TRIVIA: UK high speed line schemes other than HS1, HS2 and HS3

[AY1975]

Not sure if this has ever been discussed on here before, but apart from the now operational HS1, and the HS2 and HS3 schemes (though it is debatable whether HS3 should be classed as a true high speed line scheme), does anyone know if any high speed lines elsewhere in the UK have ever been proposed?

For example between London and the South-West or South Wales, or between the Midlands and the South-West to supersede the existing main CrossCountry route. And do you think there could be a strong business case for any of these routes?

In the early 2000s First Group sponsored a study into a high-speed line between London and the South-West (see the Wikipedia entry on high speed rail in the UK at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-...om#FirstGroup.27s_plans_for_the_GWML_corridor) but that scheme seems to have died a death or at least become dormant.

 

[Ianno87]

The Selby diversion of the ECML between Temple Hirst Jn and Colton Jn is, effectively, engineered from new as a 'moderately' high speed line.

 

[Bald Rick]

Virgin looked at a high speed line from somewhere around Stevenage to Donny when they bid for the East Coast franchise the 2nd time round. There was a poorly photoshopped pic of TGVs in Virgin livery at KX I think.

Their proposal was nothing more than a a few crayons on a map though, it was never a serious proposal.

 

[gsnedders]

The Selby diversion of the ECML between Temple Hirst Jn and Colton Jn is, effectively, engineered from new as a 'moderately' high speed line.

What is that designed for? 140mph?

 

[D365]

What is that designed for? 140mph?

160mph, off the top of my head.

 

[MarkyT]

160mph, off the top of my head.

Some years after construction, BR stated the line was suitable for up to 160mph with appropriate upgrades to signalling and OHLE. This seems plausible even without tilt. The tightest curves on the new route measure at over 3000m radius on Google Earth. By comparison, older non-tilting Shinkansen trains in Japan can achieve 255 km/h (158 mph) on the tightest 2,500 m curves of their earliest routes while the latest N700 series, with slight tilting of up to one degree into the bend, can maintain 270 km/h (168 mph) through the same geometry.

 

[mallard]

There were the plans for 140mph running on the ECML and later WCML, which would be considered "high speed" lines, both of which were dropped due to the costs of upgrading the signalling.

There's also the "InterCity 250" project from the latter days of BR; a plan to upgrade the WCML corridor in stages to allow speeds of up to 155mph, cancelled due to the early 1990s recession and impending privatisation.

 

[WatcherZero]

Before HS3/NPR there were serious looks being given to a short high speed bypass of suburban stations from the ECML into Newcastle.

 

[edwin_m]

The view of the people Network Rail have to think about such things is that anything above 140mph is unrealistic for existing infrastructure. The main concern is the aerodynamic issue of passing trains that that speed that could dislodge the ballast. I guess this particular issue could be resolved with slab track though.

 

[furnessvale]

The view of the people Network Rail have to think about such things is that anything above 140mph is unrealistic for existing infrastructure. The main concern is the aerodynamic issue of passing trains that that speed that could dislodge the ballast. I guess this particular issue could be resolved with slab track though.

Or glued ballast where the track is already insitu.