Good news for Salopians out there!!! or is it???

nestfilms · Post by **nestfilms** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:43 pm

Having done some research it seems they are only going to double for an extra 1 1/2 miles from park junction to gibbet hill junction, the site of an old passing loop closed and lifted in 1971. apparently the concrete foundation of the old signal box still remain in place.
Also it seems the line from cov to Leamington was never double track all the way, more than at the moment but not all of it.

mattvince · Post by **mattvince** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:22 pm

I don't think so - the A46 overbridge is single-track for certain. What I do know is going ahead is the extension of the double-track section at Kenilworth - scheduled for 2007/2008-ish. That, however, will only really allow for about one more path/hour/direction - which Virgin XC want as it allows them to divert the Manchester-Reading (presently via Solihull) through International, relieving the horrible overcrowding on that route, especially between Coventry and Leamington. And even though there are paths in 2007, I would be very wary of anyone suggesting there would be paths in Dec 2008 - with 3tph VWC, 2tph XC, and 4tph WestMids. And what about the impact on performance, and recovering from performance?

And how in the name of all things Bombardier are they going to get a couple of 170s? The Scottish Executive would throw a hissy-fit if FSR tried to relieve itself of the ex-HT sets, TPE need as many as it can get for Sheffield services, and CrossCountry will want to grab all the ex-Central Trains sets.

These people believe there is a niche in the market - but, as has been asked before, is there a market in the niche? Or is it simply an ORCATS raid?

charlierc · Post by **charlierc** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:39 pm

*COUGH*More competition*COUGH*

This new operator would cause competition in the following markets:
Birmingham - London
Banbury - London

Unless the service is operated by Chiltern Trains.

nestfilms · Post by **nestfilms** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:18 pm

mattvince wrote:I don't think so - the A46 overbridge is single-track for certain. What I do know is going ahead is the extension of the double-track section at Kenilworth -

I'm not sure if we are on cross wires.

Park junction is at quainton road coventry and is been double tracked to gibbet hill junction which is before kenilworth and the A46 a distance of 1.5miles. The passing loop at kenilworth is being left alone and kenilworth is not involved in the double tracking at all. This work is being carried out from august 19th 2006 until setember 3rd 2006 (Actual track laying) ie now. This is all direct from Network rail themselves

250787 · Post by **250787** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:22 pm

I thought it was just double tracking part way from Coventry but I have been speaking to someone and they have been working between Kenilworth and Leamington as well

Cheers

Matt

mattvince · Post by **mattvince** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:34 pm

Nestfilms - apologies, out-of-date information.

nestfilms · Post by **nestfilms** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:46 pm

250787 wrote:I thought it was just double tracking part way from Coventry but I have been speaking to someone and they have been working between Kenilworth and Leamington as well

Cheers

Matt

re signalling has been done on the entire line but as far as i'm aware only that small bit in cov has been double tracked. I'm off up that way on monday i'll stick my head over a bridge and see how far they've got

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:38 pm

charlierc wrote:*COUGH*More competition*COUGH*

This new operator would cause competition in the following markets:
Birmingham - London
Banbury - London

Unless the service is operated by Chiltern Trains.

its the same guy's that operate Hull train's

Renissance or whatever the spelling is and Liang Construction Liang do have some involvement in Chiltern, its been said that the units would be Chiltern unit's.

mattvince says

These people believe there is a niche in the market - but, as has been asked before, is there a market in the niche? Or is it simply an ORCATS raid?

Yes given the statement was in the Local newspaper These are the same guys as Hull Trains anyway so anythings possible. I never believed anything about the Hull services till it started.

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:41 pm

More good news for Salopian's (What a week!) the Donnington Freight line reconstruction has started with the Ceremonial first sod cut. This Freight depot will have the capacity to handle 750,000 tonnes a year and will be operated by Freightliner. Estimated to open August next year at the cost of between 24 and 44 million.

mattvince · Post by **mattvince** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:31 pm

But Hull (population 249,100) is not the same as Shrewsbury (pop. 96,000). I'm not convinced there is a market without raiding ORCATS.

What would scupper the entire open-access business would be if access to ORCATS was provisional on paying the fixed element of the Track Access Charge. Since companies like Hull Trains were never part of British Rail prior to the 1993 Railways Act, then the justification for them being part of 'National Rail' (and thus ORCATS) is very thin. I have no beef with them running their own fares system, but that should be their only source of fares revenue.

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:41 pm

True!! ill be happt if it happens i think 5 trains a day is a little over opimistic 4 returns a day would be the max, in my book atleast. as for capacity issue's between Coventry and Leamington Spa.

I dont think West midlands would want anything of that line. Central trains or there centro counterparts dont use the route anyway. And XC putting the manchester's back on the route is doubtful till beyond 2008 after the kenilworth loops extended. atleast the Wrexham - london service's have a decent set of paths till then.

Capacity on the Cross City Walsall line wont be much of a problem with the suspension of the Birmingham - Stafford via Rugeley service's.

mattvince · Post by **mattvince** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:30 am

salopiangrowler wrote:True!! ill be happt if it happens i think 5 trains a day is a little over opimistic 4 returns a day would be the max, in my book atleast. as for capacity issue's between Coventry and Leamington Spa.

I dont think West midlands would want anything of that line. Central trains or there centro counterparts dont use the route anyway. And XC putting the manchester's back on the route is doubtful till beyond 2008 after the kenilworth loops extended. atleast the Wrexham - london service's have a decent set of paths till then.

Capacity on the Cross City Walsall line wont be much of a problem with the suspension of the Birmingham - Stafford via Rugeley service's.

Perhaps - but what of Freight? And what if XC do want to send some peak-hour trains via Coventry - in my book the 1633 and/or 1733 Readings need sending via Cov to relieve the 1703 Bournmouth. If WSMR want to be on that line when the XCs are there, then it could result in a nasty fracas involving the ORR.

Walsall: The Bhm-Stafford service is NOT being suspended - there are to be no reductions in frequency. All that is happening is the service is to be turned around at Rugeley TV, connecting into the Trent Valley Locals.

And if the service is to end up getting kicked off the network in 2008 - as it will be, I seriously doubt that WMSR could stump up the bill for improving capacity to accomodate their trains - then what's the point of starting up in the first place?