NUCKLE (Nuneaton - Coventry) update

[OwlMan]

According to the local paper there are delays to this project

CONCERNS about a delay in the project which should revolutionise rail travel between Nuneaton, Bedworth and Coventry will be raised in the most powerful building in the country.
It has been claimed by the Nuneaton, Bedworth and Hinckley Rail User Group that the highly anticipated Coventry to Nuneaton Rail Upgrade scheme, known locally as NUCKLE, has hit the buffers and has been delayed until 2017.
The scheme, which will see a new rail station built at Bermuda in Nuneaton, the platform extended at Bedworth and a new station created at the Ricoh Arena, is being championed by Coventry City Council, and supported by Warwickshire County Council.
The News contacted both local authorities for a comment but neither were available at the time of going to press.
But Nuneaton's MP Marcus Jones has picked up the mantle and has pledged to raise any potential delays in Parliament.
"I am doing everything I can both locally and in Westminster to push this important project forward," he told the News.
"The project is vital for our local economy and I will be pushing to see it come to fruition as quickly as possible."
In a statement, the Nuneaton, Bedworth and Hinckley Rail Users group say that the upgrade, which should bring extra train services to the area, was due to be complete by 2013, but has been delayed multiple times.
Spokesman Mark Whitelegg said: "Whoever thinks that delaying this project until 2017 is okat has got to be mad! We urgently need this upgrade to boost the local economy. It should be an extremely high priority to get this done as soon as possible.
"We want a commitment from Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council to get this project moving. It's interesting to note how relatively easy it has been for projects such as Stratford Parkway and Kenilworth stations to get off the ground but anything impacting North Warwickshire seems to be much lower priority. We want an explanation. The people of Nuneaton, Hinckley and Bedworth are sick of high fares and no service improvements. We urge everyone to contact their local councillors and complain about this."
Their concerns have been echoed by Warwickshire County councillor Keith Kondakor, who added: "The upgrade project will be half done by 2015 but the key new platform at Coventry and extra train/carriages will not come for around four years. This could be delayed even more due to electrification work expected around 2019.
"The current service is unreliable due to lack of dedicated platform at Coventry, lack of drivers trained to operate this rare single carriage train and many technical problems. Adding two extra stations with just a single carriage train will be a downgrade to the Nuneaton to Coventry capacity and journey time."
The news comes after the planning application to build the new station at Bermuda, which will include two platforms, waiting shelters, stairs and ramps, ticket machine, CCTV, cycle parking and 30 car park spaces, has been given the green light.
It is understood that the new station, which will be built on land off St George's Way, should be opened by 2015.

From http://www.nuneaton-news.co.uk/Majo...tory-20345060-detail/story.html#ixzz2o0Q1zUVW ​

 

[The Planner]

This is just a Todmorden mkII, LM haven't got the stock to run any extra services in the interim so that is the issue, once the Chase line is wired up then the units appear which also allow Kenilworth to work. Quoting Stratford Parkway is spurious as it is wasn't a service increase, just a new stop on an existing service that didn't need anything new. How the new station and services will do anything to the fares is beyond me as well, is a 153 a heritage unit now too? good old local rag reporting!!

 

[Gareth Marston]

This is just a Todmorden mkII, LM haven't got the stock to run any extra services in the interim so that is the issue, once the Chase line is wired up then the units appear which also allow Kenilworth to work. Quoting Stratford Parkway is spurious as it is wasn't a service increase, just a new stop on an existing service that didn't need anything new. How the new station and services will do anything to the fares is beyond me as well, is a 153 a heritage unit now too? good old local rag reporting!!

Surely this is Dyfi Junction loop and Welshpool dynamic loop MK3 and Todmorden was Mk2!

 

[anthony263]

Surely this is Dyfi Junction loop and Welshpool dynamic loop MK3 and Todmorden was Mk2!

I have to admit I agree with you on this gareth. Certainly the DFT need to be a bit embaressed about all of this. Surelly somebody should be saying its all well and good but where are the actual trains going to come from?

 

[davetheguard]

Surely this is Dyfi Junction loop and Welshpool dynamic loop MK3 and Todmorden was Mk2!

I'm sure you're right, but even given the lack of rolling stock, it still doesn't explain why the infrastructure work hasn't been done.

The two new stations between Coventry & Nuneaton and the bay platform at Coventry station were supposed to have been built and open by now, and I've not seen anything explaining why they haven't been.

I know things take a long time everywhere, but is it me, or do projects in the West Midlands seem especially prone to delays (or of nothing happening at all). I can't remember how many decades Centro, for example, has been talking about certain tram routes, for example.

You just get the feeling that the region needs someone with drive and vision to push things through and knock heads together where necessary. In short, some leadership.

 

[swt_passenger]

I wouldn't have said that getting the go ahead for Kenilworth has actually been 'relatively easy'. And if a magic wand was used to build the station instantly, it would have exactly the same problem of lack of rolling stock surely?

 

[The Planner]

Without ploughing through the myriad of threads about the Cambrian, put simply, is it the case that ATW cannot provide an enhanced service because they have a lack of rolling stock as is pretty much the case here, or is it just the lack of £££ to make ATW do it?

 

[anthony263]

Without ploughing through the myriad of threads about the Cambrian, put simply, is it the case that ATW cannot provide an enhanced service because they have a lack of rolling stock as is pretty much the case here, or is it just the lack of £££ to make ATW do it?

I suspect it is the £££ which is one of the main reasons why ATW have not started additional cambrian services.

If there was plenty of money available from the WG perhaps some loco hauled sets ciould be introduced on some long distance atw services releasing some class 158/175's for use on the Cambrian and elsewhere.

Of course however there could be other reasons why the hourly service on teh Cambrian hasnt happened

 

[Eagle]

Quoting Stratford Parkway is spurious as it is wasn't a service increase, just a new stop on an existing service that didn't need anything new.

Not quite true; it opened with the promise of 2tph from Stratford to Birmingham, which has now been fulfilled in the new timetable by extending one Dorridge terminator every hour.

Didn't require any extra trains to do that, however.

 

[martinsh]

Not quite true; it opened with the promise of 2tph from Stratford to Birmingham, which has now been fulfilled in the new timetable by extending one Dorridge terminator every hour.

Didn't require any extra trains to do that, however.

Well Dorridge to Stratford takes 1hr 5mins return, so are you trying to tell us the unit previously sat around at Dorridge for that long ?

 

[The Planner]

No, they sit at Dorridge for about 5-6 minutes normally.

 

[keithkondakor]

I have been following the Nuneaton to Coventry upgrade since 2006. In 2009 I obtained the 2008 consultants reports which highlighted the main issues including rolling stock cascade. The bid for funding was sucessful but no one has sorted out rolling stock. This was made clear as a big issue when Network rail commented on the project.

I am now a green party councillor and riased the delays at this weeks Warwickshire County Council meeting. The reply was that they would do the first phase in 2 parts and it would have to run with the single car train until a cascade of trains in 2017. My fear is that it will be 2019 before we get more than a single carrage train. We also may not get the bay platform before 2019. This means any problem on the main line at Coventry upsets the Nuneaton to Coventry service.

Anyone with a spare train - even a steam one, that is available 2015-2019?

 

[bangor-toad]

Anyone with a spare train - even a steam one, that is available 2015-2019?

This may be a comedy suggestion or it might be valid:

Get the Hastings Diesel set!

It used to do sterling work on providing service along the south coast as the 171's were being introduced. I'm sure it could be used again!
Cheers,
Jason

 

[Trog]

No the comedy suggestion is to get a DVT a coach and an old diesel loco and call the combination the Pretendo-dogbox.

 

[Batman]

once the Chase line is wired up then the units appear which also allow Kenilworth to work.

Yes, but where will the EMU's come from for the new Chase line electric services?

And I thought most of the DMU's that will be released from the Chase line will go towards strengthening Hereford and Shrewsbury peak time services?

 

[The Planner]

Ask the DfT, they are leading that one, NUCKLE is purely Warwicks and Coventry funded with a chunk from Europe. It would only need one extra unit anyway.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The word "NUCKLE" could be a contender for a new word entry in the next published major dictionary, meaning...

"An over-extended rail improvement project with no trains to run upon it"...

 

[Batman]

Ask the DfT, they are leading that one, NUCKLE is purely Warwicks and Coventry funded with a chunk from Europe. It would only need one extra unit anyway.

Might start a new thread about that one.

 

[paddy1]

Will the line and service upgrade and plans for new station at the Ricoh still be viable now that Coventry City no longer play at the Ricoh and have plans to be build a new stadium elsehere and not on this rail line?

 

[HowardGWR]

Will the line and service upgrade and plans for new station at the Ricoh still be viable now that Coventry City no longer play at the Ricoh and have plans to be build a new stadium elsehere and not on this rail line?

If the station was only for the benefit of occasional football matches, I should not think the 'business case' would have been very impressive. I assume it may have a better case as a Park and ride?

 

[Bald Rick]

The word "NUCKLE" could be a contender for a new word entry in the next published major dictionary, meaning...

"An over-extended rail improvement project with no trains to run upon it"...

You might say it has been dragging...

 

[Eagle]

If the station was only for the benefit of occasional football matches, I should not think the 'business case' would have been very impressive. I assume it may have a better case as a Park and ride?

I think the main case was just "a station for north Coventry".

Probably more people per year visit the Tesco hypermarket opposite than the Arena (even when it hosted football).

 

[pt_mad]

Surely it can't just come down to suitable stock not being available. There has to be a spare unit somewhere that could be used.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Surely it can't just come down to suitable stock not being available. There has to be a spare unit somewhere that could be used.

Fear not. Just have a read of the sad and long drawn out saga of the "Todmorden Chord" thread that mirrors this same problem of no available rolling stock.