Rail Agreement Signed ‘Subject To Value For Money’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub heading.
An agreement to reopen a regional rail line has been signed by the transport secretary, subject to the assurance that it delivers good value for money.
These three paragraphs add detail to the story.
Further development work on the Leamside Line, which runs from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham, is set to progress as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) initiative.
Regional politicians said the line could provide train links for 100,000 people in the north-east of England, after it closed to passengers in the 1960s.
The document stated the government would ensure resources were available for the Leamside Line reopening “subject to agreement of that business case and assurance that this delivers good value for money”.
Note.
- There is an excellent map in the BBC article.
- It looks like there will be at least five new or refurbished stations at Ferryhill, Sincliffe, Belmont, West Rainton and Penshaw.
- Belmont appears to have an alternative name of Durham Parkway, so will it be a Park-and-Ride for the area?
- There will be an alternative path for freight trains between Newcastle and York.
- In New Direct Rail Link To Seaham: How This Picturesque Seaside Town Will Connect To London Starting December 2025, I described Seaham’s new link to London, courtesy of Grand Central Trains.
- In Arriva Group Invests In New Battery Hybrid Train Fleet In Boost To UK Rail Industry, I talked about Grand Central’s new trains, which should be in service by 2028 to Seaham and Sunderland.
- It was in June 2020, that I wrote about Boris Johnson making a speech about the Leamside Line in Boris Johnson Backs Station Opening Which Could See Metro Link To County Durham.
This important link has been a long time coming.
Will The Rail Improvements Between London and The North East Create More Tourism?
Consider.
- The digital signalling will create more paths for trains between London and the North East.
- Journey times will come down to generally below three hours.
- There is a lot of excellent walking in the area.
- The North-East doesn’t just host top-class football and athletics.
- A trip could be combined with a day-trip to Edinburgh, Glasgow or the Scottish Borders.
- I have met Americans, who’ve started their holiday in Europe, in Edinburgh and worked their way down via York and London to Paris by train, and then flown back non-stop to the United States.
As I’ve spent a couple of enjoyable weekends in Newcastle and Sunderland, I don’t see why the area can’t attract tourists.
Should The East Coast Main Line Be Renamed?
Consider.
- It is one of the oldest long-distance main lines in the world.
- It links two of the UK’s capitals.
- It is 331 miles long, which is covered in four and a half hours.
- There are some of the world’s best hotels at either end.
- There is good shopping at either end.
- There is no Trump hotel in London or Edinburgh.
Perhaps, it should be called High Speed East Coast?
England And Australia Draw T20 Series After Washout
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
England and Australia’s T20 series ended in a draw after the third match at Old Trafford was washed out.
This is the first paragraph.
Heavy rain throughout the day in Manchester prevented any play and the series ends 1-1.
Who was the idiot, who decided to have a series decided, in a city, where it always rains?
It’s not bright in London, but they could have had a game in my road.
Will Sky Ever Broadcast A Freeview Sports Channel?
Yesterday, Sky held the rights to both the Cricket World Cup Final and The British Grand Prix.
But in the end Sky shared the coverage of both events with Channel 4!
Now that both events have successfully concluded, Sky will have the details of the following.
- Number of viewers.
- Advertising revenue on both Sky and Channel 4.
- Reaction from politicians, some of whom are not very pleased with Sky.
This will enable the company to decide, whether it is in the company’s interest to do it again.
- I can also see a scenario, where if a Sky Freeview channel exists, that sports would want to do promotional deals to get their sport in front of viewers, by perhaps having the top level on satellite and lower levels on Freeview.
- Sky uses a lot of repeats on its Sports Channels at Off Peak times.
- Freeview technology will also be allowing more channels.
- Sky must be a bit worried about competition from other broadcasters woth bottomless pockets.
I don’t think we can rule anything out, as Sky are an innovative and ambitious broadcaster.
Wliford Bridge On The Nottingham Express Transit
Wilford Bridge opened over a hundred years ago as a toll bridge and parts of it are Listed.
The Nottingham Express Transit (NET) needed to cross the River Trent and instead of building a new bridge this bridge was widened and strengthened to accept trams.
I think that the architects and engineers have done a splendid job to create a very good crossing for trams, pedestrians and cyclists. As I walked across it, there was a lot of cyclists and pedestrians crossing the river.
I do wonder if the Meadows Embankment tram stop on the north side of the bridge will become one of the better ways to get to the cricket and football grounds. You would park at Clifton South or another convenient Park-and-Ride and after getting off the tram, would walk along the river. The Google Map shows the Trent from Wilford Bridge to Trent Bridge.
River Trent
I don’t know how good the walking route is at present, but surely signs and information on the river route and a possibly more direct one cutting out the bend in the River Trent should be provided. I suspect that the route is shorter than it first appears, as there is the Wilford Suspension bridge on the other side of the bend.
A Pantomime Horse At The Cricket
There are several reports of a pantomime horse being spotted at Edgbaston in the cricket yesterday.
Surprisingly, I can’t find a picture in the papers.
Should Irish Cricket Be Given Test Status?
Jason Gillespie thinks this according to a report on SkySports.
I am old enough to remember, when Test cricket didn’t include Sri Lanka, and none would say that admitting them hasn’t been a success.
At least admitting the Irish would probably raise the fun level.
Why Is It Not Planned To Take The Nottingham Tram To Trent Bridge?
From my limited knowledge of Nottingham, I find the Nottingham tram, a bit of a conundrum, in the way it doesn’t serve the football and cricket grounds.
England has four major cities; Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle and Nottingham, that use tram or light rail to move passengers around the city. In addition, Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol have heavy rail networks that do a similar job.
Most major sports ground and arenas in larger cities are located on these networks. In fact, some clubs have the tram stop or train station named to connect it to the stadium or club.
There is Arsenal, Upton Park and White Hart Lane in London, St. James in Newcastle, Hawthorns in Birmingham and Hillsborough in Sheffield.
Nottingham has three stadia in the Trent Bridge area of the city; Trent Bridge cricket ground, Forest’s City Ground and County’s Meadow Lane, but surprisingly the Nottingham tram doesn’t go or isn’t even planned to go to the area.
However this lack of connection to the City Ground, didn’t stop the tram advertising in the stadium.
I am totally surprised that Nottingham are spending all these millions on constructing a tram system, that doesn’t go near the area, where a lot of visitors to the city want to go.
Today for instance, after arriving from London, I took the tram up the hill to a restaurant I like in King Street. After my lunch, it would have been so easy to walk to the tram line and then get a tram to the ground! I’d have also probably taken a tram back to the station. So instead of probably a day ticket for £3.70, I bought just one single ticket at £2.20.
And did a lot of walking!
An Unusual Letter In The Times
On Friday this letter appeared in The Times under the title of Maiden Over.
It is well known that the Almighty is a spin bowler …
Sir, Patrick Kidd concludes that if successive days of rain in the cricket match between the Lord’s XI and a Vatican XI (Aug 27) stop play “it’s probably proof that God is more of a rugby man”. I think he needs to get out more, for we all know that She is an avid follower of lacrosse.
It was signed by the Diosesan Secretary of the Diocese of Ely!
Is John Lewis A Lucky Company?
English cricket was in a bad way after the disastrous Australian tour last winter and it does seem that a change of sponsor to Waitrose has brought a change of luck!
You could argue the team would have improved anyway, but even if that is the case then John Lewis have shown superb timing to decide to sponsor the team.
It is said that you have to make your own luck.
John Lewis certainly do!
Especially this morning, with pictures of happy cricketers with Waitrose on their chests, all over the media.
Lord MacClaurin’s Unworkable View
Lord MacClaurin has just suggested that the solution to the woes of English cricket is to cut the number of counties to twelve. Alan Lamb agreed and they went on to suggest mergers like Kent with Sussex and Northants with Warwicks.
It may be right, but can you imagine those that run and occasionally support the counties will take this. I have lived in both the old counties of East Suffolk and West Suffolk, which were combined with the County Borough of Ipswich to form Suffolk. The only thing that those in the new county are agreed on, is that you support Ipswich Town, but those in the west, still resent that Ipswich was chosen as the county town.
So will merged counties ever happen? I doubt it!
The Anonymous Widower 