Midland Main Line project in jeopardy?

[NotATrainspott]

Logic would suggest an answer of 'yes'.

When will HS2 Ltd start stealing electrification contractors from Network Rail?

 

[RichmondCommu]

Well with so much of our Railway network to electrify I doubt that was ever going to happen, it seems to make sense to me as far as the main routes go, to concentrate on HS2 and HS3, and main routes which are not covered to any degree by these schemes such as the GWML.

In which case say good bye to a lot of Intercity traffic from the East Midlands. An ever improving M1 will see to that. The MML has always been starved of investment but for many users this will be the final straw.

Much larger chunks of our railway should of course been electrified years ago, but that didn't happen,

I concur but the horse has bolted. We have always been told that ticket price increases would ensure that additional investment occurred. Today's events have blown that theory out of the water if you are a regular user of the MML.
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When will HS2 Ltd start stealing electrification contractors from Network Rail?

In around 2017 by all accounts when work starts. Anyone would think that the once mighty SNCF have now taken over the DfT.

 

[CdBrux]

In which case say good bye to a lot of Intercity traffic from the East Midlands. An ever improving M1 will see to that. The MML has always been starved of investment but for many users this will be the final straw.

you don't think that may be just a little OTT? You would still do the project, no delays, at x3 the cost like GWML, assuming you can find additional resources? Or would you delay to learn lessons and maybe deliver for a lower cost?

 

[47802]

GWML ones were heading to Scotrail I understand.

In any event they will need to keep some of their HSTs if the AT300 procurement doesn't get the go ahead from the DfT which I would suggest based on todays announcement is looking less likely.

I'm not sure how you come to that conclusion

Words of the Transport Minister
'For passengers in the south west the new contract with First Great Western will provide significant extra capacity.
I hope to be able to announce news on further new trains for the region soon.'

At this rate I think the AT300's for the South West might well be freeing up HST for Scotrail before IEP's

 

[RichmondCommu]

you don't think that may be just a little OTT? You would still do the project, no delays, at x3 the cost like GWML, assuming you can find additional resources? Or would you delay to learn lessons and maybe deliver for a lower cost?

No I don't think I was being a little OTT. There are no reasons why the MML electrification would have come in over budget other than the need to upgrade wires between Bedford and St Pancras. The simply fact is that the resources allocated to the MML are now being transferred over to the GWML. Work has already started on the MML so there is no evidence that its been delayed. Living in Belgium I assume that you are not a regular user of the MML and so it matters little to you?

 

[Philip Elliott]

Hydrogen.

 

[muddythefish]

is it over budget, delayed and short of specialist resources?
How does road vs rail investment compare compared to % journey miles made?

1. Probably none because road building is properly funded.
2. Don't know but suspect road is more. But road has been properly funded for decades so that isn't surprising.

 

[47802]

No I don't think I was being a little OTT. There are no reasons why the MML electrification would have come in over budget other than the need to upgrade wires between Bedford and St Pancras. The simply fact is that the resources allocated to the MML are now being transferred over to the GWML. Work has already started on the MML so there is no evidence that its been delayed. Living in Belgium I assume that you are not a regular user of the MML and so it matters little to you?

That's not the point though is it, with GWML going over budget there isn't enough money in the kitty, so cuts and priorities need to be made.

 

[Mojo]

Folks. Just a reminder that there is already a thread running about the announcement by the Government today, so as a result I'm going to close this thread because people keep replying to it. The thread you are looking for is in the UK Railway Discussion forum.