Electric routes that aren't the "headline" routes

[HSTEd]

Well, it occurs to me that in most cases, if there is an electrified route (I mean in terms of a direct service) between two cities/large towns that it will tend to be the primary route between them.

For instance the WCML is the primary route between London and Birmingham rather than the Chiltern Main Line.

I was wondering how many exceptions there are to this pattern? ie. where the primary service is diesel-operated despite an electric option existing.

I can think of two myself, one is Edinburgh-Glasgow since the electrification of the ECML, and the other is Reading-London.

Are there any others?

 

[telstarbox]

Ashford to Victoria/Charing Cross is electrified but could be considered the 'secondary' route to HS1.

 

[northwichcat]

Manchester-Styal-Crewe

Stoke-Stone-Stafford

 

[HSTEd]

Sorry, I meant to add where the primary routes are diesel operated

 

[JamesRowden]

Does Amersham to London count since the Chiltern service is faster than the Metropolitan line (or do they count as the same route)?

 

[reb0118]

The E&G is a double contender as it has two electric junior partners.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Some would say the primary route from Bradford to Leeds is the GN via Bramley, whereas it's the longer Midland route via Shipley that is wired.

The current primary route between Manchester and Liverpool is the CLC via Warrington Central.
The shorter Chat Moss route is being electrified but is currently the secondary route.

 

[tbtc]

Manchester to Wigan in a year or two?

I agree with LNW-GW Joint's examples too.

Before the CP5 announcement, I had a hunch that the Manchester - Leeds route via the Calder Valley had a better chance of electrification than the route via Huddersfield (since the Calder Valley services were more "self contained" than the longer distance routes from Middlesbrough/ Scarborough/ Hull that serve the Huddersfield route). Obviously I've been proved wrong!

 

[Eagle]

Glasgow Queen Street to Springburn (at least until the Cumbernauld electrification is complete).

 

[61653 HTAFC]

How about Rochdale to Manchester? The direct heavy-rail route via Moston is diesel, with the Metrolink line via Oldham being (obviously) electrified...

 

[Rhydgaled]

Manchester-Styal-Crewe

That's the route the branch to Manchester airport comes off right? What makes that the primary route rather than via Stockport? Is the Styal route faster? Isn't Stockport an important stop?

Another example perhaps is Liverpool - Manchester. I don't think any route between the two is electrified yet, but is the orriginal railway (the one being electrified) still the primary route today?

 

[Gareth]

For long distance services, the southerly route is currently more important. That will change once the Northern Hub works are complete.

 

[AndyLandy]

Does Amersham to London count since the Chiltern service is faster than the Metropolitan line (or do they count as the same route)?

I guess that could be said of Birmingham-Manchester, too. The 'direct' service is an XC diesel service, although the whole route is electrified and can be undertaken entirely with electric traction if you change at Stafford, Stoke or Crewe.

 

[Eagle]

Here is a direct train between Manchester and Birmingham that is electric.

 

[AndyLandy]

Here is a direct train between Manchester and Birmingham that is electric.

There would be one, wouldn't there!

I assume that's just a peak time thing? I don't think there are regular VT services along that corridor.

 

[Eagle]

It's stock balancing; getting a unit from Longsight onto a Birmingham diagram.

 

[AndyLandy]

It's stock balancing; getting a unit from Longsight onto a Birmingham diagram.

I suspected it would be something along those lines. If you've got to do an ECS from the Manchester area to Birmingham, you might as well see if you can actually run it as a passenger service.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Cambridge is an interesting case.
The GN route from King's Cross via Hitchin is 2.25 miles longer than the GE route from Liverpool St via the Lea Valley.
For many years, the "Buffet Car Expresses" ran via the Lea Valley which was considered the main line, with only very limited stoppers via Hitchin.
But since electrification of both routes in 1987/88 the GN route has had much faster and more frequent trains and is now clearly the main line.
The Lea Valley line capacity is now optimised for Stansted Airport and other local traffic.

 

[tsr]

Fast MML HSTs/Meridians between London St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway/Luton/Bedford are surely contenders, versus stopping FCC 377s/319s.

 

[D365]

Fast MML HSTs/Meridians between London St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway/Luton/Bedford are surely contenders, versus stopping FCC 377s/319s.

All using the same, electrified route... Going by that could you perhaps say the same thing for HC vs FGW, or Jubilee/Metropolitan vs Chiltern.

 

[MK Tom]

If the Chiltern Main Line and Risborough-Claydon are wired as has often been suggested could happen in CP6, that could create an example of this. Then again they could decide the Amersham line was secondary. Apparently via High Wycombe can actually be faster with few stops.