Network Rail plans for CP5

[whole diary]

[northwesterntrains]

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/imagelibrary/downloadMedia.ashx?MediaDetailsID=5067

Plans include:
* Electrification of Valley Lines, North TransPennine Express (exc. Scarborough), Gospel Oak line and Manchester-Cardiff to replace Pacers on Valley Lines and to release DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) to replace Pacers from other routes.
* Truncation of South West-Manchester services at Birmingham, together with new order of electric units for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) for better utilisation of OHE^▸ (Over-Head Electrification) and to allow Voyagers to strengthen other XC services.
* Replacing 3rd rail with OHE in South East.
* Possible MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about) electrification.

Plans dependant on government funding at this stage.

[inspector_blakey]

For anyone else who has trouble downloading/reading the file from that link, it's a pdf.

[anthony215]

Manchester - Cardiff,  nothing wrong with the class 175's although i suppose a emu could reduce journey times.

That said what will happen to the sevrices which run from West wales?

Perhaps the 2 carriage class 175's could be used  to boost services elsewhere on the ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) network, perhaps  if there are enough units & paths available an express service from West Wales to Cardiff.

Those class 172's from london overground if they are displaced by electrification would be very welcome in west wales as long as they are fitted with a toilet

[ChrisB]

Truncation of SW-Manchester to just Brum-Manc?....

Oh the hoardes of holidaymakers'll love changing in Brum!

[anthony215]

Perhaps a Cardiff/Swansea - Manchester  service if the wires reach Swansea.

[northwesterntrains]

Perhaps the 2 carriage class 175's could be used  to boost services elsewhere on the ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) network, perhaps  if there are enough units & paths available an express service from West Wales to Cardiff.

It seems to suggest that ATW would lose some of their units to Northern, who would then use them to replace Pacers.  The plan certainly seems to be ordering new electric units to replace diesel units and cascade them to replace Pacers opposed to ordering new diesels as Pacer replacement.  Could Holyhead-Cardiff become exclusively 175s if they were no longer required on Manchester-South Wales?

The draft electrification RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) a while back suggested a Manchester to Swansea EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) service, with Milford Haven and Carmarthen losing direct Manchester services - possibly gaining direct Holyhead services instead.

Those class 172's from london overground if they are displaced by electrification would be very welcome in west wales as long as they are fitted with a toilet

I imagine they would go to LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) who would then release their remaining 150s unless another 172 order is placed.

[northwesterntrains]

Truncation of SW-Manchester to just Brum-Manc?....

Oh the hoardes of holidaymakers'll love changing in Brum!

Maybe they should divert XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services between Devon and Birmingham via Hereford to give a more direct option between Manchester and Devon, albeit with a change.

[inspector_blakey]

Perhaps the 2 carriage class 175's could be used  to boost services elsewhere on the ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) network, perhaps  if there are enough units & paths available an express service from West Wales to Cardiff.

I hadn't fully appreciated this until fairly recently, but capacity between Swansea and Carmarthen is actually quite restrained by two factors: firstly there's the single-line stretch through Gowerton, and second is the single-lead junction north of Swansea station that puts services arriving from the west into conflict with departing trains.

[anthony215]

I am hoping that the go ahead is given sooon to double track through Gowerton and remodel the junction at Swansea

[JayMac]

Truncation of SW-Manchester to just Brum-Manc?....

Oh the hoardes of holidaymakers'll love changing in Brum!

Wouldn't that truncation be the other way round? Brum-Manc to get new electric stock thus current SW-Manc services ending at Birmingham. Still means a change for holidaymakers, but I suspect summer through services would be maintained.

[paul7575]

... and of course the Bournemouth - Manchester service through Reading would presumably suffer the same fate?  Lots of opportunities to strengthen through XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services to the north east then?

Paul

[John R]

I can't find any reference to Manchester - Cardiff, so I'm not sure where this suggestion comes from? It seems rather far fetched as I would have thought a lot of lines would have been above it in the pecking order given the relatively low intensity of service.


The IIP identifies investment choices in CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) to extend the network electrification
programme in England and Wales to deliver (or begin to deliver) electrification of:
 the Midland Main Line from Bedford to Corby, Nottingham, and Sheffield via
Derby;
 Gospel Oak to Barking and the associated Thameside Branch and Ripple
Lane sidings;
 the North Trans-Pennine route via Diggle (between Guide Bridge and Leeds,
and between Leeds and Colton Junction connecting to the East Coast Main
Line for York); and
 the Cardiff Valley lines.


and also

The case for these schemes is discussed in Chapter 9. Given the strength of the
case for electrification, and increasing certainty of the unit costs of delivery from the
early schemes, it is anticipated that further schemes identified within the Network
RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy): Electrification Strategy as candidate schemes will be developed as part of a
rolling programme. This may include schemes such as electrification of Reading to
Basingstoke, Walsall to Rugeley or the Chiltern Main Line. It is anticipated that in
CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) this may include consideration of key routes from the ports of Felixstowe and
Southampton which would make electric traction a more attractive option to freight
operators and key schemes to promote electric traction of cross country services and
local passenger services in the West Midlands.

[northwesterntrains]

I can't find any reference to Manchester - Cardiff, so I'm not sure where this suggestion comes from? It seems rather far fetched as I would have thought a lot of lines would have been above it in the pecking order given the relatively low intensity of service.

Yeah I read it on another forum and posted on here before I'd looked through the whole document and I think someone may have misinterpreted the bit about the urban growth additional diesel vehicles for TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express), XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) and Manchester-Chester and Manchester-Cardiff that may be changed to additional electric vehicles depending on electrification programs.  The additional electrification programs refers to TPE not the whole lot.

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

It seems to be more of a discussion document for Control Period 5 and beyond.

Interestingly the Cotswold Lines are mentioned together with the rather more high profile lines in a paragraph about better journey times. This reads as follows:
 
Better journey times
It is proposed that a fund is allocated to deliver well targeted improvements in rail
journey times and connectivity in England and Wales during CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019). Programme
development is still in the early stages, and a fund approach is deemed the most
appropriate way to deliver the outcomes. Scheme selection could prioritise rail
connectivity between urban areas where some of the most productive parts of the
economy are located, or alternatively, choices could be influenced by exploiting
relatively low cost opportunities arising within CP5. A few candidate schemes have
already been identified including opportunities on the Midland Main Line, Maidstone
East line, Hastings line, Portsmouth line, West of England line, the North and South
Cotswolds lines, and on the line between London Liverpool Street and Norwich.
However of interest around here is that it talks of electrification of the Welsh Valleys, The Chiltern Line and the conversion of the south east of England third rail DC^▸ (Direct Current) electrified lines to AC overhead electrified lines as elsewhere in Britain.

The recent new pedestrian bridges at Charlbury and Honeybourne have received a good deal of criticism over their size and perceived over-engineering but it seems that there will be more of the same across the network as the document suggests that ^step free access^ programme should be continued.

The Western Access to Heathrow Airport also has mention several times.

There is however surprisingly little reference to HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)).

[paul7575]

There is however surprisingly little reference to HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)).

I expect that's because it will probably be funded outside the SOFA/HLOS^▸ (High Level Output Specification) system, it isn't really a Network Rail project, and even where there'll be an interface with NR^» (Network Rail - home page) it will probably not be happening until well into CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024)...

Paul