Some possible new stations?

[TheWalrus]

Hi, a while back I had some ideas for new stations to be built. These would be at Devizes Parkway, Frome Parkway (on the main line to be served by london trains), Somerton, Wellington and Cullompton (close to Tiverton Parkway). This would be served by a semi-fast London-Exeter service, and therefore the case for these services would be supported by these extra stations. A station at Wellington would provide good links to Taunton, as it's employment hub. Cullompton would have a similar relationship with Exeter. This opens up opportunities in Somerton for employment in Taunton, and stations to London, and also for employment in Somerton. Devizes would gain a nearby station to link it with both London and the West, with links to local settlements such as Pewsey and Westbury. Some bus services to Devizes could be extended to serve the new station. A similar idea could be applied to Frome Parkway. This would be situated next to ASDA to attract shoppers to use the station. A nearby bus stop exists where passengers could alight to connect with trains towards both London and Exeter.

Stations could almost be self-sufficient, with lighting powered by solar panels on top of lights, for example.

Just an idea. All feedback will be appreciated!

Cheers

Ryan

 

[142094]

Don't know those areas well, although I do support any new stations where there is a need for them. Parkway stations will be crucial in the coming years in order to get people out of their cars when travelling to urban areas.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Are we free to submit our own or do you want feedback on yours?

 

[TheWalrus]

Are we free to submit our own or do you want feedback on yours?

Feel free to do both please

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Feel free to do both please

Sweet . I'll think of some for Up North

 

[TheWalrus]

Sweet . I'll think of some for Up North

OK So what do you think about mine?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

OK So what do you think about mine?

I spent some time in Somerset last Summer, sadly 20 miles from a railway station in Wells Frome Parkway looks OK, mind you, if they want a Lomdon service to call for Frome and area, they'll just put it to the current station. Can't say I've heard of any other areas on your list, so cant really say Interesting how much reintroducing rail to Glastonbury, Street, Wells et al would make a difference

 

[TheWalrus]

Frome Parkway looks OK, mind you, if they want a Lomdon service to call for Frome and area, they'll just put it to the current station.

Calling London trains at Frome is very unattractive at the current station due to the amount of time it adds to the journey, the fasts catch them up and lack of line capacity through there.

 

[swt_passenger]

Knowle Village would be a useful reopening (of Knowle Asylum Halt) between Fareham and Botley, if the intended new housing in the area happens. As it is on the single track section it would only need one platform, so no expensive lifts footbridges etc. The only question is if the station dwell would increase occupation of the section sufficiently to cause timetabel problems.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

There were plans for a station at Paulsgrove (Fareham-Pompey) I think, dunno what happened to it

 

[anthony263]

We need a station at Brackla in south wales and another station at St clears just outside carmarthen

 

[TheWalrus]

We need a station at Brackla in south wales and another station at St clears just outside carmarthen

Ask WAG, they will fund it!

 

[swt_passenger]

There were plans for a station at Paulsgrove (Fareham-Pompey) I think, dunno what happened to it

Probably got nicked...

 

[Greenback]

Calling London trains at Frome is very unattractive at the current station due to the amount of time it adds to the journey, the fasts catch them up and lack of line capacity through there.

Would a Frome Parkway on the main line have implications for Frome?

We need a station at Brackla in south wales and another station at St clears just outside carmarthen

Both of these locations have been talked about for years. I think there is a godo case for stations at both places. St Clears would be a natural railhead for Pendine and Laugharne.

 

[PR1Berske]

Lancashire is crying out for new stations. Once upon a time I could name about 30 places, I'm a bit more realistic cost wise in my older years


Preston:

Cottam Sports Arena/Savick (Preston - Blackpool)
Justification : Site is fairly obvious even to non-locals. Near the new build University Sports Arena, growing Cottam residential and commercial centre, and existing sprawling ex-council estate. Would remove traffic from clogged up suburbia, link UCLAN's city centre campus with its out of town sports centre, allow for more residents to travel to/from Preston and Blackpool without using clogged up Blackpool Road, stop local bus services being crammed with long distance passengers.
Disadvantages : Cost. Northern Rail can't stand the idea of having to stop one more time along the route, would possible annoy TransPennine if it means slowing them down once every hour.

Chorley:

Coppull / or "South Chorley Parkway"
Justification: Case for local stopping services trundling through built up Coppull is becoming more tenuous by the day. Would free up local roads, open up commute to work possibilities in either direction. Avoid local buses being clogged up with long distance passengers (this is already an issue). Growing local business areas shouldn't be restricted to car traffic.
Disadvantages: Cost. It's on Sir Richard's Railway. Euxton Balshaw Lane and Buckshaw Parkway are quite close. Location would be tight, the tracks aren't as forgiving as Euxton.

South Ribble:

Farington/Farington Interchange
Justification: I think about it every time I trundle home, it becomes more obvious by the day. Would allow local people to get to/from Preston, Blackburn or Ormskirk from a village where the local roads are bumper-to-bumper by half 7. Would not mess up Sir Richard's Railway
Disadvantages: It's a bit eccentric to be honest. Would add another stop on the Colne line. Would probably kill off any chance of a Midge Hall halt dead in the water.

 

[GingerSte]

OK a couple of my own. I bet you can't guess where I come from!

Leeds: Elland Road
This would good for the football crowd (Leeds matches are currently seeing gates of >30,000) and the large car park close to the M621 would make a pretty decent park and ride away from match days. The Leeds-Wakefield (onto KX) line passes right by it.

Thorpe (between Wakefield and Leeds)
This would be good for commuters from the local area, and would take a lot of cars out of Leeds/Wakefield on a weekday.

Elland (not to be confused with Elland Road Leeds)
According to Wikipedia this town had a population of 14,500. The line between Huddersfield and Halifax passes right through it. Surely it must deserve a station by now!

Wakefield: Denby Dale Road
This one is a few miles west of Wakefield Kirkgate station. It would serve the Lupset area of Wakefield very well and provide onward travel opportunities to Leeds with existing services. It would also alleviate two roads which are very busy during rush hour.

Horbury
Similar to Wakefield Denby Dale Road above.

Wakefield: Doncaster Road, Walton, Royston (South Yorkshire) and Athersley
This would involve reopening one of the old lines between Wakefield Kirkgate and Barnsley. I don't have figures for the populations of all of them, but Royston alone has just under 10,000 and Wakefield: Doncaster Road would be very useful for Heath, but it would be close to Sandal and Agbrigg station (not on the same line) so the jury's out on that one.

Womersley, Norton and Askern
Three villages between Knottingley and Doncaster, and a Leeds-Wakefield-Knottingley-Doncaster service would bring many new travel opportunities.

Scholes, Thorner, East Ricton, Collingham & Linton, Wetherby and Spofforth
This would be on the reopened line between Cross Gates (east Leeds) and the large viaduct on the Harrogate line.

That'll do for now!

 

[atomicdanny]

I could probably think of a couple, although some of these would be re-openings rather than new ones. First one

Dover Western Docks - The station and platforms are still there (well under the car park) along with the building and would be perfect for a "Javelin" Class 395 service from London at about an hour (e.g. alternate service between Dover and Dover Western Docks)

Folkestone Harbour - Technically its still there, although it would help redevelop the area a little more if it actually had a train service (then again not that many ferries go there any more)

Canterbury Park and Ride Station (at wincheap) where both the Chatham Mainline and Canterbury West lines cross? There is already a park and ride near to the cross over of the lines and in turn would also have some other benefits (not having to walk a mile between canterbury east and west being one example). Probably one of the worst ideas ever but I thought that it made some sence . (Although I guess it would be more of a parkway station?) (edit - somewhere in this area - Google Maps )

 

[ST PADDY]

Rossington on the east coast main line south of Doncaster could be easily reopened, the station would be built to the north of the crossing on the west side of the main line where there is plenty of space.
The station would consit of a single platform and would use the frieght line running via decoy depot, which if not already would be re-signled for bi-directional running.
The Leeds service could be extended as this is already electric to form an hourly service.
This would bring back at least one of the larger east coast M.L towns that deserve a rail service with out any disruption to the present E.C.M.L.services.
This could be extended to Bawtry using the area to the east of the present main line where the line from EVERTON came in, this would keep the terminatimg services from blocking the main line.
This again would be a single platform though there is space from an island platform. There would be an hourly service using the LEEDS service, though this would deffenately need an extra unit.
With the extra unit the service pattern could be Hourly LEEDS - Bawtry and hourly Bawtry to Doncaster. Then Hourly Doncaster - Bawtry and Hourly Bawtry - LEEDS, giving a half hourly service Bawtry to Doncaster.

 

[LE Greys]

Calling London trains at Frome is very unattractive at the current station due to the amount of time it adds to the journey, the fasts catch them up and lack of line capacity through there.

I've been saying for some time that there should be a semi-fast to Exeter calling at Frome (possibly to letting an express overtake in the process). Mind you, that probably came from when I went to school in the area, and had to freeze my backside off at Westbury twice a week while changing trains.

My personal favourite for a new ECML station would be Yaxley. It relies on some additional slow lines southwards from Peterborough, but with all the building that's supposed to happen around there, it would be useful for those who do not want to go to the main station to head south (the cost-savvy ones who do not use the expresses). There's also Trumpington, where again there is a lot of new building work. This would ease access problems to Cambridge station itself from the south. Annoyingly, the Park-and-Ride is in the wrong place for easy station access, but it could always expand station-ward.

 

[Aictos]

If we use the theory of Parkway stations, then there are two sites in the Peterborough area which could be considered which is:

1. Hampton/Yaxley which would have platforms on the slows only but pointwork permitting access on and off the fast lines, the platforms would be fullly capable of taking 12 car EMUs, HSTs or similar sized trains with dispatch and booking office staff available, the area of Peterborough the station would appeal to would be the Ortons, Hampton, Stanground, Fletton and Yaxley thus taking the pain out of commuting into the city centre and uasing the main station.

2. A station at Werrington Junction either on the Stamford slow lines or opposite the Royal Mail depot on the Lincoln lines which would serve the exact same intend as the proposed south Parkway station with FCC trains actually carrying onto and terminating at this parkway station.

If I refer to other areas, I can think of Chesterton near Cambridge which would be ideal.

As to Letchworth, Hertford North was designed exactly the same to potentially have 4 though lines although the bridge at the north end kind of prevented this, Gordon Hill was also designed the same - if Network Rail actually could do the work so Letchworth, Hertford and Gordon Hill had all 4 platforms as though lines it would help serve as passoing loops but also might even mean a extra path or two being available, after all I'm sure I read a DfT or NWR document which stated the ideal route for freight on the ECML would to use the Hertford Loop and then the GN/GE joint line between Peterborough and Doncaster via Spalding and Lincoln, it would also help when there there's disruption or diversions and EVERYTHING has to be sent down the Hertford Loop which would mean instead of relying solely on buses for passengers wanting stations between Stevenaged and Alexandra Palace via Hertford and not run a train service, a hourly train service could be in operation between Kings Cross and Herford only with a bus in use between Hertford and Stevenage until of course NWR pull up their socks and improve the signalling headways by putting in extra signas!

 

[Proud Salopian]

In Shropshire: Baschurch (re-opening of old station), Shrewsbury Parkway (is talked about by the council but it's nothing but hot air), Shrewsbury Town FC (for their new football ground on the southern edge of Shrewsbury) and Harlescott in the north of the town.

 

[Invincibles]

A new station at Cottam would be brilliant for me because I often have to get from Manchester to the Preston Sports Arena and at the moment it takes a lot longer than it should. There are a lot of houses and new developments in the area and presumably it would be possible to squeeze a stop out of one or two Northern services per hour.

Shrewsbury FCs new ground also looks a good candidate whenever I have passed through, but I do not know enough about the area to know whether it justifies a station.

Some form of halt at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry would be good, although I believe this has been on the list of possibles for a long time now, an incredibly fanciful proposal would then be to electrify Nuneaton to Coventry and allow selected London Midland services to run that way creating a "parkway" right by the M6 junction. Southbound services would be the problem though because the up slow is the wrong side of the fasts.

I am sure there are a lot of others that I could think of, but the ones I usually favour were already mentioned.

 

[Greenback]

In Swansea, the sports stadium and retail development at Landre should have seen the reopenin gof the nearby station.

Also, from a purely personal viewpoint, Cockett station should be reopened as this would help me with one of my regular journeys!!!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Pendlebury (between Salford Crescent and Swinton (Manchester)) could serve a fair population and also the close-by Manchester Royal Childrens Hospital if re-opened.

 

[PR1Berske]

Pendlebury (between Salford Crescent and Swinton (Manchester)) could serve a fair population and also the close-by Manchester Royal Childrens Hospital if re-opened.

It'll never be re-opened. The troubles with the station (not just falling passenger numbers) in addition to future relocation plans for Salford Crescent, and expansion of MetroLink, mean Pendlebury just isn't right for coming back to the rail atlas....

 

[sprinterguy]

St. Ives Damn busways!

Washington. Would require a reopening of the currently mothballed Leamside Line, which I was recently discussing elsewhere on here. Whilst I’m at it, I’ll also mention Fencehouses, Belmont Parkway and Ferryhill on the same line. Ashington and Bedlington on the Blyth and Tyne.

Down here in Brum, there’s talk of new stations at Fort Dunlop, for the shopping centre, and at Kingsbury, both on the Birmingham-Derby line, served by a new Birmingham to Tamworth via Coleshill local service. I think these would be very positive developments for the West Midlands rail network, and I reckon the Fort Dunlop stop would be quite popular, if the usage of Gateshead Metrocentre in my native northeast is anything to go by. Also, extension of the Walsall electric service round to Aldridge would be a really useful thing to have.

Kenilworth, on the Coventry-Leamington line.

 

[mrcheek]

Also, from a purely personal viewpoint, Cockett station should be reopened as this would help me with one of my regular journeys!!!

and also provide a laugh for all the kids travelling when its announced....

 

[GingerSte]

Some more for you!

Parkgate & Aldwarke
This is between Swinton and Rotherham. The line used to be 4-track round here. If the section from Swinton junction to the junction for Rotherham Central was put back to four lines (no civils, just a bit of deveg and signalling required), then this could provide separation for services from Sheffield to Leeds/Doncaster. It would also provide a good stopping point and bring yet more commuters within easy reach of the railway.

Bradford: Manningham Road
I don't know the area, but I think that it is very densely populated, and a station here would bring Bradford, Shipley, Leeds and beyond into easy reach for Commuters from here.

Methley
This is between Woodlesford and Castleford, and is again true commuter belt territory.

Maltby, Dinnington and North & South Anston(?)
I don't know the nature of this line (I imagine it's used for freight) but I can see the possibility of a passenger service between Doncaster and Worksop calling at these stations, and avoiding the need to go all the way to Sheffield.




Some stations in the Birmingham area:

Minworth, Walmley, Streetly and Aldridge
A New Street (or Moor Street) to Walsall service on the Sutton Park line could provide these areas with a fairly regular service. I understand that the line is used for freight, but I have to admit I don't know whether it is single or double track.

Pelsall and Brownhills
These would be on a link from Walsall to Lichfield. There are numerous combinations of service that could be investigated (ie Birmingham-Lichfield via Brownhills or simply Wallsall-Lichfield or carrying on to Burton/Derby). However this would require re-instatement of the line between Wallsall and Brownhills, which would carry a fair bit of cost.

Alrewas
Between Lichfield and Burton. Could also serve the National Memorial Arboretum.



I have to say, though, that new stations are only half of the solution. We need extra carriages to carry passengers from the stations we've already got! I would definitely like to see some company come along and offer a low-price DMU/EMU and make new rolling stock more financially viable.

 

[sprinterguy]

Some more for you!
Some stations in the Birmingham area:

Minworth, Walmley, Streetly and Aldridge
A New Street (or Moor Street) to Walsall service on the Sutton Park line could provide these areas with a fairly regular service. I understand that the line is used for freight, but I have to admit I don't know whether it is single or double track.

I have to say, though, that new stations are only half of the solution. We need extra carriages to carry passengers from the stations we've already got! I would definitely like to see some company come along and offer a low-price DMU/EMU and make new rolling stock more financially viable.

The Sutton Coldfield freight line is double track, and quite heavily used by freight traffic, so is well placed in terms of capacity and maintenance for a reintroduction of passenger services.

Loads of good ideas you've mentioned there

 

[Sapphire Blue]

With shopping centres being mentioned, I believe that the White Rose centre near Leeds was mentioned as getting a station. Don't know if this was a vague proposal or more concrete.