Electrification: Which line would you do next?

[si404]

The Snow Hill lines being electrified Kidderminster - Dorridge / Whitlock's End would only give 2tph of the current 6tph service fully under the wires. The Stratford services go to Stourbridge, the Worcesters to Dorridge/Whitlock's End.

You'd need bi-modes, and there would be that expectation that Stratford, Leamington and Worcester would get electrified not long after - it's infill and not too difficult. As such, I'd imagine the whole thing would have to be done in one go.

But this sort of well-trafficked suburban line is going to be the kind of thing to do. And it's clear that West Midlands are keen on sparks (both Bromsgrove and Chase line next). They certainly want NuCKLe done by the time HS2 opens, what with their plans for Euston-Trent Valley via Coventry, and Birmingham-Cov-Leamington outer suburban service proposals.

 

[Aictos]

Cov to Nuneaton would only get done as infill once Leamington to Cov and Birmingham to Leicester are wired, which is a long long way from happening.

Why?

If Coventry to Nuneaton was already done then instead of running DMUs you would see Class 323s being used as both ends are already wired up and you could stable EMUs overnight in Coventry yard.

I can't see why that scheme needs to wait for Leamington to Coventry/Birmingham to Leicester if it means running a DMU shuttle between Coventry and Leamington/EMU shuttle between Coventry and Nuneaton for a few more years after all the ECML did it for a few years at Royston quite successfully.

 

[Ken H]

Why?

If Coventry to Nuneaton was already done then instead of running DMUs you would see Class 323s being used as both ends are already wired up and you could stable EMUs overnight in Coventry yard.

I can't see why that scheme needs to wait for Leamington to Coventry/Birmingham to Leicester if it means running a DMU shuttle between Coventry and Leamington/EMU shuttle between Coventry and Nuneaton for a few more years after all the ECML did it for a few years at Royston quite successfully.

or bi-modes....

 

[si404]

I'm not sure through services N-S through Coventry are that vital.

And with LNWR wanting a second Trent Valley service (part of franchise spec?) and the West Midlands transport authority wanting two Crewe TV stoppers, one diverting via Stoke (like there was until last month) and one diverting via Coventry, Coventry-Nuneaton is going to be high on the priority list for the region that got Bromsgrove and the Chase lines done recently. Leamington might be part of that, or might wait.

 

[The Planner]

Why?

If Coventry to Nuneaton was already done then instead of running DMUs you would see Class 323s being used as both ends are already wired up and you could stable EMUs overnight in Coventry yard.

I can't see why that scheme needs to wait for Leamington to Coventry/Birmingham to Leicester if it means running a DMU shuttle between Coventry and Leamington/EMU shuttle between Coventry and Nuneaton for a few more years after all the ECML did it for a few years at Royston quite successfully.

Original plans were to wire Cov Leamington and to divert the old Cov terminator to Leamington, that train has now morphed into another Euston train. Cov Nuneaton doesn't even figure. Considering the plan is to connect Leicester with Leamington and getting Leamington to Nuneaton as a through service, why would you split it at Coventry again?

 

[ashkeba]

Peterborough-Ely for easier ECML diversions and one step further towards electric freight

 

[Aictos]

Original plans were to wire Cov Leamington and to divert the old Cov terminator to Leamington, that train has now morphed into another Euston train. Cov Nuneaton doesn't even figure. Considering the plan is to connect Leicester with Leamington and getting Leamington to Nuneaton as a through service, why would you split it at Coventry again?

Should have been done when the WCML was wired up tho!

Old Cov terminator is the Nuneaton to Coventry shuttle that used to run then extended to Leamington Spa?

 

[thealm]

Greenford branch would be good.
It would mean that in the future London Overground could take it over.

 

[MatthewRead]

Greenford branch would be good.
It would mean that in the future London Overground could take it over.[/QU

Greenford branch would be good.
It would mean that in the future London Overground could take it over.

Would be tricky though platforms would need lengthening

 

[swt_passenger]

Greenford branch would be good.
It would mean that in the future London Overground could take it over.

London Overground could have already taken it over without wiring anyway. But what actual advantage would LO give the route over any other possible operator? It isn’t suddenly going to get through running to Paddington back, for instance.

 

[si404]

London Overground could have already taken it over without wiring anyway. But what actual advantage would LO give the route over any other possible operator? It isn’t suddenly going to get through running to Paddington back, for instance.

haven't you heard that orange roundels are magic?

 

[swt_passenger]

haven't you heard that orange roundels are magic?

Oh yes, forgot that...

 

[randyrippley]

Lancaster-Morecambe
short route, just 4 miles or so, easy to power from the existing infrastructure, something like 24 return trips per day.
Terminate the Leeds service at Lancaster, instead run a Lancaster-Morecambe shuttle with peak hour services extending to Preston.
You'd get away with cheap lightweight overheads

Only problem might be that reduced travel times might make onboard fare collecting even harder than it currently is.........

In addition, if the Morecambe Bay Eden project does go ahead you could electrify to Heysham and run a park-and-ride shuttle from the end of the A683, with just a short walk from Morecambe station to the site.

 

[Wtloild]

Bromsgrove to Bristol Parkway would put a significant stretch of XC network under wires.

 

[PartyOperator]

Bromsgrove to Bristol Parkway would put a significant stretch of XC network under wires.

What are the chances XC would carry on running five-car Voyagers from Bristol to Manchester?

Electrification of that stretch might let them stop in more places and make the same timings (maybe some of the ones their even smaller, even more crowded Cardiff-Nottingham trains call at). Maybe Worcestershire Parkway. Would be interesting to see how much quicker the route could be made though - it feels like the fast trains are mostly limited by needing to fit in with local trains from Bromsgrove to Birmingham.

Maybe they could get rid of some level crossings at the same time.