‘Encouraging signs’ on Borders Railway Extension to Carlisle
The title of this post is the title of an article on the BBC. This is said.
An MP has said there are “encouraging signs” that the “fantastic vision” of extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle could be realised.
Calum Kerr made the claim in a piece written for the Campaign for Borders Rail newsletter.
This is original article on the Borders Railway! This is said.
The good news is that there are encouraging signs we may be able to win cross party support on this. For instance, I’ve spoken to my neighbouring MP David Mundell, who is the Secretary of State for Scotland in the UK Government. He’s broadly supportive and is planning to speak to the Department of Transport in London to gauge its views.
I’ve also been in discussion with MPs on the English side of the border. They’re also warming to the idea. In particular, I’ve had several discussions with Rory Stewart, who represents the seat of Penrith and the Border, and he’s keen on getting it onto the agenda.
I think the involvement of Rory Stewart is significant. I remember him from one of his excellent documentaries called Border Country: The Story of Britain’s Lost Middleland, which was a fascinating history of the lands both sides of the England-Scotland border.
When I wrote If Manchester Victoria And Birmingham New Street Were The First Two Courses, Is Carlisle The Third?, I wrote this.
I just wonder, if whilst they are rebuilding the platforms, they will electrify some of the bay platforms. Or at least do the preparation work!
This would enable IPEMUs to be able to be recharged, if they were serving routes out of Carlisle, like the Tyne Valley Line, Settle to Carlisle and possibly an extended Borders Railway.
Incidentally, I think that by the time Carlisle station is updated in 2019, IPEMUs or battery trains, would have enough range to reach Edinburgh. You can see the headlines in the Sun!
After reading Calum Kerr’s thoughts, I feel even more that Network Rail have a cunning plan to make Carlisle station a hub for IPEMUs, which would serve the following routes.
- The Borders Railway to Edinburgh
- The Glasgow And South Western Railway to Glasgow
- The Tyne Valley Line to Newcastle
- The Settle-Carlisle Line to Leeds
- The Cumbrian Cost Line to Barrow and Lancaster
Note the following.
- The only major infrastructure work would be the completion of the Borders Railway to Carlisle.
- The area is noted for its superb scenery and occasional extreme weather. Not electrifying large sections of remote and exposed rural lines, is an attractive option, in terms of planning, engineering, building and maintenance.
- Technology exists to do all signalling by radio links.
- The last two lines would probably need some limited electrification to charge the trains en route.
- The Cumbrian Coast Line could be electrified between Sellafield and Barrow, where the line is better protected.
- The infrastructure needs of a four-car IPEMU train, is similar to that of a four-car diesel multiple unit.
- The Glasgow and South Western and Tyne Valley Lines could probably accept IPEMUs tomorrow.
- The network has several connections to the major Anglo-Scottish routes, at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle and Preston.
It would be one of the most scenic set of railway routes in the world!
I won’t comment on the commercial, social and tourism aspects of creating such a railway system.
Kew Bridge Station And The New Brentford Stadium Site
I went to Kew Bridge station to see if anything could be seen of the new Brentford Community Stadium site.
You can’t see much of the stadium, but to my mind you could make the station a lot more attractive.
Look at this Google Map of the station and the Southern part of the stadium site.
Kew Bridge Station
Note.
- The stadium is proposed to be on the northern part of the cleared site backing on to the northern side of the triangular junction, of which two of the lines meet at the station.
- The South-Eastern part of the site will be mainly residential.
- The closeness of the London Museum of Water and Steam and the River Thames to the station.
- In Transport for London’s plans for the Gospel Oak to Barking Line, extension to Houslow via the Dudding Hill Line and this junction is a distinct possibility.
- The platforms at Kew Bridge station are very long.
- If trains were ever to be restored to the northern side of the junction, a station begind the stadium could be connected to Kew Bridge station by lineside walkways.
- If trains were ever to be restored to the eastern side of the junction, they could serve Kew Bridge station.
- The Kew Bridge station building is Grade 2 Listed.
I think that even an average architect could make Kew Bridge station, a superb gateway to the stadium and the other developments.
Serial Cooking Teriyaki Beef And Noodles
This is another based on a recipe from Lindsey Bareham in The Times.
The main ingredients for meal for two, are a decent sirloin steak, an onion, 100 grams of green beans, a small cup of frozen peas, 50g of noodles and some teriyaka and soy sauces.
This recipe has various options and this is my method for two small portions.
It’s certainly more interesting that steak with chips and peas.
What’s Got Twenty-Eight Legs and An IQ Of Fourteen?
As there are fourteen of them at the moment, it’s Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016.
This is a joke that might get bigger!
I Wouldn’t Trust Santander’s Banking
Yesterday and today, I received two letters from Santander, correctly addressed to someone I’d never heard of at my address.
I should say, that I get a lot of junk mail addressed to previous tenants and I’d never seen the name before.
These are the two letters.
Two Letters From Santander
I suspect that if I’d been dishonest, I could have got access to their money, so they are now safely in a letter to Santander.
I have other reasons for not banking with Santander, like the fact that I will not bank with an organisation, that is not domiciled in the UK and preferably England.
But after this, I wouldn’t trust them to keep a brass farthing safe!
I think what is more important here, is that surely a bank would check you lived at the address you gave. Or at least had permission to collect mail from there!
Trump Forgot The Ace Of Clubs
This article on the BBC web site, is entitled Donald Trump loses wind farm legal challenge. This is said.
Donald Trump’s legal challenge to a planned offshore wind farm has been rejected by the UK’s Supreme Court.
The UK Supreme Court is probably the end of an expensive road.
My late friend; Brian, would have said that an old accountancy phrase would apply – Screwed, Glued and Tattooed.
Seeing as it’s Scotland, perhaps it should be the Scottish version – Screwed, Glued and Bagpiped. I’m certain, there are a large number of Scots, who have innovative uses of a set of bagpipes as an instrument of torture.
There is this article on the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, entitled EOWDC partners welcome Supreme Court decision. This is said.
Vattenfall and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), partners of Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Ltd, the company behind the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), welcomed today’s Supreme Court decision.
Andy Paine, Project Director for AOWFL, said: “This is another significant step forward for the EOWDC. It affirms the scheme’s potential to position Scotland, and particularly the North-east, as a centre of innovative offshore wind power. The project partners remain committed to seeing the EOWDC come to fruition and delivering long-term economic benefits to the region.”
It certainly looks like Trump didn’t have the heaviest club; the Ace, in his bag.
I’ll leave the last word to the Professional Golfers Association, as detailed in this report on the BBC entitled Donald Trump controversy bad for golf – PGA chief Sandy Jones. This is said.
The chief executive of the Professional Golfers’ Association says the ongoing controversy generated by Donald Trump is “not a positive thing for golf.”
Trump, who owns two Scottish courses, has been criticised for comments made during his bid to become the Republican Party’s US presidential candidate.
And Sandy Jones says the negative publicity around Trump is bad for golf.
“Sadly his political campaign in America seems to be getting in the way of all the great things golf offers.”
Tìoraidh!
Cinty’s Fish Pie With Celia
Cinty’s fish pie is excellent and goes down well with a beer.
Cinty’s Fish Pie With Celia
I made two and the other kept in the fridge for a couple of days.
Brentford’s New Stadium Is A Step Nearer
This article in the Construction Enquirer is entitled Go-ahead for Brentford FC stadium and 650 homes.
The article describes how detailed planning permission has been secured and that given the result of a Public Enquiry is settled, construction will be completed for Brentford to move in at the start of the 2018-19 season.
The new stadium will have a capacity 20,000 as opposed to 12,300 for Griffin Park.
This Google Map shows the new stadium’s location in Lionel Road South.
Brentford’s New Stadium
Most of the site and all of the stadium are within the triangle of rail lines above Kew Bridge station, which is at the bottom of the map. The M4 Motorway curves round the North side of the site.
Maps from the club, show that the stadium lies alongside the railway line at the top of the triangle.
This Google Map shows an enlargement of just the area of the development.
Enlarged Map Of Site
This line goes between Brentford and South Acton stations, although there are currently no passenger services, but there have been services in the last twenty years. It should be noted though that Transport for London have thought about using this line to extend the London Overground to Hounslow station.
Having met one of TfL’s property experts, I feel that they would be amenable to plans to use the air space above the line.
The line at the bottom of the triangle is the Hounslow Loop Line, where Kew Bridge station is very convenient for the ground.
The triangle is completed by a curve that connects the North London Line to the Hounslow Loop Line.
It should also be noted that at the eastern edge of the main map is Gunnersbury station, which along with Kew Bridge station is one of the proposed ways to get to the stadium.
I do wonder, if TfL’s ambitions for the London Overground, would be heklped by a station on the line at the top of the triangle.
On a first look, it looks like a good attempt to squeeze a football stadium into West London.
Rochester’s New Station
This morning an article on the BBC, entitled, Rochester’s £26m railway station opens to trains, caught my eye.
So I just had to go and look at Rochester station and take some pictures.
I think the twenty-six million pounds has given Rochester a stylish new station.
- It’s been perfectly positioned to give good access to the City Centre.
- Note that a light-controlled crossing will be added outside the station.
- It’s been built as a gateway to the city and when you arrive you have good views of the river, the castle and the cathedral.
- The toilets must be the best in any smaller station.
- Remember too, that there are still details to finish, like the walls and the railings.
Let’s hope other architects and builders aspire to the high standard that Rochester has set!
The Bletchley Flyover
The Bletchley Flyover is a large flyover that allows trains to cross the West Coast Main Line at Bletchley station.
This Google Map shows the area of Bletchley station and the flyover.
Bletchley Flyover
The double-track Bletchley Flyover starts in the South-West corner of the map and crosses the West Coast Main Line at an acute angle before, splitting into two separate double-track lines, alongside the station and north of the circular roundabout.
- One branch goes North along the West Coast Main Line to Milton Keynes.
- One branch goes East along the Marston Vale Line to Fenny Stratford and Bedford.
It is a massive structure as these pictures show.
I think the problems of incorporating the following services through Bletchley are going to be challenging.
- Oxford to Milton Keynes
- Marylebone to Milton Keynes via Aylesbury.
- Oxford to Bedford.
- Freight Services.
This section in the FAQ of the East West Rail web site is entitled What train services will run on East West Rail (Western Section)? It says that frequencies of one train per hour will be run, but that more information will be released in 2016.
Will one probably four car train per hour be enough?
This would mean that two trains per hour would visit Milton Keynes. As Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central can accommodate five car trains and it is electrified, it would appear that that station is ready for the East West Rail Link.
The difficulty also depends if the passenger services stop at Bletchley.
The current plans talk of two high-level platforms on the flyover.
This enlarged Google Map shows the platforms and footbridge at Bletchley station and the flyover.
Bletchley Station Platforms And The Bletchley Flyover
Note.
- The entrance to the station is on the west side.
- The two island platforms are 2/3 and 4/5, with two outer platforms 1 and 6.
- Trains on the Marston Vale Line terminate in Platforms 5 and 6.
- The flyover is the easternmost pair of lines.
- It splits into the Milton Keynes and Bedford lines level with the footbridge.
- The two proposed high-level platforms would be on the narrower part of the flyover, south of the footbridge.
A second entrance to Bletchley station has been proposed for the east side in Saxon Street.
One other thing that could help, is there are aspirations to move the concrete plant out of its location between the flyover and Bletchley station. It is certainly no asset to the area.
The following train services, would appear to have to use the flyover.
- Oxford to Milton Keynes
- Milton Keynes to Oxford
- Marylebone to Milton Keynes
- Milton Keynes to Marylebone
If trains between Oxford and Bedford, didn’t need to call at Milton Keynes, they would also be able to go straight over the flyover.
If they did need to call at Milton Keynes, then a train from Oxford to Bedford could take the following route.
- Over the flyover taking the branch to Milton Keynes.
- Call at Milton Keynes in an appropriate platform.
- Reverse out and then call in either Platform 5 or 6 at Bletchley.
- Reverse out and then take the Marston Vale Line.
Effectively, they would call at both the new high-level and current platforms at Bletchley station.
If I was running a train service from say Norwich or Ipswich to Oxford, to maximise my passenger levels, I would want my trains to call at the following stations.
- Cambridge
- Bedford – To also connect to services to Nottingham and Sheffield.
- Milton Keynes – To also connect to services on the West Coast Main Line.
The FAQ says that trains between Oxford to Bedford would not go to Milton Keynes.
I know that passengers would complain, if they had to stand on a draughty Bletchley station for say ten minutes, whilst waiting for a train to Milton Keynes, to get their Glasgow train.
To further complicate matters will other services could want to go between Milton Keynes and Bedford. On current plans, it is probably impossible without a reversal of direction at Bletchley.
A perfect design, would have a double-track chord connecting the Marston Vale Line to the Northbound West Coast Main Line.
The Anonymous Widower 