Electrifying Coventry to Leamington?

[calc7]

It would mean one extra train per hour between Cov-Birmimgham (plus any extra freight services) because the Bournemouth-Manchester service already takes that route but the Southampton/Reading-Newcastle service presently runs fast between Leamington Spa and Birmingham New Street via Solihull.

But one in each direction...so two further moves across the Rugby - Birmingham line to access the Leamington line at Coventry.

Similar issues at Birmingham New Street throat, in terms of re-pathing at least.

 

[GazUk]

It could lead to a south Warwickshire to north Warwickshire service which could do Leamington-Coventry-the Ricoh-Bedworth-Nuneaton, as Iam sure there is a sprinter shuttle service between Coventry and Nuneaton so that could extend to Leamington aswell.

 

[TimGuyUK]

Surely it will barely effect you? I imagine the redoubling will not require any property purchasing, and the electrification will make trains quieter even if theres more of them.

If you follow the line out of Leamington north on google maps it goes from dual to single as it moves across town with residential on both sides.

The first road bridge crossing at Milverton would of most certainly been a double line underneath with the missing line being on the right as it goes north. That would make my rear garden where the line was (if it was there at all. It is possible this part has always been single.

As I say, I appreciate that its a NIMBY comment. The line is raised above ground level and I personally can see it causing me an inconvenience.

But hey, I thought I might get HS2 on my door step a while back when various alternatives were suggested so I could of come off worse.


Tim

 

[cle]

It could lead to a south Warwickshire to north Warwickshire service which could do Leamington-Coventry-the Ricoh-Bedworth-Nuneaton, as Iam sure there is a sprinter shuttle service between Coventry and Nuneaton so that could extend to Leamington aswell.

Makes sense, as I don't see XC wanting to stop at a new Kenilworth. But it would be a full crossing of the WCML at Coventry, so probably not advisable.

Additional services seem to be shuttles at Coventry, so I imagine it'd be a shuttle to Leamington for Kenilworth, or possibly Banbury/Oxford at a stretch. Possibly they could use Chiltern's platforms at Oxford.

 

[The Planner]

XC wouldn't have any appetite to stop at Kenilworth, and the whole idea of a north bay at Coventry is purely because you cannot get a train across the station with the level of service currently. What I can see in the future is some wacky electric service such as Rugeley/Aldridge to Leamington via New St and Cov, almagamating a lot of existing seperate services.

 

[cle]

Which I guess would mirror the establish Birmingham Cross City line - leaving two Crossrails I suppose. You could brand it. Only problem would be frequency between Coventry and Birmingham on two tracks with all the Virgin trains. International provides a passing point at least - but I'd imagine a lot more skip stopping than even today.

Not to mention how Northampton LM services would evolve.

Interesting proposal - certainly having through trains through New St makes sense.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Which I guess would mirror the establish Birmingham Cross City line - leaving two Crossrails I suppose. You could brand it. Only problem would be frequency between Coventry and Birmingham on two tracks with all the Virgin trains. International provides a passing point at least - but I'd imagine a lot more skip stopping than even today.

Not to mention how Northampton LM services would evolve.

Interesting proposal - certainly having through trains through New St makes sense.

Build HS2 and take away the Virgin trains.

 

[joeykins82]

Curtail the diesel Shrewsbury-Birmingham stopping service at Wolverhampton and use the paths to run a stopping Leamington Spa-Wolverhampton via Coventry/Bham Intl/New St service which could in turn allow the painfully slow Northampton services to operate Semi Fast to Birmingham?

 

[swt_passenger]

But one in each direction...so two further moves across the Rugby - Birmingham line to access the Leamington line at Coventry.

Only up (southbound) trains would cause conflicting crossing moves though, the other direction wouldn't cause a crossing conflict, just need pathing.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I overall regard this as good news which every way it is confirmed or dressed up.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Curtail the diesel Shrewsbury-Birmingham stopping service at Wolverhampton and use the paths to run a stopping Leamington Spa-Wolverhampton via Coventry/Bham Intl/New St service which could in turn allow the painfully slow Northampton services to operate Semi Fast to Birmingham?

God - Wolverhampton -Shrewsbury has to be a prime candidate for the sparks. through electric inter city service to Euston

 

[anthony263]

I overall regard this as good news which every way it is confirmed or dressed up.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


God - Wolverhampton -Shrewsbury has to be a prime candidate for the sparks. through electric inter city service to Euston

Have to agree with the above point. If they do that then maybe we can get the marches line wired as well.

 

[Philip Elliott]

Build HS2 and take away the Virgin trains.

For the umpteenth time HS2 doesn't call at Watford, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Coventry and therefore this is no reduction in the demand for express trains - NR's report a year ago suggested keeping the 3tph frequency.

 

[YorkshireBear]

For the umpteenth time HS2 doesn't call at Watford, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Coventry and therefore this is no reduction in the demand for express trains - NR's report a year ago suggested keeping the 3tph frequency.

Would it need all the LM Birmingham Services too all running non stop?
But i did say it with the to signify tounge in cheek comment :P

 

[David Goddard]

It could lead to a south Warwickshire to north Warwickshire service which could do Leamington-Coventry-the Ricoh-Bedworth-Nuneaton, as I am sure there is a sprinter shuttle service between Coventry and Nuneaton so that could extend to Leamington aswell.

The sprinter shuttle (generally a Cl153) operates hourly through the day, with an intreaging 1h45 gap mid morning. It is the remains of the former Leicester - Coventry service, which ceased when the new platforms were opened at Nuneaton, meaning it was no longer possible to operate.

There was an idea a few years back for through diesel services to run Leicester - Nuneaton - Coventry - Leamington - Banbury - Oxford.
Table 57 of the NRT was even adapted to show the last three stations in preparation, but it never happened.

Clearly all of the proposals for the Leamington to Coventry line will have to come together. Therefore I would expect doubling to come first, then the wires and Kenilworth soon after. As others have said it is unlikely that XC would stop the Voyagers at Kenilworth (although they could be forced to). If they don't then it would need to be served by an additional service from somewhere.

With the wires through to Nuneaton as well then one could envisage a joined up NUN-COV-LMS service, however with a current through journey time of thirty two minutes (electrification would speed this up by a few minutes, but the stop at Kenilworth and pathing allowance at Coventry would consume this), an hourly service would be impossible without needing a second set.

Most likely would be a(nother) recast of the BHM-COV route, which I believe could potentially result in:
*Four paths VT to London
*Two paths XC to Reading & beyond
*Two paths LM to Northampton & London
*Two paths LM stoppers to Coventry, one of which runs on to LMS.
and hopefully some freight paths as well.

This would clearly need to make use of the passing ability at International, and therefore slow up the stoppers, however cross platform interchange between slows and fasts would be available so in some cases offer a quicker journey for users of the local stations.

 

[Kettledrum]

It would mean one extra train per hour between Cov-Birmimgham (plus any extra freight services) because the Bournemouth-Manchester service already takes that route but the Southampton/Reading-Newcastle service presently runs fast between Leamington Spa and Birmingham New Street via Solihull.

What's the logic for moving the services away from the Solihull line?

 

[The Planner]

Clearly all of the proposals for the Leamington to Coventry line will have to come together. Therefore I would expect doubling to come first, then the wires and Kenilworth soon after. As others have said it is unlikely that XC would stop the Voyagers at Kenilworth (although they could be forced to). If they don't then it would need to be served by an additional service from somewhere.

Doubling is needed for Kenilworth to work, so they will happen at the same time. XC really would have to be forced to stop there as they have no interest in it. Kenilworth would sit as a shuttle service from Leamington to Coventry initially.

With the wires through to Nuneaton as well then one could envisage a joined up NUN-COV-LMS service, however with a current through journey time of thirty two minutes (electrification would speed this up by a few minutes, but the stop at Kenilworth and pathing allowance at Coventry would consume this), an hourly service would be impossible without needing a second set.

As mentioned before, with the current service level it is impossible to have an enhanced Nuneaton Leamington service which crosses Coventry. Coventry Nuneaton is planned to be enhanced with a new bay platform at Coventry.

Most likely would be a(nother) recast of the BHM-COV route, which I believe could potentially result in:
*Four paths VT to London
*Two paths XC to Reading & beyond
*Two paths LM to Northampton & London
*Two paths LM stoppers to Coventry, one of which runs on to LMS.
and hopefully some freight paths as well.

This would clearly need to make use of the passing ability at International, and therefore slow up the stoppers, however cross platform interchange between slows and fasts would be available so in some cases offer a quicker journey for users of the local stations.

There is no way you could run 6 fast, 2 semi fasts, 2 stoppers and a standard freight path. It would also need the removal of the ATW.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What's the logic for moving the services away from the Solihull line?

££££, Coventry and International are money spinners.

 

[GazUk]

Without researching myself, just out of curiosity if the nuneaton to coventry train ran further on to leamington, would it actually meet head on with the XC train in the opposite direction (or even lead or follow in the same direction?).

And i know a few of you have said that if there was a service from leamington to nuneaton it would have to cross the VR and LM paths which would cause a problem, but doesn't the Coventry to nuneaton train arrive and depart from Platform 2 (along with the XC services to and from the south) which crosses those paths anyway?

Because i am sure that for many years Euston bound services have always departed from platform 1, Platform 2 is for leamington and nuneaton services,platform 3 is for services from Euston and platform 4 is for the centro backed Birmingham to coventry services,is that right?

 

[calc7]

Without researching myself, just out of curiosity if the nuneaton to coventry train ran further on to leamington, would it actually meet head on with the XC train in the opposite direction (or even lead or follow in the same direction?).

And i know a few of you have said that if there was a service from leamington to nuneaton it would have to cross the VR and LM paths which would cause a problem, but doesn't the Coventry to nuneaton train arrive and depart from Platform 2 (along with the XC services to and from the south) which crosses those paths anyway?

Because i am sure that for many years Euston bound services have always departed from platform 1, Platform 2 is for leamington and nuneaton services,platform 3 is for services from Euston and platform 4 is for the centro backed Birmingham to coventry services,is that right?

But it would then additionally cross the Down Line coming in from Rugby on its way to Leamington.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
............Nuneaton
................... \
Birmingham =====Coventry======= Rugby
.............................................\
....................................... Leamington

 

[Trog]

OK I properly am..

I live on the second from last close on the Guys Cliffe side of the Line coming out of Leamington, before the road bridge @ old Milverton. Does anyone know where the doubling will start? Is there a map yet?

I haven't been contacted by Network Rail as yet although there have been rumors for a while.

Bang goes my retirement nest egg. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee buy me out Network Rail.

Could be a good deal for them if they did as the sparks effect will probably increase property prices.

 

[GazUk]

But it would then additionally cross the Down Line coming in from Rugby on its way to Leamington.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
............Nuneaton
................... \
Birmingham =====Coventry======= Rugby
.............................................\
....................................... Leamington

I know it would (i am a local of the area ) but i am sure that if you added the 1tph (i think thats what is) from nuneaton to coventry and continued it to leamington (which would be 2 tph from cov to leam LM+Xc services) it would miss the VR & LM services, not too sure what would happen on the reverse though!

It would open up a major spine in the warwickshire economy though, Fans of CCFC and rivals would be able to travel easily to the ricoh on matchdays (and the shoppers on any day) and towards leamington would get alot of usage from students who go to the warwickshire college and uni students who live in leamington can get to the 2 universities at coventry quite easily, and also people who like to shop in leamington.

 

[The Planner]

It cannot be done, believe me !!

 

[BlythPower]

uni students who live in leamington can get to the 2 universities at coventry quite easily, and also people who like to shop in leamington.

The overwhelming majority of students in Leamo go to Warwick Uni and use the incredibly frequent direct bus services. None of them would want to take a train to Cov and then double back on a bus from there. Similarly, any shoppers can get the seven or eight buses an hour from Cov to Leamo and get off right in the Parade rather than have the long walk up from the station.

 

[Amy Worrall]

I'd love for them to bring back Coventry->Leicester. There's a flyover at Nuneaton that could be accessed (come in through platform one, turn onto the line towards Birmingham, then reverse at Abbey Junction over the flyover and back through platform 7 and off towards Leicester. But I'm told that putting in the signalling and infrastructure required to allow such a reversal wouldn't be trivial…