Sheffield Supertram line (double track) from City Centre to Meadowhall Interchange runs for a distance alongside the freight only Woodburn Junction to Rotherham Central line.  Network Rail are to look at putting in a connection between the 2 lines (perhaps between Arena and Carbrook tramstops), then they would need to electrify the freight line which runs on the south side of the valley from adjacent to Meadowhall South tram stop to Rotherham Central station. Just short of Rotherham Central (i.e. west of station) the single line connection (Holmes Chord) from the main Sheffield to Doncaster line (at Holmes junction) trails into the freight line, indeed the double track freight and single track passenger lines run parallel for perhaps half a mile. This single track connection restricts the number of passenger trains into Rotherham Central to about 3 trains per hour each way (i.e. total 6 movements) - 2 Sheffield - Doncaster stopper and 1 Sheffield - Leeds via Wakefield Westgate stopper.

Therefore by running TramTrain on this Sheffield City Centre - Meadowhall Shopping Centre - Rotherham Central route  the frequency of service can be greatly improved and still allow connection with National Rail services at Rotherham Central. I imagine that either a low level platform extension or perhaps a bay with low platform will need to be built at Rotherham, but I guess this will form part of Network Rail's investigation, as any possible intermediate tram stops might.  I am told that the Sheffield - Meadowhall - Barnsley - Penistone - Huddersfield Tram Train scheme is now Phase 2 and is expected to go ahead. Personally I doubt that it will be during the current franchise period for Northern Rail but who knows the next government may see it as priority. The Huddersfield scheme was a very ambitious experiment as it involved trams on 3 types of railway, each with its own regulations and legal requirements: Sheffield / Meadowhall is high speed mixed railway (TENs is it?), whilst Meadowhall to Barnsley is mostly DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) with rare freights, and onto Huddersfield is a stand alone line with only DMUs which could have been operated on a form of drive on sight perhaps with less rigourous signalling. Finding anyone to supply 5 diesel trams was, according to railway press, difficult, whereas electric trams are easier to source.

Hope this helps relate what is proposed to other lines, like Portishead, or even some branches where diesel trams would be the only choice.

It seems that HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) is more likely to have new stations in London, Birmingham and perhaps Manchester.  It certainly would be very difficult to accommodate High Speed Trains in New Street for example. Probably take as long to travel from London to Proof House junction as it will getting through the tunnel from Proof House into a platform. 

I am inclined to the view that building cut-off high speed lines might result in less fast journeys but benefit more places. A HS^▸ (High Speed (short for HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) High Speed Services)) line parallel to the East Coast line which had short spurs to, say, Nottingham, Sheffield, but passed through, say, Doncaster before going to Leeds would enable faster services to many East Midland, South and West Yorkshire destinations as well as speeding up journeys between London and Newcastle and Edinburgh.  A similar line parallel with WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) and spurs towards Brum, Manchester, Liverpool, Preston (not forgetting towards North Wales) would free up space on the existing lines, speed up long distance trains, serve existing main line stations thus allowing good connections with other services to be maintained.

Has anyone stated how many passengers are carried by air between London and Manchester and Leeds compared with the current number of rail passengers. There are no flights from Yorkshire to Heathrow for example (according to press reports). High Speed lines ought to be to increase the attractiveness of rail compared with all other modes, not just air, which is likely to become even more expensive than rail!

RPIs^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) on NX East Coast now wear a hi-viz bomber jacket with a back reflective panel in blue bearing words National Express Revenue Protection Team. Makes them look like police!! Still you can see who they are, though I have never been checked by them.  As Lord Adonis found ticket inspection on NX EC is sporadic to say the least, with an apparent reliance on ticket barriers at stations like Leeds, and Doncaster (though only part time here - mostly peaks). Doncaster - York 22 minutes, can almost guarantee check on XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) but very rare on NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast).

Speaking of interesting routing, on Friday last when NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) morning trains were delayed by an overhead problem one of the train despatchers was asked to solve the problem of a delayed passenger traveling from EC main line to I. O. M via Heysham. Clearly he had missed his connection at Leeds to Heysham Port. When I looked on National Rail's iPhone journey planner it offered the next service Doncaster to Heysham Port as via Manchester to Liverpool, boat to Douglas and boat Douglas to Heysham Port. The boat, of course, arrives Heysham slightly earlier the the only daily train! Now that would be a good trip on a Doncaster to Heysham single. 

Apologies - Devon Metro beat me to it!
See "Across the West"
brompton rail.

from Staffordshire News
 [Warning of rail chaos in Midlands as Cross Country train staff strike
Jul 28 2009
Train services through the West Midlands face disruption after workers at Arriva Cross Country decided to stage a month of industrial action in a row over pay and working conditions.

Industrial action on the route, which runs through Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Nuneaton and Stoke-on-Trent, will include a ban on overtime and refusing to pick up litter from trains.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union said the action will start next Monday and continue until September 2 following a 4-1 vote in favour of a campaign short of a strike.

The union claimed that industrial relations had broken down at the company, which runs services across England and into Wales and Scotland.

Leeds - York fill in electrification would be useful for diverting NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) electric  when the direct route Doncaster to York is blocked during engineering work, as NXEC have never hired in diesel drags and often prefer buses to fill the gap with the occasional HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to run through via Leeds. Their drivers are not signed by any other route (except Leeds / Hambleton).  However given more rolling stock Aire Valley electrics could be extended to Micklefield and York.

More useful would be Midland MainLine first from Bedford to Sheffield, Doncaster and South Kirkby Junction (on Doncaster / Leeds line), then Leeds - York followed by either XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Bristol - Derby or (and!) Trans Pennine from Guide Bridge to Leeds would enable use of electric rolling stock and freeing up of diesels for those places unlikely to be electrified this side of the apocalypse!

Not sure Hull Trains would find a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) that useful. Do they have drivers and crewe trained on HSTs, previously HT^▸ (Hull Trains) have operated 170s, 222s and now 180s. And where would HSTs be maintained? The 222s and now the 180s go to Crofton near Wakefield where XCs^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Voyagers are maintained but XCs HSTs go to Neville Hill at Leeds. Would seem to be a lot of effort / new contacts just to borrow one HST. Hopefully HTs 180s will improve their availability.

Having been a frequent guest to your pages for some time I thought it time I joined. First heard about FGWCS from a colleague a year or so ago when I worked for Sustrans on rail related matters (Station Travel Plans via ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) / DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) Steering group). Now retired am part of Voluntary Secretariat to Northern Rail's Cycle Users Forum.  . Brompton Rail.