Re-open the Woodhead route

[Metroland]

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...s-key-to-high-speed-rail-link-61634-20341856/

 

[Callufrax]

I doubt whether the Woodhead tunnel would meet standards required for a high speed line. Even though it's of a larger loading gauge, it still probably isn't large enough. I could be wrong, however, so am open to correction.

 

[Meld]

The DfT's figures don't seem to say anything like that at all. From that it seems that traffic in Bristol has got significantly quicker since 2004 and Sheffield even isn't on the chart!

Our own figures, taken from a variety of sources including ANPR cameras, satellite tracking and figures from First buses seem to suggest the opposite. I can't begin to imagine how it can be a fair test to get stats from GPS alone in a 16 sq mi radius from the City Centre only, especially when you consider it was taken over a short space in the period of the year where travel patterns are at their most random!

Well when you have to leave home 2 1/2 hours before you have to start work and anything upto the same back for a 50 mile Journey with a 12 hour shift in between - I would take all the figures with a pinch of salt.

From experience I did this run for 3 months, on weekdays, leaving home in Manchester at 1530 and arriving in Sheffield between 1740 and 1800 just in time to start the shift, and that was by missing out Sheffield City Centre and avoiding the worst bottleneck in the country at Mottram top.

Leaving Sheffield at 0600 it was easy to be at Glossop in 50 minutes or quicker (before Snake Pass was restricted to 50mph) then it could take an hour plus to get onto the M60. Mondays being the worst, (but never really had a problem by starting and finishing an hour earlier on the Sunday/Monday shift ).

Saturdays and Sundays Eastbound suffered nearly as bad but I used to leave 30 mins later 1600 and still make the same arrival times in Sheffield.

Westbound Sat/Sun am it was a breeze (along with 0500 finish on Mondays) and could regularly do the trip in 75 minutes

 

[Metroland]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/ne...=bb&mp=wm&news=1&nol_storyid=7187659&bbcws=1#

 

[Nick W]

Well when you have to leave home 2 1/2 hours before you have to start work and anything upto the same back for a 50 mile Journey with a 12 hour shift in between - I would take all the figures with a pinch of salt.

Might as well cycle along the Woodhead then . It was a great shame they didn't open up the tunnel for cyclists though, as it would have provided a nice traffic-free flat route.

Still it's fair to say that something must be done to add capacity to the transpennine corridor, and I can't see it being another motorway given how long it took to construct the first one.

 

[Metroland]

Integrating transport links between Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield would be good news for the north of England, it has been claimed.

The chief executive of Creative Sheffield said this would provide the UK with a second major economic powerhouse to compare with the south-east.

Ian Bromley told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that it would make economic sense for the there city-regions to become more closely connected as they have the collective population the size of London.

He said: "When you look at the economic geography of Great Britain, you have one enormous economy in the south-east.

"A lot of that has to do with sheer size; none of the cities in the UK on their own, even cities the size of Manchester and Glasgow are really big enough to be global contenders."

He said it is "ridiculous" that it takes up to an hour to travel between the three cities by rail, while it is only 20 minutes between Reading and London.

Last month, the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority said that Manchester deserves a transport infrastructure that reflects its national importance.

The authority has developed a Regional Centre Transport Strategy that includes a number of proposals to establish a transport system to rival London.

http://www.manchester.com/News/Gene...tion_needed_to_rival_south_east-18432137.html

 

[adambro]

I'd agree with that assessment and whilst I think that reopening Woodhead would be a good idea, I think working on the Standedge route via Huddersfield should be the first priority.

They should upgrade the route to enable increases in line speeds. According to the Route 10 Network Rail Business Plan for 2007, it looks like Leeds - Manchester is 40-75 mph with a section of 80-105mph which I suspect would be the 3 mile stretch through the Standedge Tunnel. Also, why not reopen the 1871 single line tunnel to improve capacity through the Pennines? As I understand all three railway tunnels are maintained with the double on in use and of the two singles one is used for emergency vehicle access.

Could also put another line through Huddersfield tunnel and look at putting back the line that used to pass through Huddersfield between platform 1 and 4 which must have been removed fairly recently as I seem to remember seeing it.

I note the NR business plan includes improving line speeds on the route but I'm not sure what it entails.

 

[1D53]

They should upgrade the route to enable increases in line speeds. According to the Route 10 Network Rail Business Plan for 2007, it looks like Leeds - Manchester is 40-75 mph with a section of 80-105mph which I suspect would be the 3 mile stretch through the Standedge Tunnel. Also, why not reopen the 1871 single line tunnel to improve capacity through the Pennines? As I understand all three railway tunnels are maintained with the double on in use and of the two singles one is used for emergency vehicle access.

Could also put another line through Huddersfield tunnel and look at putting back the line that used to pass through Huddersfield between platform 1 and 4 which must have been removed fairly recently as I seem to remember seeing it.

I note the NR business plan includes improving line speeds on the route but I'm not sure what it entails.

There is an 80mph stretch between Huddersfield and Marsden, the tunnel itself is 65 IIRC.
The plans to improve line speed include speed increase in Morley Tunnel & realignment of Guide Bridge Jc to relieve the 15mph PSR round the curve.