Sussex Rail Chords

[SussexSpotter]

Does anyone who lives in the south know anymore about these 2 rail improvement schemes?

1. Arundel Chord (north - east spur at Arundel Junction)

2. Willingdon Chord (east - west spur at Willingdon Junction, avoiding Eastbourne)

Are these schemes likely to happen or have they now been abolished by Network Rail and Southern?

Any info would be most helpful, thanks

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I can never recall hearing plans for either, certainly not Eastbourne. I suspect a major stumbling block there is the need to cross the A22.

 

[Bald Rick]

Neither have been seriously proposed within the industry in recent history. Nil chance.

 

[ushawk]

The Willingdon one was in the Sussex RUS i believe and was all but ruled out. Havent heard anything on the Arundel Chord, dont even think anything is proposed - just suggested.

 

[paul1609]

Does anyone who lives in the south know anymore about these 2 rail improvement schemes?

1. Arundel Chord (north - east spur at Arundel Junction)

2. Willingdon Chord (east - west spur at Willingdon Junction, avoiding Eastbourne)

Are these schemes likely to happen or have they now been abolished by Network Rail and Southern?



Any info would be most helpful, thanks

The Arundel Chord was in the Southern 20 year franchise bid some years ago where West Coastway London Services would have been reversed and travelled to London via upgraded Arun and Mole Valley lines.
The latest RUS concluded there was no business case. however the business case is still a lot stronger than either Lewes- Uckfield or BML 2.

 

[SussexMan]

I can never recall hearing plans for either, certainly not Eastbourne. I suspect a major stumbling block there is the need to cross the A22.

I don't know whether the bridge carrying Golden Jubilee Way over the railway was built with sufficient space on the northern underside to enable the chord to be built if it was ever needed. Looks tight to me which seems a big lack of future-proofing. Yes it would speed up journeys for some Hastings - Lewes trains but would mean changing at Polegate or getting a different train if you needed Eastbourne/Hampden Park.

Do think that putting a station back at Friday Street could make sense with the number of houses built there recently (and losing Pevensey Bay if needed).

 

[Ivo]

The latest RUS concluded there was no business case. however the business case is still a lot stronger than either Lewes- Uckfield or BML 2.

That's a little surprising for me. There must be a reasonable market between Horsham and Brighton/Hove, which considering the small outlay involved must surely be viable. OK, I know, it isn't asking a lot to change, and it would potentially cause more congestion on the already busy West Coastway, but it isn't asking a lot for the proposal to happen either. On the flip side though, I think most schemes in the area will have a better business case than the BML 2

 

[ushawk]

Do think that putting a station back at Friday Street could make sense with the number of houses built there recently (and losing Pevensey Bay if needed).

Always the possibility of a "parkway" station just off the A22 on the farmland, which could have links to the Stone Cross and Willingdon estates - seeing as Eastbourne doesnt have a Park and Ride - would be fairly close to Hampden Park though.

 

[SussexSpotter]

That's a little surprising for me. There must be a reasonable market between Horsham and Brighton/Hove, which considering the small outlay involved must surely be viable. OK, I know, it isn't asking a lot to change, and it would potentially cause more congestion on the already busy West Coastway, but it isn't asking a lot for the proposal to happen either. On the flip side though, I think most schemes in the area will have a better business case than the BML 2

I should think there would be a strong market. The only time Brighton ever gets a direct service to Horsham is when the BML is closed between Three Bridges and Brighton for engineering works, so London trains divert via Worthing with a reversal at Littlehampton, which isn't exactly practical for diversions anyway as means crossing Arundel Junction twice to gain access to the Arun Valley and additional journey times as well. FCC also have an alternative route to travel into Brighton if the Arundel Chord was build which would avoid the need to terminate trains at Three Bridges. FCC could even tap into the Mole Valley, Arun Valley and West Coastway market during peak time. There is also the case of overnight diversions where the trains that travel between Brighton and London Victoria overnight that have to terminate at Three Bridges because of engineering work could take the route via Horsham non-stop. They could extend Brighton - West Worthing stoppers to London Victoria via the Arun Valley and Mole Valley route giving the Mole Valley a much improved service, including a Sunday service which it currently doesn't get between Horsham and Dorking. They could even opperate a Brighton - Milton Keynes service via that route if they wanted to as well and could travel via Sutton and Carshalton connecting with the slow lines at Balham, so it wouldn't even touch the congested section of the Brighton Mainline, especcially East Croydon. Then there is even the potential to extend the South West Trains 455 suburban services which terminate at Dorking to run to Brighton which would then provide an alternative route to a London terminal. Lastly a First Great Western service which is extended from Gatwick Airport via that route and runs fast could certainly attract many potential passengers.

All that needs to be done a proper re-signalling and upgrade of the Arun Valley to allow additonal services to opperate, perhaps the Mole Valley as well. I believe Network Rail are to be carrying out a re-signalling and upgrade of the Arun Valley so it might be possible for the Arundel Chord to get built in the future.

BML2 though as much as I would like to see it so I can have a direct service from Eastbourne to London Bridge via Uckfield, I would be suprised if it happened. I'd also like to see the Willingdon Chord get built but feel that the Arundel Chord holds a stronger business case.

 

[starlightEXPRESS]

The only way I can see an Arundel Chord working is to extend one of the half-hourly Brighton <-> West Worthing stoppers to a reopened bay platform at Arundel. It's likely that the fastest route to London will remain via Hove for Worthing and points east, and Angmering, Goring-by-Sea and Durrington-on-Sea (throbbing metropolises they may be), won't generate enough traffic on their own to justify an additional service down the Arun Valley Line from Horsham.

With a guestimated price tag of £25M (see link) I have to agree with Network Rail that the economic case for a link is slender.
http://www.nickherbert.com/news.php/24/MP backs study into "Arundel chord" rail scheme

 

[MarkyT]

I don't know whether the bridge carrying Golden Jubilee Way over the railway was built with sufficient space on the northern underside to enable the chord to be built if it was ever needed. Looks tight to me

Looks wide enough to me:

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=sg1g3mh0pzk0&lvl=19.31&dir=267.52&sty=b&form=LMLTCC

Approx. 400m radius curve across fairly level unobstructed ground between the 2 existing lines looks very feasible to me.

Do think that putting a station back at Friday Street could make sense with the number of houses built there recently (and losing Pevensey Bay if needed).

Or close Westham?

 

[mister-sparky]

I don't know whether the bridge carrying Golden Jubilee Way over the railway was built with sufficient space on the northern underside to enable the chord to be built if it was ever needed. Looks tight to me which seems a big lack of future-proofing. Yes it would speed up journeys for some Hastings - Lewes trains but would mean changing at Polegate or getting a different train if you needed Eastbourne/Hampden Park.

Do think that putting a station back at Friday Street could make sense with the number of houses built there recently (and losing Pevensey Bay if needed).

the original north chord of the triangle was much further north than that. you can still clearly see the line of it on googlemaps, and it looks as though its only a few back gardens that have encroached onto the trackbed. it was closed in 1969 and lifted in 1984.

and there was also a station on friday street originally, called stone cross, closed in the 50s or 60s i think