Network Rail's Western Route Study published for consultation - September 2015

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

The replacement for the RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) has been published - deadline for responses 9 January 2015, although they'll appreciate early responses.

Lead webpage is http://www.networkrail.co.uk/improvements/planning-policies-and-plans/long-term-planning-process/route-studies/

You can download the pdf here - but be warned - it's over 7Mb and 272 pages....

[grahame]

The replacement for the RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) has been published - deadline for responses 9 January 2014, although they'll appreciate early responses.

Are you sure? Network Rail Time Machine required!

[ChrisB]

Thanks, amended!

[Rapidash]

I'm at work at the mo, so no way to look - any interesting bits about the Devon Metro and its infrastructure?

[bradshaw]

Details to be seen on p8,9,28,29,33,94, 203/7/8/10/11, 226/7/8, 232/3

Download pdf and search Devon Metro

[Rapidash]

Cheers for that!

Stone the crows! Increasing capacity on the Torbay branch (increased speeds?) and 2tph PGN - EXM? I will, admittedly , believe it when I see it, but atleast its recognised as an issue!

[John R]

Lots of really interesting stuff, and previous discussions about grade separation at Didcot East and around Reading west appear to be favoured. Also at Ladbroke Grove which I think is new.  Curiously grade separation at Standish is mentioned for the long term, but not at Wootton Basset, and only rather dismissively at Westerleigh.

Also talk of capacity increases at Melksham in the long term, with 1 tph envisaged for the longer term, running through to Salisbury. 

Mention of electrification to Kemble and Charlbury, both of which surprised me (particularly Charlbury).  Also talk of extending the freight loops between Didcot and Swindon to offer a dynamic passing capability. 

Even discussion that in time four tracking between Standish and Cheltenham may be needed. When you think how long it has taken to get four tracking of Filton Bank to be approved, the sudden talk of more further north maybe shows how rapidly the railway is needing to expand.

Interested to see that one idea I have long promoted, that of emu's providing additional capacity in the peak out as far as Swindon appears to have very strong support, as an alternative to adding stops to the fast Bristol services that will be introduced post IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.). (Which it is acknowledged would completely defeat the object of introducing them in the first place.)

[patch38]

Mention of electrification to Kemble and Charlbury, both of which surprised me...

Something I picked up recently from one of the local landowners on the Swindon- Kemble section raised an eyebrow: he had been informed by NR^» (Network Rail - home page) that the line will be closed again at Christmas 2014 to allow one of the overbridges to be replaced (I've no idea why it wasn't done during one of the recent possessions). The NR person who told him (possibly a contractor rather than a NR employee) said that the bridge deck would be raised to allow for future electrification. So it would seem that forward planning is happening. It's surprising as the bridge in question is for pedestrian and farm traffic only and is used very infrequently.

[paul7575]

Interesting hints in there about the future SW equivalent document including a grade separation project at Basingstoke, now that could be quite a complex solution - I'd expect they'd run the two tracks of the Reading branch past the station on the north side, and then take the down side over most of the existing tracks.

Hence big hints about through services across Reading to better connect Basingstoke towards London or Heathrow, as flagged up in a couple of earlier RUSs^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy)...

Also mentions a possible third track through Reading West and grade separation at Southcote Jn...

Paul

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

Extending the electrification back from Wolvercote to Charlbury is the only realistic proposal to get a half hourly service from these stations. Massive housing development is proposed for West Oxon but there are no significant proposed road works to cope with all this extra traffic. The A40 into Oxford from Witney suffers from gross congestion and commuting hours start earlier and earlier. The A40 is congested from Eynsham into Oxford from before 07.00 almost every day and this week it has been stretching back the 12 miles to Witney causing travel times of over an hour. One report this moring was that an express S2 bus service had been stuck so long just outside Witney that the driver has switched off the engine. What will be needed (and I think this is under consideration will be a dedicated Carterton/Witney/Hanborough station bus link bringing many more rail travellers that will need a more frequent train service than at present.

[ChrisB]

But I'm having distinct problems posting a URL FIR IT - can someone not on an iphone oblige me please?

[Red Squirrel]

This do?

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/long-term-planning-process/western-route-study/

[ChrisB]

Yep - thanks!

[paul7575]

The finalised version of the Western Route Study is now online here:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/Publications/long-term-planning/western-route-study/Western-Route-Study-final.pdf

Only scanned it so far, but others might be interested in having a read...

Paul

[ChrisB]

Already posted in the future years thread