Next 5 years until 2022

[nuneatonmark]

Over the next 5 years, say to end of 2022, what do you think are the 5 biggest 'Wow' truly transformation milestones on the railway scene, when are they due and why will they be truly transformational in your opinion? Crossrail? Thameslink? GWR electrification? Northern and TPW new trains? Introduction of class 230?

 

[Harbornite]

Over the next 5 years, say to end of 2022, what do you think are the 5 biggest 'Wow' truly transformation milestones on the railway scene, when are they due and why will they be truly transformational in your opinion? Crossrail? Thameslink? GWR electrification? Northern and TPW new trains? Introduction of class 230?

Not the 230s...

I'd say the Azumas on ecml and gwml and gw electrification, ad you've mentioned.

 

[Ianno87]

Number one will undoubtedly be Crossrail, in my view.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The first sod turned on HS2. Maybe in 2017, maybe not.
The first bi-mode public service (operating in both modes). Ditto.
Withdrawal of the last Pacer.
Switching off the lineside signals on ECML South after ETCS is introduced.
Replacing the current fares system (unlikely).

 

[Strathclyder]

My five picks:

The ECML 'Azumas'
GWML electrification
Crossrail
Scotrail HSTs on Glasgow/Edinburgh - Aberdeen/Inverness services
The introduction of Class 385s on the Glasgow-Edinburgh via Falkirk High Line

 

[J-2739]

Crossrail
Thameslink
Northern 'CAF' trains
Construction on HS2
New trains on the GEML
Wide scale electrification
IEPs
London Overground colonisation!!
What else can please?

 

[plcd1]

I think Crossrail will have the highest profile launch and fanfare. TfL and the Mayor will make sure of that. For some people it will no doubt be transformational but I think it will quickly become "old hat" for many people. In some respects that's as it should be - it's a bit of railway and it has a job to do in moving millions.

I actually think the interchange of Crossrail and Thameslink at Farringdon will prove to be transformational - for rail travellers in London and the South East and also for the area around Farringdon. I think there will be enormous development pressure that will last for decades. The place will never look the same.

If the plans for rail devolution in South London come into being then I think that will be transformational. It will have huge impacts on the industry's structure and the way it works because of the vast power TfL will wield. I also think that, in time, services will be changed beyond all recognition although there will be limited impacts by 2022.

I'd like to think GWML electrification will be transformational but I fear the delays and problems will lead to horrible compromises with the services. I am doubtful it will deliver all the expected benefits and offer a genuine step change in service quality. I'll say that view is based on limited knowledge and it's more of a hunch but mega projects that have a troubled upbringing often struggle to shake off their past.

 

[coppercapped]

Transformational

• 
  Crossrail - huge increase in capacity, speed and massive reduction in hassle.

Improvement:

• Thameslink - updated to 21st century
• GWR suburban electrification - capacity increase, some extra speed
• Northern, TPW and Anglia - reduced variety of rolling stock, easier to operate, increased reliability, reduced cost.

Ho-Hum:

• GWR mainline electrification /IEPs - improves journey time to those of 30 years ago, no great increase in capacity, boring interior, is ride questionable?

Outside chance

• Introduction of class 230
• True simplification of fares structure
• Network Rail keeping to schedules and budgets.

 

[Chris999999]

Resolution of the Southern driver operating doors dispute may occur within the next 5 years.

 

[D365]

Network Rail keeping to schedules and budgets.

Network Rail not being reprivatised.

 

[Iskra]

Ordsall Chord needs mentioning for the North.

 

[Darandio]

Return of loco-hauled services on Transpennine.
Return of a direct London service from Middlesbrough.

 

[Haydn1971]

1, 185s converted to end door electric stock
2, Air con fixed on 158s
3, 442s repurposed as open top tube stock
4, Power lines finally reach Hungerford
5, Pacers converted to buses in new plan by Souter

 

[Chris999999]

Jeremy Corbyn nationalising Virgin West Coast and removing all first class seats to allow more room for people to sit on the floor.

 

[Tio Terry]

Having spent some time thinking about it and taking a normal passengers perspective about it rather than a Railwaymans, in order of magnitude:-

Crossrail
Thameslink
10 car Suburban out of Waterloo
GW electrification and stock changes
Brexit

 

[D365]

Brexit

I'd be interested to know how this is seen as 'transformational' for the industry.

 

[J-2739]

I'd be interested to know how this is seen as 'transformational' for the industry.

Going to ask the same thing also; maybe the rail industry he means?

 

[HowardGWR]

I'd be interested to know how this (Brexit) is seen as 'transformational' for the industry.

'Taking back control'?

Tio_Terry is clearly a man who believes this stuff. He may be right about 'transformational' but in what way, I ask myself (well not much, actually).

 

[LLivery]

Transformational:

Crossrail
Thameslink
Electric GWML + Turbos going further west
Northern Hub/Fleet upgrades

Major:

London Overground expansion
New Anglian stock/Norwich in 90
Eurostar to Amsterdam
Scottish upgrades
Maybe ECML IEP (though I feel like many will just say "meh")
Supertram-Train
Great Northern Desiro City
SWT Desiro City

 

[IanXC]

The one I'd think of that's not beenention is the first use of articulated stock on the classic network since APT with the Stadler Flirts for East Anglia.

 

[Clansman]

More trains without yellow front ends.
The mass orders of trains which are due into service before 2022 - signalling the beginning of the end for the remaining of the units built by BREL - who formerly ran one of Britain's biggest rolling stock factories post privatisation.
Hopefully the scrap of 442s signalling the end of you know what

 

[gavin]

2 extra platforms at Darlington and a general refurb of the station in the next 5 years would be nice

 

[route:oxford]

Outside of London, it's probably going to be the East-West link between Oxford and Milton-Keynes (maybe Bedford)

I strongly suspect that it will result in one of the biggest changes to passenger routing dynamics since Beeching.

 

[tbtc]

Supertram-Train

At this rate, I'd be surprised if it's up and running before 2022...

If we ever do see the first extension to Sheffield's Supertram in over twenty years then it could be truly transformational for a number of "marginal" routes that currently have heavy rail and all of the costs (infrastructure, signalling etc) that this requires.

If Tram Train happens in South Yorkshire then it could be a way of transforming lots of branch lines, a more flexible type of vehicle that could extend into town centres (rather than a current train station that was well located in Victorian days but now some distance from where people want to go), it could allow local control over services (since they wouldn't have to be run by TOCs), it could revitalise a lot of ignored lines. But it keeps getting pushed backwards and backwards, and doesn't seem to be a priority for anyone.

Other things:

A resolution to the DOO issues currently affecting a number of franchises. Will there be a domino effect or will the Unions win?

Devolved power in England - how will the different flavours of devolution offered to different areas affect railways... how will the different areas interact (e.g. will there be the kind of squabbling we've seen with the Wales & Borders franchise?).

The seats on new stock won't be comfortable enough for enthusiasts.

If the GA franchise is anything to go by, will we see new awards ditching their BR-era trains to go for cheaper/ more efficient modern stock? That could lead to a bit of a cycle of dumping older trains but also a new wave of micro-fleets (just when you thought that everything was going to look like a 377...)

Oh, and by 2022, Jeremy Corbyn will finally have found a seat

 

[AM9]

The first stage of increased speeds up Lickey Incline. This 1:37 slog has slugged both passenger and freight services northwards from Bromsgrove for over a century. The improvements to passenger travel times will pave the way for further electrification of the route down towards Bristol.

 

[clc]

Start of construction on Edinburgh-Glasgow HSR, eventually creating a Central Belt 'Super-City'.

 

[snowball]

Start of construction on Edinburgh-Glasgow HSR, eventually creating a Central Belt 'Super-City'.

Not a chance that construction could start within the stipulated 5 years given that no route has yet been published (or is likely to be published soon as far as I know).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Oh, and by 2022, Jeremy Corbyn will finally have found a seat

Hopefully, a back bench one on the Opposition benches....

 

[Harbornite]

Hopefully, a back bench one on the Opposition benches....

No, he will be General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Union of British socialist republics and the railways will be owned by the proletariat. As a cost cutting measure, all rolling stock that serves East Cheshire will be replaced by class 230s...!

 

[SpacePhoenix]

How many 373s are due to be retired in the next five years?