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Title: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on August 19, 2021, 15:07:44 This document is worth a read! Put the kettle on first though. There's quite a lot of interesting proposals for increasing capacity at Gloucester, Cheltenham and various other places, but my jaw dropped when I read this:
Quote Westerleigh Junction The recommended TSS introduces three additional services per hour (the two additional Bristol to Gloucester services and the MRH Bristol service) through Westerleigh Junction – which is already a capacity and performance constraint for services in this corridor and on the GWML to London and South Wales. The additional MRH service may not require intervention, but neither additional Bristol to Gloucester service can be accommodated without intervention, which would be major, complex, and costly at this location. However, any intervention would have much wider benefits (and may also be triggered by off-corridor service enhancements) and may be required to deliver acceptable performance robustness for any more trains through the junction. One potential solution would be to introduce four-tracking west of Westerleigh Junction to allow parallel departures between services departing towards Yate and Hullavington. Again, no feasibility work has been undertaken on this option and the complexity is understood. I feel a bit light-headed... time for another cup of tea, I think. https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2108166/bristol-to-birmingham-corridor-strategic-study-final-report-v10.pdf Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Bmblbzzz on August 19, 2021, 16:21:21 Hang on:
Parkway to Westerleigh jnctn four-tracking with stations on the reliefs at Winterbourne and Coalpit Heath. TonyN can revert to his previous username! Hmm. That would involve demolishing dozens of houses, and widening deep cuttings, high embankments and viaducts. It might work out cheaper to build a new alignment altogether. Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: TonyN on August 19, 2021, 17:26:28 Quote TonyN can revert to his previous username! I had better point out that I think you mean Tony K. Thanks to Red Squirrel for spotting the document makes Interesting reading for me regarding Improvments to services at Worcestershire parkway. As for Bristol Parkway to Westerleigh they seem to have fogotten that the Midland did provide an alternative until someone closed it. Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on August 19, 2021, 17:40:16 Hang on: Parkway to Westerleigh jnctn four-tracking with stations on the reliefs at Winterbourne and Coalpit Heath. TonyN can revert to his previous username! Hmm. That would involve demolishing dozens of houses, and widening deep cuttings, high embankments and viaducts. It might work out cheaper to build a new alignment altogether. I know, I know! But to be fair, the report does say major, complex, and costly... Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on August 19, 2021, 19:19:20 As an aside, the four-tracking of Filton Bank cost £130 million - but they had a four-track alignment to re-use. Parkway to Westerleigh could well cost three times as much; perhaps as much as £428 million. If only there was that kind of money available (https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/local-news/new-m4-junction-18-built-2296969) for a transport scheme in this area!
Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Bmblbzzz on August 19, 2021, 20:15:19 Quote TonyN can revert to his previous username! I had better point out that I think you mean Tony K. And if needed also to TonyL and TonyM! Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Bmblbzzz on August 19, 2021, 20:17:57 As an aside, the four-tracking of Filton Bank cost £130 million - but they had a four-track alignment to re-use. Parkway to Westerleigh could well cost three times as much; perhaps as much as £428 million. If only there was that kind of money available (https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/local-news/new-m4-junction-18-built-2296969) for a transport scheme in this area! Which, to be fair, it was decided there wasn't. But, as you say, major, complex and costly – I think if I were king of Weca and had £428 million to spend on a major transport project, this probably would not be it. But I'd be open to persuasion.Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: ellendune on August 19, 2021, 22:35:00 How much of the problem would be solved by grade separation at Westerleigh?
Couldn't the Midland line under the GW be used with a chord built to link it to the GW towards Parkway? Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on August 20, 2021, 00:02:09 How much of the problem would be solved by grade separation at Westerleigh? If I've understood correctly, then not enough. I think the path analysis in the document linked below is saying that you can't quite get 2tph from Bristol to Gloucester - and the newer study wants 4tph: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/1518302/metrowest-phase-2-gloucester-extensions-report-v17-final.pdf Couldn't the Midland line under the GW be used with a chord built to link it to the GW towards Parkway? I presume they will look into options like this if they get funding for a proper study. Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: ChrisB on August 20, 2021, 15:40:02 The strategic report referenced in the originalk report addresses this problem - well worth reading all of it!
Quote Gloucester to Westerleigh Junction In order to accommodate the additional Bristol to Gloucester stopping services an opportunity for inter-regional passenger trains to pass local passenger trains between Gloucester and Westerleigh Junction p is required. This entails provision of major infrastructure in the form of dynamic passing loops. Two potential options have been identified: 1. Upside loop near Yate and a Down side loop near Haresfield. 2. Up and Down side loops in a four-track formation near Charfield. Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on August 20, 2021, 16:06:42 The strategic report referenced in the originalk report addresses this problem - well worth reading all of it! Quote Gloucester to Westerleigh Junction In order to accommodate the additional Bristol to Gloucester stopping services an opportunity for inter-regional passenger trains to pass local passenger trains between Gloucester and Westerleigh Junction p is required. This entails provision of major infrastructure in the form of dynamic passing loops. Two potential options have been identified: 1. Upside loop near Yate and a Down side loop near Haresfield. 2. Up and Down side loops in a four-track formation near Charfield. That section deals with capacity between Gloucester and Westerleigh. As I read it, there would not be capacity for these trains to get beyond there to Bristol - so these interventions would be required as well as BPW - Westerleigh. It looks like there's plenty of room for loops at Haresfield and Yate. There are already loops at Charfield, so perhaps this refers to an upgrade or extension? Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: ChrisB on August 20, 2021, 18:20:52 On page 70 of the latest report it covers the concerns you have identified and there are detailed diagrams of the Network Rail proposed infrastructure enhancements: -
Accommodating the Recommended TSS requires a number of significant interventions. An intervention is required between Bristol Parkway and Westerleigh Junction to accommodate all additional trains on top of the base services. Four-tracking is suggested, but more investigation would be needed to determine feasibility. Dynamic loops in different locations on the Up and Down sides or four-tracking in the Charfield area are also needed to timetable one or two new Bristol Temple Meads-Gloucester services per hour. More work around the different locations would be needed to identify the best opportunities for through trains to pass stopping services. These interventions in the south of the corridor are needed to deliver one additional Bristol to Gloucester service, but once undertaken they create enough capacity for two additional Bristol to Gloucester services, delivering the proposed 4tph Bristol to Gloucester metro-style service. The 2tph Bristol-Gloucester option also improves timetabling at Gloucester as it removes the need for a shunt move to the Gloucester Curve Siding via Horton Road Junction. Instead, services have much shorter turnround times in the platform. To make Gloucester work more efficiently and accommodate identified services a new bay platform accessible from the East is recommended. This would also reduce almost all minimum margins identified at Gloucester. In the same location, a scheme already identified to upgrade the parcels line would bring equal benefits and develop resilience of the network in the area. Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on August 20, 2021, 19:53:16 You'll have noticed that the prospect of a third platform at Cheltenham seems to be on the cards again too:
Quote A new bay platform is needed at Cheltenham Spa to facilitate the increased number of services (p63)terminating or reversing direction at this station. Such a facility could also support the future extension of any MetroWest services to/from Bristol, beyond Gloucester; and provide additional stabling in the area. Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: jamestheredengine on August 20, 2021, 21:28:00 Surprised that slow crawl stopping just outside Bournville, Selly Oak, and the rest of those lovely stations on the way into Birmingham isn't considered to be a capacity constraint. That bit looks ripe for four-tracking too.
Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Bmblbzzz on August 20, 2021, 21:49:18 Surprised that slow crawl stopping just outside Bournville, Selly Oak, and the rest of those lovely stations on the way into Birmingham isn't considered to be a capacity constraint. That bit looks ripe for four-tracking too. I thought that bit already was four-track?Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: grahame on August 20, 2021, 22:07:20 Surprised that slow crawl stopping just outside Bournville, Selly Oak, and the rest of those lovely stations on the way into Birmingham isn't considered to be a capacity constraint. That bit looks ripe for four-tracking too. I thought that bit already was four-track?The Camp Hill line in effect is two more tracks ... reducing to one for the corner round towards New Street. Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on August 21, 2021, 11:15:16 ...and you'll have spotted that several services to the South and West are terminating at Moor St under this scheme:
Quote The STBs have each recognised the value of modal shift in their strategies for rail. For example, Midlands Connect notes the major opportunity presented by the full scope of High Speed 2, with improved connections from south and west of Birmingham achieved by creating new links to Birmingham Moor Street (adjacent to the HS2 Curzon Street station). This coupled with the increase in trains per hour to Bristol and Cardiff is intended to encourage modal shift to rail and economic growth across the Midlands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO3CaJieLK8 Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: ChrisB on August 21, 2021, 11:18:48 That youtube link isn’t working?
Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on August 21, 2021, 18:39:36 It's a short clip from the A-Team. John 'Hannibal' Smith (played by George Peppard) says: "I love it when a plan comes together!"
Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: chopper1944 on August 22, 2021, 17:16:58 Cogload 1931 comes to mind
Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: grahame on September 14, 2021, 06:53:00 An update from Evesham Journal (https://www.eveshamjournal.co.uk/news/19578153.improved-rail-services-way-gloucestershire/)
Quote GLOUCESTERSHIRE could benefit from a number of improvements to rail services, according to the recent findings of a Network Rail study. In addition to supporting planned housing and employment growth in the county, the improvements would also reduce car emissions and contribute towards the council’s carbon reduction targets. [snip] The recommendations in Network Rail’s report include: • An hourly Cardiff to Birmingham service calling at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury; • A metro-style service between Gloucester and Bristol, which will initially provide two trains per hour as part of the committed MetroWest service improvements and then four trains per hour under Network Rail’s proposals; • Improved connections to Worcester, transforming a two hourly service into a half hourly service; • An additional Swindon to Gloucester/Cheltenham service; and • Improved connections to the North Cotswold Line with additional stops planned for Worcestershire Parkway. Edit: corrected syntax of url tag - Red Squirrel Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: ChrisB on September 14, 2021, 10:46:51 Not sure there’s any change or update here, just the local press catching up on old news
Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on September 14, 2021, 11:21:44 Not sure there’s any change or update here, just the local press catching up on old news Agreed; not much new - but this bit of the Evesham Journal item was new to me, and very welcome: Quote At its meeting on September 22, Gloucestershire County Council’s cabinet is being asked to endorse the findings of the report and agree next steps to move the study forward. This includes the council becoming part of the Bristol to Birmingham Rail Partnership. Cllr David Gray, cabinet member for environment and planning, said: “Network Rail’s report supports and reinforces the findings of our own Gloucestershire Rail Investment Strategy. "It is crucial that we continue to engage with National Rail. "This will enable us to maximise the environmental and economic opportunities identified, as well as ensuring we meet existing and future demand for rail services in Gloucestershire." This report is going to need all the supporters it can get if some of the more expensive elements are to happen! Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: ChrisB on September 14, 2021, 11:39:49 Yes, that is good (new) news! I can’t believe the county is not yet part of the partnership!
Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on January 30, 2022, 12:10:09 This document is worth a read! Put the kettle on first though. There's quite a lot of interesting proposals for increasing capacity at Gloucester, Cheltenham and various other places, but my jaw dropped when I read this: Quote Westerleigh Junction The recommended TSS introduces three additional services per hour (the two additional Bristol to Gloucester services and the MRH Bristol service) through Westerleigh Junction – which is already a capacity and performance constraint for services in this corridor and on the GWML to London and South Wales. The additional MRH service may not require intervention, but neither additional Bristol to Gloucester service can be accommodated without intervention, which would be major, complex, and costly at this location. However, any intervention would have much wider benefits (and may also be triggered by off-corridor service enhancements) and may be required to deliver acceptable performance robustness for any more trains through the junction. One potential solution would be to introduce four-tracking west of Westerleigh Junction to allow parallel departures between services departing towards Yate and Hullavington. Again, no feasibility work has been undertaken on this option and the complexity is understood. I feel a bit light-headed... time for another cup of tea, I think. https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2108166/bristol-to-birmingham-corridor-strategic-study-final-report-v10.pdf You'll be disappointed if you click that link now - the document has disappeared. Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: grahame on January 30, 2022, 15:05:47 https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2108166/bristol-to-birmingham-corridor-strategic-study-final-report-v10.pdf You'll be disappointed if you click that link now - the document has disappeared. Yeah ... and it wasn't one I had grabbed for the archive either! One of the purposes of that is to have documents here even after lost off other sites, but it's a bit of a "process" to scape them all, and prone to wrong-side errors. A couple I have just scraped from Gloucestershire - NOT the one you want, though. http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/glrx1.pdf http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/glrx2.pdf And from Oxfordshire: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Oxfordshire-Rail-Corridor-Study-.pdf Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: ChrisB on January 30, 2022, 18:51:09 https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2108166/bristol-to-birmingham-corridor-strategic-study-final-report-v10.pdf You'll be disappointed if you click that link now - the document has disappeared. Yeah ... and it wasn't one I had grabbed for the archive either! One of the purposes of that is to have documents here even after lost off other sites, but it's a bit of a "process" to scape them all, and prone to wrong-side errors. I have it locally stored - but the max attachment size is 4096Kb - and this pdf file is 22,000+Kb. Graham - I'll email it to you for loading! Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: grahame on January 30, 2022, 19:13:34 https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2108166/bristol-to-birmingham-corridor-strategic-study-final-report-v10.pdf You'll be disappointed if you click that link now - the document has disappeared. Yeah ... and it wasn't one I had grabbed for the archive either! One of the purposes of that is to have documents here even after lost off other sites, but it's a bit of a "process" to scape them all, and prone to wrong-side errors. I have it locally stored - but the max attachment size is 4096Kb - and this pdf file is 22,000+Kb. Graham - I'll email it to you for loading! Thank you - goodness - I hope my email will take it. If not I will find you an alternative - WANT this one ;-) Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: ChrisB on January 30, 2022, 20:39:12 Well, BTInternet managed to send it….let me know!
Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Robin Summerhill on January 30, 2022, 21:22:07 Well, BTInternet managed to send it….let me know! I use WeTransfer for large files Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Mark A on January 31, 2022, 09:48:23 You'll be disappointed if you click that link now - the document has disappeared. This? https://web.archive.org/web/20210918084418/https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2108166/bristol-to-birmingham-corridor-strategic-study-final-report-v10.pdf Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: grahame on January 31, 2022, 10:51:12 You'll be disappointed if you click that link now - the document has disappeared. This? https://web.archive.org/web/20210918084418/https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/2108166/bristol-to-birmingham-corridor-strategic-study-final-report-v10.pdf Ah! Thanks for the help everyone - copy now in the member's archive ((here)) (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/bri2bhm_corridor.pdf) and it will come up in the deep search content. The copy is somewhat smaller than ChrisB's reported one which I suspect is print-ready rather than web - sorry, ChrisB, I suspect my limit on email is 8 Mbytes Title: Re: Bristol to Birmingham Corridor Strategic Rail Study - June 21 Post by: Red Squirrel on January 31, 2022, 19:00:32 My thanks too. I feel a bit silly for not downloading it myself.
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