the Leamside and Blyth and Tyne lines are still suffering the loss of pits and heavy industry from the Thatcher era. No votes to win here

Though in fairness there aren't a lot of Tories in the Welsh Valleys but there are going to be a lot of EMUs there by the end of the decade.

 

[142094]

Which is no doubt more due to devolution than anything else.

 

[AndrewP]

Remember there is no love for the North East among the present government, many of the towns and villages that lie astride the Leamside and Blyth and Tyne lines are still suffering the loss of pits and heavy industry from the Thatcher era. No votes to win here. During the Labour government there was an opposite problem that they have no real opposition. Having said that Railtrack had planned to reopen the line, but that went with all the other RT plans and money...........

Good post. Labour (especially) and Conservative are too London focussed.

Incidentally more coal mines closed under Labour than the Conservatives who had been planning investment until Scargill decided an unwinnable class war would be a good idea (unlike his deputy Mick McGahey who understood that part of the skill of a successful strike is knowing when to end it).

 

[ReverendFozz]

Good post. Labour (especially) and Conservative are too London focussed.

Incidentally more coal mines closed under Labour than the Conservatives who had been planning investment until Scargill decided an unwinnable class war would be a good idea (unlike his deputy Mick McGahey who understood that part of the skill of a successful strike is knowing when to end it).

I met Arthur Scargill years ago, I dont know much about the man, did not then and do not now, but, if what I have heard is true, Scargill himself was the miners worst enemy and not Margaret Thatcher

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[ainsworth74]

I would ask that if there is a desire to discuss Scargill, Thatcher and the Miners Strike that it is done in a new thread in General Discussion. This is not the right thread for that discussion.

 

[ReverendFozz]

I would ask that if there is a desire to discuss Scargill, Thatcher and the Miners Strike that it is done in a new thread in General Discussion. This is not the right thread for that discussion.

Ok, fair point, will bear that in mind in future mate

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[60163tornado]

Seen a few photos of recent workings from the leamside line conveying of track, getting taken up???????

 

[DarloRich]

and your point is?

 

[Chris125]

Due to various thefts, and the likely need for relaying as part of any reinstatement, the track is being recovered.

Chris

 

[Sidious]

The trackwork has now all but gone. There are small sections around shincliffe still to be removed.

 

[Frothy]

The trackwork has now all but gone. There are small sections around shincliffe still to be removed.

Couldn't see any when I looked last week. Although, I only see what is visible from the X1 as it speeds past