I agree, that's why I'm saying that a "positive narrative" through pushing for reopenings or whatever doesn't matter nearly as much as creating rail enthusiasts.
It's hard to imagine anyone becoming enthusiastic about rail from using the tube from Westminster (other than the station itself I suppose). Anyhow you're much better off getting them young although I still maintain some kind of recent immigrant outreach is important too.
Whist a train with "soul" is a useful tool, the thing such is going to make people want to have an interest in the railways is to have a half decent service which they can use, as without that they're never getting on that iconic train in the first place.
For example, one of my kids prefers diesel traction over steam at heritage lines.
Whilst our local station has diesel trains passing, it's not something they've traveled on regularly, but do enjoy bus and rail travel.
For me the train which I first encountered which was of interest (rather than just something I traveled in) was the IC225. Not really because of anything specific about that train, other than it was modern compared to what I saw on my local trains (which were all slam doors).
Likewise, I am more likely to be interested in a new train which is going to be introduced over necessarily preserving what has come before.
(Before anyone thinks otherwise, I'm not saying that we shouldn't be preserving what's come before, nor do I not enjoy preserved railways, rather that's not where my primary interest is).
Reopenings are something which I support, again not due to heritage or some nostalgic longing for the past.
Although, there are times I've been accused of that.
The main example is the choice between the modern Dawlish Avoiding Line (DAL) and the route through Okehampton.
Given what I've said about rolling stock, many may assume that I'd prefer the DAL - and to a point they'd be correct, however my argument is that should happen later.
There's two main reasons:
- the rolling stock requirements to run through trains are the same as the two branch lines
- the DAL can't be fed with more services (especially from London) whilst the via Okehampton route has the potential to use some of the 8tph paths such Crossrail 2 realises out of Waterloo
As such, whilst the DAL makes the trains faster they will still be limited to 1.5tph and so any growth that faster journey time encourages will just lead to more overcrowding.
Conversely, going via Okehampton, has the potential (especially when paired with improvements on the WofE line) to create 2tph Waterloo to Plymouth. Whist the flow from London will be low, for some the door to door journey may not be significantly different and may be marginally cheaper.
Creating a modern 2tph service along the corridor will result in far, far more people using the railway overall than the DAL could dream of (without a new line out of London), and whilst there would be far more infrastructure improvements, this could defer the need for such significant upgrades to the A303.
