adrock1976
Established Member
Following on from the Cross Country to operate Leeds-Glasgow via Settle services using HSTs? thread, I did initially attempt to see how it would work, both with XC and also a possibility of extending some London St Pancras - Sheffield to Carlisle at least. Although it would work northbound, there was no way to make it work southbound, and having had a go at attempting to extend the London - Nottingham trains using the existing Northern path, I could only get it as far as Leeds without a lengthy layover of over 30 minutes, which although would be as good as robust, it would have blocked a platform for too long at Leeds (plus also introducing another diesel train in a train shed type station).
Having read "The Case for Integrated Transport on the Leeds - Settle - Carlisle Line Corridor" (attached below), there was a reference to having a clockface timetable, which it would be easier to integrate the bus services with and creating interchange hubs at Settle, Kirkby Stephen, and Appleby.
I switched focus to having a go at a Taktplan, being as the departures in both directions seem totally random and not easy to remember, plus there also not being an even frequency too (same applies for the Lancaster/Morecambe services). My start point was looking at the Leeds end for northbound departures, which are broadly at either xx18 and xx48 give or take a minute or two either way, and southbound from Skipton are broadly at xx29 and xx59 maybe with a minute or two variation either way. This section has to fit in with the existing electric Airedale and Wharfdale services from Leeds and Bradford Forster Square - Ilkley and Skipton, which those routes also involve some single track sections. Also, I looked at the Carlisle end and the existing London Euston - Glasgow Central via the ex Trent Valley Railway is as good as clock face in both directions, therefore would be able to see if those would work both arriving from Leeds and departing southbound.
As the timings progressed along, it became apparent that the northbound departures from Leeds would be at xx48 on odd hours, with the opposite half hour path left vacant to at least Skipton. The even hours xx48 is for the Lancaster/Morecambe, which overall, provides a frequency of every 60 minutes between Leeds and Hellifield.
I have also shown connections for journeys from Manchester, Salford Crescent, Bolton, Preston, Blackburn, and Clitheroe for illustrative purposes, and connections onwards to Dumfries, Motherwell, Glasgow Central, Haymarket, and Edinburgh Waverley and vice versa. I anticipated extending the Clitheroe trains to Hellifield (ideally with the track into the Leeds/London bay platform reinstated) every 2 hours so as to connect into and out of the Carlisle train. However, this would mean a portion uncoupling/coupling at Clitheroe (or Blackburn), and unsure about whether it would foul the level crossing at Bromley Cross or not. An alternative would be to extend all the Clitheroe trains to Hellifield every 60 minutes (would also connect into/out of the Lancaster/Morecambe as well as the Carlisle), as it would mean no coupling/uncoupling, and would require 2 additional trains and diagrams.
I have also overlaid additional workings for July and August (could also be June - September or May - October, or any duration - I am using the main two summer months as a base) which would run every 4 hours Blackpool - Carlisle via Blackburn, and every 4 hours Skipton - Carlisle i.e. broadly running in the hour from the all year round regular service. These would have First Class accommodation and dining facilities, with reservations being essential. See the spreadsheet attached below.
Having read "The Case for Integrated Transport on the Leeds - Settle - Carlisle Line Corridor" (attached below), there was a reference to having a clockface timetable, which it would be easier to integrate the bus services with and creating interchange hubs at Settle, Kirkby Stephen, and Appleby.
I switched focus to having a go at a Taktplan, being as the departures in both directions seem totally random and not easy to remember, plus there also not being an even frequency too (same applies for the Lancaster/Morecambe services). My start point was looking at the Leeds end for northbound departures, which are broadly at either xx18 and xx48 give or take a minute or two either way, and southbound from Skipton are broadly at xx29 and xx59 maybe with a minute or two variation either way. This section has to fit in with the existing electric Airedale and Wharfdale services from Leeds and Bradford Forster Square - Ilkley and Skipton, which those routes also involve some single track sections. Also, I looked at the Carlisle end and the existing London Euston - Glasgow Central via the ex Trent Valley Railway is as good as clock face in both directions, therefore would be able to see if those would work both arriving from Leeds and departing southbound.
As the timings progressed along, it became apparent that the northbound departures from Leeds would be at xx48 on odd hours, with the opposite half hour path left vacant to at least Skipton. The even hours xx48 is for the Lancaster/Morecambe, which overall, provides a frequency of every 60 minutes between Leeds and Hellifield.
I have also shown connections for journeys from Manchester, Salford Crescent, Bolton, Preston, Blackburn, and Clitheroe for illustrative purposes, and connections onwards to Dumfries, Motherwell, Glasgow Central, Haymarket, and Edinburgh Waverley and vice versa. I anticipated extending the Clitheroe trains to Hellifield (ideally with the track into the Leeds/London bay platform reinstated) every 2 hours so as to connect into and out of the Carlisle train. However, this would mean a portion uncoupling/coupling at Clitheroe (or Blackburn), and unsure about whether it would foul the level crossing at Bromley Cross or not. An alternative would be to extend all the Clitheroe trains to Hellifield every 60 minutes (would also connect into/out of the Lancaster/Morecambe as well as the Carlisle), as it would mean no coupling/uncoupling, and would require 2 additional trains and diagrams.
I have also overlaid additional workings for July and August (could also be June - September or May - October, or any duration - I am using the main two summer months as a base) which would run every 4 hours Blackpool - Carlisle via Blackburn, and every 4 hours Skipton - Carlisle i.e. broadly running in the hour from the all year round regular service. These would have First Class accommodation and dining facilities, with reservations being essential. See the spreadsheet attached below.
