Funding secured for Devon/Cornwall infrastructure studies

[Rapidash]

Western Morning News

One can only assume the DFT were unable to access the Royal Bank of Down The Back Of The Sofa

Ministers have finally confirmed funding for the two rail studies needed to complete the Westcountry’s bid for further investment.

Rail minister Claire Perry has revealed that Great Western Rail is offering to foot the bill for the Network Rail reports.

The announcement follows almost a month of lobbying by South West MPs, and accusations that Tories were dragging their heels. But after several false starts, the Department for Transport has confirmed GWR will provide the funds.

GWR angling for a Chilternesqe deal in the future?

 

[Phil.]

Western Morning News

One can only assume the DFT were unable to access the Royal Bank of Down The Back Of The Sofa



GWR angling for a Chilternesqe deal in the future?

The local B.B.C. news on the idiot box last night were chirruping on about the electrification - you know the one, the one that's at least three years behind schedule - being brought to PZ. If that happens (hah!) I foresee a lot of line being singled as per Kings Lynn north of Ely.

 

[ExRes]

Makes even more of a joke, IMHO, of the £billions that are going to be sunk into HS2 while it takes a whip round down the pub to consider the countries only link to the West, idiocy, total idiocy

 

[yorksrob]

Steps forward, however as these studies are looking at line speed and electrification, they have little to do with resilience and will not alleviate the types of problems encountered in February 2014.

They need to get on with the wider social study of the Okehampton route alluded to in NR's route study.

 

[The Ham]

A different news story states that GWR are commissioning the report whilst DfT are funding it:

http://www.globalrailnews.com/2016/02/09/funding-for-devon-and-cornwall-rail-upgrade/

The Department for Transport (DfT) is to provide funding for a study into a potential upgrade to the railway between London and Devon and Cornwall.

Commissioned by Great Western Railway (GWR) and delivered by Network Rail, the study will look into what upgrades could be made to make the most of the new AT300 trains, which are set to arrive from 2018.

The study will be incorporated into a report which will be submitted by the Peninsula Rail Task Force to the government this summer.

Rail Minister Claire Perry said: “I was determined to find a funding solution for this study to look at line speed improvements and I am delighted that Great Western Railway have provided the backing.

“We are absolutely committed to improving the resilience of the south west’s rail network, with more than £70 million invested in this route so far and routine maintenance continuing to strengthen the line further.”

GWR’s commercial development director Matthew Golton said: “In the coming years we will be delivering the biggest fleet upgrade in a generation of the Great Western network – including a brand new fleet of trains for customers travelling between Devon and Cornwall and London to deliver faster, more frequent services into the capital from 2018.

“With such significant investment on its way, we need to take the opportunity now to make sure the right infrastructure can be in place to maximise the journey time, frequency and capacity benefits that the new AT300 fleet will bring.

“Our report will help provide information and data to help support the business case for further infrastructure improvements and better connectivity for the region.”

 

[NotATrainspott]

The local B.B.C. news on the idiot box last night were chirruping on about the electrification - you know the one, the one that's at least three years behind schedule - being brought to PZ. If that happens (hah!) I foresee a lot of line being singled as per Kings Lynn north of Ely.

Why? Back then, the focus was to rationalise routes and reduce operational costs, which can be achieved by electrification. Now, the focus is to provide additional capacity as passenger numbers are rising everywhere.

 

[Ships]

Makes even more of a joke, IMHO, of the £billions that are going to be sunk into HS2 while it takes a whip round down the pub to consider the countries only link to the West, idiocy, total idiocy

Why? The two are completely independent of each other. Projects on the national network aren't being impacted by the HS2 fund, how many times do people have to be told before it sinks in?!?

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Why? The two are completely independent of each other. Projects on the national network aren't being impacted by the HS2 fund, how many times do people have to be told before it sinks in?!?

It's not strictly true - ETCS Level 2 and 140mph running on the WCML will fall victim, at least initially, to HS2, as will some small capacity enhancements that only benefit long distance London to Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland services.

HS2 isn't going to affect rolling electrification further south and west, past Newbury and aiming for Taunton and Exeter, and out past Basingstoke on the WoE route, further electrification is what this study will look at (in small part).

 

[The Ham]

It's not strictly true - ETCS Level 2 and 140mph running on the WCML will fall victim, at least initially, to HS2, as will some small capacity enhancements that only benefit long distance London to Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland services.

HS2 isn't going to affect rolling electrification further south and west, past Newbury and aiming for Taunton and Exeter, and out past Basingstoke on the WoE route, further electrification is what this study will look at (in small part).

I don't think that minor improvements to the WCML are what was being talked about. However it is sensible that some projects are not built because of HS2, however HS2 is not going to impact the vast majority of projects that are needed.

I think the talk of HS2 is distracting as it is likely that a lot of the projects looked at within this report will be looked at being built prior to the completion of HS2 probably with a fair few even before the completion of HS2 phase 1.

The reason I think this is that the report is looking at how to maximise the AT300's, you don't want finish the first scheme when those trains are 15 years old. There's likely to be some easy win schemes which could well be built soon after the introduction of the trains. Yes some (like electrification) may well be some years down the line.

I wouldn't be suprised to see suggestions like electrification of Exmouth to Paignton (with an extension towards Plymouth) put forward before the wiring of Bedwyn to Exeter. In doing so it would enable local services to be converted to EMU's while the few long distance services carry in using their engines on a length of line which is fairly easy going for them with few stops.

I also wouldn't be suprised if the report covered Salisbury to Exeter (at least in part), if for no other reason than to look at division options and how to be able to maximise the number of services that can use it. As I'm sure that GWR don't want their new trains to be used as a stopping service (adding lots to journey times) because SWT's can't run their trains. For that reason I would expect to see some partial redoubling of the WofE line before any works on the B&H.

 

[The Planner]

WCML, especially at the southern end is one of the last routes to be converted I thought, it certainly wouldn't be done before CP8. I'm not aware of any capacity projects on the south end of the WCML either, lots of bitty line speed work but that's about it. North of Crewe it would be accelerated if anything as HS2 could take advantage of faster running and lots of other projects are being developed at that end.

 

[yorksrob]

Why? The two are conletely independent of each other. Projects on the national network aren't being impacted by the HS2 fund, how many times do people have to be told before it sinks in?!?

Governments can say what they like to this effect, but we will only know whether this is actually the case when it is being built. Infact I would say that it's unlikely that one substantial infrastructure investment won't impact on what they decide, behind closed doors, to spend elsewhere. They just won't tell us the reason.

 

[Ships]

WCML, especially at the southern end is one of the last routes to be converted I thought, it certainly wouldn't be done before CP8. I'm not aware of any capacity projects on the south end of the WCML either, lots of bitty line speed work but that's about it. North of Crewe it would be accelerated if anything as HS2 could take advantage of faster running and lots of other projects are being developed at that end.

The talk of large tunnels and quadrification (which if not a real word should be!) is quite exciting, whether it's implemented remains to be seen!

 

[ExRes]

Why? The two are completely independent of each other. Projects on the national network aren't being impacted by the HS2 fund, how many times do people have to be told before it sinks in?!?

I simply do not agree, if the government are coughing up money for HS2 then claiming that it can still find money for other rail projects is arguable to say the least, "completely independent of each other" is all very well on paper, is it all very well at the Treasury though ?

As for your "how many times do people have to be told before it sinks in?!?", perhaps you could justify your confidence in what?, political soundbites ? or do you have access to legally binding agreements of some description ?

I fail to share your confidence in any Government of any persuasion, as many others do

 

[Phil.]

Why? Back then, the focus was to rationalise routes and reduce operational costs, which can be achieved by electrification. Now, the focus is to provide additional capacity as passenger numbers are rising everywhere.

Well I can't help but think that St. Erth to PZ is a likely candidate as well as Redruth to Camborne if the wires were to be strung up west of Plymouth. The bit along the coast at Dawlish could be fun for overheads in a winter storm.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Well I can't help but think that St. Erth to PZ is a likely candidate as well as Redruth to Camborne if the wires were to be strung up west of Plymouth. The bit along the coast at Dawlish could be fun for overheads in a winter storm.

To avoid dewirements you could always use Furrer & Frey overhead rail system. It'll be far more robust than wires.

 

[The Planner]

The talk of large tunnels and quadrification (which if not a real word should be!) is quite exciting, whether it's implemented remains to be seen!

Don't get excited by the shopping list being produced, it doesnt mean the DfT have to buy anything...

 

[Philip Phlopp]

To avoid dewirements you could always use Furrer & Frey overhead rail system. It'll be far more robust than wires.

It'll also need a mast every 20 ft. It's so much heavier than contact wire, at 6kg per metre plus the contact wire itself (of your chosen alloy composition - around 950g per metre for 107mm cross section) and is also subject to much larger wind loadings as a result of its larger profile.

The correct approach for Dawlish is to use Series 1 or a TGV compatible wire OLE system, with a 120mm or even 150mm contact wire and tension it to 16.5kN or higher to limit contact wire oscillation in high winds.