TPE Newcastle to Edinburgh

[Class 170101]

TPE probably doesn't have station access rights for the smaller stations like Cramlington so can't call.

 

[swt_passenger]

TPE probably doesn't have station access rights for the smaller stations like Cramlington so can't call.

That doesn’t mean it can’t ever be changed...

Moderator note: see https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...n-section-of-the-east-coast-main-line.191679/ for speculative discussion

 

[Railperf]

North of Newcastle the ECML is nearly all 2 track, with the odd loop here and there. Not sure what % is 125mph but it is very curvy so a significant amount is actually sub 100mph.

People have spoke of a Morpeth bypass for example to remove one of the most extreme curves. But I think it is only talk rather than a real likelihood of it happening. I think the best we will see for capacity improvement is more / longer loops.

There are lots of short sections of 125mph running, but nothing that either a HST or Class 91 can currently make much advantage of. An Azuma will most likely keep much closer to the speed profile than either of those. But tilt would have been a good idea on the Northern ECML - - raising the lower limits by at least 10mph in places where there is severe curvature such as the 75mph PSR at Grantshouse.

The following link should highlight a Class 91 speed profile from Newcastle to Edinburgh - actual speeds attained.

https://twitter.com/railperf/status/1131523811877314560?s=20

The Morpeth curve does cost a lot of time - when you consider the amount of time sent braking down from 110mph - negotiating the curve - and then accelerating back to 110mph on that stretch.

It is between Berwick and Dunbar that is the real problem, but how many millions will it cost to save just a few minutes of time. And it won't necessarily improve capacity in any way - unless you extended it most of the way to Edinburgh - leaving freight and local services to use the old main line. Subject to demand - and I see plenty of new housing being built - that would allow an increase in local services.

Overall timings of 80 minutes for the 125 miles between Newcastle and Edinburgh is still a respectable average speed of close to 90mph. You would need around two and a half hours to do it by car!