Stourbridge solution elsewhere?

[30mog]

RailFuture on their website suggest a number of options where an existing heritage railway interchanging with NR nearby could provide journeys integrated with the national timetable. Keighley & Worth Valley among those suggested. Maybe a class 139 on there?

 

[Philip Elliott]

Sutton-in-Ashfield Town

 

[tbtc]

PLenty of lightly used lines (Barton branch, Doncaster to Lincoln, Burnley to Colne), but these are generally part of services that share tracks with other services, so a 139 really wouldn't be suitable.

There's also the problem of needing two dedicated units to run such a service rather than just needing one 153/Pacer from an existing (larger) pool of trains.

Greenford Shuttle (post Crossrail)?

 

[christopher]

Romford - Upminster post Crossrail?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

RailFuture on their website suggest a number of options where an existing heritage railway interchanging with NR nearby could provide journeys integrated with the national timetable. Keighley & Worth Valley among those suggested. Maybe a class 139 on there?

The KWVR already interchanges with NR at Keighley. They have a Waggon&Maschinbau Railbus though, that'd probably be closer to crashworthiness standards for a run up to Skipton than a 139!

 

[krus_aragon]

I always thought It would be good to have one on the Cornish branches and Swindon-Westbury. Also maybe the Severn Beach, Heart of Wales and Conwy Valley. Any thoughts?

You might get as far as Betws y Coed in a PPM, but I doubt that it'd manage the climb up to Pont y Pant (1 in 47).

 

[TheWalrus]

I always thought It would be good to have one on the Cornish branches and Swindon-Westbury. Also maybe the Severn Beach, Heart of Wales and Conwy Valley. Any thoughts?

You might get as far as Betws y Coed in a PPM, but I doubt that it'd manage the climb up to Pont y Pant (1 in 47).

Well TBH I don't know the line at all. I only know it's a 153(?) every 3 hours so could maybe do with something along the lines of a PPM.

I think the conclusion we are all coming to here is the concept of a PPM would be a fantastic solution to many lines. However the current specifications woul not be suitable and we would need to customise each PPM design to tailor it to the needs of each line.

 

[Welshman]

Well TBH I don't know the line at all. I only know it's a 153(?) every 3 hours so could maybe do with something along the lines of a PPM.

I think the conclusion we are all coming to here is the concept of a PPM would be a fantastic solution to many lines. However the current specifications woul not be suitable and we would need to customise each PPM design to tailor it to the needs of each line.

I not only agree with the point made by krus_aragon re the potential difficulties with the gradients on the Conwy Valley line, but would also add that although the service is only every three hours, the present trains are quite well-loaded.

This is due to the fact that Conwy-issued bus passes for the over 60s are also valid on the line, and also that there has been a concerted effort by the local Conwy Valley Rail Development Group to increase passenger usage in the last few years. Due to their efforts, the 153 originally provided by ATW has now been replaced with a 150, so I'm afraid to move to a 139 would be a retrograde step and undue all the good work.

 

[jopsuk]

Romford - Upminster post Crossrail?

Why would you want to de-electrify the line?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Why would you want to de-electrify the line?

Once again, There's no reason a lightweight PPM-type vehicle couldn't be designed to run off the OHLE. Admittedly PPM don't currently offer such a vehicle but the thread is entitled 'Stourbridge solutions elsewhere' and as it's already been assumed by several contributors that for such a solution to work on any of the routes suggested some degree of variation would be needed compared to the existing 139s. On that basis an AC-version would be ideal for Cardiff Bay or Romford-Upminster, with a DC version for Lymington.

 

[Unixman]

Re-open Gobowen to Oswestry .. Track is still in-situ... (and the heritage people just can't get the impetus to do it themselves ..)

 

[Eagle]

(and the heritage people just can't get the impetus to do it themselves ..)

That's because the branch was until recently still occasionally used by freight to Llanyblodwel quarry. It's officially disused now, but still owned by Network Rail, and it's evidently difficult to get heritage operations over NR metals (see for instance the difficulty Swanage Railway have had trying to extend their services over the disused but still NR-owned freight branch between Norden and Worgret Junction).

 

[Unixman]

That's because the branch was until recently still occasionally used by freight to Llanyblodwel quarry. It's officially disused now, but still owned by Network Rail, and it's evidently difficult to get heritage operations over NR metals (see for instance the difficulty Swanage Railway have had trying to extend their services over the disused but still NR-owned freight branch between Norden and Worgret Junction).

Recently was 1986 IIRC (and the line is now owned by Shropshire Council)

(Update: 1988 )

 

[TheWalrus]

Like I say, I don't know it at all. From what you are saying it seems a lot better loaded than I assumed.

Seems unusual accepting concessionary bus passes. Do they get a lot of money from this scheme?

 

[badassunicorn]

I was just about to suggest the Romford Upminsters, seems like a waste of a 321/317/315 to be bombing up and down there all day long, the speed limit is something silly like 30 or something anyways

 

[bluenoxid]

Reopened Alnwick??? branch or a Morpeth or Palmersville - Ashington service

 

[09065]

There are or were plans to run a Parry People Mover from Medstead down to Alton, and one as delivered to the Mid Hants for this porpose but broke down shortly after arrival. The last I heard t was goingt to be re-delivered after repair in the Autumn of 2011 butI haven't heard anything about it since. Does anybody know what the current situation is?

I know that one of the problems was the Mid Hants not being able to provide LPG to fuel it and there was at one time a suggestion that it might be converted to diesel.

I asked somebody who does some occasional work at the MHR.

Apparently there was discussion as to who was financially responsible for getting the PPM on a low-loader and repaired after it failed to climb one of the banks in testing.

As I understand it, the independent who were effectively hiring the MHR metals to run the Parry on wanted the MHR to contribute significantly to the cost. MHR who were merely renting out their metals to the company were not happy with the suggestions and things got a bit stagnant.

The service was at the point of actually being advertised to the local public and had to be pulled with a few weeks notice.

That being said though I am surprised that the MHR have not instigated something of their own. If there was interest from a co-operative to do same there must be some money in it.

 

[edwin_m]

Reopened Alnwick??? branch or a Morpeth or Palmersville - Ashington service

Despite recent closures the Blyth and Tyne still has quite a few freight services and may have more in the future.

 

[Bedpan]

I asked somebody who does some occasional work at the MHR.

Apparently there was discussion as to who was financially responsible for getting the PPM on a low-loader and repaired after it failed to climb one of the banks in testing.

As I understand it, the independent who were effectively hiring the MHR metals to run the Parry on wanted the MHR to contribute significantly to the cost. MHR who were merely renting out their metals to the company were not happy with the suggestions and things got a bit stagnant.

The service was at the point of actually being advertised to the local public and had to be pulled with a few weeks notice.

That being said though I am surprised that the MHR have not instigated something of their own. If there was interest from a co-operative to do same there must be some money in it.

Cheers, thanks for that - the trail seemed to suddenly go cold fort no reason around Autumn 2011, 8 or 9 months after the original trial, where it broke down shortly after delivery.

I can understand MHR wanting to keep at arms length in so far as they may not want to commit their own resources, and also they'd no doubt come in for criticism if the venture proved uneconomic and had to be withdrawn.

 

[Waddon]

Bourne End to Marlow when the line is electrified, with a normal unit running the rest of the line from Bourne End to Maidenhead on a half-hourly service... increase of frequency and gets around the problem of finding an electric unit which can fit into the Marlow platform at Bourne End

 

[Eagle]

Also means that the Maidenhead to Bourne End train can continue to Wycombe

 

[bluenoxid]

Despite recent closures the Blyth and Tyne still has quite a few freight services and may have more in the future.

I was wondering how much the recent Alcan had hit traffic on the route.

I think the frustrating aspect is that Ashington is just possible with the existing Morpeth service running to Ashington.

 

[thelongestroad]

Would it be theory in possible to run PPMs in multiple unit form?

And what's the range of those things?

 

[Eagle]

There is such a thing as a two-car PPM. (Wonder if you could make longer ones than that.)

 

[HowardGWR]

Yoevil Jct to Town was mentioned before ......

That's not bad so I offer Kemble to Tetbury and Kemble to Cirencester on a similar basis. The Yeovil one could do a three pointer to Pen Mill perhaps.

 

[thelongestroad]

I wander how suitable these would be on branchlines poised for reopening such as Portishead, as a viable (more economic) alternative to heavy rail? With the right capacity as mentioned above (multiple coaches) I don't see too many barriers.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I wander how suitable these would be on branchlines poised for reopening such as Portishead, as a viable (more economic) alternative to heavy rail? With the right capacity as mentioned above (multiple coaches) I don't see too many barriers.

I'd have thought Portishead will have too much interworking with freight for a PPM type vehicle. The Bourne End-Marlow suggested earlier wouldn't be a bad idea- could even be an electric one with cleaper trolley-wire once the GW wires go up.

 

[David Goddard]

I'd have thought Portishead will have too much interworking with freight for a PPM type vehicle. The Bourne End-Marlow suggested earlier wouldn't be a bad idea- could even be an electric one with cleaper trolley-wire once the GW wires go up.

Would need to have First Class on it if serving Marlow, or there will be uproar.

 

[edwin_m]

There is such a thing as a two-car PPM. (Wonder if you could make longer ones than that.)

No, there is such a thing as a website showing an artist's impression of a two-car PPM.

 

[transmanche]

Re-open Gobowen to Oswestry

Reopened Alnwick??? branch

I'd agree with both of these, a PPM (or similar) would be perfect for these lines. A low-cost way to get both lines re-opened.