Restoring Coventry-Nuneaton-Leicester-Nottingham Route

[Stephen Lee]

https://www.midlandsconnect.uk/news...overnment-is-urged-don-t-ignore-the-midlands/
In the link, “Plans to reinstate direct services between Coventry, Leicester & Nottingham for the first time since 2004, with two fast trains per hour in both directions” has mentioned.
but i wondered if it will be good to extend its origin from Leamington Spa(i.e. Leamington Spa-Coventry-Nuneaton-Leicester-Nottingham)
Also i wondered if this materialised which TOC can operate this service.....

 

[Whistler40145]

Would this be physically possible, especially getting paths across the WCML at Nuneaton

 

[swt_passenger]

https://www.midlandsconnect.uk/news...overnment-is-urged-don-t-ignore-the-midlands/
In the link, “Plans to reinstate direct services between Coventry, Leicester & Nottingham for the first time since 2004, with two fast trains per hour in both directions” has mentioned.
but i wondered if it will be good to extend its origin from Leamington Spa(i.e. Leamington Spa-Coventry-Nuneaton-Leicester-Nottingham)
Also i wondered if this materialised which TOC can operate this service.....

This proposal was discussed in a couple of threads last summer, I think the general consensus was it’s almost impossible to reinstate:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...to-west-midlands-railway-connectivity.184669/
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/midlands-rail-hub-scheme-plans.166862/page-2#post-4078112

 

[Whistler40145]

If there was a dive under at Nuneaton it could be reinstated, otherwise a non starter

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

If there was a dive under at Nuneaton it could be reinstated, otherwise a non starter

The plan is for a new diver under eventually linking Leicester with Coventry

 

[Whistler40145]

The plan is for a new diver under eventually linking Leicester with Coventry

Thank you for your kind reply

 

[swt_passenger]

The plan is for a new diver under eventually linking Leicester with Coventry

Plan? Or a fantasy suggestion by naive local politicians who haven’t thought it through at all?

 

[Whistler40145]

Probably be best sticking to the current service

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

Plan? Or a fantasy suggestion by naive local politicians who haven’t thought it through at all?

no that is the plan. I don't think its directly under Nuneaton think its east of it not sure though.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Obviously 'missing out' Nuneaton itself, whilst good for reasonably fast connectivity between Nottingham-Leicester-Coventry, means that local travel and interchange opportunities at Nuneaton into the WCML Trent Valley services aren't really improved.

 

[The Planner]

no that is the plan. I don't think its directly under Nuneaton think its east of it not sure though.

Its a line on a map. Not a lot else as it stands.

 

[30907]

Obviously 'missing out' Nuneaton itself, whilst good for reasonably fast connectivity between Nottingham-Leicester-Coventry, means that local travel and interchange opportunities at Nuneaton into the WCML Trent Valley services aren't really improved.

The old route avoided Nuneaton as you describe (is the bridge under the WCML still there?). It would be challenging to build a diveunder at an acute angle to allow reversal at Nuneaton - probably more difficult than Werrington! - but might not be impossible. The question is - would duplicating the service Coventry to Chilvers Coton be more cost effective than a complex new junction.
Despite the inconvenience of the change at Nuneaton, I suspect a half hourly Coventry-Nuneaton and an improved (2 slow 1 fast ph? 4tph?) Nuneaton-Leicester (-Nottingham?) frequency might be the upper limit.
As for starting back from Leamington - might be possible once HS2 takes pressure off Coventry.

 

[Bald Rick]

no that is the plan. I don't think its directly under Nuneaton think its east of it not sure though.

It’s isnt ‘the plan’ at all. It’s simply a suggestion.

 

[Meerkat]

Is there room between Nuneaton and Leicester for two more fast trains (particularly as there would be a flat crossing at the Nuneaton end).
Better to have self contained fast Nuneaton-Coventry with good connections into longer and faster Birmingham-Leicester trains?

 

[Stephen Lee]

It’s isnt ‘the plan’ at all. It’s simply a suggestion.

But there are proposals about it

Is there room between Nuneaton and Leicester for two more fast trains (particularly as there would be a flat crossing at the Nuneaton end).
Better to have self contained fast Nuneaton-Coventry with good connections into longer and faster Birmingham-Leicester trains?

Hopefully there is but I wondered if extending the west side termini to Leamington will be a good idea

 

[Dr Hoo]

With the problems of crossing the WCML Birmingham Loop on the flat at Coventry and the single track bottlenecks on the Kenilworth section the benefits would have to be pretty massive.

Does Leamington have a particular attraction for Leicester and Nottingham (noting that East-West Rail via Bedford to Oxford will provide further opportunities for links towards Oxford in future)?

 

[Ianno87]

With the problems of crossing the WCML Birmingham Loop on the flat at Coventry and the single track bottlenecks on the Kenilworth section the benefits would have to be pretty massive.

Does Leamington have a particular attraction for Leicester and Nottingham (noting that East-West Rail via Bedford to Oxford will provide further opportunities for links towards Oxford in future)?

Leamington has a decent student population (from Warwick University)

 

[Bald Rick]

But there are proposals about it

There’s proposals to put men (and women) on the moon in 4 years. That won’t happen either.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Leamington has a decent student population (from Warwick University)

Right.

So why does that need a new service from Nottingham?

 

[Meerkat]

Right.

So why does that need a new service from Nottingham?

Because students are famously short of time and too lazy to change trains.
Any business case based on off peak travel on railcards is going to struggle a bit!

 

[The Planner]

Is there room between Nuneaton and Leicester for two more fast trains (particularly as there would be a flat crossing at the Nuneaton end).
Better to have self contained fast Nuneaton-Coventry with good connections into longer and faster Birmingham-Leicester trains?

You would probably get them to/from Wigston without too much grief, the bit to Leicester would be the trickier bit.

 

[Ianno87]

Right.

So why does that need a new service from Nottingham?

Because students are famously short of time and too lazy to change trains.
Any business case based on off peak travel on railcards is going to struggle a bit!

I didn't say that was the entire market or justification for the service, just an example of an obvious demand flow that could be picked up.