Batman
Member
Ok, since one has been done for Greater Manchester, lets see what suggestion we come up with for road, rail and light rail improvements in the West Midlands Metropolitan area as well as wider region. Be as realistic or as imaginative as you like.
To avaoid confusion, it might be worth posting whether or not your improvements are pre or post HS2.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Post HS2,I would start with a timetable re cast on the Birmingham - Coventry line.
Both cross country services to Reading per hour would run via Coventry and would stop at a new station at Kenilworth. The line would be double tracked between Leamington and Kenilworth.
There will be 2tph calling at all stations between Birmingham New Street and Coventry with 1tph at Adderley Park. These trains will start at Aldridge giveing the Walsall area a direct service to the airport.
There will be a 2tph semi fast service from New Street to Euston calling at Marston Green, Birmingham International, Tile Hill, Coventry, Rugby, Northampton, Wolverton, Milton Keynes Central, Bletchley, Leighton Buzzard, Berkhampstead (1tph), Hemel Hempstead (1tph), Watford Junction and London Euston.
There will be 2tph from Wolverhampton to Euston calling at Sandwell and Dudley (1tph), Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Coventry, Rugby (1tph), Milton Keynes Central, Watford Junction (1tph) and London Euston.
The cross city line will be extended to the south with 3tph to Redditch (requiring a passing loop at Alverchurch) and 3tph to Bromsgrove with electrification, station redevelopment with 1 or 2 bay paltforms and platform extensions on the mainline.
To the north, there will be full redevelopment of Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks and Lichfield City stations with 6tph running to Lichfield Trent Valley (requiring a second paltform and cross over). There would sill be 2tph on the cross city line calling at Duddeston and all station north of Aston would get 6tph except Shenstone and Buttlers Lane which would get 4tph. The bay paltform at Four Oaks would be demoleshed as part of the re-development and the land sold for housing.
All trains on the cross city line will be fromed of 6 coaches.
On the Walsall/Chase line, a fourth platform will be constructed at Walsall and the line four tracked to Ryecroft junction. The line from Walsall to Aldrdige will be electrified and a new station built at Aldrdige with two non electrified through platfroms and an electrified west facing bay platform. There will be a 2tph all stations stopping service from Aldrdige to Birmingham New Street, extending onto Coventry.
The Chase Line will be elctrified with all station being fully re-built north of Walsall. All platforms will be of four car length with ticket offices at Cannock and Hednesford. A 2tph week day off peak service will be reintroduced with stops at Bloxwich, Bloxwich North and Landywood.
The new Birmingham Curzon Street station will have additional platforms for local trains. from Curzon street, there will be 2tph to Tamworth calling at Fort Parkway, Castle Bromwich, Water Orton, Kingsbury, Winecote and Tamworth. There will be improvement to facilites at Winecote and Water Orton, a re-modelling of the Water Orton area with a third platform and a cross over and south facing bay platform at Tamworth. The line will also be four tracked between Water Orton and Landor Street with the Birmingham - Leicester service only calling at Water Orton in the peaks.
Another 2 tph will run from Curzon Street to Wolverhampton via Walsall. These trains will call at Fort Parkway, Castle Bromwich, Walmley, Maney Hill, Sutton Town, Streetly, Aldridge (hence the trough platforms), Walsall, Pleck, Darlaston James Bridge, Willenhall and Wolverhampton. Will require a new bay platform at Wolvehampton.
The Manchester - Stoke stopping service will be extended to Birmingham New Street calling at Stone, Stafford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street. This service could possibly form one of the 2tp semi fast New Street - Euston services depending on timings at Euston.
There will be a new station at Brinsford Parkway served by the half hourly Birmingham - Liverpool service.
There will be at least one extra train in each peak between Birmingham and Shrewsbury calling at all station between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.
The South Staffordshire line will be re-oppened between Stourbridge and Walsall and will be fully double track. This will be the principle freight route between the South West and North East. In conjunction with the Sutton Park line, it will help take some freight trains off the Lickey Incline and Camp Hill Line. This will also require the Stourbridge - Worcester line to be re-signaled and the Worcester area to be re-modeled.
The Boardesley cord will be built as well as an extra bay platfrom at Moor Street. There will be a 4tph service from Moor Street to Kings Norton calling at Moseley, King's Heath, Cartland Road and King's Norton. King's Norton station will need to be remodeled with the island platform being brought back into use.
All platforms on the Snow Hill lines should be able to accommodate 6 car trains. ALthough I don't propose any timetable changeso on the Snow Hill lines, some peak time trains need to be extended and extra stop at Lye, Old Hill and Langley Green are needed in both peaks. There will also be an hourly service at Hartlebury throughout the day.
There will be a half hourly service between Great Malvern and New Street in the off peak. All Birmingham - Worcester trains (incuding those starting/terminating at Malvern and Hereford will call at Bromsgrove, but not at University. Passengers will be able to conect with Cross City line services at Bromsgorve.
The line will be double tracked between Ledbury and Hereford with a small depot built at Hereford so that the first train to Birmingham in the morning can run an hour earlier and the last train from Birmingham in the evening can run and hour later.
The hourly Nottingham - Cardiff service will skip the stop at University and make extra stops every hour at Bromsgrove and Ashchurch for Tewksbury.
In the north of the region, thee last train in each direction between Stoke and Derby will run two hours later than at present.
To avaoid confusion, it might be worth posting whether or not your improvements are pre or post HS2.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Post HS2,I would start with a timetable re cast on the Birmingham - Coventry line.
Both cross country services to Reading per hour would run via Coventry and would stop at a new station at Kenilworth. The line would be double tracked between Leamington and Kenilworth.
There will be 2tph calling at all stations between Birmingham New Street and Coventry with 1tph at Adderley Park. These trains will start at Aldridge giveing the Walsall area a direct service to the airport.
There will be a 2tph semi fast service from New Street to Euston calling at Marston Green, Birmingham International, Tile Hill, Coventry, Rugby, Northampton, Wolverton, Milton Keynes Central, Bletchley, Leighton Buzzard, Berkhampstead (1tph), Hemel Hempstead (1tph), Watford Junction and London Euston.
There will be 2tph from Wolverhampton to Euston calling at Sandwell and Dudley (1tph), Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Coventry, Rugby (1tph), Milton Keynes Central, Watford Junction (1tph) and London Euston.
The cross city line will be extended to the south with 3tph to Redditch (requiring a passing loop at Alverchurch) and 3tph to Bromsgrove with electrification, station redevelopment with 1 or 2 bay paltforms and platform extensions on the mainline.
To the north, there will be full redevelopment of Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks and Lichfield City stations with 6tph running to Lichfield Trent Valley (requiring a second paltform and cross over). There would sill be 2tph on the cross city line calling at Duddeston and all station north of Aston would get 6tph except Shenstone and Buttlers Lane which would get 4tph. The bay paltform at Four Oaks would be demoleshed as part of the re-development and the land sold for housing.
All trains on the cross city line will be fromed of 6 coaches.
On the Walsall/Chase line, a fourth platform will be constructed at Walsall and the line four tracked to Ryecroft junction. The line from Walsall to Aldrdige will be electrified and a new station built at Aldrdige with two non electrified through platfroms and an electrified west facing bay platform. There will be a 2tph all stations stopping service from Aldrdige to Birmingham New Street, extending onto Coventry.
The Chase Line will be elctrified with all station being fully re-built north of Walsall. All platforms will be of four car length with ticket offices at Cannock and Hednesford. A 2tph week day off peak service will be reintroduced with stops at Bloxwich, Bloxwich North and Landywood.
The new Birmingham Curzon Street station will have additional platforms for local trains. from Curzon street, there will be 2tph to Tamworth calling at Fort Parkway, Castle Bromwich, Water Orton, Kingsbury, Winecote and Tamworth. There will be improvement to facilites at Winecote and Water Orton, a re-modelling of the Water Orton area with a third platform and a cross over and south facing bay platform at Tamworth. The line will also be four tracked between Water Orton and Landor Street with the Birmingham - Leicester service only calling at Water Orton in the peaks.
Another 2 tph will run from Curzon Street to Wolverhampton via Walsall. These trains will call at Fort Parkway, Castle Bromwich, Walmley, Maney Hill, Sutton Town, Streetly, Aldridge (hence the trough platforms), Walsall, Pleck, Darlaston James Bridge, Willenhall and Wolverhampton. Will require a new bay platform at Wolvehampton.
The Manchester - Stoke stopping service will be extended to Birmingham New Street calling at Stone, Stafford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street. This service could possibly form one of the 2tp semi fast New Street - Euston services depending on timings at Euston.
There will be a new station at Brinsford Parkway served by the half hourly Birmingham - Liverpool service.
There will be at least one extra train in each peak between Birmingham and Shrewsbury calling at all station between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.
The South Staffordshire line will be re-oppened between Stourbridge and Walsall and will be fully double track. This will be the principle freight route between the South West and North East. In conjunction with the Sutton Park line, it will help take some freight trains off the Lickey Incline and Camp Hill Line. This will also require the Stourbridge - Worcester line to be re-signaled and the Worcester area to be re-modeled.
The Boardesley cord will be built as well as an extra bay platfrom at Moor Street. There will be a 4tph service from Moor Street to Kings Norton calling at Moseley, King's Heath, Cartland Road and King's Norton. King's Norton station will need to be remodeled with the island platform being brought back into use.
All platforms on the Snow Hill lines should be able to accommodate 6 car trains. ALthough I don't propose any timetable changeso on the Snow Hill lines, some peak time trains need to be extended and extra stop at Lye, Old Hill and Langley Green are needed in both peaks. There will also be an hourly service at Hartlebury throughout the day.
There will be a half hourly service between Great Malvern and New Street in the off peak. All Birmingham - Worcester trains (incuding those starting/terminating at Malvern and Hereford will call at Bromsgrove, but not at University. Passengers will be able to conect with Cross City line services at Bromsgorve.
The line will be double tracked between Ledbury and Hereford with a small depot built at Hereford so that the first train to Birmingham in the morning can run an hour earlier and the last train from Birmingham in the evening can run and hour later.
The hourly Nottingham - Cardiff service will skip the stop at University and make extra stops every hour at Bromsgrove and Ashchurch for Tewksbury.
In the north of the region, thee last train in each direction between Stoke and Derby will run two hours later than at present.
