adrock1976
Established Member
While having a quick think of how to eliminate as many as possible diesel trains starting/terminating at Birmingham New Street, and as the electrification teams cannot be everywhere at once, one possibility is to extend the Hereford trains to somewhere in East Midlands Region.
As Transport for West Midlands intend to double the frequency from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes throughout the day, and also having been suggestions of running Birmingham - Nottingham trains via the shorter route via Castle Donington (with a reopened station), I thought about running the Hereford trains to Nottingham.
Obviously, I would only support this if Shelwick Junction - Malvern was redoubled, as this single track section knocks everything out if there are serious delays. For example, back in February when there was a reduced service, a Birmingham or London train was held for 22 minutes at Shelwick waiting for the single track section to clear, and yesterday, the 09:50 Birmingham New Street - Hereford was curtailed at Great Malvern as it was almost 30 minutes late, with the 11:39 ex Hereford starting from Great Malvern at 12:10 instead. Although maybe unscientific examples, if a reduced service still incurs serious delays resulting in being held at a diverging route for over 20 minutes and trains not running the full length of route as advertised, it shows how the country has ended up in the terrible state it is in nowadays.
Although I have not made reference to the present day Cardiff - Nottingham via Derby service, I anticipate that to run as a Cardiff - Birmingham Moor Street via Camp Hill when the curves are built, and perhaps a Bristol or Swindon in the opposite half hour maybe?
The section between Burton-on-Trent - Derby, plus Wilnecote station I anticipate that to be served with a new Moor Street - Derby every 30 minutes, which would require proper quad track at least between Landor Street and Water Orton. Alternatively, Moor Street - Burton, with the long awaited second phase of the Ivanhoe Project covering Coalville - Burton - Derby? Derby - Nottingham section to be compensated by doubling the present day Crewe - Nottingham, and a new Nottingham - Manchester via Derby and Dore South Curve so as to maintain the present frequency of that section. Also, Birmingham - Derby would still have the existing InterCity Cross-country every 30 minutes as present.
According to the Sectional Appendix (London North Eastern, Page 489, 13/05/2019), most of the linespeed between Stenson Junction and Sheet Stores Junction is broadly 50mph, with a three-quarter mile section of 40mph. I do not know if it would be simple to increase the linespeed to broadly 75mph throughout, which would bring the Nottingham - Birmingham New Street journey time to almost 60 minutes with calls at Beeston, Castle Donington, Burton-on-Trent, and Tamworth.
I have quickly knocked up a possible timetable to see how it would look like, although it is a rudimentary form. I have shown both the timings with the existing linespeed along the Castle Donington section, and with the linespeed increased to 75mph for comparison. The Hereford - New Street section I have kept the same timings Droitwich - New Street due to the Cross City Line services, and have adjusted the northbound departure to Nottingham from Birmingham by 10 minutes, again due to the Cross City Line on the shared section between New Street and Proof House Junction (I believe the Cross City trains stay on the Derby tracks until the top of the hill before immediately diverging onto Lawley Street Viaduct rather than using the crossovers halfway up the hill immediately coming out of the tunnel?).
Thee was one problem I had identified, which was the xx44 ex Nottingham reaches Sheet Stores at xx57, with the xx32 ex St Pancras - Sheffield passing Sheet Stores at xx56, having already called at East Mids Parkway and Loughborough, and due to call Long Eaton. Although the timings cannot be altered south of Kettering due to Thameslink, perhaps the Loughborough call could be switched into the opposite Sheffield train so as to clear Sheet Stores Junction a few minutes earlier?
Rather than Nottingham, could the Herefords run to Anglia Region, or Nottingham via Castle Donnington a better idea?
See attached file below.
As Transport for West Midlands intend to double the frequency from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes throughout the day, and also having been suggestions of running Birmingham - Nottingham trains via the shorter route via Castle Donington (with a reopened station), I thought about running the Hereford trains to Nottingham.
Obviously, I would only support this if Shelwick Junction - Malvern was redoubled, as this single track section knocks everything out if there are serious delays. For example, back in February when there was a reduced service, a Birmingham or London train was held for 22 minutes at Shelwick waiting for the single track section to clear, and yesterday, the 09:50 Birmingham New Street - Hereford was curtailed at Great Malvern as it was almost 30 minutes late, with the 11:39 ex Hereford starting from Great Malvern at 12:10 instead. Although maybe unscientific examples, if a reduced service still incurs serious delays resulting in being held at a diverging route for over 20 minutes and trains not running the full length of route as advertised, it shows how the country has ended up in the terrible state it is in nowadays.
Although I have not made reference to the present day Cardiff - Nottingham via Derby service, I anticipate that to run as a Cardiff - Birmingham Moor Street via Camp Hill when the curves are built, and perhaps a Bristol or Swindon in the opposite half hour maybe?
The section between Burton-on-Trent - Derby, plus Wilnecote station I anticipate that to be served with a new Moor Street - Derby every 30 minutes, which would require proper quad track at least between Landor Street and Water Orton. Alternatively, Moor Street - Burton, with the long awaited second phase of the Ivanhoe Project covering Coalville - Burton - Derby? Derby - Nottingham section to be compensated by doubling the present day Crewe - Nottingham, and a new Nottingham - Manchester via Derby and Dore South Curve so as to maintain the present frequency of that section. Also, Birmingham - Derby would still have the existing InterCity Cross-country every 30 minutes as present.
According to the Sectional Appendix (London North Eastern, Page 489, 13/05/2019), most of the linespeed between Stenson Junction and Sheet Stores Junction is broadly 50mph, with a three-quarter mile section of 40mph. I do not know if it would be simple to increase the linespeed to broadly 75mph throughout, which would bring the Nottingham - Birmingham New Street journey time to almost 60 minutes with calls at Beeston, Castle Donington, Burton-on-Trent, and Tamworth.
I have quickly knocked up a possible timetable to see how it would look like, although it is a rudimentary form. I have shown both the timings with the existing linespeed along the Castle Donington section, and with the linespeed increased to 75mph for comparison. The Hereford - New Street section I have kept the same timings Droitwich - New Street due to the Cross City Line services, and have adjusted the northbound departure to Nottingham from Birmingham by 10 minutes, again due to the Cross City Line on the shared section between New Street and Proof House Junction (I believe the Cross City trains stay on the Derby tracks until the top of the hill before immediately diverging onto Lawley Street Viaduct rather than using the crossovers halfway up the hill immediately coming out of the tunnel?).
Thee was one problem I had identified, which was the xx44 ex Nottingham reaches Sheet Stores at xx57, with the xx32 ex St Pancras - Sheffield passing Sheet Stores at xx56, having already called at East Mids Parkway and Loughborough, and due to call Long Eaton. Although the timings cannot be altered south of Kettering due to Thameslink, perhaps the Loughborough call could be switched into the opposite Sheffield train so as to clear Sheet Stores Junction a few minutes earlier?
Rather than Nottingham, could the Herefords run to Anglia Region, or Nottingham via Castle Donnington a better idea?
See attached file below.
