Single Lines That Should Be Doubled

[scrapy]

True. I'd suspect that just about any single-track line could provide additional benefits by being redoubled. I suspect that some are very far down the list, however.

For example, I don't think there's a great deal to be gained in redoubling the MCR between Altrincham and Stockport, since remodelling Navigation Road to accommodate bidirectional trams and trains is likely to be prohibitively expensive.

The single line between Stockport amd Atrincham is only a short section between Northenden and Cheadle Heath and a short section through Navigation Rd station. I agree that Navigation Rd would be expensive but also think the other section would be prohibitively expensive to double. There are at least two bridges which would need rebuilding and in other places the existing line would need realigning so it would probably cause far more disruption while the work took place than it would solve (delays here are rare and only a few minutes). For the existing frequency there certainally would be no business case for it. It would need a significant frequency increase such as conversion to metrolink to be worth it.

 

[jeemac]

I wonder what the potential frequency is of some routes (that were restricted by single lines)?

For example, you'd imagine that Glasgow - Kilmarnock could sustain roughly as good as service as Glasgow - Ayr gets (though the Ayr route passes through Paisley which is fairly busy).

Could Inverness sustain the same level of service from Edinburgh and Glasgow that Aberdeen gets?

Interestingly, Transport Scotland have recently published some planning/ consultation material about dualling the A9 - due to take place in phases between now and 2025.
Although there's a lot of seasonal variation, and in traffic flows at different places on the existing road, their figures suggest around 4 - 6 thousand car journeys a day are currently being made, with around 50% of those journeys being more than 100 miles, and only 5% of current Inverness - Perth travel being made by rail. That would certainly say to me that there is plenty of scope to increase usage, and while the timetable is much better than it used to be, it's still not possible to get to Edinburgh before 10.00 and Glasgow before 10.15 from Inverness - a factor which must be costing the railways a huge chunk of the business travel market.

 

[Trainfan344]

I'm sure I read somewhere though that the crossing at Sheringham only have clearance to be used 6 times a year - you'd reopen a curve just for that?!

Why can it only be used 6 times a year?

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It's 10 times a year, because something to do with cost, and Matt, i have had long facebook conversations about the Norfolk Orbital Railway, and this would require a type of permanent level crossing.

 

[tbtc]

Interestingly, Transport Scotland have recently published some planning/ consultation material about dualling the A9 - due to take place in phases between now and 2025.
Although there's a lot of seasonal variation, and in traffic flows at different places on the existing road, their figures suggest around 4 - 6 thousand car journeys a day are currently being made, with around 50% of those journeys being more than 100 miles, and only 5% of current Inverness - Perth travel being made by rail. That would certainly say to me that there is plenty of scope to increase usage, and while the timetable is much better than it used to be, it's still not possible to get to Edinburgh before 10.00 and Glasgow before 10.15 from Inverness - a factor which must be costing the railways a huge chunk of the business travel market.

That is interesting. The Perth - Inverness corridor is the kind of route where I'd imagine that a good rail service could easily compete with the road (due to the stretches of single carriageway/ trucks etc) - compared to upgrading rail routes that "compete" with motorways (that may be harder to take people from their cars)

 

[sheff'd victoria]

West, surely?

And once the Shaftholme flyover is open that might take a lot of freight away from this route.

Ignoring the fact that this freight will be diverted away in a couple of years (as Eagle points out), how much freight a week is that?

Indeed, not a lot of freight travels east from Immingham. It would only get as far as Cleethorpes!

The Brigg line certainly isn't the main freight route from Immingham to the west. That honour will go to the Scunthorpe line. In terms of freight, the Brigg line is probably about equal with the Lincoln line. The Brigg line is best for getting coal from Immingham to West Burton & Cottam Power Stations, as it is the most direct route (via a reversal at Worksop Yard for Cottam).

The problem in going via Brigg to Drax/Ferrybridge/Eggborough isn't the Brigg line itself, or the Gainsborough to Doncaster line (both are nowhere near stretched for capacity), but the need to travel Down the East Coast Main Line from Bessacarr Junction to Shaftholme Junction, with the section between Marshgate Junction & Shaftholme Jn being double track (although there is a loop at Arksey for Down trains). Capacity is an issue here, & is only going to get worse as the timetables change over the coming years.

From a passengers point of view it would be a good thing if the " Brigg " line lost all of its freight traffic, their is talk of making this a " Community " line but the rules set out by the DfT are that only lines that have no freight traffic are allowed this.

One point is if they knew that freight traffic was declining then why did they do all the work on the Brigg Line a few years ago ?

 

[Rich_D3167]

From a passengers point of view it would be a good thing if the " Brigg " line lost all of its freight traffic, their is talk of making this a " Community " line but the rules set out by the DfT are that only lines that have no freight traffic are allowed this.

One point is if they knew that freight traffic was declining then why did they do all the work on the Brigg Line a few years ago ?

The Brigg line had to be upgraded to survive, the embankemnts weren't quite as sound as they first were, and have been strengthened to allow the more modern much heavier freight trains down it. Part of it's upgrade was to allow the Lincoln resignalling in 2008 & Medge Hall blockade in 2009 to be done, as well as a relief line for Scunthorpe. Also, when it was opened, the Shaftholme flyover wasn't been planned. The Brigg line should still have a future for freight it even when the Shaftholme flyover is built, as Cottam & West Burton Power Stations will still need to burn coal (as long as they keep the contracts to import coal to Immingham). Who knows, in the future, more freight flows to new places may start, with the Brigg line being a good bet for a free path.

 

[matchmaker]

Stirling to Alloa

Providing capacity to accommodate a through Stirling-Dunfermline shuttle service.

Which was originally double as far as Alloa. The line from Alloa through Kincardine and Culross was always single.

 

[MattRobinson]

Community line?

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[tbtc]

From a passengers point of view it would be a good thing if the " Brigg " line lost all of its freight traffic

...in which case there's even less justification for investment, sorry.

 

[ChilternHenry]

Uckfield line could definitely has a case for redoubling, PROVIDING NR bridge the gap between Uckfield and Lewes, there is probably more of a strategic necessity for this route considering capacity issues on the London-Brighton line (okay, i admit, the main capacity issues are around the Clapham to East Croydon area, but the line would still be valuable)

 

[TheWalrus]

Leamington to Coventry!

Templecombe / Yeovil to Pinhoe - Whilst i'd like to see most of the Mule re-doubled, the above section would be best, allowing in times of disruption (such as now!), a ballance of SWT Services & FGW services on diversion.

Why just Templecombe/ Yeovil to Pinhoe? Might as well do it all the way to Wilton and Exeter while you're at it! Then we can get a better service than the 1tph at the moment.

Does it need more than 1tph?

If money was no object and I could redouble as much as I liked, I'd do the entire North Cotswolds and Swml Salisbury-Exeter, and possibly the Exmouth branch. I'd probably do Castle Cary to Weymouth and maybe the Cumbrian Coast. Is Falmouth single with a passing place? Maybe it'd be worth doubling in the future.

 

[Eagle]

Does it need more than 1tph?

Overall no, but adding a local FGW stopper Honiton to Exeter to take that end of the line up to 2tph would be useful; also it means you could remove the skip-stops at Feniton/Whimple/Pinhoe from the long-distance SWT service (if you wanted).

 

[TheWalrus]

Could do, it'd probably be best to absorb anything west of Honiton into an Exeter metro style service.

 

[Kneedown]

Nottingham - Kirkby, The section runs at capacity with only 4tph, and often there can be delays caused by this

I second this.
It only takes one train to be delayed (a frequent daily occurrence due to capacity, door width/placing, mobility impaired, pushchair user issues) to delay all the others on, or approaching the single line stretch.
There are two passing loops but these only reduce the delay by a fraction if used effectively.
Unfortunately it would be a major engineering project to redouble from Bulwell South to Hucknall due to the NET tram line being laid on would could have been the down line.

 

[WelshZ]

Porth-Treherbert, The peak trains are rammed these days so 3/4 tph would do nicely to alleviate that

 

[RichmondCommu]

I understand that it was singled to even out the loading stress on the viaduct and therefore keep the cost of repairs to the viaduct down rather than for any operational reasons. The only thing that seems to be annoying is that because of the lead needed to the junction, the signal protecting it is just beyond the down platform so trains can sit there for a while, yards short of Ribblehead platform. Is there no way a shunt signal could be used to allow the train to enter the station while waiting for the section to be cleared?

Its a real pity that the down loop was removed when the line was singled over the viaduct. I've never really understood why they did that, especially as the up loop does seem to get quite of bit of use.

 

[sheff'd victoria]

Community line?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_rail

...in which case there's even less justification for investment, sorry.

I know I have your full support tbtc for this line

 

[MarkyT]

The only thing that seems to be annoying is that because of the lead needed to the junction, the signal protecting it is just beyond the down platform so trains can sit there for a while, yards short of Ribblehead platform. Is there no way a shunt signal could be used to allow the train to enter the station while waiting for the section to be cleared?

It's a strange set up, not helped by the position of the foot crossing between the platforms. The down signal could be moved to the Carlisle end, retaining an overlap clear of the single line of over 350 metres, but risk assessment might then demand warning lights on the crossing that stay red whenever a train is occupying the platform or approaching it. You can't (normally) use a shunt signal for any passenger movements.

 

[fgwrich]

Does it need more than 1tph?

If money was no object and I could redouble as much as I liked, I'd do the entire North Cotswolds and Swml Salisbury-Exeter, and possibly the Exmouth branch. I'd probably do Castle Cary to Weymouth and maybe the Cumbrian Coast. Is Falmouth single with a passing place? Maybe it'd be worth doubling in the future.

Overall no, but adding a local FGW stopper Honiton to Exeter to take that end of the line up to 2tph would be useful; also it means you could remove the skip-stops at Feniton/Whimple/Pinhoe from the long-distance SWT service (if you wanted).

But isn't there a Okehampton - Exeter - Axminster service added into the next Great Western Franchise? In which case, that would give the line it's extra TPH in either direction, as well as the upgrade allowing more services to run during times of disruption on the GWML for both TOCs.

As for doing Salisbury or Wilton westward - reinstating the disused up line / loop at Dinton could provide at least a mile or two of double track or a 'Dynamic Loop', but wasn't the track just west of Wilton slewed into the centre of the embankment?

 

[Eagle]

But isn't there a Okehampton - Exeter - Axminster service added into the next Great Western Franchise?

That's just an option (and one that seems only to appear in the ITT at the insistence of Devon CC).