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eightonedee
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« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2023, 14:15:28 » |
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Much as I deplore the decision, and indeed the lack of vision in not planning a comprehensive network linking Edinburgh, Glasgow and the major cities of the North to London at the outset here's my "shopping list".
Trying to take a more strategic long-term view (so sadly unlikely to get past the Treasury, or appeal to any politician with a horizon that stops between the next election and the next one after that), my list is
1- Electrification –
Don’t just pile into it for headlines. Start off with a comprehensive survey of the entire unelectrified network using the best modern technology to record all structures, clearances and services and record on central BIM▸ (or equivalent) database – properly backed up and maintained to avoid what appears to have been one of the problems of the first incomplete GW▸ scheme – it seems there were too many surprises in the ground or with bridge clearances, even of new structures like the Tilehurst footbridge or the Padworth Lane bridge which must have contributed to cost and programme overruns.
Take a more pragmatic approach to specification – were those huge rings driven into the ground and vast amount of overhead Meccano on the GW scheme necessary? And presumably now most of the four-track network has been done it should be easier in future, so start off by developing new standard equipment for future schemes.
Establish a permanent team at Network Rail to run a 10 year plus programme to do everything – much of the rest of the world seems to be able to electrify most of their network. There are obvious candidates for early schemes – particularly the remaining parts of the GW main line network and the Midland Main Line, and someone will have to decide which comes first and the rest of us will have to live with this – provided we trust the powers-that-be to deliver the whole package. I appreciate that (say) the Newquay branch might be difficult to justify on current financial models, but if it then has to have one-off battery charging infrastructure and rolling stock that will need replacing in cycles over the decades with bespoke equipment (much of which from the class 769 and 230 experience seems yet to be properly developed to the point of being reliable), I expect the initial cost saving will slowly evaporate. We should have the ability to design standard apparatus that can be rolled out across low (or lower) use lines, like Settle-Carlisle, the Cumbrian Coast, mid-Wales and the West Highland line with economies of scale and flexibility of operation that should come with standardisation. See also rolling stock comments below.
And special pleading for an ex-North Downs Line commuter – fill the gaps on this line between Wokingham and Ash, and Artingdon and Reigate, and don’t be precious about it being third rail.
If the Government (and the Treasury) is really serious about environmental improvement and carbon reduction, then this should have top priority.
2 – Complete the East-West link asap-
This should include interchange stations at each point where it crosses any existing main line, electrification throughout, and use the southern approach to Cambridge – the topography is easier and there’s the remaining formation from the east end of the old Cambridge-Bedford line to take advantage of. Yes, I know there’s currently a bus way there, but I anticipate that the costs of new earthworks to take the line from Cambourne to North Cambridge, down the hill from Madingley, over the A14, A428 and M11 to the northern bus/rail interchange will be far greater.
3 – Trains
Before procuring any new trains, commission someone (who knows what they are doing) to draw up a universal specification (or probably two, one for express stock, one for the rest of passenger stock), that not only deals with passenger amenity -(including no more than four across seating, all seats to align with windows, loos on all trains that are not “metro” going no more than 20 miles) – but also interoperability – trains that can go anywhere on the network, that can work in multiple with all other new stock, and if possible with as much existing stock too. It should also specify a common driver interface, so that crews will be familiar with controls and be able to use new stock with less training. Hopefully we can then avoid the current situation, where trains that are newer are being scrapped (such as the first Heathrow Express Stock) while units 10-15 years older soldier on, it will mean cascading or redeploying to meet demand is easier and we do not end up with the current GWR▸ fleet problem of two sets of stock, the Turbos and the rest, that cannot work together which presumably inhibits swapping out failed units if a depot cannot use part of its fleet due to incompatibility.
Pending completion of electrification, forum member Electric Train’s suggestion in his post on 20 September sounds like a way forward if (as seems likely) part of the current diesel fleet will be time-expired before electrification is complete.
One the specification is settled, existing suppliers could then be invited to tender for a long term rolling programme of fleet renewal.
4 – Stations and other built infrastructure
Here’s an idea, instead of closing ticket offices why not see how they (and their staff) cannot be better used? There’s a growing shortage of sub-post offices as the terms for taking on a sub-post office and the Horizon debacle make it increasingly unattractive to small shopkeepers to take on a sub-office. If you order goods on-line, there’s usually an option to collect from a collection point. So why not make the local station a centre for such services? Is there an entrepreneurial person out there with the initiative to make this work? Many of the smaller local stations whose ticket offices are under threat are probably in places where local services are in short supply (we no longer have a permanent post office in Goring for example), so perhaps someone should be on the phone to the Post Office, Amazon, the major courier companies and on-line retailers to sound them out? There’s bound to be investment needed to implement, but could it be worthwhile to secure more than one use for communities? It might even generate a return for the railway, and would certainly be better than the unimpressive performance I witnessed in my job from BRB‡ and its successors in attempting to get good returns on disposals of surplus land.
And another one – develop a suite of standard modular buildings, so that station building, upgrading and replacement can be streamlined, and costs saved over the current system which (as far as I know, apart from footbridges) involves a new commission each time to a large set of design guidelines.
5 – Ticketing and passenger interfaces
Develop a new universal ticket system, akin to the current magnetic strip APTIS▸ tickets (and to replace them and all other “Oyster▸ ”, tap in or similar), based on QR▸ codes that can either be printed on a ticket at a ticket office, by a machine or at home, or held on a mobile device, with scanners at stations so everyone travelling will know that the system works throughout the rail and underground systems in the UK▸ .
Invest in a properly integrated information system, so that on-line, station sign and on-train information is up-to-date and comprehensive, so that when things go wrong you don’t just get “delayed”, an apology for no information or different information from different sources.
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