adrock1976
Established Member
I have had a go at creating a Taktplan for the above route out of Leeds.
My starting point was to build it around the existing timing point at Skelton Junction in York of the present day Leeds - York via Harrogate train and worked it around that due to sharing track for the last mile to and from York.
For the reopened lines to Otley and Ripon, I have measured the distances along the former trackbed using Google Maps. Besides the proposed reopening of stations at Horsforth Woodside and Goldsborough (it will also serve neighbouring Flaxby as there are plans for a residential development there, as at Woodside, hence the Goldsborough & Flaxby name), Pool-in-Wharfedale is the only intermediate station towards Otley, with Nidd Bridge and Wormald Green being the intermediate stations towards Ripon. Also, it may be worthwhile having a new station at Bilton Lane to the north of Harrogate on the route to Ripon.
I have seen a mention on Wikipedia of a location called Dragon Junction, but I could only see Dragon Road in Harrogate, which is close to town rather than Pannal or Starbeck. I am unsure which apex of the former Starbeck triangle it was, or if it was indeed near the viaduct near Pannal. This explains how I have used Woodfield Park Junction for the diverging (or continuation) of the route from Harrogate towards Ripon, and Bilton Lane for the other apex where the direct route from Starbeck to Ripon (the third apex is just west of Starbeck station). I hope all this makes sense in how I have explained things.
I have identified various infrastructure interventions, the main ones being a pair of specially dedicated tracks and platforms between Leeds and Armlet Junction (with no other trains using it - no token London Kings Cross, no Yorkshire Rose, no crazy and strange routings of The Sussex Scot, and no fantasy open access operators). Also, some re-doubling between Knaresborough and Poppleton is required for a robust 30 minute frequency along this section, and a new bay platform at Horsforth for terminating trains due to the five minute frequency between Leeds and Horsforth. When previous plans have been mentioned for re-opening Otley and Ripon, I am unsure if it is intended to be single or double track, or how much of the former trackbed has been encroached on.
I have attached the file below.
My starting point was to build it around the existing timing point at Skelton Junction in York of the present day Leeds - York via Harrogate train and worked it around that due to sharing track for the last mile to and from York.
For the reopened lines to Otley and Ripon, I have measured the distances along the former trackbed using Google Maps. Besides the proposed reopening of stations at Horsforth Woodside and Goldsborough (it will also serve neighbouring Flaxby as there are plans for a residential development there, as at Woodside, hence the Goldsborough & Flaxby name), Pool-in-Wharfedale is the only intermediate station towards Otley, with Nidd Bridge and Wormald Green being the intermediate stations towards Ripon. Also, it may be worthwhile having a new station at Bilton Lane to the north of Harrogate on the route to Ripon.
I have seen a mention on Wikipedia of a location called Dragon Junction, but I could only see Dragon Road in Harrogate, which is close to town rather than Pannal or Starbeck. I am unsure which apex of the former Starbeck triangle it was, or if it was indeed near the viaduct near Pannal. This explains how I have used Woodfield Park Junction for the diverging (or continuation) of the route from Harrogate towards Ripon, and Bilton Lane for the other apex where the direct route from Starbeck to Ripon (the third apex is just west of Starbeck station). I hope all this makes sense in how I have explained things.
I have identified various infrastructure interventions, the main ones being a pair of specially dedicated tracks and platforms between Leeds and Armlet Junction (with no other trains using it - no token London Kings Cross, no Yorkshire Rose, no crazy and strange routings of The Sussex Scot, and no fantasy open access operators). Also, some re-doubling between Knaresborough and Poppleton is required for a robust 30 minute frequency along this section, and a new bay platform at Horsforth for terminating trains due to the five minute frequency between Leeds and Horsforth. When previous plans have been mentioned for re-opening Otley and Ripon, I am unsure if it is intended to be single or double track, or how much of the former trackbed has been encroached on.
I have attached the file below.