flitwickbeds
Member
- Joined
- 19 Apr 2017
- Messages
- 529
If you had carte blanche with the area around Kempston Hardwick/Wixams and with the EWR project in the back of your mind, what would you do and why?
I see two options (other than the status quo, which will probably involve shuttle buses from Bedford/Flitwick to the park)
1
a) Build Wixams as planned, with all the limited access/services/flexibility that entails. AIUI there is only a matter of weeks left to secure s106 payments. Without that, the project is dead, and it's too late to replan anything now.
b) Build a new piece of track connecting the Midland Main Line and the Marston Vale Line, on land between Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick village. Curves both north and south onto both lines.
c) On the site of Kempston Hardwick Station, build a new terminating platform for 8 or even 12 car Thameslink trains. Rename this station Universal Studios Park.
d) Reduce Bedford Thameslink services from 4tph to 3tph, so every 20 minutes.
e) Introduce a 1tph Thameslink train calling (London core) - St Pancras - St Albans - Luton Parkway or Luton - Universal Studios Park and reverse
f) Introduce a 1tph Bedford to Universal Studios Park shuttle on the alternative half-hour
2
a) Cancel the current Wixams station and accept the s106 money is lost.
b) Make (more) s106 money a condition on Universal of building the park to do Wixams properly - 4 platforms, which means no service limitations.
c) Build a walkway from Wixams across the road straight into the park
d) Build a new track from just north of Broadmead Road on the Marston Vale Line connecting to both northbound and southbound junctions off the Midland Main Line
d) Close Kempston Hardwick and Bedford St Johns stations entirely as well as the track between Stewartby and Bedford, and instead route EWR trains through the new Wixams station and into Bedford on the existing (perhaps 6 tracked) Midland Main Line.
Thoughts?
I see two options (other than the status quo, which will probably involve shuttle buses from Bedford/Flitwick to the park)
1
a) Build Wixams as planned, with all the limited access/services/flexibility that entails. AIUI there is only a matter of weeks left to secure s106 payments. Without that, the project is dead, and it's too late to replan anything now.
b) Build a new piece of track connecting the Midland Main Line and the Marston Vale Line, on land between Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick village. Curves both north and south onto both lines.
c) On the site of Kempston Hardwick Station, build a new terminating platform for 8 or even 12 car Thameslink trains. Rename this station Universal Studios Park.
d) Reduce Bedford Thameslink services from 4tph to 3tph, so every 20 minutes.
e) Introduce a 1tph Thameslink train calling (London core) - St Pancras - St Albans - Luton Parkway or Luton - Universal Studios Park and reverse
f) Introduce a 1tph Bedford to Universal Studios Park shuttle on the alternative half-hour
2
a) Cancel the current Wixams station and accept the s106 money is lost.
b) Make (more) s106 money a condition on Universal of building the park to do Wixams properly - 4 platforms, which means no service limitations.
c) Build a walkway from Wixams across the road straight into the park
d) Build a new track from just north of Broadmead Road on the Marston Vale Line connecting to both northbound and southbound junctions off the Midland Main Line
d) Close Kempston Hardwick and Bedford St Johns stations entirely as well as the track between Stewartby and Bedford, and instead route EWR trains through the new Wixams station and into Bedford on the existing (perhaps 6 tracked) Midland Main Line.
Thoughts?