Alternative route for freight trains, to avoid the congested Hope Valley?

[Dr Hoo]

Something that seems to be little mentioned about the Bakewell route (alongside the many issues of the 'all-things-to-all-people-while-still-being-single-track' syndrome patiently and eloquently repeated by tbtc above) is the issue with what happens to the freight trains especially when they pop out at Ambergate. The recent Derby re-modelling has done very little to enhance capacity between that city and Trent in particular.

Freight that has run via Dore and made it to Tapton Junction (north of Chesterfield) can get onto the relatively peaceful Erewash Valley line and further south the Toton High Level lines and 'slow lines' all the way (via Manton and Corby) to the London area. Traffic via the West Midlands can run via Sheet Stores Junction and Castle Donington. The whole of the Trent/Toton area is already going to have to be extensively re-modelled for HS2 and can be optimised for freight flows at the same time. These would include intermodal trains to/from East Midlands Gateway and other nearby current and future terminals but that is rather beyond the scope of the Hope Valley issues.

 

[Bald Rick]

Having seen the discussion on another thread, where the dislocation to passenger services, both actual and potential, by freights on the Hope Valley line, is laid out, I find it amazing that any mention of a permanent solution involving reopening Peaks and Dales is immediately shot down as "crayonista".

Not only would Peaks and Dales remove the vast majority of the offending freights from the quarries moving east and south, it would also provide direct passenger services form the north west to east midlands relieving pressure on the Hope Valley. It would even relieve pressure caused by cement trains to Hope by enabling an anti clockwise routing of trains in and out of the cement works, freeing the Hope Valley eastbound line from conflicting moves.

I find it amazing that anyone could think that dropping a billion quids’ worth of railway through a national park could ever be a wise investment to save a few delays on another line and provide a not very quick link between a few places which have relatively little traffic between them.

 

[Killingworth]

I find it amazing that anyone could think that dropping a billion quids’ worth of railway through a national park could ever be a wise investment to save a few delays on another line and provide a not very quick link between a few places which have relatively little traffic between them.

40 years ago, before the trackbed had been used for leisure, and the line from Ambegate to Matlock singled, it still made sense - of sorts. Peak Rail were able to make a reasonable case to restore as a heritage line. Today it does not. It diverts attention, and potentially cash, from many other rail projects that offer a lot more value for money.

 

[johnnychips]

@Killingworth @tbtc @Bald Rick thanks for making excellent points and saving me having to type out arguments, when I agree with all yours.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Nov 2020 ==


EDIT: just realised I agree with @Dr Hoo too.

 

[mwmbwls]

Further to the recent discussions of the pinch point at Hazel Grove elsewhere.

Hazel Grove - the Buxton Up Line Hump and Down Line Swerve by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

The only possible but not probable alternative that I can see to avoiding the chord at Hazel Grove would be to build a link between the L&NWR Buxton line and the Midland Railway 1904 cut-off line at the country/New Mills end of both Disley Tunnels before they diverge at New Mills New Town. There would be obvious civil engineering difficulties to solve -such as the intervening canal - but an elevated steel trough is an option - with Falkirk rotating lifts at each end.