Recent content by Sox

According to Rail Journey Planner, the first service from Newcastle to Ashington runs Friday 27th December 2024. NCL to ASL

Will the Highland Spring facility be open to other, potential rail freight users?

Feels like history reinventing itself in that, despite the singling of the line in 1966, there was always a need for some kind of passing place in that area?

These were my initial thoughts, i.e. a slow drag out of/into Inverness, presume the next passing place is at Muir of Ord station, 13 miles 2 ch west of Inverness? So, taking Railsigns' info above, we have (approx): Inverness to Delmore 2.3 miles, then Delmore to Muir of Ord 10.75 miles Will...

Update re the Fleetwood reinstatement

Clitheroe aka fish eggs

I was at the Boat Hotel in January for a soup and sandwich lunch, good quality but eye-wateringly expensive

There's one at Heaton Traction Maintenance Depot, Newcastle and I presume the (privately run?) one at Aviemore could be accessed from NR with a bit of shunting.

There doesn't seem any getting away from the fact that the new airport railway station is being planned to be built in fundamentally the wrong place. Maybe semi-ok for catching the train from/to easterly destinations but from Inverness you may as well jump into a taxi (if there's 2 or more of...

Drawing 150005-BNU-DRG-EMF-001031 REV P01 from Stathern Jc's link depicts "PROPOSED NORBORD TURNOUT AND HEADSHUNT"

Might have been mentioned previously but looks like Norbord might get a rail connection as part of the overall scheme.

Did Persimmon ever resolve their leasehold issue?

Cycle this route on a regular basis and the formation always strikes me that it was built to a very wide standard. I wonder if this typical of CLC or did the line originally carry 3-4 tracks?

As far as I tell, Highland’s facility seems to entail the recommissioning an existing siding facility: https://www.tgp.uk.com/case_studies/375/#jp-carousel-3090

A bit OT but: Yesterday's 10:52 Chester to Manchester Piccadilly was cancelled due to "driver sickness". Unfortunate, as I had just sat down on the train when the announcement was made. A bit of a blessing in disguise though, as I was directed to the new(ish) 11:24 Chester to Leeds service...