How should NPHR cross Bradford?

[Halifaxlad]

With route options for Northern Powerhouse Rail to be published shortly and with the revelation that the favored option will include "a new underground super station in Bradford with the Yorkshire city’s plans for economic revival largely dependent on getting an NPR link." according to the Express article: 'Leeds to Manchester train line could beat HS2 - major infrastructure boost', published on the 19th January 2020.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1230260/Leeds-to-manchester-train-line-northern-powerhouse

How does everyone think NPHR should cross Bradford ?

 

[30907]

With route options for Northern Powerhouse Rail to be published shortly and with the revelation that the favored option will include "a new underground super station in Bradford with the Yorkshire city’s plans for economic revival largely dependent on getting an NPR link." according to the Express article: 'Leeds to Manchester train line could beat HS2 - major infrastructure boost', published on the 19th January 2020.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1230260/Leeds-to-manchester-train-line-northern-powerhouse

How does everyone think NPHR should cross Bradford ?

There was an extensive discussion a good while back when the idea was first mooted.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...terranean-railway-station-in-bradford.141854/
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/proposed-new-bradford-interchange.162001/#post-3378793
However it is done some pretty hefty tunnelling will be involved; the cheapest route would presumably be parallel to the ex MR through Shipley, but it's rather indirect, and becoming increasingly built up.

 

[Glenn1969]

I gather they are doing the Transpennine Route Upgrade first but that won't start until 2022. So NPR as still at least 10 years away whatever route they settle on. The figures I saw on the BBC article were 2.1bn for TRU and around 15bn for NPR. Both of which are lower than previous figures which suggests reduced scope to me. Maybe they won't do the expensive tunnelling after all

 

[Halifaxlad]

There was an extensive discussion a good while back when the idea was first mooted.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...terranean-railway-station-in-bradford.141854/
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/proposed-new-bradford-interchange.162001/#post-3378793
However it is done some pretty hefty tunnelling will be involved; the cheapest route would presumably be parallel to the ex MR through Shipley, but it's rather indirect, and becoming increasingly built up.

Thanks I did have a brief search for Bradford before creating this thread but I guess my search wasn't comprehensive enough.

 

[30907]

Thanks I did have a brief search for Bradford before creating this thread but I guess my search wasn't comprehensive enough.

I remembered that NPR was HS3

 

[Halifaxlad]

I remembered that NPR was HS3

Oh yeah I completely forgot about that, how things change ey

 

[Halifaxlad]

I gather they are doing the Transpennine Route Upgrade first but that won't start until 2022. So NPR as still at least 10 years away whatever route they settle on. The figures I saw on the BBC article were 2.1bn for TRU and around 15bn for NPR. Both of which are lower than previous figures which suggests reduced scope to me. Maybe they won't do the expensive tunnelling after all

I assumed after reading the article in my initial post that this 'super underground station' is indeed a cross rail style station although what it may mean is a station below the existing interchange with conventional platforms above as showcased not so long ago.

 

[Andyh82]

There is no way in a million years an underground station is going to be built in Bradford. It’s basically not even worth discussing.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

There is no way in a million years an underground station is going to be built in Bradford. It’s basically not even worth discussing.

I wouldn't be so hasty dismissing the idea.

The ability of politicians/stakeholders/civil servants to spaff huge amounts of money up the wall (to use the current PM's terminology) on grandiose projects, whilst the rest of the network falls to pieces through lack of money, is a common one. Worldwide.

Which gets more favourable publicity / votes? Ribbon cutting on a 'once in a lifetime' 'gamechanger' grandiose project or ribbon cutting at 3am after a track renewal or brake block change in the depot week after week after week?

Which generates lots of media opportunites without you having to actually deliver anything? for example regularly re-announcing the same scheme several times every time a new glossy brochure is issued by the design consultants.

In the West Yorkshire area, how much money has been spent on metro / light-rail studies and bids over the past 20 years (or more?) without anything actually happening?

 

[Gareth]

The idea of an East-West underground station in Bradford was the result of TfN horse-trading between all the different local authorities. The result was a somewhat meandering line that started in Liverpool, went through Warrington, then Manchester, Bradford and Leeds. Not only that, Liverpool to Manchester was the bit slated to be built first. Whitehall put paid to that. NPR is a somewhat hypothetical line between the only two cities in the North that remotely matter to UKplc - Manchester and Leeds. In the somewhat unlikely event such a line is built, there'll almost certainly be no station at Bradford.

 

[Meerkat]

Is Bradford too bumpy too dig a big box downwards for the station?
And would there be part of the city centre that the council etc would be willing to sacrifice to build such a box and a big development scheme above/around it?

 

[Halifaxlad]

Is Bradford too bumpy too dig a big box downwards for the station?
And would there be part of the city centre that the council etc would be willing to sacrifice to build such a box and a big development scheme above/around it?

I think it will be a box below the existing station that upon the other side will be at ground level (almost) therefore an underground station doesn't necessarily mean a tunnel too.

By the way has anyone notice that Bradford Council are planning on removing all traffic from Hard Ings, that a ground level line would have to cross!