Shapps to reverse Beeching cuts

[johnnychips]

https://www.metro.news/shapps-signals-that-beeching-rail-cuts-could-be-reversed/1771486/

Grant Shapps said he would support opening some of the 5,000 miles of rail routes closed to help improve public transport and connectivity in the UK. Asked about plans to open a section of the Market Harborough line as part of the Oxford to Cambridge ‘expressway’, Mr Shapps said he backs the project.

He was also ‘supportive’ of reopening smaller railway links closed in the 1960s under the recommendations of former British Rail chairman Richard Beeching (pictured). Mr Shapps told the Commons: ‘I would like to see how we can get as many of these opened as possible.’

There was an article in the Metro this morning about Grant Shapps’ aspirations to open miles of closed railways, referring to those closed in the Beeching age, alongside a box with a picture of Beeching and a history of the man and his cuts.

Closer reading suggests he wants to look at reopening lines rather than anything concrete. I’m surprised nobody else has opened a thread, so I thought I would.
Thanks to Mod for inserting link: I only read the paper.

EDIT: there is something in the Speculation thread, but that is inviting suggestions for reopenings. This is more for comment on the politics etc.

 

[telstarbox]

It's almost like there's an election coming.

Story is here - https://www.metro.news/shapps-signals-that-beeching-rail-cuts-could-be-reversed/1771486/

 

[Grumpy Git]

Good luck telling those who have a house built on the old track-beds they have to move, (unless it's BoJo's dad of course)

 

[DarloRich]

Shapps to reverse Beeching cuts - aye aye , whatever!

Is there an election coming up?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

It's almost like there's an election coming.

Shurely shome mishtake?

Shapps to reverse Beeching cuts - aye aye , whatever!

Is there an election coming up?

You might think that, I could not possibly comment Sorry could not resist

 

[LMS 4F]

What does this wondrous politician suggest would work on these reopened lines, Pacers maybe?

 

[yorkie]

If anyone wishes to make any suggestions for stock to operate the lines, suggestions for lines to reopen or anything else of a speculative nature please don't forget to post in the Speculative Ideas section, thanks.

 

[Grumpy Git]

What does this wondrous politician suggest would work on these reopened lines, Pacers maybe?

Pacers not necessary, by the time all the ex-Beeching cut routes have been compulsory purchased and re-built with OLE, there will probably still be some spare 345's parked-up in OOC.

 

[Macwomble]

Thought it was Labour who had "The Magic Money Tree".....now it appears to be the Tories.

Maybe they could spend some of this "magic" money on pensions instead.

 

[Polarbear]

Smacks of an electioneering sound-byte to me. It's very easy to say that they will "look" at re-opening lines, and equally easy to have a collective bout of amnesia immediately after the election.

History tells us that what politicians promise before an election can be markedly different to what actually happens after an election. Labour said they would stop the Beeching cuts in the mid-60's, only to actually accelerate the closure programme once in power.

 

[Kingham West]

Many closed railways will have a BCR, well over 2, (minimum for rail)when social and economic factors are accounted for.
Currently the Oxford -Cambs expressway has a BCR of 1.2 , east west rail 7.6 , witney Oxford 2.2 ( both rail and busway ).
It is not a matter of magic money trees, it’s how you choose to spend the existing capital budgets.
I rather think the £8bn expressway, which has zero public support ( and is a political liability), could be better directed effectively to other projects.
The latest costings are about 100% up on initial estimates, pushing the BCR to .6 now.

 

[Strat-tastic]

What's BCR stand for?

 

[Grumpy Git]

What's BCR stand for?

Benefit (to) Cost Ratio?

 

[3141]

The latest costings are about 100% up on initial estimates, pushing the BCR to .6 now.

Unfortunately, we can expect that to happen with many of the reopenings of lines closed by Beeching, if Grants Shapps's idea goes ahead. Supporters of schemes will say how easy it would be to do them, all you need is to clear some vegetation and lay tracks. The Waverley route reconstruction showed what happens in practice.

 

[johnnychips]

^I think Kingham West was referring to the Expressway, which I assume is a road.

 

[cle]

He could at minimum, re-scope EWR to being 100mph (or higher, it's pretty straight west of Bletchley at least) - and wired. Signalled for many tph, and possibly the odd freight loop.

It could be a hugely useful new axis for much of the whole country, if done properly.

 

[3141]

^I think Kingham West was referring to the Expressway, which I assume is a road.

That's how I understood him too, but my point about schemes costing a lot more than what someone first estimates (or even what they estimate the third or fourth time) is valid.

 

[The Planner]

He could at minimum, re-scope EWR to being 100mph (or higher, it's pretty straight west of Bletchley at least) - and wired. Signalled for many tph, and possibly the odd freight loop.

It could be a hugely useful new axis for much of the whole country, if done properly.

Apart from wires, that is exactly what Bicester Bletchley will be.

 

[Doomotron]

Island Line? Is that you down there?

 

[geoffk]

"Asked about plans to open a section of the Market Harborough line as part of the Oxford to Cambridge ‘expressway’, Mr Shapps said he backs the project."
Can someone explain what this means please? I thought this expressway was a road scheme, and how is Market Harborough relevant?

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Yes, let's scrap HS2 and use the money saved to reopen branch lines in marginal constituencies! I'd vote for that.

 

[SteveM70]

Apropos Grant Shapps, Michael Green or whoever he is this week, it was lovely to see him quoted as saying that “we (Northern commuters) must be just as frustrated as he is” with the state of things up here.

No pal, I can guarantee you that we were already far more frustrated that you’ll ever be when you were still selling get rich quick schemes and didn’t give two hoots about the railways in the north.

 

[yorksrob]

These announcements are becoming a bit like the announcement of the first cuckoo in Spring, as regular as clockwork everytime we get a new transport Minister.

We've heard it all so many times before.

I'm really only interested in an announcement of a funded programme of reopenings.

 

[johnnychips]

I'm really only interested in an announcement of a funded programme of reopenings.

Exactly Rob,

And I'd rather have a definite yes to even something really simple like wiring Man Vic to Stalybridge, or on a grander scale 15/16 at Man Picc, rather than wibble about even more studies into reopening closed branch lines.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Yep, (off topic), but deffo an election looming:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50181360

 

[yorksrob]

Exactly Rob,

And I'd rather have a definite yes to even something really simple like wiring Man Vic to Stalybridge, or on a grander scale 15/16 at Man Picc, rather than wibble about even more studies into reopening closed branch lines.

Yes indeed. Some concrete funding for those things would be better than hot air (although it would be nice if he could set aside some budget for reopenings, or to put it less nostalgically, connecting communities that aren't currently on the rail network).

 

[Robin Edwards]

younger voters won't register what Beeching cuts were all about of course - Conservative's appealing for votes from their elderly followers

 

[Dr Hoo]

Many closed railways will have a BCR, well over 2, (minimum for rail)when social and economic factors are accounted for.
Currently the Oxford -Cambs expressway has a BCR of 1.2 , east west rail 7.6 , witney Oxford 2.2 ( both rail and busway ).
It is not a matter of magic money trees, it’s how you choose to spend the existing capital budgets.
I rather think the £8bn expressway, which has zero public support ( and is a political liability), could be better directed effectively to other projects.
The latest costings are about 100% up on initial estimates, pushing the BCR to .6 now.

Feel free to re-direct me to a specific East-West Rail thread but does anyone reasonably know how much the full scheme, including right through to Cambridge with effectively wholly new construction probably from somewhere west of Bedford, including new or re-modelled stations or interchanges there and around Sandy, 100mph, electrification, freight loops, station car parks and so forth is going to cost yet?
I wasn’t even aware that the final route has been nailed down.
And this is supposedly one of the most ‘advanced’ ‘schemes’.

 

[Geswedey]

I Remember David Cameron promising to re-open Bere Alston Tavistock Okehampton prior to the 2015 election, believe mr Shapps when it happens.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

"Asked about plans to open a section of the Market Harborough line as part of the Oxford to Cambridge ‘expressway’, Mr Shapps said he backs the project."
Can someone explain what this means please? I thought this expressway was a road scheme, and how is Market Harborough relevant?

Its the northampton to Market Harborough line:

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/...om-northampton-to-market-harborough-1-9120150

A railway link between Northampton and Market Harborough could be put to work again under a government plan.
Network Rail is reportedly exploring how to reopen the line some 46 years after it last carried passengers.

Harborough FM reported in early October how planners were considering opening the 14-mile railway as part of the West Northamptonshire Strategic Plan.

Transport secretary Grant Schapps stood in the House of Commons on Thursday (October 24) to announce he was "very supportive" of reopening the line, after he was asked a question by Northampton South MP Andrew Lewer.


Mr Lewer asked: "Could the minister elaborate on plans to reopen the Market Harborough line [...] and what benefits that will bring to the local economy especially around Northampton?"

Mr Schapps replied: "I understand that the reopening is at a formative stage, but I am very supportive of it."

The line closed permanently in 1981 and was converted into the Brampton Valley Way for walkers and cyclists. Parts of the line were used to as part of the Northampton and Lamport Railway.