Beeching Reversal – Stockport And Ashton Line
This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.
I came across this railway, when I was writing Macclesfield Station And High Speed Two, as I felt the Stockport and Stalybridge Line could be a useful connection to the proposed High Speed Two terminus at Macclesfield station.
This article on the Quest Media Network is entitled Proposals For New Rail Link Between Ashton And Stockport.
This paragraph described the political backing.
The Labour politicians are backing a bid to the ‘Restoring Your Railway Fund’, which will distribute £500 million of funds to reinstate axed local services and restore stations.
The bid was put forward by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Stockport Council, but also has the backing of Tameside Council.
Not fans of Boris, I would presume!
These paragraphs describe the proposals
It proposes two options – a heavy rail service between Stockport and Manchester Victoria via Denton and Reddish South, and a light rail service connecting with the existing Manchester-Ashton Metrolink line at Ashton Moss in the north, and with the proposed Stockport-East Didsbury line in the south.
The proposals also open possibilities of new stations along the line at Audenshaw, Thornley Lane and Heaton Norris.
These are my thoughts.
Macclesfield As A Terminal
As I said in conjunction with High Speed Two, I believe that Macclesfield station would make a good terminal, where a Stockport-facing platform could be built, which would give step-free access to the hourly High Speed Two train to Stoke, Stafford and London.
Manchester Victoria And Stockport
This route map, which has been clipped from Wikipedia, shows the route between Manchester Victoria and Stockport stations.
Note.
- The connection to Manchester Victoria station joins at Denton Junction.
- There are possible stations at Denton, Reddish South and Heaton Norris.
- Trains to Macclesfield station take the West Coast Main Line from Stockport station.
- At Stalybridge there is a connection to the Huddersfield Line for Huddersfield and Leeds.
Realtimetrains devolves this extra information.
- Manchester Victoria and Stockport are twelve miles apart via Denton.
- It is a busy freight route with upwards of a couple of trains per hour (tph)
- There used to be a station at Miles Platting.
It is a comprehensive route and deserves a lot more than a simple hourly service to Manchester Victoria station.
Battery Electric Trains
Consider.
- Macclesfield, Manchester Victoria and Stockport stations are all fully electrified.
- About twelve miles of track are not electrified.
- Manchester Victoria and Macclesfield stations are twenty-four miles apart.
- I estimate a four-car 100 mph battery electric train like a Class 350 train would do the trip in close to 25 minutes.
It looks like an ideal route for a battery electric train to me.
Two trains would be needed to run a two tph service, with no extra infrastructure.
Conclusion
Develop a service between Manchester Victoria and Macclesfield stations using battery electric trains, with at least a frequency of two tph.
Waves Are Surging To The Forefront Of Sustainable Energy
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Benzinga.
It’s an interesting article, if you can sort it out from all the advertising.
Some of my Scottish friends, feel this could be the way to go!
Dore And Totley Station – 13th July 2020
These pictures show Dore and Totley station.
These are my thoughts on the station and the tracks through it.
The Midland Main Line And High Speed Two
The two tracks, that are furthest away from the station platform are the Midland Main Line between Sheffield and Chesterfield, Derby and the South.
- These tracks will be taken over by High Speed Two.
- They will be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification between Clay Cross North junction and Sheffield station.
- The trains on the Midland Main Line will continue to use the electrified tracks.
- East Midlands Railway have ordered bi-mode Class 810 trains, which will each be 120 metres long or 240 metres long, when running as a pair.
- CrossCountry’s Class 220 trains are 187 metres long running as a pair.
- I estimate that the faster trains were doing around 100 mph, as they passed Dore and Totley station. I shall measure it properly next time, I go to Sheffield on a train.
Note.
- High Speed Two’s trains will probably be going through at the same speed as East Midlands Railway’s Class 810 trains.
- High Speed Two will be running their 200 metre long classic-compatible trains to and from Sheffield, so except that there will be two more trains in every hour, there will be little difference.
- Both the High Speed Two and the East Midlands Railway trains will be running on electric power between Sheffield and Chesterfield stations.
- It is likely that other services will use electric power on the Midland Main Line.
- There will be no platforms on the High Speed tracks at Dore and Totley station.
I would suspect that there will be little disruption to train services through the area, whilst the electrification is installed, judging by the disruption caused during electrification between Bedford and Corby.
Dore Junction
Dore Junction is a triangular junction, that connects the Hope Valley Line and the Midland Main Line to the South of Dore and Totley station.
This Google Map shows Dore Junction.
Note.
- Dore and Junction station is at the North of the Map.
- Dore West Junction is in the South West corner of the map and leads to the Hope Valley Line.
- Dore South Junction is in the South East corner of the map and leads to Chesterfield on the Midland Main Line.
This second Google Map shows Dore South Junction.
Could this junction be improved to increase capacity and efficiency?
- The Southern track of the triangular junction is only single track.
- It is a major route for stone trains between Derbyshire and London and the South.
If Network Rail have any ideas for Dore Junction, then surely, when the works in the area are being carried out, is the time for them to be performed.
Platform Length At Dore And Totley Station
I took these two pictures when I arrived at Dore and Totley station.
As the train was formed of two two-car Class 150 trains and the train fits the platform, it would appear that the platform is about eighty metres long.
An Extra Platform At Dore And Totley Station
There may be no plans to put platforms on the Midland Main Line, but plans exist for an extra track through the station, that will connect to the Hope Valley Line.
This Google Map shows Dore and Totley station and the Midland Main Line.
The second platform wouldn’t be the widest platform,. but I’m sure a second track and a safe platform could be squeezed in.
- A bridge with lifts would be needed.
- The current single platform at the station is around eighty metres long, but as I said in Beeching Reversal – Sheaf Valley Stations, the platforms must be long enough to take a pair of Class 185 trains or a five-car Class 802 train, which is probably around 140 metres.
I wonder if more space is needed, the Midland Main Line could be realigned to give more space and better performance.
A Turnback At Dore And Totley Station
In Beeching Reversal – Sheaf Valley Stations, I said this about a possible turnback at Dore and Totley station.
This Google Map shows Dore & Totley station and the area to the South.
Note.
- There would appear to be a lot of space between the Midland Main Line and the single track, that leads between Dore & Totley station and the Hope Valley Line.
Flying my helicopter, as low as I dare, it looks like the area is either a rubbish dump or very low grade businesses.
Crossrail has designed turnbacks at Abbey Wood and Paddington stations, that will handle twelve tph.
I believe that it would be possible to design a turnback at Dore & Totley station, that would handle eight trains per hour, if not twelve tph.It might even be possible to squeeze in some overnight stabling.
Whilst I was at Dore and Totley station, I met a couple, who were perhaps a few years older than me, who had grown up in the area.
He could remember local steam services between Sheffield and Dore and Totley stations, where there had been a turntable to the South of the station to reverse the locomotive.
Conclusion
After what I saw on my visit to Dore and Totley station, I would suspect that the station can be updated to the standard required to allow four tph between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield stations.
It could also be a station that will attract passengers.
Along The Hope Valley Line – 13th July 2020
These pictures show my return trip between Manchester Piccadilly and Dore & Totley stations.
There are an assorted set of stations.
- Some stations appear to have new platforms.
- Marple station has a impressive step-free bridge.
- Some stations may be Listed or should be.
- There are walking routes from some stations.
- Some stations need improvements to the access.
I also have some thoughts on the service.
The Class 150 Trains
The Class 150 trains have these characteristics.
- Installed Power – 426 kW
- Weight – 35.8 tonnes
- Operating Speed – 75 mph.
This compares with these for a Class 195 train.
- Installed Power – 780 kW
- Weight – 40 tonnes
- Operating Speed – 100 mph.
- Acceleration – 0.83 m/sec/sec
Unfortunately, I can’t find the acceleration for a Class 150 train, but I suspect that it’s not as good as the Class 195 train.
- I was in a Class 150 train, for both journeys.
- IThe train was on time both ways.
- The engine under my carriage wasn’t working that hard.
- The train was trundling around at around 60 mph.
- The operating speed of the line is 90 mph.
So I suspect, that a well-driven Class 195 train will shave a few minutes from the journey time.
Transport For The North’s Plan For Manchester And Sheffield
Transportbfor the North objective for Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield stations can be summed up as follows.
Four tph in forty minutes.
As current trains take over anhour, it could be a tough ask!
The Timetable
The timetable isn’t very passenger-friendly with no easy-to-remember clock-face timetable.
This must be sorted.
Hopefully, it will increase the number of passengers riding on the route.
Battery Electric Trains
Consider.
- Sheffield station will be electrified for High Speed Two.
- It is likely that the route between Dore & Totley and Sheffield station will be electrified.
- There is electrification at the Manchester end of the route.
- The distance without electrification in the middle is probably about thirty-six miles.
- Fifty-sixty miles seems a typical range quoted for a battery electric train by train manufacturers.
As electric trains generally accelerate faster than their diesel equivalent, these could run the route reliably and save time on the journey.
Conclusion
I’m coming round to the opinion, that Transport for the North’s objectives for the route can be met without electrification.
Macclesfield Station And High Speed Two
Today, I went to Macclesfield station.
In the latest iteration of High Speed Two, two new destinations were added to the High Speed Two Network; Macclesfield and Lancaster.
These pictures show Macclesfield station.
It is a modern station, with three through platforms, two bridges and some Modernist architecture from the 1970s, that could be improved.
This Google Map shows the layout of the station.
Note.
- Platform 1 is in the West and is used by trains to Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly.
- Platform 2 is in the middle and is used by trains going to Stoke, London and the South.
- Platform 3 is in the East and appears to be used a couple of times per day.
- It also appears there might have been a fourth platform.
All platforms appear capable of handling an eleven-car Class 390 train, which are over two hundred and sixty metres in length.
Is the plan to use Macclesfield as a High Speed Two terminal feasible?
Which Trains Will High Speed Two Use On Macclesfield Services?
It appears that High Speed Two will have two types of trains.
- Trains built to the European loading gauge, that will only be able to work on high lines like High Speed One and High Speed Two. Examples would be Eurostar’s Class 373 and Class 374 trains.
- Trains built to the UK loading gauge, that could also work on existing UK 125 mph routes like the East Coast, Great Western, Midland and West Coast Main Lines. Examples would be Class 800. Class 801, Class 802, Class 390 and Class 745 trains.
The second type, which are referred to, as class-compatible trains will be used to Macclesfield, as these services will share track with Class 390 and other trains, that have been or will be built to the smaller UK loading gauge.
Will Classic-Compatible High Speed Two Trains Fit Into Macclesfield Station?
Currently, every hour, one eleven-car Class 390 train calls in Macclesfield station in both directions, as they provide one of Avanti \west Coast’s three trains per hour (tph) between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly stations.
The current trains are sixty metres longer than the proposed classic-compatible High Speed Two trains, that could be terminating in Macclesfield station.
How Would Passengers Who Started And Finished Their Journeys In Macclesfield, Connect to Manchester?
Currently, these hourly services connect Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke stations.
- Avanti West Cost – Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston.
- CrossCountry – Manchester Piccadilly and Bournemouth
- CrossCountry – Manchester Piccadilly and Bristol
- Northern – Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke, which stops at all stations.
The characteristics would be common to all these four trains.
- Services call at Stockport, Macclesfield and Stoke stations.
- As services share tracks with a High Speed Two service, they must be reasonably fast.
- All except the Northern service are 125 mph trains.
- The Northern service is run by a 90 mph Class 323 electric train.
- As Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke via Stockport is a fully-electrified route, the trains should probably be able to take advantage.
In an ideal world should the frequency be six tph or one train every ten minutes in each direction?
Which Platforms Would Be Used To Terminate High Speed Two Services?
Trains built to the UK loading gauge could probably terminate in any of the three platforms.
But it might be advantageous to terminate all services in the same platform.
Platform 3 would be the obvious choice.
- It shares an island platform with classic services going South between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke.
- Passengers starting their journeys in Manchester Piccadilly or Stockport could just walk across from their connecting train to the High Speed Two train.
It must surely be a possibility to make Platform 2 able to operate bi-directionally, so that all trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke stations in both directions, stop in Platform 2, alongside the High Speed Two train for London and the South, that is waiting in Platform 3. The combined frequency would be eight tph. All passengers would just walk across the island platform to change trains.
Could A North-Facing Bay Platform Be Fitted Into The Northern End Of The Island Platform 2/3?
If you are going to provide a High Speed Two service to and from Macclesfield station, it needs to have superb and comprehensive connections to as many places as possible.
The station currently has four tph to Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport and Stoke, but would a North-facing bay platform with level access to the High Speed Two platform make any of the following feasible?
- Run a second local stopping service between Manchester Piccadilly and Macclesfield to give all intermediate stations two tph to High Speed Two.
- Run hourly services to places that don’t have good connections to high speed services to London and the South.
- The Stockport and Stalybridge Line could be used to connect Stalybridge and Huddersfield to High Speed Two.
- There might even be a way of creating a link between Macclesfield and Manchester Airport.
Note.
- Looking at the platform layout at Macclesfield station, fitting in a bay platform would appear to be feasible.
- The important Stockport station, which seems to have been forgotten by High Speed Two would probably have at least six tph to High Speed Two at Macclesfield station.
- The local train could be timed to arrive at Macclesfield station, a convenient time before the High Speed Two train is scheduled to depart.
The bay platform could even be part of Platform 3, if it was decided that trains stopping in Platform 3, never used the platform as a through platform. It would be Macclesfield’s version of the Clapham Kiss.
I suspect more space could be found, by moving the signal box at the end of the station.
\remember that these days most signalling is controlled from centralised Rail Operation Centres.
Could High Speed Two Trains Run Between Macclesfield And Manchester Piccadilly?
As I said earlier, High Speed Two’s classic-compatible trains will be the same cross-section and shorter, than an eleven-car Class 390 train.
So the answer to my question must be yes!
- This would enable a stop at Stockport station.
- No platform lengthening would be required at Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport stations.
High Speed Two must have good reasons for using Macclesfield as a terminal.
- There are capacity issues between Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly stations.
- Macclesfield offers opportunities to connect to places, that are difficult to reach from Manchester Piccadilly station.
But these problems could probably be overcome by digital signalling or extension of the Manchester Metrolink.
Could More High Speed Two Services Run Between Macclesfield Station and The South?
Consider.
- I believe that Macclesfield station could handle more than an hourly High Speed Two train.
- It is a general principle, that on a metro like the London Overground or Merseyrail, that a single platform can handle up to four or even six tph.
- Four tph would surely be too high, but Macclesfield could easily handle a second classic-compatible train to and from Birmingham Curzon Street via Stoke and Stafford.
- During the inevitable works at Manchester Piccadilly station to sccomodate High Speed Two, Macclesfield could offer an alternative route, between London and Manchester.
Using Macclesfield station, as an alternative terminal for Manchester Piccadilly, builds in extra capacity for the future and offers a valuable alternative route during construction and upgrade works.
Rationalisation Between Cross Country And High Speed Two
Consider.
- In a lot of locations North of Birmingham, CrossCountry and High Speed Two seem to provide similar services between the same stations.
- Using currently proposed connections between High Speed Two and the classic network, CrossCountry’s services could run faster.
- CrossCountry’s new fleet of trains will probably be multi-mode trains, that will be very similar to the classic-compatible High Speed Two trains.
- Some of the routes used by CrossCountry’s services will have a substantial upgrade to allow higher speeds and more trains, to speed up High Speed Two services.
There must be a case for rationalisation of services.
Conclusion
The more I look at High Speed Two terminating at Macclesfield station, the more I like it.
I can see these services running from the station in the future.
- High Speed Two – Macclesfield and London Euston – One tph – This service would additionally call at Birmingham Interchange to link up with CrossCountry to the South.
- High Speed Two – Macclesfield and Birmingham Curzon Street – One tph
- CrossCountry – Macclesfield and Bournemouth, Plymouth or Reading – One tph.
- Northern and others – Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly via Stockport – Four-six tph
- Northern – Macclesfield and Huddersfield via Stockport and Stalybridge – Two tph
- Northern – Macclesfield and Manchester Airport – Two tph.
Obviously, this is all speculation, but Macclesfield will develop into an important rail hub to the South-East of Manchester.
Rail Solar Projects Pave The Way For Renewables
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Engineering and Technology.
This is the introductory sub-title.
Electric trains could provide a huge guaranteed market for renewables, but it will need some railway-specific power equipment.
The article then goes on to describe how Riding Sunbeams are developing and sourcing the equipment to connect both 750 VDC and 25 KVAC electrification directly to solar panels.
It is not as easy, as you might think!
‘Build Greener’ You Say Boris? Got It. Just Say The Word, We’re Ready Here In North West England
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on H2 View.
The article is written by Cadent‘s Network Director for the North West and what she says is a must-read.
Beeching Reversal – Restoring A South Humber Link
This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.
The project is described by these two paragraphs in this article in the Yorkshire Post, which is entitled Government Announce Yorkshire Rail Schemes That Could Receive ‘Reverse Beeching’ Funding.
North Lincolnshire Council have bid for funding to subsidise a new train service that would allow passengers from Barton-on-Humber to travel to Gainsborough, from where they would be able to catch direct services to Sheffield.
This would be achieved by diverting the existing Barton to Grimsby and Cleethorpes trains up a freight-only section used by traffic heading to Immingham docks. There have never been passenger trains using this path before.
This rail map clipped from Wikipedia shows the Barton Line to Barton-on-Humber station.
Note.
- Barton-on-Humber station has a bus link to Hull station.
- The loop gives a grand tour of the Port of Immingham on what is now a freight-only line.
- There is a lot of development going on in the area including the AltAlto aviation biofuel, that I wrote about in Grant Shapps Announcement On Friday.
Perhaps all this development is causing a lot of small problems.
- Is it causing congestion on the roads?
- Are workers difficult to find in the Immingham area?
- Is commuting over the Humber Bridge expensive?
- Is parking difficult in the Port?
North Lincolnshire Council could feel that a better rail connection serving the Port of Immingham, would be an asset, that reduces these problems.
I suspect the current two-hourly service between Barton-on-Humber and Cleethorpes stations, will be replaced by an hourly one, between Barton-on-Humber and Gainsborough Lea Road stations, that takes the following route.
- Barton-on-Humber to Ulceby
- At Ulceby station the train will reverse and go clockwise around the loop.
- After calling at Great Coates, Healing, Stallingborough and Habrough stations, the train would go West to Barnetby and Gainsborough Lea Road stations.
- Passengers wanting to go from Barton-on-Humber to Grimsby Town or Cleethorpes, would change at Great Coates station.
It may look a rather round-about route, but I suspect that the plan includes some stations to serve the Port of Immingham and the industrial development.
I suspect that some of these port, oil, chemical and energy companies can afford to pay a contribution.
Gainsborough Lea Road Station
Gainsborough Lea Road station is a mix of architectural styles.
But with the addition of a friendly café and some other facilities, it would be a good interchange between the Immingham area and Sheffield and the county town of Lincoln.
Future Trains
Lincolnshire is an energy-rich county, which partly explains all the industrial development in the North-East of the county around Grimsby, Immingham and Scunthorpe.
- Immingham is a large importer of biomass for power generation.
- There are off-shore and on-shore gas fields connected to Theddlethorpe gas terminal.
- There is the large power station complex at Keadby.
But the energy mix is a-changing.
- Keadby now includes a solar farm.
- Wind turbines are springing up both on land and in the sea.
If I was to make a prediction, it would be that more and more large energy-related businesses will develop in the area.
- In recent months, Altalto’s waste-to-aviation biofuel plant has been given national and local government backing to be built at Immingham.
- ITM Power are involved in a hydrogen development project in the area.
- I wouldn’t be surprised to see hydrogen produced for transport from all this energy.
I think it will be inevitable, that zero-carbon battery electric or hydrogen-powered trains will run in the area.
- Cleethorpes and Doncaster via Scunthorpe 52 miles apart.
- Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber are 23 miles apart
- Lincoln and Newark are 16.5 miles apart.
- Lincoln and Doncaster are 37 miles apart.
- Lincoln and Sheffield are 48 miles apart
- Lincoln and the electrification at Peterborough are 54 miles apart.
- Skegness and Sleaford are 41 miles apart.
- Sleaford and Grantham are 18 miles apart.
With charging facilities at Barton-on-Humber, Lincoln, Skegness and Sleaford, the whole of Lincolnshire could be served by zero-carbon battery electric trains.
I suspect LNER could lead the way, as a five-car Class 800 train equipped with batteries, is predicted to have a 56 mile range away from the wires, which would easily handle a return trip between Newark and Lincoln.
There could be a small problem, in that the first train of the day, between Lincoln and London Kings Cross positions from Doncaster Carr IEP Depot, so running Doncaster to Newark via Lincoln might challenge the battery range of the train. I suspect, that the positioning could be performed via Newark with a reverse, prior to the installation of a charging facility at Lincoln Central station.
I estimate that Barton-on-Humber and Gainsborough Lea Road stations are about 35 miles apart, so with today’s battery technology, I suspect that a round trip in a battery electric train would be on the limit. But with charging facilities at Gainsborough, there would be no problems.
I suspect that East Midlands Railway would use several of their forty diesel Class 170 trains on this and other routes in Lincolnshire, so perhaps a good interim solution would be to run the Class 170 trains on Altalto’s biodiesel, that will be produced at Immingham.
There is also the possibility, that some or all of the Class 170 trains will be retrofitted with MTU Hybrid PowerPacks, which would cut their diesel consumption.
Surely, with all Lincolnshire’s energy, hydrogen-powered trains must be a possibility. But they seem to be stuck in a siding!
The MTU Hybrid PowerPack and Altalto’s bio-diesel seems a more affordable and less risky route.
A Direct Connection To London
In the Wikipedia entry for Gainsborough Lea Road station, there is a section called Future Services, where a direct connection to London is mentioned.
Conclusion
Given that the likes of East Midlands Railway, Hull Trains, LNER and TransPennine Express are improving their services to Hull, Lincoln, Cleethorpes and Grimsby, this local North Lincolnshire Metro serving the Port and the industrial development, could well be welcomed by those that live and work in the area.
I doubt that the infrastructure cost will be very high.
Beeching Reversal – Sheaf Valley Stations
This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.
Stations To Be Rebuilt
As you approach Sheffield station, you pass four station sites, three of which are demolished and the fourth is just a shadow of its former self.
Dore & Totley
Dean & Totley station used to have four platforms and this Google Map, shows what is left after British Rail’s vandalism in the mid-1980s.
Note.
- The station has only one platform.
- The single track in the platform handles all trains to and from the Hope Valley Line.
- At present it appears to be two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
- The two tracks at the right are the Midland Main Line.
Transport for the North wants to run four tph between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield through here, that will take forty minutes between the two cities.
Updates planned for the station include.
- A second platform for Manchester-bound trains.
- A new bridge with lifts.
- Platforms long enough to take a pair of Class 185 trains or a five-car Class 802 train.
- A full hourly service.
There certainly seems to be enough space for another platform and track through the middle of the station.
At some point in the near future, the two Midland Main Line tracks will be electrified, as part of the upgrade for High Speed Two.
Between Dore & Totley And Beauchief
This Google Map shows a typical section of the line between Dore & Totley and Beauchief stations.
Note the two Midland Main Line tracks on the right and single-track to the Hope Valley Line on the left.
It would appear that the fourth track can be squeezed in between the single track and the Midland Main Line.
Beauchief
Beauchief station used to have four platforms before it was demolished.
This Google Map shows the station’s former location.
Note.
- The building with the red dot is the former Beauchief Hotel. which was by the station.
- On a larger screen you can see three tracks going into Sheffield.
I’m fairly certain that four tracks and two platforms for a station can be fitted into this narrow trackbed.
Millhouses & Eccleshall
Millhouses and Eccleshall station used to have four platforms before it was demolished.
This Google Map shows the station’s former location.
Note.
- Wikipedia says the station was accessed from the Archer Road bridge, which is in the South East corner of the map.
- It looks like there are three tracks with space for four.
- The road to the North-West of the railway is called Old Station Road.
As at Beauchief, it will be tight.
Heeley
Heeley station used to have four platforms before it was demolished.
This Google Map shows the station’s former location.
Note.
- The red arrow indicates Heeley Bridge, which Wikipedia says is near the station site.
- There appears to be only two tracks through here.
It is easy to follow the tracks from here to Sheffield station.
Could A Four Track Railway Be Rebuilt Between Dore & Totley And Sheffield Stations?
I’ve not seen anything that says that building a four-track railway through here is not possible.
In a few years, there could be the following tracks and platforms, on this section.
- Two fast tracks for High Speed Two, Midland Main Line and CrossCountry trains, that will be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification, between Clay Cross North Junction and Sheffield station.
- The High Speed Two trains will be classic-compatible and up to 200 metres long.
- The two fast tracks will not have any platforms.
- Two slow tracks for local services, that will be appropriately electrified.
- The slow tracks will have step-free platforms, that will be long enough to take a five-car Class 802 train or a pair of Class 185 trains.
I can’t for the life of me understand, why this stretch of four-track main line between Dore & Totley and Sheffield stations was ever simplified, as at other places on the UK network, extra tracks were being added to the main lines, at the same time.
Future Services On The Fast Lines
Currently, the following services take the fast lines between Sheffield and Chesterfield stations via Dore & Totley station.
- East Midlands Railway – Sheffield and London St. Pancras – 2 tph
- East Midlands Railway – Sheffield and Norwich via Nottingham – 1 tph
- CrossCountry – Edinburgh/Newcastle and Derby/Birmingham and the South – 2 tph
- Northern – Sheffield and Nottingham – 1 tph
That is a very modest six tph.
High Speed Two are currently planning to run two tph between Sheffield and London Euston.
There may or may not be other changes.
- As Birmingham Curzon Street and Sheffield will be just forty-seven minutes by High Speed Two all the way, will these destinations have a direct high speed classic-compatible service? There’s plenty of space capacity on High Speed Two.
- I don’t think the Sheffield and St. Pancras services will be dropped, but they might be.
- CrossCountry will probably be running intelligent multi-mode trains capable of 125 mph running and up to 140 mph in places.
- Northern’s service between Sheffield and Nottingham might go via a reopened Barrow Hill Line.
But the biggest change will be that these two fast lines will be to High Speed Two standards.
- Sheffield and Chesterfield will be electrified.
- There will in-cab digital signalling, which theoretically could probably allow eighteen tph on the route.
- High Speed Two Trains between Sheffield and Chesterfield will take twelve minutes.
- Sheffield station will have been modified as required, to be able to handle all trains very efficiently.
But it would still be carrying a modest eight tph.
If required Sheffield would have the capacity to accept more trains from the South.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see, the following trains added.
- An extra tph to and from London Euston via High Speed Two.
- Two tph to and from Birmingham Curzon Street via High Speed Two.
I also wouldn’t be surprised to see CrossCountry using classic-compatible High Speed Two trains and switching to High Speed Two between Birmingham New Street and Sheffield. But these trains would still use the same tracks to access Sheffield station.
But I am led to the conclusion, that Sheffield will have more than enough capacity linking the City to Chesterfield and the South.
Future Services On The Slow Lines
Or should I use lines connecting to the Hope Valley Line rather than slow lines?
Currently, the following services take the slow lines between Sheffield and Dore & Totley stations.
- East Midlands Railway – Liverpool Lime Street and Sheffield – via Manchester Piccadilly – 1 tph
- TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Cleethorpes via Manchester Piccadilly – 1 tph
- Northern – Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly – 1 tph
Transport for the North aims to run a four tph service with a forty minute journey time between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield.
Consider.
- 100 mph TransPennine Express trains take fifty-three minutes between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly without a stop.
- Classic-compatible trains with a battery capability could easily handle the route.
- Northern’s services on the Hope Valley Line are timed for 75 mph trains.
- Dore & Totley and Hazel Grove stations are twenty-nine miles apart.
If between Dore & Totley and Sheffield stations were to be electrified and track improvements like passing loops were to be made to the Hope Valley Line, I believe that to achieve a forty minute all-stops timing between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly, would need a train with the following specification.
- Electric train with batteries.
- Four cars
- 100 mph or faster operating speed.
- Step-free access between platform and train.
- Sparkling acceleration and deceleration.
- Ability to run under in-cab digital signalling to keep out of the way of freight services.
Looking at Crossrail between London Paddington and Maidenhead stations, the London route is probably as difficult as the Hope Valley Line and it has been designed as a forty minute service with ten stops, using a modern electric train.
If TransPennine fitted batteries to their Class 802 trains, these trains would fit the Northern Powerhouse Rail requirements.
East Midlands Railway and Northern would find that the following trains could be used.
- Bombardier – Aventra with batteries
- Bombardier – Class 377 train with batteries
- Bombardier – Class 379 train with batteries
- CAF – Class 331 train with batteries
- Hitachi – Class 385 train with batteries
- Porterbrook – Battery/FLEX train based on Class 350 train
- Stadler – Flirt with batteries
All would need that between Dore & Totley and Sheffield stations be electrified.
After the upgrades and the new or refurbished trains are running, this would mean that between Dean & Totley and Sheffield would be handling four tph, which would be semi-fast trains between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly. Although to current passengers on the line, they would seem to be fast services of a much higher standard.
It would not be very different to how the slow lines into Paddington also handle about four tph of other services, including GWR services and freight.
I believe that to provide an adequate service to the reopened and rebuilt stations of Dore & Totley, Beauchief, Millhouses & Eccleshall and Heeley, that a Turn-Up-And-Go service of at least four tph should be run between Dore & Totley and Sheffield stations.
A Turnback At Dore & Totley
This Google Map shows Dore & Totley station and the area to the South.
Note.
- There would appear to be a lot of space between the Midland Main Line and the single track, that leads between Dore & Totley station and the Hope Valley Line.
- Flying my helicopter, as low as I dare, it looks like the area is either a rubbish dump or very low grade businesses.
- Crossrail has designed turnbacks at Abbey Wood and Paddington stations, that will handle twelve tph.
I believe that it would be possible to design a turnback at Dore & Totley station, that would handle eight trains per hour, if not twelve tph.
It might even be possible to squeeze in some overnight stabling.
Trains Or Tram-Trains Between Dore & Totley And Sheffield Stations
In my view, it doesn’t matter.
Crossrail’s 12 tph turnbacks can handle a 205 metre long Class 345 train, so I’m sure a well-designed turnback at Dore & Totley could handle a mixture of any trams or tram-trains below a defined maximum length of say 140 metres, which would be defined by a pair of Class 185 trains, which might have to be turned back during service disruption.
Where Would The Services Terminate in The East?
It is my view that cross-city services like Birmingham’s Cross-City Line, Liverpool’s Northern Line, London’s Crossrail and Thameslink, Newcastle’s Metro and Paris’s RER are efficient for both passengers and train operators.
So Dore & Totley station could be one end of a Sheffield cross-city line, with a frequency of at least eight tph through Beauchief, Millhouses & Eccleshall, Heeley and Sheffield stations.
So where would services go on the other side of Sheffield? Wikipedia gives these as services to the East of Sheffield.
- Leeds via Barnsley and Wakefield (fast) – 2 tph
- Leeds via Meadowhall, Barnsley, Wakefield and Castleford (stopping). – 1 tph
- Leeds via Meadowhall, Moorthorpe and Wakefield. – 1 tph
- Scarborough via Meadowhall, Doncaster, Hull and Bridlington. – 1 tph
- Lincoln Central via Worksop and Retford – 1 tph
- Gainsborough Central via Worksop, three trains per week continue to Cleethorpes via Brigg. – 1 tph
- Huddersfield via Meadowhall, Barnsley and Penistone – 1 tph
- Doncaster via Meadowhall and Rotherham, with one train per hour continuing to Adwick – 2 tph
- York via Moorthorpe and Sherburn-in-Elmet. – 3 trains per day (tpd)
For much of the day, that is a frequency of 10 tph, with 5 tph calling at Meadowhall, 2 tph calling at Worksop and two fast tph passing Meadowhall without stopping.
But there are other rail projects under development.
- High Speed Two will enable a new fast service between Sheffield and Leeds via Meadowhall and a new station in the Dearne Valley.
- The Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 envisages a new station at Barnsley Dearne Valley. See Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – A New Station At Barnsley Dearne Valley.
- The Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 envisages tram-trains running between Sheffield and Doncaster-Sheffield Airport See Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – Tram-Trains Between Sheffield And Doncaster-Sheffield Airport.
- The Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 envisages a new Station at Waverley. See Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – A New Tram-Train Route To A New station At Waverley.
- High Speed Two might enable a fast classic-compatible service between Sheffield and Scarborough via York.
- The possible opening of the South Yorkshire Joint Railway to passenger traffic, may open up further opportunities. See Beeching Reversal – South Yorkshire Joint Railway.
- The possible reinstatement of the Barrow Hill Line. See Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield.
- The development of the Stocksbridge Railway for passenger services.
I can see classic-compatible High Speed Two trains serving the following places to the East of Sheffield.
- Leeds
- Hull via Doncaster
- Scarborough via York
- Cleethorpes via Doncaster, Scunthorpe and Grimsby.
A train like a five-car Class 802 train would probably be enough for most routes except Leeds.
I can see the following terminals for tram-trains to the East of Sheffield.
- Doncaster and Doncaster-Sheffield Airport
- Waverley station, which could be on a loop from the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- Barnsley Dearne Valley
There may well be others.
If Sheffield were Karlsruhe in Germany, the tram-trains would probably serve the following routes.
- Huddersfield via Penistone.
- Lincoln via Worksop and Gainsborough.
- Manchester via the Hope Valley Line.
But the Germans have a much larger electrified core, than Sheffield will have, even if High Speed Two electrifies between Dore & Totley and Thurnscoe stations via Sheffield.
I can make a table of destinations and distances and how they could be served.
- Barnsley – 16 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric train.
- Barnsley Dearne Valley – 8 miles from Rotherham Parkgate – Possible return trip from Sheffield via Rotherham Parkgate for a battery electric tram-train.
- Doncaster – 11 miles from Rotherham Parkgate – Possible return trip from Sheffield via Rotherham Parkgate for a battery electric tram-train.
- Chesterfield via Barrow Hill – 17 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric tram-train.
- Doncaster Sheffield Airport – 10 miles from Doncaster – Possible return trip from Sheffield via Rotherham Parkgate and Doncaster for a battery electric tram-train.
- Gainsborough Lea Road. – 32 miles – See Lincoln Central.
- Huddersfield – 36 miles – Possible battery electric train with charging at Huddersfield.
- Hull – 59 miles – Possible battery electric train with charging at Doncaster and Hull.
- Lincoln Central – 48 miles – Possible battery electric train with charging at Lincoln and/or Gainsborough Lea Road. Otherwise diesel.
- Penistone – 23 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric train, using Newton’s friend on the way back.
- Retford – 23 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric train.
- Waverley – About 6 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric tram-train.
- Worksop – 16 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric train.
It looks to me like a mix of battery electric trains and tram-trains could run most of the services from Sheffield, if services that used new High Speed Two infrastructure used classic-compatible trains or trains like the existing Class 802 trains, that have been converted to battery electric operation.
Note.
- I am assuming, that a battery electric train has a range of 56 miles on a single charge.
- Rotherham Parkgate station is changed to a through station.
- Tram-trains passing through Doncaster can recharge on the station’s 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- Charging can be provided as required at other stations.
There are lots of possibilities.
Consider, this for tram-train extensions to Barnsley Dearne Valley, Doncaster and Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
- Extend the tram-train service at Rotherham Parkgate to either Doncaster and Doncaster Airport or Barnsley Dearne Valley stations.
- Run tram-trains between Dore & Totley and Rotherham Parkgate via Sheffield, Meadowhall and Rotherham Central.
This would give a double-ended route across Sheffield and Rotherham between Dore & Totley and the existing Supertram network in the West and Barnsley Dearne Valley, Doncaster and Doncaster Sheffield Airport in the East.
Consider how to connect the branch to Waverley station to the Supertram network.
- Waverley station will be either on or on a loop from the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- The Sheffield and Lincoln Line has no obvious connection with the Supertram network.
- The Sheffield and Lincoln Line goes straight in to Sheffield station.
- Trains to Lincoln always appear to use Platform 4 in Sheffield station.
- Sheffield station has four through platforms.
This Google Map shows where the Sheffield and Lincoln Line passes behind the Supertram Depot at Nunnery.
Note.
- The Nunnery Square Park and Ride is in the South West corner of the map.
- The Supertram depot is to the East of the Park-and-Ride, with the Nunnery Square tram stop to the South.
- The Woodbourn Road tram stop is in the North East corner of the map.
This second Google Map shows the lines around the Park-and-Ride.
I suspect that a connection between the Supertram system and the Sheffield and Lincoln Line, could be built to the North of the Nunnery Depot.
But would it be easier to continue to Sheffield station or pass through the station and terminate at Dore & Totley station?
I can’t be sure looking at the maps, but it could be logical that trains to and from Lincoln use the Southern pair of tracks past the Nunnery Depot, as they would be on the right side of the tracks for Lincoln.
This would make it easier to do the following.
- Create a connection between the Nunnery Depot and the Sheffield and Lincoln Line, which would surely be needed for efficient maintenance and operation of tram-trains running to and from Waverley.
- Allow tram-trains used to serve the proposed Waverley station to return to the Depot every night.
- Allow tram-trains working between Sheffield and Meadowhall to use the Lincoln and Sheffield Line to enter the Nunnery Depot.
- Build a tram stop/station by the Park-and-Ride.
There would also be less need to build another depot.
Looking at the maps, could there be space to extend the Nunnery Depot?
Conclusion
This could be a very good project.
- It fits in well with the plans and needs of High Speed Two.
- It connects the new Waverley station to Sheffield station.
- It fits well with the Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019.
- It connects Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster to Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
- It opens up the Hope Valley Line to improve services between Manchester and Sheffield.
I also don’t think, there’s any great risk!
I
The Anonymous Widower 