childwallblues
Established Member
Oh for the Leeds New Line again!
Oh for the Leeds New Line again!
Oh for the Leeds New Line again!
Bit of reading here about a new prototype of OLE for anyone interested
https://www.mottmac.com/releases/mo...innovative-integrated-overhead-line-structure
Eugh. Every alternative OHLE design is either 1) literally unworkable or 2) functionally unworkable.
I think the fact they only, in their own press release, refer to 'cost' when talking about it being 'cost effective', so I suspect it would be rather pricey.
Also made out of wood? I'll pass.
That looks like it would be good for Windermere but doesn't sound robust enough for dealing with a mainline through the Pennine climate.
Was it faster than the surviving line ?
Engineered wood, as I think it's called by architects and their engineers, is strong and long lasting. In this case it can be both structural and insulating. Excellent.Ian Walmsley is hyper-enthusiastic about it in the November Modern Railways, p. 46. "Best piece of research since British Rail. ... Genius ... Possibly the best £150k ever spent in the rail business ... ". And not because of its aesthetics.
If my memory serves me well, the Leeds New Line was no faster than the line via Dewsbury.
It was built mainly to relieve congestion around places like Mirfield and Batley [Mirfield had a mpd, and a constant procession of coal trains from the South Yorkshire coalfields to Lancashire and returning empties; Batley was a bigger station than now with GN platforms serving trains from Bradford Exchange to Wakefield via Dewsbury Market Place].
It was steeply-graded with sharp bends - I remember going over it once at the front of a Trans-Pennine dmu, and it was "brake, throttle, brake" all the way!
That's not to say that had it survived it could not have been eased in the way the exisiting route via Dewsbury has been, but on closure, it was simply an alternative, rather than faster, route.
Yes, I totally agree. Beeching cuts were a disaster to highly populated West Yorkshire, especially towns of Wetherby, Otley, Heckmondwike, Ossett, Queensbury, Gomersall, Cleckheaton, Liversedge, Boston Spa, much larger now than in 1960.Oh for the Leeds New Line again!
You said it. Built to relieve congestion. And what do we have now? Congestion.If my memory serves me well, the Leeds New Line was no faster than the line via Dewsbury.
It was built mainly to relieve congestion around places like Mirfield and Batley [Mirfield had a mpd, and a constant procession of coal trains from the South Yorkshire coalfields to Lancashire and returning empties; Batley was a bigger station than now with GN platforms serving trains from Bradford Exchange to Wakefield via Dewsbury Market Place].
It was steeply-graded with sharp bends - I remember going over it once at the front of a Trans-Pennine dmu, and it was "brake, throttle, brake" all the way!
That's not to say that had it survived it could not have been eased in the way the exisiting route via Dewsbury has been, but on closure, it was simply an alternative, rather than faster, route.
And trains that are a lot better at dealing with gradientsYou said it. Built to relieve congestion. And what do we have now? Congestion.
Begs the question if Wetherby should be reopened, given its closeness to Boston Spa a Suitably sited station could serve Both places.
But not being familiar with the original route in guessing some creative rerouting would be needed to get to the nearest line Into Leeds .
I mention it because that new motorway is very busy .
It does to be double the traffic that there was in 2005,09 when both sections opened .
( Mind you 2005 section collapsed due to bad construction)
Queensbury was pre beeching in 1955Yes, I totally agree. Beeching cuts were a disaster to highly populated West Yorkshire, especially towns of Wetherby, Otley, Heckmondwike, Ossett, Queensbury, Gomersall, Cleckheaton, Liversedge, Boston Spa, much larger now than in 1960.
That was the only one I wasn't sure of. One out of nine not bad.Queensbury was pre beeching in 1955
K.
Though you did also describe Gomersal and Liversedge as "towns" which is stretching it a bit!That was the only one I wasn't sure of. One out of nine not bad.
Absolutely, but if any public transport decision is left to Leeds City Council, the answer will be more buses creating even more congestion.Wetherby should be reinstated for the reason stated below for Leeds and York and the fact that 10,000 houses are planned around the Wetherby- Cross Gates trackbed
Boston Spa is on the way to Tadcaster, another expanded town worthy of a reinstated railway but this time just over the border in North Yorkshire. A new town of 2,000 houses is planned between the two for commuters to Leeds and York.
As both cities are already grid locked in the peaks what better way to convey commuters 10-15 miles than a railway?
Absolutely, but if any public transport decision is left to Leeds City Council, the answer will be more buses creating even more congestion.
Or yet more stations on routes that don't have the capacity for them.Absolutely, but if any public transport decision is left to Leeds City Council, the answer will be more buses creating even more congestion.
Or yet more stations on routes that don't have the capacity for them.
What would you call them?Though you did also describe Gomersal and Liversedge as "towns" which is stretching it a bit!
Not towns... but probably not villages either seeing as there isn't really much greenery between them and the next place. Liversedge is essentially an area or district of Heckmondwike.What would you call them?
I resent being called an oddity especially being a past Mayor of this oddity. We became a City in 1804 but didn't develop at the same rate as other cities keeping a rural feel. This is the reason we lost our railway in 1967 but we still have our cathedral that many are jealous of.Not towns... but probably not villages either seeing as there isn't really much greenery between them and the next place. Liversedge is essentially an area or district of Heckmondwike.
But then it's only us Brits who seem to get hung up on labels for places, with our royal charters and city statuses. In the U.S., even little one-horse settlements might well be known as cities. Here other than the oddities of the likes of Ripon and Wells, the titles generally imply size or at least relative size within a surrounding area.
If you are referring to Ripon, surely it has now only 1/3 of a cathedral! A nice one though, and one that deserves a railway to arrive at it in style.I resent being called an oddity especially being a past Mayor of this oddity. We became a City in 1804 but didn't develop at the same rate as other cities keeping a rural feel. This is the reason we lost our railway in 1967 but we still have our cathedral that many are jealous of.
Only an oddity in the sense of being, as you say yourself, a city with a very rural feel. The centre of Ripon is more that of a market town than a bustling metropolis, but it's none the worse for it. My use of the word oddity was facetious but not malicious.I resent being called an oddity especially being a past Mayor of this oddity. We became a City in 1804 but didn't develop at the same rate as other cities keeping a rural feel. This is the reason we lost our railway in 1967 but we still have our cathedral that many are jealous of.
No thank you, I'm trying to quit...Hamlet?
I don't think closing Queensbury was that much of a disaster in comparison to the rest.
Wetherby should be reinstated for the reason stated below for Leeds and York and the fact that 10,000 houses are planned around the Wetherby- Cross Gates trackbed
Boston Spa is on the way to Tadcaster, another expanded town worthy of a reinstated railway but this time just over the border in North Yorkshire. A new town of 2,000 houses is planned between the two for commuters to Leeds and York.
As both cities are already grid locked in the peaks what better way to convey commuters 10-15 miles than a railway?