centraltrains
Member
Anyone want to speculate/dream about what the Snow Hill lines might or could be like in the future? They are such a lovely commuter lines for Birmingham as it has so little shared track working compared to most of the other services!
Here is a long mash of my thoughts, would be very keen to hear other peoples thoughts!
I always wonder when/if it will ever be electrified? Seems as a mainly standalone line that it would be quite hard to get the initiative needed to electrify it. Especially given for the 2nd time in 10 years, the line is yet again getting new diesel trains...
Snow Hill station has large empty spaces above the tracks like New Street had before it was done up (if memory serves me right) and I always wondered if this was perhaps for electrification in mind?
Living in a section with 20 minute frequency, I always get very jealous of the 10 minute frequency from Birmingham to Stourbridge and the additional services the Chiltern services provide to Dorrdige/Solihull. Do you think there would ever be a case for making services even more frequent than they are currently?
Do you think there is any more chance of more WCML services stopping at Smethwick GB? Always feels like the interchange frequency isn't quite enough to optimize the usefulness of it...
I always find it a shame that Bordesley gets so little service given its centralness to Birmingham. Will it ever be done up if the surrounding area gets some new life? Also if it did which services would stop? Would feel a pain to have yet another stop on the Small Heath/Tyesley stoppers, they already feel like they take too much longer than the fasts (though in reality is only 2/3 mins faster)
And most of the stations still have PERTIS machines, that's a good thing though for someone who likes PERTIS machines as much as me! I wonder how soon it will be that they will get cash/card TVMs in instead of the mainly card only ones.
It always amazes me that Whitlock's End isn't in the penalty fare scheme yet the next stop up of Wythall is! Yet London Midland certainty put up posters saying it was!
Will anything ever happen with the sidings near Small Heath? They seem unused, I once a few months ago for the first time saw freight train past a fence in that area which really surprised me. Could this be used at all for expansion for Tyesley? Does Tyesley still have plenty of capacity?
And are any plans in the reinstating platform 4 at Snow Hill now the trams have gone? Feels so annoying now that the connection to Snow Hill by tram has a much longer walk... Are there plans to connect the actual Snow Hill tram stop to the subway? The walk from Bull Street isn't exactly pleasant in the rain which it always seems to be when I make it!
Here is a long mash of my thoughts, would be very keen to hear other peoples thoughts!
I always wonder when/if it will ever be electrified? Seems as a mainly standalone line that it would be quite hard to get the initiative needed to electrify it. Especially given for the 2nd time in 10 years, the line is yet again getting new diesel trains...
Snow Hill station has large empty spaces above the tracks like New Street had before it was done up (if memory serves me right) and I always wondered if this was perhaps for electrification in mind?
Living in a section with 20 minute frequency, I always get very jealous of the 10 minute frequency from Birmingham to Stourbridge and the additional services the Chiltern services provide to Dorrdige/Solihull. Do you think there would ever be a case for making services even more frequent than they are currently?
Do you think there is any more chance of more WCML services stopping at Smethwick GB? Always feels like the interchange frequency isn't quite enough to optimize the usefulness of it...
I always find it a shame that Bordesley gets so little service given its centralness to Birmingham. Will it ever be done up if the surrounding area gets some new life? Also if it did which services would stop? Would feel a pain to have yet another stop on the Small Heath/Tyesley stoppers, they already feel like they take too much longer than the fasts (though in reality is only 2/3 mins faster)
And most of the stations still have PERTIS machines, that's a good thing though for someone who likes PERTIS machines as much as me! I wonder how soon it will be that they will get cash/card TVMs in instead of the mainly card only ones.
It always amazes me that Whitlock's End isn't in the penalty fare scheme yet the next stop up of Wythall is! Yet London Midland certainty put up posters saying it was!
Will anything ever happen with the sidings near Small Heath? They seem unused, I once a few months ago for the first time saw freight train past a fence in that area which really surprised me. Could this be used at all for expansion for Tyesley? Does Tyesley still have plenty of capacity?
And are any plans in the reinstating platform 4 at Snow Hill now the trams have gone? Feels so annoying now that the connection to Snow Hill by tram has a much longer walk... Are there plans to connect the actual Snow Hill tram stop to the subway? The walk from Bull Street isn't exactly pleasant in the rain which it always seems to be when I make it!