Abbey Line Light Rail Project

[Edvid]

Ever since the consultation results were released, progress reports on the project have been hard to come by, and I only found this newsletter minutes ago:

http://www.hertsdirect.org/docs/pdf/a/alnews4.pdf

Unless I'm mistaken, the Abbey Line would have ceased to operate as a 'proper' railway line at the end of this year under the original timeline, but that's clearly no longer the case.

 

[Greenback]

I had hoped that this idea had been quietly dumped. The fact that McNumpty would be in favour of it is enough to turn me against it.

 

[WatcherZero]

Reportedly the tendering for second hand units unexpectedly attracted some very competitive bids to supply brand new stock, so they decided to rerun the tender altering the language and terms slightly so as not to penalise new build stock against second hand.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Wow, seemed almost a dead cert for going ahead this time last year. Get some proper revenue protection and a passing loop in place at Bricket Wood and watch it thrive as heavy rail AFAIC. Who knows, maybe even direct peak services to Euston?

 

[Snapper]

There's also talk of two passing loops, not just one, which has also reportedly caused a rethink.

 

[causton]

Wow, seemed almost a dead cert for going ahead this time last year. Get some proper revenue protection and a passing loop in place at Bricket Wood and watch it thrive as heavy rail AFAIC. Who knows, maybe even direct peak services to Euston?

I believe the signalling for heavy rail, plus the need for new/displaced units that can't be easily sourced (especially if you want services to Euston on it!) has meant it'll be cheaper to run trams instead using more basic signalling systems - don't see how you can get better revenue protection as every time I've been on it I've had my ticket checked thoroughly by the guard

 

[Mutant Lemming]

I had hoped that this idea had been quietly dumped.

It looks like the few positive aspects, like running it up to St Peters Street and down to the City station as well as taking it in to Watford Town centre have been shelved.
So we will be left with a tram running on a rail line.

 

[Greenback]

It looks like the few positive aspects, like running it up to St Peters Street and down to the City station as well as taking it in to Watford Town centre have been shelved.
So we will be left with a tram running on a rail line.

Exactly. With the addition of it's removal from the National Rail network, which will no doubt mean no through ticketing, no railcard discounts, no regulated fares, and a whole lot more,

 

[WatcherZero]

They were never proposed as imminent projects, just long term future aspirations if a business case could be worked up. Essentially that is what the Abbey project is, removing a lone heavy rail vehicle from a branch line and running cheaper rolling stock on it instead like the Stourbridge line. The line itself is doing alright but it cant grow as heavy rail without two tracking and introducing a second vehicle which would never make commercial sense. So this proposed project, entirely financed by the day to day savings over the existing arrangement.

 

[Bedpan]

Yes but how can simply building a passing loop at Bricket Wood, ie reinstating what was there previously, be less economical than building a passing loop (admittedly a bit smaller) at Bricket Wood, and converting the entire line to a tramway. Bearing in mind that there will be new Thameslink units coming on stream within the next few years, I can't see that there would be any difficult in sourcing an extra unit to run on it in the medium term future.

 

[WatcherZero]

According to Herts council, when the Dft refranchised the London Midland franchise they offered a option for a 30 minute Abbey service (from current 45) none of the bidders wanted to operate the line, fare revenue wouldnt cover the provision of a second heavy rail vehicle and especielly not if a passing loop was constructed to enable it.

Network Rail and London Midland commisioned Mott Macdonald to do a feasability study on the options for the line. The report found conversion to a half hourly tram line was cheaper to operate than the existing single unit. The Net Present Value analysis found that operating trams with a 15, 20 or 30 minute frequency would save £9m over the present 45 minute service over 15 years in 2002 prices. They also decided to keep the existing National Rail ticketing (essentially it remains part of the national rail network not a seperate system for ticketing purpose) but introduce a local fare zone for future ticket options. They also decided to reclassify the line as 'Heavy Rail with trams' rather than 'Tramway' as it meant they didnt have to implement the legal and safety provisions of street running, though that would have to be changed if they ever did a street running expansion.

 

[swt_passenger]

Exactly. With the addition of it's removal from the National Rail network, which will no doubt mean no through ticketing, no railcard discounts, no regulated fares, and a whole lot more,

Through ticketing, and regulation of through fares, is still a requirement of the DfT, it's covered in the consultaion report...

 

[Mutant Lemming]

I can't really see it being that successful. Passenger numbers may increase but they are unlikely to take too much traffic off the bus services (or cars) as they provide a direct service from town centre to town centre. The real potential lies in a future extension to Hatfield where the increasing expansion to the west of the town is close to merging in to St.Albans Eastern suburbs. Bus traffic between the two is greater than that between Watford and St.Albans although funding the initial outlay to get it started seems further away than ever.

 

[Greenback]

Through ticketing, and regulation of through fares, is still a requirement of the DfT, it's covered in the consultaion report...

Well, that's not so bad I suppose...will services be covered by the NRCoC as well?

 

[swt_passenger]

Well, that's not so bad I suppose...will services be covered by the NRCoC as well?

I don't see it explicitly stated, but you can get a feel for what they intend here:

http://www2.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2010/2010-05/report.pdf

 

[AlterEgo]

Exactly. With the addition of it's removal from the National Rail network, which will no doubt mean no through ticketing, no railcard discounts, no regulated fares, and a whole lot more,

I quite agree. Every time I've been on there I've had my ticket checked straight away. Through services to Euston at peak hours could be a real moneyspinner - if the paths are available. St Albans is a very lucrative commuter market.

 

[Mojo]

I've never had my ticket checked on this line.

In Silverlink days it was DOO, and indeed it still has the platform end mirrors, yet the two occasions I've used it on London Midland the guard operated the doors and gave the ready to start signal. The guard remained in the back cab the whole journey.

 

[ntg]

HCC has for a long time flirted with the idea of some kind of St Albans-Hatfield light rail system (there are mentions of eventually mooted feasibility studies over a decade ago). It was never going to happen with the Abbey Line as it is using heavy rail, and while it certainly won't occur any time soon. Introducing trams in Hertfordshire sets up a precedent for future expansion of a tram network to other cities, and with plenty of undeveloped track beds littering the south of the county there are certainly options. Let us just be thankful the words "guided bus way" have not been uttered and hope the highest bidder is Uno...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I've never had my ticket checked on this line.

In Silverlink days it was DOO, and indeed it still has the platform end mirrors, yet the two occasions I've used it on London Midland the guard operated the doors and gave the ready to start signal. The guard remained in the back cab the whole journey.

I spent a few days on the line last summer, when it looked almost certain to be converted. This maybe involved 15 or so trips of various lenghts along the line. I never saw an RPI once. I seriously think the only form of revenue protection on this line is at the gateline at Watford Jn; and from what I can see only there and St Albans Abbey have ticket machines...

 

[Wolfie]

I would have thought the T-68 trams (built to a high platform spec) being phased out by Manchester must have a fair chance of winning the rolling stock contract for this (and other train/tram bids) if the price is right.....
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Would be a cheap way of kicking things off BUT could have some issues with any future on-street running.....