Fine as a terminus, which Bedford will be initially - but how will this platform (and others) be used when EWR runs in two directions at Bedford?There will be no additional platforms. Platform 1A which is a terminus platform for current 2/3 car trains from Bletchley will pass through the station building and out the northern side where a turnback siding exists. This would be attached to the mainline on the northern side. Your basically turning 2 dead end roads into a through road. The station will move closer to Ashburnham road by about 50 feet.
A second through platform for EWR would certainly help operationally, especially if it was useable by Thameslink too, as the existing three Up side platforms are busy. But it would need quite a lot of space, requiring a totally new platform whereas extending Platform 1 only converts a mostly single-sided platform into an island. The bridge at the south end has width for two tracks through the arch currently used by the Platform 1 access, but it's lower than the adjacent arch so might need re-building for double track with electrification clearances (it has to be electrified as it's also the access to the Thameslink stabling sidings).Fine as a terminus, which Bedford will be initially - but how will this platform (and others) be used when EWR runs in two directions at Bedford?
Considering how close EWR is veering off, its about 1.5 mins/2 minutes journey time. Beyond Bromham road bridge rear gardens of homes bank against the track so its just not the bridge. EWR would use P1 which currently does notI think the thing about Bromham Road bridge being a problem was if (as some have mentioned before) terminating Thameslink services were extended north for any reason (i.e. to a new (parkway?) station in North Bedford), then you would have everything on the slows for that short section before EWR veered off.
The entrance into Cambridge is also under public scrutiny as people cannot decide on a southern entrance to Cambridge or a northern one. A northern approach gives more Stansted options in the future, a southern will allow passengers to go direct to Norwich, Ipswich and surrounding areas.
That sounds like the old joke. Why was the station built out of town? Because it had to be near the railway.Route E is fine in principal, but I think EWR have a bit of nerve putting it right next to homes. There are fields galore a mile further north where it won't affect residents at all.
I'd like to know if it's "people can't decide", as in the southern approach is not yet fixed, or whether that broad sweep of route E is now fixed, and subsequent work will just be about further refinement or route selection within that scope.
Or, to put it another way, was the selection of route E as the preferred route in any way "binding", or was it just EWR saying "yeah we think this is the way to go".
Or, to put it another way, what the hell is going on?
I'm taking it that the principle of a southern approach to Cambridge is now established, and a northern approach is officially off the cards (other than a few local people on the southern route who don't want a railway near them).
The remaining question of the southern approach is exactly how it is routed and how it connects into the existing railway
... and who is going to pay for it.
The Government wasn't willing before the pandemic. I can't see that they will be any more enthusiastic now they have more borrowing to pay for. House building is a bet on the growth in the UK economy.
NIMBY protestors might not get a different route to get built, but they could delay it.
...I mean, it's not just nimbys. I personally think a northern approach would be better, but that's not in the corridor so AFAIA, it's off the cards.
No one ever seems to be able to devise what a credible northern alignment might be (and no, you can't just rip up the Busway)
I mean, you can. It might not be the best idea, but tearing it up won't crack the planet in half. The whole point of a bus is that it can run anywhere with a road to change its route as needed. Reinstating a level crossing on Milton Road I suspect is more of an issue, as taking the railway above or below it to avoid the need would make returning to grade by Chesterton "difficult".No one ever seems to be able to devise what a credible northern alignment might be (and no, you can't just rip up the Busway)
If they hasd stuck in open fields a different set of NIMBYS would be upset - aka the 'tree huggers' just look at the trouble with HS2 in the Chilterns.but I think EWR have a bit of nerve putting it right next to homes. There are fields galore a mile further north where it won't affect residents at all.
Not sure you can compare the area of outstanding natural beauty that is the Chilterns with the flat fields of Cambridgeshire.If they hasd stuck in open fields a different set of NIMBYS would be upset - aka the 'tree huggers' just look at the trouble with HS2 in the Chilterns.
Personally no but I bet NIMBYS would.Not sure you can compare the area of outstanding natural beauty that is the Chilterns with the flat fields of Cambridgeshire.
That sort of route would be my favourite of the Northern routes into Cambridge. However, it would be expensive.The most "credible" one I saw was a route that headed NE after leaving Cambourne, went between Northstowe and Impington, then went east and south to join the Fen Line somewhere to the NE of Milton.
I say "credible" only because there was a suggestion of a Northstowe station where the line crossed the busway and there's a lot of new housing going up round there.
Apart from Cambridgeshire is not totally flat. It does have some hills you know ! (Not many I agree, but there are some).Not sure you can compare the area of outstanding natural beauty that is the Chilterns with the flat fields of Cambridgeshire.
Sorry, but the railway was still there and being used, when the science park was first built and opened (1970 according to Wikipedia). The Fen Drayton - Kings Cross Goods Yard sand trains stopped mid to late 80's if I remember correctly.I don't think there is any chance of a 100mph railway line running at street level across Milton Road in the North of Cambridge. There used to be a railway there, but then it went past a farm, rather than a Science Park.
You could put the railway in a tunnel under Milton Road, but that would also need to extend to Cambridge Regional College and the Western entrance to the Science Park.
Apart from Cambridgeshire is not totally flat. It does have some hills you know ! (Not many I agree, but there are some)
Apart from Cambridgeshire is not totally flat. It does have some hills you know ! (Not many I agree, but there are some).
Sorry, but the railway was still there and being used, when the science park was first built and opened (1970 according to Wikipedia). The Fen Drayton - Kings Cross Goods Yard sand trains stopped mid to late 80's if I remember correctly.
I agree, there is no chance of EWR crossing Milton Road though.
... and cross the M11
Also of note is https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Routeing-of-rail-freight-forecasts.pdf This is a 2020 Network Rail planning document basic plan that endeavours to "skate to where the puck is going to be" as they say in Ice Hockey. It identifies a clear and urgent need to get freight trains, intermodal ones in particular, off congested routes such as the southern WCML,ECML and the North London Line where paths are at a premium. Part of this plan is to deliver the (FTN) the Felixstowe to Nuneaton Plan. This neatly now elides with Peterborough's Werrington fly-under to divert freight trains to Doncaster via Lincoln. If you look at pages 15 and 16 "Haven, Thames and The Golden Triangle" you will find a map whereby Network Rail suggest that 50 freight trains a day could usefully be diverted along the EWR. - roughly one train per hour in each direction.
Yeah I don't understand this. Only electric freight occupies the NNL and WCML, and they can only divert diesel freight down EWR, but that freight is already going via a route that avoids the NNL and WCML as far as Nuneaton already.
I guess they're assuming that EWR will be electrified eventually, and also that a north facing chord gets built at Bletchley. And probably a whole load of other assumptions too.
The report is quite clear it's a north curve that would be needed, and @The Planner in post #4,770 mentioned the North Chord has moved into slightly firmer territory.There is a vague single line reference to that in the Network Rail report although whether that would mean an east to north curve at Bletchley or a reversal west of the viaduct (which is not in the current plan) is unclear. I think that DRIFT might have influenced their thinking.- but that is a speculation strictly forbidden on this thread.