Middlesbrough to Kings Cross Direct Service Planned for 2020

[Chris NS]

Would this service use Platform 3?

IIRC, the illustrative platform occupancy chart produced by Tees Valley CA states exactly that.

Actually reading a newspaper article from 2019 (as you do), Ben Houchen said there's an alternative plan until platform 3 gets the go ahead of just operating two or 3 trains a day. He also mentions a reversing point I didn't think of which is at South Bank on the freight lines and coming on and off at South Bank Junction. Its a possibility if its a 9 car working it, it'll need a safe walking route fitted (to be honest thats quite cheap) if they plan to use 10 car (2x5 units)

South Bank seems like the most logical place to send an empty train if you can't turn it around on a station platform. There's two tracks next to the passenger line that don't seem to have a lot of use, so that looks easier than any other the other mooted options.

 

[marsker]

The goods lines behind South Bank station actually carry all westbound traffic out of Teesport and Lackenby rolling mills. Having said that, IIRC there was a walking route created there for when Skinningrove rolling mill was fed from Redcar steelworks (before 2009). Locos used to run round their trains there.
The Action plan for Middlesbrough station including a 3rd platform was published in 2017, as usual though, progress is glacial.

 

[ainsworth74]

Would this service use Platform 3?

That's the expectation. Platform three is, in theory, going to be built out the back of the existing station on what is currently one of the freight lines.

 

[Halifaxlad]

As a temporary solution, what about re-routing the line at the East side through the disused HST sidings and have a turnback siding in the middle ?

This sort of thing, was considered as an alternative to the Halifax 3rd Platform a few years ago.

 

[ainsworth74]

As a temporary solution, what about re-routing the line at the East side through the disused HST sidings and have a turnback siding in the middle ?

The sidings aren't disused they're used daily by Northern and regularly by Network Rail. Plus for the cost of the extra point work and signalling alterations that this would require is far in excess of installing a new crossover to the west of the station to allow trains from the Thornaby direction to terminate in Platform 1 and then proceed into the HST sidings directly from there.

 

[Halifaxlad]

The sidings aren't disused they're used daily by Northern and regularly by Network Rail. Plus for the cost of the extra point work and signalling alterations that this would require is far in excess of installing a new crossover to the west of the station to allow trains from the Thornaby direction to terminate in Platform 1 and then proceed into the HST sidings directly from there.

Thanks, that's interesting to know.

I don't think it would require any more points than what it has now but most certainly a significant amount of renewal to slew the line over.

Anyway is it not possible to crossover at the cross over by the Gasworks towards Thornaby just before the road bridge that joins onto Riverside Park Road ?

I'm just thinking if you could cross over potentially you could make that section bi-directional and avoiding the need for trackwork modifications altogether.

 

[Anvil1984]

Thanks, that's interesting to know.

I don't think it would require any more points than what it has now but most certainly a significant amount of renewal to slew the line over.

Anyway is it not possible to crossover at the cross over by the Gasworks towards Thornaby just before the road bridge that joins onto Riverside Park Road ?

I'm just thinking if you could cross over potentially you could make that section bi-directional and avoiding the need for trackwork modifications altogether.

The only crossover for anything there is Newport East Jn and the trackwork and signalling do not permit a crossover there. Even though google maps may suggest it vaguely the only movement without new crossovers you can do there is the westbound Up Main to Up Goods (i.e Westbound), you can't go from Down Main to Up Main (Eastbound)