Colchester to Cambridge Reinstatement

[Tobbes]

By which I mean Sudbury - Shelford, of course.

Connecting Haverhill, Bartlow, Linton and Pampisford to Cambridge seems eminently sensible given the growth in this area since the railway closed. Completing the through route also provides good connectivity options from Colchester and Chelmsford (Essex and Anglia universities) to Cambridge, and for central Suffolk Cambridge and London commuting options. From the 1967 timetable, it looks like a 90 min Cambridge - Colchester time could be comfortably achieved.

I can't see much point for intermodal or other freight, unless it was from Harwich to the north avoiding Ipswich for either pathing or as a diversionary route.*

Does anyone know if there is any actual work going on with Colchester to Cambridge?

Tobbes

*To be a proper diversionary route you'd need to reinstate Long Melford - Bury St Eds - Thetford, and then Roundham Junction to Swaffham, and Swaffham to Middleton Towers, with a South-to-West chord on to the revived M&GN to join the Birmingham to Peterborough line at Saxby, so you could avoid Cambridge, Peterborough and the ECML too...!

 

[joeykins82]

Not a chance; the only thing in the area that I can see being partly reopened is Braintree to Bishop's Stortford via Stanstead. This would have far higher patronage, could be paid for as part of airport expansion plans and still provide a reasonable Colchester/Chelmsford to Cambridge route avoiding London.

As far as diversionary routes go there seems very little point laying new track while important existing diversionary paths such as Ely-Peterborough aren't electrified (thus grinding the ECML to a halt every time something happens between Peterborough and Hitchin).

 

[martin2345uk]

Not a chance; the only thing in the area that I can see being partly reopened is Braintree to Bishop's Stortford via Stanstead. This would have far higher patronage, could be paid for as part of airport expansion plans and still provide a reasonable Colchester/Chelmsford to Cambridge route avoiding London..

Please let that happen one day!!

 

[Tobbes]

Joey,

Thanks for your prompt response. In the nicest manner, I hope you're wrong, but it does feel like a long shot, even if the western end does get rebuilt to Haverhill to service Cambridge.

In light of the Davies Commission's forthcoming report (which I expect will include provision for another runway at STN even though it is not yet close to capacity), has any serious work been done on the Braintree - Stansted route and costings? Has the recent development of the A120 complicated matters at all?

Tobbes

 

[philjo]

It would be more logical to join the Braintree branch to Stansted as it would allow access to the airport & Harlow from the east (e.g. Colchester, Ipswich, etc) as well as allowing Cambridge-Stansted-Braintree-Chelmsford services.
I think it is only about 15 miles from Braintree to the airport?

A link from Harlow to Hertford loop to allow access to Stevenage would link in nicely with East West rail. (depending on which route is used to get to the ECML)

 

[Tobbes]

Philjo,

I'd actually do both, for similar reasons to those you lay out. Braintree - STN double-tracked and electrified opens up lots of opportunities to improve connectivity to STN. Your plan would involve a new North-West chord at Whitham to avoid a reversal, of course. Would one fit?

Tobbes

 

[Eagle]

The Stansted branch was actually built in 1990 with passive provision for a potential extension to Braintree (although I think later development at the airport may now preclude this).

 

[martin2345uk]

The Stansted branch was actually built in 1990 with passive provision for a potential extension to Braintree

What does that mean exactly..?

 

[Tobbes]

What does that mean exactly..?

That when it was built, the hotel wasn't in the way.....:roll:

 

[NotATrainspott]

What does that mean exactly..?

The station structure underneath the terminal was designed without anything structural on the east end of the platforms so that they could eventually connect it to Braintree.

 

[dysonsphere]

The station structure underneath the terminal was designed without anything structural on the east end of the platforms so that they could eventually connect it to Braintree.

Then they build a hotel in the way why am I not surprised. Just normal for the not joined up planning in this country.

 

[Mogulb]

Hotel is not in the way of extending the line towards Braintree. Car park access road the only obstacle at the Airport.

 

[jopsuk]

Haverhill-Cambridge is a very busy, very congested road with a frequent express bus service. It's a route ripe for rail. Ideally though you'd want to work out how to deal with the level crossings in Shelford if you were proposing putting any more trains through there.

 

[Tobbes]

Haverhill-Cambridge is a very busy, very congested road with a frequent express bus service. It's a route ripe for rail. Ideally though you'd want to work out how to deal with the level crossings in Shelford if you were proposing putting any more trains through there.

Agreed, and given the likely increase in housing between the two - and Cambridge and Newmarket - rail does seem to be the answer. The question is whether there is then the case for connecting Haverhill to Sudbury - it's about 15 miles of track IIRC.

Tobbes

 

[yorksrob]

It certainly seems like a compelling case from what has been said here.

Is there a campaign group such as SELRAP or the Wealden ? It helps to build up a head of support, particularly with local political players.

 

[306024]

Compelling. Hopefully the planners will read this thread and start building tomorrow

IF Stansted (not Stanstead - for the final time) Airport is developed then it may be worth a look at Braintree - Stansted, but even that may not stack up.

As for Colchester - Cambridge, dream on I'm afraid.

 

[yorksrob]

Obviously we would need to get over the laughable bias against rail-reopenings in the English planning system, and the standard benefit cost analysis which has been discredited by HS2.

On the plus side, perhaps Tavistock may lead to a brighter future.

 

[jopsuk]

IF Stansted (not Stanstead - for the final time) Airport .

There's a few places with the same name, some are "Stansted", some "Stanstead". Different cartographers on different days. Accident of history.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Looked at by ATOC under "Connecting Communities" - mega bucks - but has some merit ....

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....Is there a campaign group such as SELRAP or the Wealden ? It helps to build up a head of support, particularly with local political players.

There was the Cambridge-Sudbury Rail Renewal Association (CSRRA), not sure if it is still about though.

 

[yorksrob]

There was the Cambridge-Sudbury Rail Renewal Association (CSRRA), not sure if it is still about though.

Ah cheers.

There appears to be a website, although it seems to have been partly taken over by spam.

http://railhaverhill.net/feasibility.php

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I'd have thought Stansted Airport-Braintree would have a reasonable chance of reopening. If nothing else it'd allow the station at Stansted to handle far more services by removing the turnaround- Stansted Express services could alternate between operating in via Tottenham and out via Braintree and vice-versa, rather than occupying the platform while the driver changes ends. More a simple out-and-back operation.

 

[Bald Rick]

I'd have thought Stansted Airport-Braintree would have a reasonable chance of reopening. If nothing else it'd allow the station at Stansted to handle far more services by removing the turnaround- Stansted Express services could alternate between operating in via Tottenham and out via Braintree and vice-versa, rather than occupying the platform while the driver changes ends. More a simple out-and-back operation.

Extra services off peak only of course, as both the GEML and WAML are full in the peak, so couldn't take any more.

 

[Eagle]

I think that the intention there was that it would be an extension of existing London–Braintree services.

 

[Bald Rick]

Presumably the other three an hour still terminating at Stansted?

 

[martinsh]

I'd have thought Stansted Airport-Braintree would have a reasonable chance of reopening. .

Not reopening - at the Stansted end it would be new build.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I think that the intention there was that it would be an extension of existing London–Braintree services.

That was my assumption, yes.

Presumably the other three an hour still terminating at Stansted?

I was thinking something along the lines of double tracking the existing Braintree branch (or perhaps just dynamic loops) with a total of 4 trains per hour- two via Braintree and two via Tottenham. Though I'm not overly familiar with the area so I have no idea how likely such a scheme would be. I suspect, not very!

Not reopening - at the Stansted end it would be new build.

Apologies, my mistake. Though presumably at some point it would join the formation of a pre-existing line?

 

[Eagle]

Apologies, my mistake. Though presumably at some point it would join the formation of a pre-existing line?

Originally the Braintree line continued to a triangular junction between Bishop's Stortford and Stansted Mountfitchet.

Running to Stansted Airport would probably use a lot of this alignment (certainly as far as Dunmow).

 

[Tobbes]

Originally the Braintree line continued to a triangular junction between Bishop's Stortford and Stansted Mountfitchet.

Running to Stansted Airport would probably use a lot of this alignment (certainly as far as Dunmow).

Yes, I'd presumed it was the case. 2 tph in each direction would not necessarily provide a 15 min clockface departure to/from Stansted - it would be interesting if the Planners could give us some idea of what would be required to do this - I've always liked the HeX proposition of a train waiting at Paddington, and, more often than not, T5. If Stansted is to expand, it would be sensible to bag a couple of platforms at Liverpool Street (released by Crossrail?) to provide the same level of service - along with train-in-platform connection at Stansted. Presumably StanEx services would call at Bishop's Stortford, Tottenham Hale or Braintree, Witham and Shenfield (to provide regional connectivity to Stansted) running fast from Shenfield and Tottenham Hale to LSt.

What this wouldn't bring you is much of a service on the branch itself - but I would solve this by a shuttle from Bishop's Stortford to Witham, calling at Stansted, Dunmow, Rayne, Braintree, Freeport, Cressing, White Notely and Witham - say 2 tph peak.

Roll on s106 for Stansted expansion to pay for it all!

Tobbes

 

[Bald Rick]

Roll on s106 for Stansted expansion to pay for it all!

Tobbes

I may stand corrected, but that would be, by a distance, the largest s106 ever!