Bradford Junction

[whole diary]

[Lee]

This is a very interesting debate and fully illustrates the great rationalisation that took place after the Beeching report, which in my opinion has proved to be far more of barrier to increasing train services than the Beedhing closures.

Totally agree that the rationalisation that took place after the Beeching report has proved to be a big barrier to increasing train services, but we should not forget that the report itself took out lines that would be useful today because it was thought at the time that they were "unnecessary duplications."

Also, the report left open the option of closing the Southern route to Exeter at some point in the future on that very basis.

Ironic, considering today's official view of the line, and the proposed infrastructure enhancements.

Dont forget also that several line and station reopenings since Beeching have been considered success stories, and I do think that further re-openings would be likely to continue that trend.

I feel that a mix of rationalisation reversal and line re-openings would be the best way of expressing the argument for line-reinstatements that you rightly say we should make.

[tramway]

So the questions I would ask regarding the reinstatement of the loop are:

1. Is it viable soley as a diversionary route?

2. Is it viable as diversionary route and to provide a stopping service from Bristol to Swindon not calling at Trowbridge?

From the tenure of the post so far I would suggest the answer to question 1 is no and to question 2 is possibly at sometime in the future.

Therefore, would a possibly cheaper scheme of providing a proper train reversing facility at Trowbridge, allowing both a regular stopping service from Bristol to Swindon and diversions when required be a good compromise?

You wouldn't have to miss out Trowbridge entirely if Staverton halt was reinstated. That side of town has had huge growth in housing in the past 15 years.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=2070.0

[drew22299]

Yeah that would be kool, although it would prob only be used if there was a loop service that services Bristol Temple Meads to Swindon, then Swindon to Bath spa (stopping at Melksham, Staverton instead of trowbridge and then stations to Bath)