Midlands Connect latest report

[MidlandMainlie]

Midlands Connect have published an updated report

https://www.midlandsconnect.uk/media/1910/midlands-connect-mrh-report-accessibilitychecked.pdf

The proposed interventions have been divided into three groups, the west intervention focus on delivering the Brodesley West chord and diverting services from Cardiff, Hereford and Bristol to Moor St to connect with HS2 station at Curzon St, extra Cross City services plus a local service on the Camp Hill Line.

Midlands Rail Hub West
Snow Hill platform 4
Moor Street platform 5
Bordesley West Chord
Kings Norton-Barnt Green
Stoke Works junction
Malvern Wells turnback facility
Ledbury – Shelwick partial double-tracking

The central and East interventions propose building the Brodesley East Chord, widening the viaduct, two further platforms on the east side of Moor St plus upgrades at Water Orton and signalling and freight loops between Nuneaton and Leicester.

Midlands Rail Hub Central (assuming West infrastructure)
Moor Street platforms A & B (east side)
Bordesley viaduct widening
Bordesley East Chord

Midlands Rail Hub East (assuming West/Central infrastructure)
Water Orton remodelling
Nuneaton to Wigston signalling headways
Freight loops between Nuneaton and Leicester

The proposed Central and Eastern upgrades would allow Birmingham to Leicester to go to 4tph (2 fast calling at Nuneaton only and 2 slow calling at all stations on route).

Option A (West only) projected to cost £925m to £969m while Option B projected to cost between £1.48bn and £1.54bn.

The report doesn’t mention any upgrades at Leicester (extra platforms, 4 tracking or grade separation at Wigston).

 

[Mojo]

Could you explain to me what Midlands Connect is? I've never heard of them before and I'm curious to know what it is. Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Bletchleyite]

What it doesn't say is what would happen to the XC Bristol/Westcountry services. Would these move to Moor St too, with 3tph operating from Moor St, or is this going to be a split service with 1tph from Moor St and 2 (once full service is restored) from New St?

 

[MidlandMainlie]

Could you explain to me what Midlands Connect is? I've never heard of them before and I'm curious to know what it is. Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Their own website wasn’t particularly clear but I found this on the East Midlands Councils Website

Midlands Connect is a partnership of LEPs and councils from across the Midlands that have come together develop and implement a strategic transport strategy for the Midlands. Midlands Connect acts as the Sub-National Transport Body for the Midlands.

It is made up of representatives from Local Government and Local Enterprises Partnerships, it is chaired by Sir John Peace. I think they were set up by George Osborne around the same time he setup NPR and TfN

 

[ChrisC]

I’ve just been watching BBC East Midlands Today where Midlands Connect was the main news story. Basically they are reporting that although it is called Midlands Connect it now seems to be almost totally focussed on the West Midlands. The only part of it that concerns the East Midlands is a possible increase in capacity between Birmingham and Leicester by 2030. Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are not included at all. The question being asked was has the East Midlands missed out again. Proposals for improvements to Derby and Nottingham have been dropped from the original plan and will only happen if HS2 is constructed as far as East Midlands Parkway but that won’t happen much before 2040.

 

[The Planner]

I’ve just been watching BBC East Midlands Today where Midlands Connect was the main news story. Basically they are reporting that although it is called Midlands Connect it now seems to be almost totally focussed on the West Midlands. The only part of it that concerns the East Midlands is a possible increase in capacity between Birmingham and Leicester by 2030. Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are not included at all. The question being asked was has the East Midlands missed out again. Proposals for improvements to Derby and Nottingham have been dropped from the original plan and will only happen if HS2 is constructed as far as East Midlands Parkway but that won’t happen much before 2040.

I would be surprised if any of the east side package sees the light of day.

 

[cle]

Isn't the Camp Hill local project (station builds etc) underway already?

Interesting to think on platforming all these new services at Moor St. There is another thread about an hourly Chiltern which could be long extant by any of it. So adding 2tph to Cardiff, 1-2tph Bristol and 1-2tph Worcester and Hereford would be interesting. Maybe Chiltern drops/consolidates/all to Snow Hill.

Plus obviously A/B on the other side for Leicester. What a change vs Moor St 15 years ago.

Also, if Cardiff goes here, what happens for the Nottingham half? How about Cross City frequencies / University? lots of things to consider.

 

[The Planner]

Isn't the Camp Hill local project (station builds etc) underway already?

Interesting to think on platforming all these new services at Moor St. There is another thread about an hourly Chiltern which could be long extant by any of it. So adding 2tph to Cardiff, 1-2tph Bristol and 1-2tph Worcester and Hereford would be interesting. Maybe Chiltern drops/consolidates/all to Snow Hill.

Plus obviously A/B on the other side for Leicester. What a change vs Moor St 15 years ago.

Also, if Cardiff goes here, what happens for the Nottingham half? How about Cross City frequencies / University? lots of things to consider.

Moor St would have three extra platforms if the cash is forthcoming. Camp Hill stations are just starting.

 

[midland1]

So if I want to go from say Leicester to Wolverhampton I will have to walk from Moor St. to New st.

 

[Bletchleyite]

So if I want to go from say Leicester to Wolverhampton I will have to walk from Moor St. to New st.

It is not an especially long way, about the same as between Liverpool Lime St and Central which loads of people walk (both about a third of a mile or half a kilometre), though the manky tunnel full of vagrants between the two really needs improving.

 

[midland1]

I have done the walk many times, but I would think it would put large number of people of having to change stations than just platforms.

 

[the sniper]

Personally I'd keep Cross City 4tph but at 15 minute intervals in perpetuity, save the money and forget about the Bordesley curves/Moor Street expansion, particularly if HS2 is to go to East Midlands Parkway. The priority if funding is available should be electrifying everything (out of New Street first as hub/emissions dungeon, then build up to doing the whole Dark Side), starting with the Camp Hill line and bridging the gap to the OHL at Nottingham and Derby.

How many trains per hour can you get through Proof House Jct/the Derby tunnel semi-sensibly, 16? 4tph Cross City, 3/4tph towards/beyond/from Nottingham, 3/4tph towards/beyond/from Leicester, 2tph for Wolves via Sutton Park and 2tph (or any more if possible) electrified Camp Hill stoppers, extended beyond Kings Norton to Bromsgrove/Redditch to return an extra TPH for each. If too much forget about Sutton Park.

Don't take this too seriously.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

The central and East interventions propose building the Brodesley East Chord, widening the viaduct, two further platforms on the east side of Moor St plus upgrades at Water Orton and signalling and freight loops between Nuneaton and Leicester.



The proposed Central and Eastern upgrades would allow Birmingham to Leicester to go to 4tph (2 fast calling at Nuneaton only and 2 slow calling at all stations on route).

Option A (West only) projected to cost £925m to £969m while Option B projected to cost between £1.48bn and £1.54bn.

The report doesn’t mention any upgrades at Leicester (extra platforms, 4 tracking or grade separation at Wigston).

Been thinking about this overnight assuming the upgrades to allow a 4tph Birmingham - Leicester service to happen plus the upgrades at Leicester (platform 5 to the east of platform 4 and 4 tracking between Wigston North and Syston Junctions). Would 4tph plus freight be able to cross Wigston North without grade separation?

I suppose the slow services could be combined with Ivanhoe line services to give a 2tph Birmingham- Leicester - Nottingham all stations stopping service assuming capacity between Trent junctions and Nottingham station.

The fast services could run as present to Ely with one train per hour continuing to Cambridge & Stansted as present, would the proposed second service continue to Cambridge or would it be better sent to Norwich but I guess that would depend on capacity at Ely North junction?

 

[N1]

It is not an especially long way, about the same as between Liverpool Lime St and Central which loads of people walk (both about a third of a mile or half a kilometre), though the manky tunnel full of vagrants between the two really needs improving.

Do you not walk over the top past the Bull and the end of New Street? It is slightly longer but much nicer, even if crowded.

 

[Norm_D_Ploom]

Do you not walk over the top past the Bull and the end of New Street? It is slightly longer but much nicer, even if crowded.

I'm the same. Always go through the tunnel. Could do with some better lighting and a general once over.

I think the signage lists one route at 280m and the other at 310?
Happy for photographic evidence to correct me.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Do you not walk over the top past the Bull and the end of New Street?

No, it's up a massive hill!

It is slightly longer but much nicer, even if crowded.

If I want nicer and am not in a hurry I go through the Bullring. Handy to use their loos on the way.

 

[trundlewagon]

Do you not walk over the top past the Bull and the end of New Street? It is slightly longer but much nicer

It's also closed at the moment because bits have been falling off the Rotunda

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's also closed at the moment because bits have been falling off the Rotunda

I wondered why that was closed - while I don't walk that way from Moor St it is my usual route from New St to the centre. Thanks.

 

[172007]

No, it's up a massive hill!







Picturing that film with Hugh Grant in. If you don't want to use the steps there is a slope to walk up. Its no more of a distance and ascent descent than many London Underground station line changes.























If I want nicer and am not in a hurry I go through the Bullring. Handy to use their loos on the way.

 

[Lemmy99uk]

So if I want to go from say Leicester to Wolverhampton I will have to walk from Moor St. to New st.

Or change at Moor St and Smethwick Galton Bridge.

 

[Class 170101]

£1.5bn rail investment could deliver 100 extra Midlands trains per day | Rail Technology Magazine

The Midlands Rail Hub plans, announced by Midlands Connect today, unveils ambitions to bring faster and more frequent train servi

www.railtechnologymagazine.com

£1.5bn rail investment could deliver 100 extra Midlands trains per day

The pan-regional benefits for the Midlands are:

• An additional train per hour between Birmingham and Bristol.
• An additional train per hour between Birmingham and Cardiff via Gloucester stopping at Worcestershire Parkway.
• An additional train per hour between Birmingham and Hereford via Worcester. The service will also stop at Bromsgrove, Great Malvern & Droitwich & Great Malvern.
• An additional fast train per hour between Leicester and Birmingham, stopping at Nuneaton.
• An additional slow train per hour between Leicester and Birmingham. The service will stop at Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton, Hinckley, Narborough & South Wigston.

The Midlands Rail Hub will also enable a raft of local improvements including:

• One extra train per hour from Redditch to Lichfield Trent Valley.
• One extra train per hour from Bromsgrove to Lichfield Trent Valley.
• Rerouting of the imminent two trains per hour from Kings Norton to Birmingham New Street (Camp Hill) service to instead run to Moor Street.

Surely some of this is putting back what was already there before covid? The extra Cross City services and the Bristol to Birmingham services refer.

 

[01d-and]

Will any Cardiff/Nottingham trains stop at Bromsgrove . . . . . . . . . . .

 

[Shred Metal]

If these extra services happen, who decides who runs them? I’d heard a railforums rumour that WMT would operate the Leicester - New Street service..

 

[TheBigD]

Will any Cardiff/Nottingham trains stop at Bromsgrove . . . . . . . . . . .

No.

XC were pretty explicit in the 2017 consultation why the stops were withdrawn.

 

[The Planner]

£1.5bn rail investment could deliver 100 extra Midlands trains per day | Rail Technology Magazine

The Midlands Rail Hub plans, announced by Midlands Connect today, unveils ambitions to bring faster and more frequent train servi

www.railtechnologymagazine.com

​

Surely some of this is putting back what was already there before covid? The extra Cross City services and the Bristol to Birmingham services refer.

The Cross City is reinstating the 6tph which the Camp Hill services stop from happening. Kings Norton needs remodelling to allow both.

If these extra services happen, who decides who runs them? I’d heard a railforums rumour that WMT would operate the Leicester - New Street service..

No one knows, these are years away, if ever.

 

[01d-and]

XC were pretty explicit in the 2017 consultation why the stops were withdrawn.

I have not read what the consultation said , but it was suggested that XC withdrew the stops because the old station platforms were too short - not now with the new one. The old station was too close to the bottom of the incline , hampering the acceleration away from the station - not now with the new one. And trains stopping at Bromsgrove would hold up long distance inter city services - not now with four platforms. These may not be correct but I do think that the Cardiff/Nottingham trains would get decent patronage. I guess not even Mr Javid living in Bromsgrove has given us any 'clout' on this matter .

 

[The Planner]

I have not read what the consultation said , but it was suggested that XC withdrew the stops because the old station platforms were too short - not now with the new one. The old station was too close to the bottom of the incline , hampering the acceleration away from the station - not now with the new one. And trains stopping at Bromsgrove would hold up long distance inter city services - not now with four platforms. These may not be correct but I do think that the Cardiff/Nottingham trains would get decent patronage. I guess not even Mr Javid living in Bromsgrove has given us any 'clout' on this matter .

And that is the reason, they would be the quickest trains to/from Bromsgrove and would overwhelm them. Its why Solihull got binned.

 

[GoneSouth]

I have done the walk many times, but I would think it would put large number of people of having to change stations than just platforms.

Definitely. Assistance is available for people who need it at New Street and this would be lost if disabled/elderly passengers were forced to cross Birmingham alone. We should be building accessibility into our railway not removing it.

Cue the ‘they don’t matter they’re only a tiny percentage of passengers’ comments!

 

[zwk500]

Definitely. Assistance is available for people who need it at New Street and this would be lost if disabled/elderly passengers were forced to cross Birmingham alone. We should be building accessibility into our railway not removing it.

Cue the ‘they don’t matter they’re only a tiny percentage of passengers’ comments!

Let's get a sense of perspective, it's less than 400m, or 1/4 mile in old money. However you are right that there are vulnerable people who at the moment would lose an accessibility service. Why can the solution to that not be simply to extend the assistance provision to include those who's journeys require the short walk? If people are nervous about the underpass you can always go through the shopping centre.

 

[GoneSouth]

Let's get a sense of perspective, it's less than 400m, or 1/4 mile in old money. However you are right that there are vulnerable people who at the moment would lose an accessibility service. Why can the solution to that not be simply to extend the assistance provision to include those who's journeys require the short walk? If people are nervous about the underpass you can always go through the shopping centre.

I do have a sense of perspective and realise it’s probably a small number of people who will lose out, but it isn’t just people nervous of the walk, it’s people who can’t walk far, people who are sight impaired who just couldn’t find the way, people who aren’t able to carry luggage that far. What we’re potentially talking about is splitting the country in half with a walk through the centre of an unfamiliar city to get from anywhere south of Birmingham to anywhere north of Birmingham on what is now the cross country network. Switching station has happened in London since the system was built so no getting around that, but to design that into the system now shouldn’t really be happening.

London has seriously built up the north south Thameslink service which helps with cross city journeys and Manchester has at least attempted to connect their main stations (but with much work to do)

Big step in the wrong direction for long distance travellers if the service is split in my opinion.

If it does happen, how about a dedicated accessible shuttle between Moor St and New street station entrances where staff could be on hand to meet people to offer onward assistance?