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Title: £500m fund to restore Beeching rail cuts Post by: CyclingSid on January 28, 2020, 07:11:34 I am sure this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51272817 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51272817) can be looked at in a multitude of ways, as the comments within it suggest.
I did think £500m wouldn't go far as the railway construction consultant within the piece suggests. Is this a pointer to the Northern trend of transport announcements? Title: Re: £500m fund to restore Beeching rail cuts Post by: grahame on January 28, 2020, 07:43:40 I am sure this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51272817 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51272817) can be looked at in a multitude of ways, as the comments within it suggest. I did think £500m wouldn't go far as the railway construction consultant within the piece suggests. Is this a pointer to the Northern trend of transport announcements? The BBC and informed sources suggest it's going to fund studies and planning ... from The Sun (https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10834146/rail-reopen-500m-transport-boost/) come the suggestion that it ensures complete reopening of the two lines already highlighted: Quote The Fleetwood line in Lancashire and the Ashington-Blyth-Tyne line in Northumberland will see passenger trains return. Meanwhile communities are being invited to pitch other rail restoration proposals. Cash is also being provided for another round of the New Stations Fund — which has already seen ten brand new stations in England and Wales. Department of Transport officials have allocated £20million for new hubs — but have not said how many stations there will be. The half a billion will go towards reversing the cuts to branch lines first proposed by British Rail chief Dr Richard Beeching in 1963. It ended passenger services on around a third of the rail network, closing more than 2,300 stations and up to 5,000 miles of track. The Fleetwood line was shut in 1970, while the Blyth line, in a Red Wall Tory seat, was shut to passengers in 1964 but still carries freight. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he wants local railways restored to their “former glory”. £20 million for new hub stations - "not said how many" says the article. If they're talking significant interchange(s), the answer is "one". Title: Re: £500m fund to restore Beeching rail cuts Post by: ChrisB on January 28, 2020, 08:55:46 At £20 a pop, you'd definitely get more than one! :o ;D
(well, Grahame's post did say £20 when I hit the post button!) Title: Re: £500m fund to restore Beeching rail cuts Post by: Bob_Blakey on January 28, 2020, 09:10:49 Given that Fleetwood is already served by the Blackpool Tramway - although admittedly there are currently no adjacent connections to either of the Blackpool National Rail stations - I can't help but think the DfT could have selected a more meaningful scheme to kick start this process.
If this scheme does proceed one hopes that the reopened line will be fully electrified, the restored Fleetwood station will be properly sited at the previous Queens Terrace location, and something better than a Fleetwood<>Poulton-le-Fylde shuttle service will be provided. Title: Re: £500m fund to restore Beeching rail cuts Post by: grahame on January 28, 2020, 09:12:15 At £20 a pop, you'd definitely get more than one! :o ;D (well, Grahame's post did say £20 when I hit the post button!) Great minds think alike ... I was editing my post to correct that as you wrote. Title: Re: £500m fund to restore Beeching rail cuts Post by: Red Squirrel on January 28, 2020, 09:32:27 £500m gets you:
0.8 Bank Station upgrade or 1 Paddington Crossrail or 0.6 Plymouth to Exeter via Okehampton or 1.7 Borders Railways Title: Re: £500m fund to restore Beeching rail cuts Post by: Red Squirrel on January 28, 2020, 09:35:26 Meanwhile over on twitter, I see Beeching is trending, but hopefully not in the way he did in the 60s!
Also a few people have pointed out that standing in the four foot for a photo op is not a good idea, even if the track does look pretty rusty. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |