The New Age Of The Train?

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

Just as a wider observation, isn't there a certain irony here?

Many disused canals were bought up by railway companies, in the late nineteenth century, so they could run railway tracks along them.

In the late twentieth century, many disused railway tracks were bought up - so tarmac could be layed on them.

And now we have a myriad of campaigns to restore and reopen those canals, and those railway lines - when it's too late??

 

[woody]

What a pity that the 2nd World war scuppered major improvements to todays slow and sinuous so called main line between Plymouth and Exeter with its 55/60mph line speeds between Newton Abbot and Plymouth,which was then planned in the 1930s.A new line was to  be built around the back of Teignmouth and Dawlish through a 2 mile tunnel under the Halden hills emerging just short of Newton Abbot.The land was bought and fenced off prior to construction starting only to be stopped by the start of the 2nd World war(the land was sold off after the War).Also during the 1930s a further new fast line was surveyed and planned with a minimum 1 mile radius alignment from Newton Abbot bypassing Totnes rejoining the existing line near Marley tunnel at the top of Rattery Bank with hopes of a further new line onward from this point to Plymouth at some future date.
 Such schemes now would no doubt be horrendously expensive so making use of closed rail routes where possible would obviously be much more cost effective.Certainly the existing line between Exeter and Plymouth is shouting out for improvements.
 

[smokey]

Definitely not. It goes over Dartmoor, which for obvious reasons would be slower than the flat route via dawlish

During the 1950's the journey times from Exeter St David's to Plymouth North Road where almost the same for both the Southern Route via Okehampton (skirting the North Side of Dartmoor) and the Western Route via Newton Abbot (that Skirts the south side of Dartmoor).
Whilst it took a few minutes longer to go via Okehampton it must be remembered that the southern line was a few miles longer, so average speeds were very similar.

If rebuilt the Old Southern Route could be brought up to a higher standard than before with increased line speeds and curves relaxed.

But the DafT spend that sort of money on Railways, DREAM ON!!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, smokey - but you're starting to lose me here!

The Southern route went to the north of Dartmoor - but the Western route was to the south of Dartmoor?

 

[eightf48544]

Knocking down a Sainsbury's could be considered environmentally friendly less large lorries and food miles.

Turning the A38 back into a railway may be the way to go.

With electrification provided the line is fairly staright gradients don't matter the French LGV^▸ (Large Goods Vehicle in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), or Lignes à Grande Vitesse (high speed rail lines) in France, depending on context) Sud has gradients steeper then Dainton (West of Newton Abbot) with no effect on train performance. Although the 37s shipped over to work construction trains struggled.

[Btline]

Yes, the TGVs^▸ (Train a Grande Vitesse) go so fast, they can just go over hills and down, without tunnels.

[Lee]

Estimates from Chris Turney, a geologist, archaeologist and climatologist at the University of Exeter, back up calls for a rethink on coastal railways (link below.)
http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232510&home=yes&more_nodeId1=232470&contentPK=20536950

[Lee]

Interesting BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) article link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7474951.stm