A Taste Of The Future
On Friday, I went to Chester and took a train home from Crewe to Euston.
It was a new Hitachi Class 805, that sped me to London, with just a stop at Milton Keynes.
This picture shows the train arriving at Crewe.
Note.
- High Speed Two it is not, but it went most of the way to Euston at 125 mph in an hour and 50 minutes.
- High Speed Two will take 56 minutes, although that is not cast in stone and steel yet.
- Crewe is one of the towns and cities, that will benefit most from High Speed Two.
But whether High Speed Two is delivered or or not, Crewe’s train service should improve in Spring 2026, as the first Lumo service on the West Coast Main Line service will be starting.
I describe the service in Lumo To Expand Scotland’s Rail Network With New London-Stirling Rail Route From Spring 2026.
This paragraph from the linked post, describes the route.
Lumo’s new route will link London Euston directly to Stirling, also calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) and Larbert.
It is fully-electrified and can support 125 mph running most, if not all, of the way.
It will certainly give knowledgeable travellers options on how they travel on the West Coast Main Line.
Lumo are also proposing another open access service on the West Coast Main Line to Rochdale, which will increase travel options.
My only worry is that Heidi Alexander will cancel it, on the grounds that open access services abstract the revenue of Great British Railways.
But then after announcing the service in a reception in Holyrood, she surely couldn’t cancel it now.
On the other hand, it could be that this Labour Government has discovered that open access trains are a more affordable way of developing rail services to and from London and over longer distances.
Consider.
- Recently, Lumo has proposed open access services from London to Carmarthen, Paignton, Rochdale and Stirling.
- Recently, Arriva has proposed open access services from London to Cleethorpes, Grimsby and Scunthorpe and between Newcastle and Brighton.
- Recently, Alsthom has proposed open access services from London to Shewsbury and Wrexham.
Not one of these services will cost the government a lot of money, but Network Rail will pick up access charges.
So has Heidi Alexander seen sense and feels that it is better to allow more open access services?
Could Any Other Open Access Services Be Opened On The West Coast Main Line?
London Euston and Rochdale is planned by Lumo and I wrote about it in FirstGroup’s Lumo Seeks To Launch Rochdale – London Open Access Service.
This sentence from the linked post, gives the route.
The trains would call at Warrington Bank Quay, Newton-le-Willows, Eccles and Manchester Victoria.
Other possibilities would surely be Blackpool and Barrow-in-Furness, but Blackpool gets a three trains per day (tpd) service from Euston and frequent trains from Preston.
Barrow-in-Furness could be a very useful destination.
With increased defence spending, the shipyards will be busy.
It could be another gateway to the Lake District.
Services could be extended to Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the Cumbrian Coast Line between the West Coast Main Line and Barrow-in-Furness.
Note.
- The red tracks on the Eastern side of the map is the electrified West Coast Main Line.
- At the bottom of the map on the West Coast Main Line is Lancaster, with its station.
- The black track going West from Lancaster is the Morecambe and Heysham branch.
- The black track going West across the top of the map is the Cumbrian Coast Line.
- Barrow-in-Furness station is indicated by the blue arrow.
- The length of track without electrification on the route is less than thirty miles.
One of Lumo’s battery-electric trains would easily handle a London Euston and Barrow-in-Furness route.
Conclusion
There is obviously scope for new railway routes in the UK and some will be suitable for open access operators.
Perhaps, we need the Office of Road and Rail to be more proactive in deciding, when a route is to be served and then select an operator.
It would need to be an unbiased apolitical process, to stop an incumbent political party running trains to marginal seats, they hoped to win.
Slow Tourism Train Operator Launches First Service
Tyhe title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
These are the first two paragraphs.
FS Group’s recently formed tourist train business FS Treni Turistici Italiani has launched its first service.
Branded Espresso Cadore, the overnight service between Roma Termini and Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore-Cortina will run every Friday night until mid-February. On arrival, a connecting bus takes passengers to Cortina d’Ampezzo in 45 min. The return train departs on Sundays, arriving at Roma Termini on Monday morning.
It is surely an interesting concept and I believe it could work on several routes in the UK.
- Settle and Carlisle would be an obvious route.
- Cumbrian Coast Line.
- Bristol and Oxford, which I wrote about in Leisure Market Boom? GWR’s Vision For Direct Bristol-Oxford Services.
There must also be a couple of routes in Scotland and Wales.
As the three routes, I named are electrified at both ends, there is a possibility that they could be run by quiet battery-electric trains.
High Speed Two To Barrow-in-Furness
There has been a lot of speculation about the Northern end of High Speed Two, so I might as well add sort out a few facts and add a bit of speculation of my own.
Barrow-in-Furness Used To Have A Service To London
Barrow-in-Furness station doesn’t have a direct service to London.
This paragraph from the Wikipedia entry, describes how it used to be.
The present station was formerly known as Barrow Central, and at one time it was a terminus for British Rail long-distance or InterCity services. From October 1947 until May 1983 these included sleeper services to and from London Euston. A sleeper service in the London direction only was briefly reintroduced between May 1987 and May 1990.
Note.
- I find it interesting, that the area had both InterCity and sleeper services.
- There are some big employers like BAe Systems and British Nuclear Fuels in the area.
- Rishi Sunak has announced that the Cumbrian Coast Line will be upgraded.
- A High Speed Two service could improve low-carbon access to the Lake District.
- Grimsby/Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire, which probably has a similar economic profile to Barrow-in-Furness appears to be getting a service from London as I wrote about in Azuma Test Train Takes To The Tracks As LNER Trials Possible New Route. So why shouldn’t Barrow-in-Furness have a similar service?
It is my view that Barrow-in-Furness station could support a sprinkling of services.
The Current Barrow-in-Furness Service
Barrow-in-Furness station’s current services are described in these two paragraphs from the Wikipedia entry.
Services to the north are provided on Monday-Saturday by Northern, with services approximately hourly during the day to Whitehaven and Carlisle. One train per day operates to Sellafield specifically for workers at Sellafield nuclear plant (BNFL). Evening trains run only as far as Millom. There are 19 northbound departures each weekday; 15 of these go to Carlisle, three to Millom and one to Sellafield. There are 20 arrivals from the northern part of the line: 15 from Carlisle, three from Millom, one from Maryport and one from Sellafield. Some of these services continue along the Furness Line to Lancaster and Preston.
To the south, there are a mixture of stopping services to Lancaster and a number of through services to Manchester Airport via Manchester Piccadilly. These operate on a broadly hourly frequency, with a few peak extras throughout the week (including Sundays).
Hard facts on what the improvements to the line will be, have not been reported. But it does seem that a doubling of frequency to two trains per hour (tph) is being proposed.
What Are The Government’s Plans?
This news story from the Government is entitled North West To Benefit From £19.8 billion Transport Investment.
Proposed improvements in Cumbria are contained in this paragraph.
A brand new £2.5 billion fund to transform local transport in 14 rural counties, smaller cities and towns. This new money could pay for new stations, further electrification, bus corridors and new integrated public transport networks. The Energy Coast Line between Carlisle, Workington and Barrow will be upgraded, improving capacity and journey times, enabling trains every 30 minutes between Carlisle, Workington and Whitehaven. The upgrade will also accommodate major new freight demands from the new coal mine and provide regular services for the Westlakes Science Park, Nuclear Academy and Sellafield. This could support the creation of over 18,000 jobs.
I have my thoughts.
Will The Route Be Electrified?
The Cumbrian Coast and the Furness Line effectively form a near 120 mile loop between Carnforth and Carlisle stations on the West Coast Main Line.
- A journey from one end to the other takes about three hours and 18 minutes.
- Main towns and places served include Barrow-in-Furness, Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington.
- A train between Carnforth and Carlisle can stop at as many as 29 stations.
- The route is not electrified, but it connects to the electrified West Coast Main Line at both ends at Carnforth and Carlisle.
This OpenRailwayMap shows Carnforth.
Note.
- The red line is the West Coast Main Line between Carlisle and Lancaster.
- Carlisle is to the North.
- Lancaster is to the South.
- The black line going North-West is the Furness Line to Barrow-in-Furness.
- The black line going East is the Bentham Line to Settle and Leeds.
This OpenRailwayMap shows Carlisle.
Note.
- The red line is the West Coast Main Line between Scotland and Carnforth.
- Scotland is to the North.
- Carnforth is to the South.
- The black line going South-West is the Cumbrian Coast Line to Workington, Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness.
- The black line going East is the Settle and Carlisle Line to Settle and Leeds.
If it were to be fully electrified, it could be a diversion route for electrified trains on the West Coast Main Line.
This document on the Government web site is the Train Technical Specification for High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains.
The specification says this about the unit and train formation.
The nominal length of the Unit shall be 200m. It has been determined that all Units should
be the same length, with no requirement for a Unit to be capable of being lengthened or
shortened. This supports the overall HS2 business case.The Unit shall be capable of Normal Operation as a single Unit or as two coupled Units.
On the Wikipedia entry for the Cumbrian Coast Line, there is a picture of a very long steam-hauled train on the line.
Full electrification would have these advantages.
- In the next few years several 21st century electrical multiple units will be looking for new places to operate.
- I am fairly certain, that a fully-electrified Cumbrian Coast Line could act as a diversion for High Speed Two and the West Coast Main Line between Carnforth and Carlisle.
- It would enable occasional High Speed Two services to Carlisle via Barrow-in-Furness, Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington.
- It would also allow electrified freight trains to the new coal mine at Workington and to Sellafield.
But trains from the coal mine would probably need to have hydrogen-hybrid locomotives to get across the Pennines to Teesside for export.
Partial Electrification Of The Line
Partial electrification would probably need the following.
- Installation of electrification between Carnforth and Barrow-in-Furness, so that High Speed Two services can reach Barrow-in-Furness.
- Installation of electrification from Carlisle for enough miles towards Workington to be able to charge the local trains.
- The local trains would need to be able to run about seventy miles on batteries.
Partial electrification would be more affordable, but it would allow the following.
- Battery-electric trains to work between Carnforth and Carlisle.
- It would enable occasional High Speed Two services to Barrow-in-Furness
- Hydrogen-hybrid locomotive-hauled freight trains to the new coal mine at Workington and to Sellafield.
Rail passengers in, to and from Cumbria would probably see a similar level of improvement to that with full electrification.
What Time Would Be Possible At The Present Time?
Consider.
- According to the Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two, two hours and twenty-five minutes is the fastest time between London Euston and Lancaster.
- Trains are timed to take one hour and four minutes with the nine stops, between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster.
- To save time some stops could be cut between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster.
This would give a London Euston and Barrow-in-Furness time of three hours and twenty-nine minutes, but by removing perhaps five stops, the time could be around three hours and fifteen minutes.
What Time Would Be Possible When High Speed Two Lite Opens To Handsacre Junction?
Consider.
- According to the Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two, two hours and three minutes will be the fastest time between London Euston and Lancaster, after High Speed Two opens to Handsacre junction.
- Trains are timed to take one hour and four minutes with the nine stops, between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster.
- To save time some stops could be cut between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster.
This would give a London Euston and Barrow-in-Furness time of three hours and seven minutes, but by removing perhaps five stops, the time could be under three hours.
What Frequency Would Be Needed?
LNER seem to run their secondary services to places like Harrogate and Lincoln using a frequency of one train per two hours (tp2h).
That could be an ideal frequency.
Would There Be A Path For The Train To And From London Euston?
This graphic shows High Speed Two services after Phase 2b is completed.
Note.
- Services shown in blue are run by High Speed Two Full Size trains.
- Services shown in yellow are run by High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains.
- Each of these trains will have a frequency of one tph.
- The nine paths to the right of the vertical black line will not be needed for some time. If ever!
- It looks like a maximum of only eleven paths will be needed to the South of Birmingham.
- It looks like a maximum of only fourteen paths will be needed to the North of Birmingham.
In Will High Speed Two Lite Make Stafford An Important Station?, I totted up all the services through Stafford after High Speed Two Lite opened to Handsacre junction and got these figures.
- Through Stafford station, there are totals of 11 tpd and 14 tph.
- Along the Trent Valley Line, there are totals of 11 tpd and 12 tph.
- North of Stafford on the West Coast Main Line, there are totals of 9 tpd and 12 tph.
- South of Stafford on the West Coast Main Line, there are totals of 2 tpd and 2 tph.
- Between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent, there are totals of 2 tph.
I accounted for services moving from the West Coast Main Line to High Speed Two.
Consider.
- A large proportion of the route between Preston and Handsacre junction, where the route would join High Speed Two Light has two dedicated high speed tracks and two tracks for freight and local services.
- Digital signalling on High Speed Two has been designed to handle eighteen trains per hour (tph) at 225 mph.
- Surely, the two dedicated high speed tracks, if fitted with High Speed Two digital signalling could handle say 16 tph at 140 mph.
- Network Rail are good at juggling trains to squeeze in more services.
- Extra paths could be created by splitting and joining trains at Crewe or Preston.
My Control Engineering training and practice tells me that it should be possible to add perhaps two tph between Lancaster and Euston.
Could High Speed Two’s Lancaster Service Be Extended To Barrow-in-Furness?
I don’t see why some services could be extended the 34.8 miles to Barrow-in-Furness.
Would Much Work Be Needed At Barrow-in-Furness?
This Google Map shows Barrow-in-Furness station.
Note.
Trains to and from Carnforth come and go from the South East.
Trains to and from Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington and Carlisle come and go from the North West.
There are three platforms.
Work needed to be done would include.
- Creation of a 200 metre platform for the High Speed Two trains.
- Electrification.
- Addition of charging facilities to the platform for the local trains, which would probably be standard electrification.
Passengers would walk across between the High Speed Two and local trains.
Conclusion
I believe that High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains could be under three hours between Barrow-in-Furness and London Euston, when High Speed Two Lite opens from Handsacre junction.
National Trust Looks At Car Ban In Lake District
The title of this post is the same as that as that of this article in yesterday’s Sunday Times.
The secondary headline sums up the article.
Nearly 20m visitors a year are ‘loving the national park to death’, and officials are looking at excluding drivers.
So what is to be done?
Can The Railways Help?
In 2015, I spent Three Days in Preston and explored the area by train.
These problems were apparent on the trains and at the stations.
- The capacity, quality and frequency of the trains to Windermere is pitiful.
- The capacity, quality and frequency of the trains along the Cumbrian Coast Line is inadequate.
- Bus information and interchanges could be better.
- Getting a train to Penrith North Lakes station was difficult.
The only line with an acceptable train service is the West Coast Main Line.
Everything else needs major improvements.
These are some random thoughts.
Could Carlisle Become The Rail Tourism Centre For The Borderlands And The Lakes?
These rail lines and services are already or will be connected to Carlisle Citadel station, within the next few years.
- Virgin services on the West Coast Main Line between London and the South and Glasgow and Edinburgh in Central Scotland.
- TransPennine Express services on the West Coast Main Line between Liverpool and Manchester in the South and Glasgow.
- Possible Grand Union services on the West Coast Main Line between London and Stirling for the North of Scotland.
- High Speed Two services between London and the South and Glasgow and Edinburgh in Central Scotland.
- ScotRail services on the Glasgow South Western Line between Carlisle and Glasgow via Dumfries and Kilmarnock.
- ScotRail services on an extended Borders Railway between Carlisle and Edinburgh via Hawick and Galashiels.
- Northern services on the Tyne Valley Line between Carlisle and Newcastle via Hexham and the Metro Centre.
- Northern services on the Settle and Carlisle Line between Carlisle and Leeds.
- Northern services on the Cumbrian Coast Line between Carlisle and Carnforth via Workington, Whitehaven and Barrow.
Carlisle sits at the centre of a network of some of the most scenic rail lines, anywhere in the world.
Rail services in the area with the exception of the through services, provided by Virgin and TransPennine Express are probably considered by their operators to be a pain.
- They are generally not used by commuters.
- There are regular operational problems like floods and landslips.
- They are overcrowded at some times of the year and need expensive new rolling stock.
- Rail tourists from aboard probably complain like mad.
But above all the services probably lose money hand over fist.
What Is The Ideal Train For Scenic Routes?
Two possible trains for scenic routes are now in service in the UK.
The Scottish Solution – Inter7City
ScotRail are now introducing four- and five-car InterCity 125 trains on routes between the seven cities in Scotland.
They will probably do a good job and they have the following.
- Large windows to enjoy the views.
- Many seats have tables.
- An on-board buffet and trolley service.
- Wi-fi and power sockets for phones and laptops.
- The trains should be reliable, as there is a vast knowledge base about running these trains.
- The trains can be easily lengthened, by adding extra cars.
- The trains were 125 mph trains and are probably slower in this application.
But the trains are forty years old and have two enormous diesel engines on each end.
The Swiss Solution – Class 755 train
Greater Anglia are introducing three- and four-car Class 755 trains on rural routes in East Anglia.
They appear to be doing a good job with high passenger satisfaction and they have the following.
- Large windows to enjoy the views.
- A number of seats have tables.
- Space for bicycles.
- Wi-fi and power sockets for phones and laptops.
- The trains have level access between train and platform.
- Hopefully, the trains will be reliable, as they are brand new and Stadler has been making similar trains for over ten years.
- The trains can use 25 KVAC overhead electrification, where it is available.
- The trains can work in multiple formations.
- The trains can be easily lengthened, by adding extra cars.
- The trains are 100 mph trains.
But the trains still have a diesel power-pack in the middle for operation independently.
In future, these trains will be used to run new services between London and Lowestoft, which is a distance of 118 miles of which 59 miles is electrified.
Similar trains will be fitted with batteries for the South Wales Metro.
Could a train be built with the best of all the features?
I believe the Class 755 train is a pretty good start, but it would have the following extra features.
- Ability to run at up to 125 mph on 25 KVAC overhead or 750 VDC third rail, where the track allows.
- A well-designed buffet.
- 50 mile battery range.
- A stand-by generator.
- The ability to fast-charge the battery at a station stop.
I also think that Hitachi could make a five-car AT-300 train and Bombardier could make an Aventra, that met this specification.
What would a fleet of battery-electric trains do for the rail lines around Carlisle?
- Hopefully, they would become a tourist attraction in their own right and encourage visitors to corm by train.
- Frequencies would be at least two trains per hour on all routes.
This could be a starting point for making the area easier to access.
Should Stations Around The Lakes Be Developed With Bus Interchanges?
I’ve seen the bus interchange at Windermere station, but are other stations around the Lakes as well provided with comprehensive bus routes?
The objective surely should be that if a family wanted to have a day out in the Lakes from their home in Liverpool or Manchester, they should be able to get a train to a convenient station and a bus to their final destination.
Surely, if there is a sensible alternative, then visitors might use it.
Could The Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway Be Reopened?
The Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway was finally closed in the 1970s and according to Wikipedia, the track-bed has been used for roads and other developments.
I doubt that the railway could be reopened, but a modern light rail route would probably be a very valuable tourist asset.
But Would Good Train And Bus Routes Cut The Traffic In The Lakes?
I doubt it!
If someone has spent £40,000 or more on an expensive car, they feel they have bought the right to drive it anywhere they want!
The Dutch once talked about road pricing for every vehicle and that government lost the next election.
Conclusion
Traffic congestion in the Lakes, is a problem that threatens other areas, where tourists want to go.
So will as the National Trust are suggesting have to ban cars to restore some sanity?
I suspect so!
But it won’t be popular!
Cumbrian Coast’s Coal Comeback?
The title of this post is the same as that of an article in Issue 874 of Rail Magazine.
When I saw this article, I thought it was rather surprising, as coal is rather the arch-demon to environmentalists.
But this is not about coal for producing electricity, but metallurgical coal, that will be used in steelmaking.
West Cumbria Mining are proposing the mine and ofn their web site, the following is said.
West Cumbria Mining is investing in developing plans for the creation of a metallurgical coal mine off the coast near Whitehaven in West Cumbria to supply the UK and European steel-making coal market, which currently imports around 45 million tonnes per annum.
I would assume the 45 million tonnes refers to the total of the UK and European markets. S there is certainly a large market to supply, if the price is right.
Woodhouse Colliery
This extract describes how the mine will be created.
Woodhouse Colliery would be created using the access tunnels to old anhydrite workings at the former Sandwith Drift Mine, on the edge of Whitehaven. Until 2004, the site was occupied by the Marchon chemical works.
Studies have determined that sufficient coal reserves could be accessed to sustain mining operations for at least 50 years.
This picture was taken from their web site.
It doesn’t look to be a stereotypical coal mine.
Much of the coal would appear to be mined offshore.
Use Of The Railway
This extract talks about the use of the Cumbrian Coast Line, that passes through Whitehaven.
One of the things that actually makes the project realistic and viable is that we have access to existing infrastructure. There are lots of projects where actually the biggest capital cost is the infrastructure required. We have to remove everything by rail – one: because of the volume of material; but two: we wouldn’t be able to get planning if it was a road solution.
An agreement has been reached with Freightliner to transport the coal to Redcar. With the mine in full production, six trains per day would operate Monday-Friday.
More details about the rail transport are also given.
- There would be a single-track siding for loading.
- The siding would be connected to the mine by a 1.4 mile coal conveyor.
- Everything is covered, so there no dust and gas.
- The loading will be in an acoustically-closed building.
- Trains will have 23 wagons.
- Class 66 or Class 70 locomotives will be used.
It does appear that they are designing most things to a high standard.
These days, if planning permission with conditions is given, the conditions are usually adhered to, as sanctions are now easier to apply through the Courts.
I do have a few thoughts.
Route Between Whitehaven And Redcar
Trains would probably go via Carlisle, Newcastle and Middlesbrough
There would not be much electrification on the route, except for on the East Coast Main Line.
I would estimate that trains would take around three hours between the Woodhouse Colliery and Redcar
Rolling Stock
The article states that the wagons would be a dedicated fleet for the operation.
Surely, they could be designed for fast and quiet operation.
Locomotives
I feel that locomotives that meet the latest European regulations should be used. Class 66 locomotives do not, Class 68 locomotives do!
I also feel that in the next five years or so, more environmentally-friend;y and quieter locomotives will become available.
Improving The Cumbrian Coast Line
The article describes how the Cumbrian Coast Line will be improved if the mine gets Planning Permission.
Conclusion
If we are going to continue to make and use steel in the UK and Europe, it looks like this mine could create wealth in a part of the UK that needs it, without causing too many negatives.
It’s an interesting project.
Where Is Moorside?
Moorside is the name given to NuGen‘s new nuclear power complex in Cumbria.
I was drawn to write this post, by this article in Construction News, which is entitled Network Rail and Moorside nuclear power plant developer Nugen are putting together a business case for rail investment in Cumbria that could be worth as much as £400m.
four hundred million pounds could buy a lot of rail infrastructure.
But where exactly is Moorside?
This map was taken from the Our Site page on the NuGen web site, showsthe Moorside site outlined in red.
Note the development with the yellow-shaded areas to the South-East of the red-lined area. This is Sellafield.
And this is a Google Map of the coast around the nuclear reprocessing complex.
Note the railway stations along the coast. Sellafield station is by the nuclear complex, with Braystones and Nethertown to the North.
All three stations are on the Cumbrian Coast Line, which in addition to the passenger service, is used to transport freight, including nuclear waste to and from Sellafield.
Overlaying the NuGen map on the Coogle Map shows that Moorside will be to the North-West of Sellafield.
The Cumbrian Coast Line and the related Furness Line curve around Cumbria from Carlisle to Carnforth via Workington, Whitehaven, Sellafield and Barrow-in-Furness.
- The line is mainly double track, but with sections of single-track.
- The line is not electrified.
- Most of the trains are elderly diesels.
- The train service is vaguely hourly, but patchy in places.
The nuclear power complex is a ten billion pound project and will require large amounts of heavy equipment and construction materials to be transported the site. Also on a daily basis, large numbers of engineers and construction workers wilol need to get to one of the largest construction sites in the North of England.
Is Network Rail’s £400 million proposed vdevelopment, a reconstruction of the Cumbrian Coast and Furness Lines to the following standard.
- Double track.
- Electrification
- 100 mph line speed where possible.
- Build a new station at Moorside and any other places, where they are needed.
- Step-free stations
- At least two trains per hour in both directions.
- Full wi-fi and 4G on all trains and in stations.
Upgraded to a high standard, it might do more than help construction at Moorside and Sellafield and those that work in the two complexes.
- It might increase quality tourism.
- It could be a diversion route for the West Coast Main Line.
- It might make a London service to Barrow-in-Firness via HS2 a possibility.
Network Rail’s project could do a lot more than service the twin nuclear sites.
I explored the Cumbrian Coast Line in April 2015.
From Sellafield To Carlisle
I continued up the Cumbrian Coast Line to Carlisle taking pictures as I went.
Note that in some of the pictures, you can actually see the Isle of Man. Or I could on the train!
The Cumbrian Coast Line can’t be the easiest line in the country on which to make money, but according to this article on the Northern Rail web site, they are adding extra trains to Sellafield. So at least they’re trying.
Although there are some large employers along the line, surely such a picturesque line should be able to get extra passengers like families and walkers, who might want to spend time in the area. One factor going in their favour is the extra services out of Preston to Manchester, Liverpool and Blackpool. These will make it easier to get people to the line, especially if they ran decent trains on the line, with perhaps a trolley.
At least the line is a Community Rail Line and their web site is cumbriancoastline.co.uk.
From Ravenglass To Sellafield
After lunch, I continued up the Cumbrian Coast Line towards Carlisle and these are pictures I took between Ravenglass and Sellafield stations.
You get good views of the coast and also the Sellafield nuclear facility.
As I get older, I’m getting more and more sceptical the value of nuclear power.
There are so many things that we think are commonplace today, that in fifty years time will be laughed at by our descendants.
Nuclear power could be one of those things that will be no longer used for power generation, except possibly as a last resort.
I’m not worried about safety, but I believe that the expense of generating nuclear power and disposing of the spent fuel, will mean that other simpler and less-worrying for some methods of generating electricity for our needs. I don’t think wind will be promoted as much as it is now, as something better will come along.
We’ll still need plants like Sellafield, as we’ll be keeping some plants running and decommissioning others. This Google Earth image gives an idea of the size of the facility.
Sellafield
I just wonder what Sellafield would be like today, if the River Severn had been barraged around fifty years ago, as was proposed by Sir Frederick Snow.
Ravenglass Station And The Ratty Arms
My choice of Ravenglass station for a pit-stop was a good one, as I was able to get a simple baked potato well-filled with tuna mayonnaise at the Ratty Arms.
The one problem was that there was no train information or mobile signal at the station. But in the end it didn’t matter as the train arrived at the appointed time on the time-table.
To get a better feel of Ravenglass station and the area it serves, this is the Google Earth image of the area.
Ravenglass Station
Note how the Cumbrian Coast Line crosses the River Esk on a viaduct and the Ravenglass amd Eskdale Railway, which has a terminus at the station, curves away up the valley.
The Anonymous Widower 