A response to Beyond HS2 – a plan for a National Rail Strategy

See: http://www.greengauge21.net/publications/beyond-hs2-a-plan-for-a-national-rail-strategy/#more-3362

1. Bedford-Northampton, would link West Midlands/West Coast Main Line south of Rugby with Thameslink/Midland Main Line and East-West Rail Central Section and vice versa. That's potentially Felixstowe-Cambridge-Bedford-Northampton via Brackmills, DIRFT to Rugby and yonder, clearing 35 paths per day into, across and out of London on existing lines. Just 50 miles of new build conventional rail for passenger and freight (Cambridge-Bedford-Northampton) would allow this. Whilst East-West Rail Company deals with the Bedford-Cambridge section, we are desperate for courting support for / backers to see the strategic benefit of a new modern Bedford-Northampton rebuild and would appeal to you to help us via whatever offices you may consider reasonable in the objective interest please as with development threats abounds, especially around Olney, the theatre is diminishing year on year. We're talking £500 million at 2008 sort of prices.

2. A14-Rugby - a HS line for fast passenger and freight alongside the A14 corridor with links with ECML (Huntingdon), Kettering (MML) and Rugby (WCML) - a key market un-tapped. 

3. Heathrow. We want the curve from the Tonbridge-Redhill line to link with the Brighton Main Line into Gatwick (expand, not tunnel) and reopen Guildford-Horsham-Brighton for Brighton ML relief, Brighton-Oxford via Guildford and Reading, Brighton-Heathrow via Guildford and Woking and on the back enables access to Gatwick from the south via Three Bridges. Cheaper than HS, could foster an external M25 oribital freight route as well as extensive passenger operations. Could there be some compromise there? It is vital that any and all rails from the Guildford-Waterloo platform line link into Heathrow subsurface station and go on to link/tunnel also with old Oak Common and the Chiltern Main Line. Otherwise a gap exists and again, we must cater for freight and it's renaissance - start up costs/outlay and nurture more - not necessarily more of the same but regional recycling centres by rail in and out, Piggyback north-south/east-west and much more. We must have small load ability to grow to block load, rather than one size will be the limit of what rail endeavours to provide and serve.

4. Taunton-North Devon, London-Newquay direct commute/Atlantic Coast trajectory, could link with your HS from West Midlands to South West.

5. Woodhead - Hull-Liverpool land bridge.

6. Dumfries-Stranraer for Northern Ireland Brexit or not

7. The Thames Tunnel idea is laudable but you need portal to inland rail links cross country to link to existing lines and inland ports and hubs. So Bedford-Cambridge, A14 paralel railway, Hull-Liverpool via Woodhead (new tunnel + Piggyback spinal routes), March-Spalding for Doncaster-East Anglia (new), maybe a new East Lincs with tunnel under the Humber for new Eastern flank link targeting York/Wensleydale/Carlisle for example. Whilst Thames Tunnel links Chunnel-Kent-East Anglia to US air bases converted to freight hubs, you still need the east-west radial routes for passenger and freight.

8. Great Central Calvert-Leicester/Nuneaton link with link to WCML, for passenger corridor - new commutes to London, Old Oak Common, Heathrow from Leicester. Also feeds to/from East-West Rail so Oxford link. All depends if we can identify a portal to link with EWRL and the Aylesbury line at Calvert - can HS crew assist please in design terms? These cases need working up, but freight could use the corridor and via Knighton-Burton for Derby, Derby-Buxton/Chinley for the North West and bring Brackley/A43/Silverstone orbit, Daventry/Southam and Willoughby areas onto the rail commuting passenger map.

richard.erta@gmail.com

A New Chapter for the Marston Vale Line with Vivarail! by Mr Stephen Sleight

ERTA Newsletter Article – May 2018

A New Chapter for the Marston Vale Line with Vivarail!

As many readers will no doubt be aware, the new West Midlands franchise began on 10^th December 2017 and is due to continue until 2026, with provisions in place for further extension under various criteria.

The company name is West Midlands Trains operating under two brands:

·         London Northwestern Railway (LNR, which includes the Marston Vale services)

·         West Midlands Railway.

The franchise will deliver about £1 billion in investment, with the main Marston Vale benefits being the introduction of Class 230 trains and the introduction of Bank Holiday services in 2018 and Sunday services by May 2021.

Vivarail has purchased a number of 230 ‘D-train’ units formerly operated by London Underground on the District Line.

West Midlands Trains are the first Train Operating Company to place an order; this is for 3 x 2 car units for the Marston Line to replace the current 150s and 153s. Units will be stabled and maintained at the Bletchley Train Maintenance Depot by Vivarail. The units will be completely overhauled with just the bodyshell and bogeys remaining from the original. The new trains will come into service in December 2018.

Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership (MVCRP) has been working closely with London Northwestern Railway over the specification. This includes:

·         Forward facing seating, some around full-sized tables

·         Fully accessible toilet

·         Dedicated cycle & buggy space

·         LED lighting

·         Automatic announcements on arrival at each station, which can be customised for local attractions, such as Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre

·         Passenger Information Display system, which can also be customised for local attractions 

·         Map of local attractions

They will initially diesel powered but there is scope to convert to battery operation in future. Further information is available at http://vivarail.co.uk

Stop Press! Special Services for Bedford River Festival – 14^th & 15^th July 2018

MVCRP is delighted to announce that we have special services for the Bedford River Festival again this year!

Highlights include:

• Late evening ‘Fireworks Flyer’ leaving Bedford at 11:10pm on the Saturday night
• Hourly Sunday service

The timetable will be published shortly.

There have been no late evening or Sunday services on the Marston Vale Line since the last Bedford River Festival in July 2016 so it’s important that these trains are as well patronised as possible. Please do travel if you possibly can and spread the word!

MVCRP hopes to have a stand in the Heritage Village (situated in St. Mary’s Gardens) at the Festival. Please pop in and say hello!

Don’t fancy the River Festival? Why not take the opportunity to use the special Sunday service for other great days out on the Marston Vale Line including:

•          Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre – special Sunday opening for the River Festival

•          Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park – a pleasant walk or cycle ride from Millbrook Station.

•          Bletchley Park – 2 for 1 entry for rail passengers

 

For further information on any aspect of MVCRP please visit www.marstonvalecommunityrail.org.uk or contact Stephen Sleight on 01234 832645 or e-mail stephens@bedsrcc.org.uk.

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