Possible new station for Stafford

[Donny Dave]

A second railway station could be built in Stafford as part of scheme for a high-speed rail "bypass".

Ministers have promised to consider the £500m proposals as part of plans to speed up the West Coast Mainline.

Rail managers want to see journey times between London and Glasgow cut to about four hours.

The bypass, around Stafford, would run between Colwich and Norton Bridge. Rail minister Tom Harris has now said he will consider building a second stop.

He said it could go ahead if those behind the plans could prove the station, to the north of the town, would reduce traffic on roads and help the local economy.

Rail campaigners have said Stafford should get a second station to ensure it is not missed out altogether when the bypass is built.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7506983.stm

 

[Snapper]

One can't help wondering if the campaigners aren't missing the point. The idea of the bypass is to speed-up services. An objective which will probably be pointless if you then go and build a station on it...

 

[PhilipW]

If the rail bypass is built is it likely that the Colwich flat junction will be replaced by a GSJ as part of the plan ?

 

[CosherB]

If the bypass is built, the existing lines between Colwich and Stafford, and Colwich and Stone, will be redundant (but may be retained for diversion use) so no need for anything but a flat junction. Also, Stafford station would become a station on the Norton Bridge to Wolverhapmton line. No need for a second station, I'd have thought?

The new WCML route will run from Colwich to Norton Bridge, running east of the current line and east of Stafford. At Norton Bridge, there would be 'flying junctions' with the line coming up from from Wolverhampton and the line to Stone.

 

[Phoenix]

Great even more complications to the WCML so even more scratching my head about finding leccy loco's to phot.

 

[PhilipW]

I had not realised that the scheme was quite as grand as that described by 'Captain Speaking'.

It is a pity that Network Rail or one of the Railway magazines have not written about what is planned.

I had not realised that the Colwich - Shugborough - Stafford track was going to become redundant. I am a bit surprised as that means that Stafford town loses its direct service to London, with the only route being via Birmingham.

I had assumed that the bypass would be 2 tracks with the LM locals and freight still going via Shugborough and Stafford. If that is not to be the case then the bypass will have to 4-track. The cost will rise accordingly.

 

[The Planner]

Biggest white elephant ever, saves about 3 to 4 minutes journey time. Spend half the cash grade seperating Norton No Bridge and Milford/Whitehouse, bringing the slows up to 125 to Crewe and most of the aggro disappears.

 

[CosherB]

The beuty of it is that most of the work will not be on the existing railway but will be in building the new formation, so disruption to WCML traffic will be limited to putting in the junctions at Colwich and Norton Bridge.

CS