MarkWi72
Member
- Joined
- 13 Nov 2017
- Messages
- 243
Hi all, just a quick question that someone will be able to answer. I'm a Green Party member and am interested in railways. I'm a rarity as I am not against HS2 and understand that evidence needs to be analysed regarding this project (which is annoyingly over budget, but quadrupling the WCML double track bits could be much more expensive and invasive). Anyway my Q's:
What is the current capacity of the WCML - it used to be the case that the line from Rugby (well, Roade)to Wembley/Willesdon was the busiest stretch of railway in Europe. I'm certain this is still the case, having been at Hanslope and Roade a couple of years ago! I've seen the business case for HS2 based on this, on another interesting thread.
Would anyone know what the busiest stretches are? There's certainly a busier freight timetable these days , than compared with the 80s, partly due to DRFT.
Presumably the double track sections are less busy,but still possibly full to capacity (e.g Oxenholme to Glasgow , plus the 'spurs' to Liverpool/Manchester/Stoke/Brum etc.)?
And the line speeds since the late 90s are much higher (esp after Pendolino introductions). I recall as a youngster (I grew up near Dudley Port), that some stretches of that line were 60mph (as was the Grand Junction via Bescot). and was 75mph elsewhere. I think its 90mph now. Is there anywhere line speed info is stored (there used to be those Railmaster books in the past - my dad had a few which had line speeds/track orientation/mileposts etc.). Do things like this still exist?
Regards, all.
What is the current capacity of the WCML - it used to be the case that the line from Rugby (well, Roade)to Wembley/Willesdon was the busiest stretch of railway in Europe. I'm certain this is still the case, having been at Hanslope and Roade a couple of years ago! I've seen the business case for HS2 based on this, on another interesting thread.
Would anyone know what the busiest stretches are? There's certainly a busier freight timetable these days , than compared with the 80s, partly due to DRFT.
Presumably the double track sections are less busy,but still possibly full to capacity (e.g Oxenholme to Glasgow , plus the 'spurs' to Liverpool/Manchester/Stoke/Brum etc.)?
And the line speeds since the late 90s are much higher (esp after Pendolino introductions). I recall as a youngster (I grew up near Dudley Port), that some stretches of that line were 60mph (as was the Grand Junction via Bescot). and was 75mph elsewhere. I think its 90mph now. Is there anywhere line speed info is stored (there used to be those Railmaster books in the past - my dad had a few which had line speeds/track orientation/mileposts etc.). Do things like this still exist?
Regards, all.