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If you read the twitter thread it would be clear to you that Gareth is the guy who is going to be designing the proposed scheme!!! So is in a much better place to know the details that you or I.

The BCR ratio that Network Rail has done was solely on the use of Exeter-Okehampton-Tavistock-Plymouth for a local stopping service - I believe an hourly one in each direction. However, many people see the line having a wider role, with more frequent services at each end, used for long...

Yes, the difference is, no one will think to question whether that by-pass should go ahead now its costs have tripled (or whatever). Yet the slightest increase in cost in a railway project means it must be delayed/cancelled/rethought/whatever.

That doesnt solve the fact that the vast majority of the Scottish-Irish traffic comes from the Central Belt, and so wouldnt use the Port Road. Would a fixed link make it worthwhile for freight from Northern England to use that route as opposed to going via Holyhead or Liverpool? Not sure.

The thing that most people quote as a reason for reopening the Port Road - freight and traffic to NI from Scotland - just doesnt stand up to scrutiny. Most of the traffic is going to come from the Central Belt. And that route already has a line to Stranraer. You could argue that its slow...

Depends on whether it had a valid ticket for travel on that train or not

I dont think anyone has thought that far ahead. As to what I think SHOULD happen is a return to the sector split. The actual liveries themselves will be a matter of choice - but all trains to have the double arrow, and be branded "InterCity" etc.... Does Network South East still have the same...

But would people use those buses? Plenty of evidence to show that people prefer trains to buses.

Seems strange they are not going all the way to Swanage?

Timing Loads dont indicate any actual diagrammed stock.

I believe Railfuture are in favour of it, and some local councillors in Angus have suggested it. I think we got onto the Strathmore route because we were discussing the Usan doubling scheme, and if we dont do that, what are the other options. I think we can conclude that other options are more...

Indeed, refrigerated containers are the way to go. But theres no space for the trains.

I dont think anyone here is saying that the first priority for reopening should be Strathmore. Several of your suggestions would certainly rank higher on my list, for example. I've said that the business case for Strathmore would need to be based on providing extra capacity, providing a...

Stirling - Aberdeen Perth - Aberdeen And of course, removing some Aberdeen - Glasgow journeys from the coastal route could well improve journeys made by other services on that route.

You say that reopening Strathmore will guarantee Dundee will be relegated to a stopping services. I say that future service patterns wont be determined by whether it is built - but by the market demand and political decisions. I see no reason why the 1tph express Dundee-Perth-Stirling-Glasgow...

The redoubling was never about time saving though (except in the minds of a fevered few politicians). Its about capacity. This section limits the capacity for trains from Aberdeen to go south. It limits expansion of freight services to Scotlands 3 largest city. And it causes delays when services...

And where did I say I'd be relegating Dundee to a regional stopping route? Was it on a regional stopping route before 1967? Or did it have express trains to both Glasgow and Edinburgh? I'm not one of those gung-ho "lets rebuild it" types. My point is exactly the opposite - it has to be based on...

The case for the Strathmore line has to be based not in replacing the joint line, but on supplementing it, and providing additional journey opportunities.

Yes, the through route closed to passengers on 4th September 1967. The line from Stanley Junction to Forfar remained open for freight traffic (mostly agricultural) until 1982. If it had remained open for freight for a little longer, it could have survived - and been the subject of a serious...

That seems to be a common response. People not happy about the doors, and coaches sometimes seem to have faulty sockets on the classics, but overall the perception is an improvement over the 170s - especially at peak times.