what's happening with Coventry - Nuneaton Rail Upgrade (formerly known as NUCKLE)

[davetheguard]

Looking back through some old railway magazines, I noticed in the Feb 2012 edition of Today's Railways, a piece about the Coventry to Nuneaton Rail Upgrade receiving funding.

Formerly known as NUCKLE, this scheme delivers a half-hourly service between Coventry and Nuneaton (instead of hourly at present) and two new stations on the line at Ricoh Arena and at Bermuda Park. Completion was due by December 2013.

I don't recall seeing anything in the railway press about construction work on these two new stations, and I can find nothing on the Network Rail website about this project either. Things seem to have gone very quiet.

The completion date is now very close; anyone know how the project is progressing, is it on time, and if not, what the reasons are?

 

[The Planner]

Not dead, but not started, issues with ££££....

 

[james60059]

Construction for the new stations hasn't even started yet, I work on Bermuda Park too and there hasn't even been any clearance to commence work. I expect it will be a good while before anything starts :roll:

 

[Eagle]

The plans had to be revised somewhat (understatement of the year) when the electric spine was announced.

 

[The Planner]

It wasn't Electric Spine that caused the problems and that isnt a committed, funded scheme so NUCKLE could effectively do what they want. The issue from what i have heard was how to deal with the Murco oil train than runs three times a week and would stop the extra services running at those times.

 

[Class172]

If it was me, I'd be of the attitude "so be it," since if the freight train is 3 times per week, then just live with those times and fit the service around it. I could understand more if it was 3tpd.

Also, what stock are they planning to use when the project's finished? Surely it can't be a 153 still, but a 4 coach 350 (assuming elec spine) seems overkill (unless there's suppressed demand).

 

[The Planner]

Wires are a way off, so it will be diesel. Whether LM have any spare knocking about is a different question. "So be it" won't wash with this as it is a Coventry funded scheme, not NR.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It wasn't Electric Spine that caused the problems and that isnt a committed, funded scheme

Cue panic in some quarters...

 

[The Planner]

To be fair it isnt even a scheme more of a "concept"

 

[HowardGWR]

It wasn't Electric Spine that caused the problems and that isnt a committed, funded scheme so NUCKLE could effectively do what they want. The issue from what i have heard was how to deal with the Murco oil train than runs three times a week and would stop the extra services running at those times.

Why do oil trains have to run during daylight hours? Such a commodity cannot possibly be needed 'a la minute' surely? I mean, it has lain under the ground for millions of years and now it's needed 'yesterday'?? Don't they have storage tanks?

 

[The Planner]

Considering the oil comes from the Humber area it takes a bit of time and the terminal isn't huge.