Rossendale to Manchester new railway proposal

[Merle Haggard]

I thought that heritage railway didn't own the route, it was bought be the local council (whichever that was at the time), the ELR just run trains on it.

In a conversation with someone from the ELR a while back, the reason for re-introducing a full service - probably tram - was said to be because of the road congestion between Ramsbottom & Rawtenstall and central Manchester. I think he mentioned crossing a motorway roundabout in the morning peak took a long time.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Whilst many rail enthusiasts would welcome the return of a Rawtenstall to Manchester rail service, one must ask what type of commuter would be using it , noting the location of the stations en route and the frequency of the rail services, and whether prospective travellers envisaged bus travel from their home areas to the said stations.

What is the current free paths situation from Castleton to Manchester, as that will have to be taken into account when determining service frequency?

 

[Merle Haggard]

Bury to Backup was half hourly from 0630 to 2200, operated by dmu, in the years before closure.

Always seemed odd to me that it was Beeching-ed.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

I thought that heritage railway didn't own the route, it was bought be the local council (whichever that was at the time), the ELR just run trains on it.

In a conversation with someone from the ELR a while back, the reason for re-introducing a full service - probably tram - was said to be because of the road congestion between Ramsbottom & Rawtenstall and central Manchester. I think he mentioned crossing a motorway roundabout in the morning peak took a long time.

The freehold of the railway is owned by Rossendale, Bury M.B. and Rochdale M.B. Councils in their respective territories.

 

[NCT]

On the face of it the settlement pattern between Bury and Rawtenstall isn't too dissimilar to that of Woodford - Epping. If this part of Lancashire wants to maximise its participation in Greater Manchester's metropolitan economy, then it ought to be capable of producing trip rates in the same order of magnitude as the Epping branch of the Central Line; and a Metrolink Rawtenstall - Manchester journey time would be almost exactly the same as Epping - Central London.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Rossendale Council has put forward a proposal to create a rail link from Rawtenstall in Rossendale through Bury to Heywood and Manchester. The proposal is described in this document :
"THE CASE FOR THE CITY VALLEY RAIL LINK"

What is the current situation regarding the above proposal?

 

[cin88]

In a conversation with someone from the ELR a while back, the reason for re-introducing a full service - probably tram - was said to be because of the road congestion between Ramsbottom & Rawtenstall and central Manchester. I think he mentioned crossing a motorway roundabout in the morning peak took a long time.

He was probably referring to Simister Island Interchange for the M60/M62/M66. Getting through that area was a nightmare at the best of times and now its become bedlam with the upgrade works that will inexplicably take until 2029. Making the right turn from the M66 to the M60 towards Trafford, and the left from the M60 from the Ashton direction to go towards Trafford are particularly hellish now thanks to absolute pig's ear that the highways agency have made of the slip road.

The problem with the tram at the moment is that they want it to come from Rochdale, which means bringing it either on or alongside Network Rail's track and all of the challenges that that is throwing up.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

He was probably referring to Simister Island Interchange for the M60/M62/M66. Getting through that area was a nightmare at the best of times and now its become bedlam with the upgrade works that will inexplicably take until 2029. Making the right turn from the M66 to the M60 towards Trafford, and the left from the M60 from the Ashton direction to go towards Trafford are particularly hellish now thanks to absolute pig's ear that the highways agency have made of the slip road.

The problem with the tram at the moment is that they want it to come from Rochdale, which means bringing it either on or alongside Network Rail's track and all of the challenges that that is throwing up.

Is there an underpass under the Simister Island Interchange that the traffic from the M66 can use?

 

[cin88]

Is there an underpass under the Simister Island Interchange that the traffic from the M66 can use?

Yes but it only takes you to and from the Ashton/Stockport direction, although its useful for the city centre as you can get off at various points between Simister and Ashton to take local roads into the city centre. You could of course do a full loop of the M60 from the underpass to get to wherever you're going but understandably, most people would rather remain on the most direct route, especially in the peaks where you'd basically just be racing from queue to queue.

 

[pr1]

Every so often discussions like this come up, including introducing Metrolink onto what is "East Lancs track", with the impression that the heritage railway wags the tail of the Metrolink/passenger rail dog. How feasible can it be to deny expansion of heavy rail or Metrolink on the back of heritage railways? If Metrolink want to run through Bolton Street, or to Middleton etc, can the ELR really stop that?