Crossrail - Improving capacity at the Western End

[whole diary]

[Btline]

It was on the council's plans.

Until they realised they had been out-bid.

What Worcester really needs is a 3 or 4 platformed Foregate Street (re-named Central) station - 2 HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) length through platorms with 1 or 2 East facing bays, long enough for 3 car DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit). Shrub Hill could then close and all trains extended to Foregate.

That land where they built flats recently could have been used to provide a multi-storey car park for passengers!

A shame that there is no vision today.

[IndustryInsider]

A nice idea in principle, though when you factor in the elevated nature of the tracks (a good 30 feet above street level) and the viaduct that starts immediately the platforms end, and surely such a vision would have been prohibitively expensive?

[Btline]

Viaduct is west of the station. The extra bays would be east facing.

It would be expensive - but it is needed. Worcester's main railway station is in-adequate.

[IndustryInsider]

Well it ain't gonna happen mate. Two full length platforms and two bays would cost the earth given the nature of the stations location. Much better would be to re-do the signalling to create a metro style station with proper bi-directional signalling and much reduced headways, then rebuild Shrub Hill (where there's ample sensible land available), or close Shrub Hill and build a parkway station near the M5 in the Norton Junction area.

[Electric train]

I doubt even the most optimistic railwayman could expect Crossrail to reach as far west as Worcester especially as even Reading being slightly optimistic ......

and back on topic   

[Btline]

Well it ain't gonna happen mate. Two full length platforms and two bays would cost the earth given the nature of the stations location. Much better would be to re-do the signalling to create a metro style station with proper bi-directional signalling and much reduced headways, then rebuild Shrub Hill (where there's ample sensible land available), or close Shrub Hill and build a parkway station near the M5 in the Norton Junction area.

The other problem would be that the line would have to close while the works are going on - too problematic!

I agree - new bi-directional signalling, reduced headways, an extra few sets of points to allow FULL platform flexibility and a new Parkway station.

I doubt even the most optimistic railwayman could expect Crossrail to reach as far west as Worcester especially as even Reading being slightly optimistic ......

and back on topic   

Sorry, my rants about Tesco have pulled this thread over 100 miles off route (although Crossrail to Worcester would be better than the current arrangement!)

Hmmmm: 10 tph^▸ (trains per hour) to Worcester? (all express of course!)

[willc]

And Evesham has a Co-op where the old Midland station was (oh and a ghastly Tesco nearby - at least it's not over the railway).

Not quite, but it is on the site of the railway goods yard!