Alternative Rail Connections For Bradford After IRP Snub
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on New Civil Engineer.
This is the first paragraph.
Of all the losers from the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), Bradford is arguably the biggest.
I agree! But then Bradford is a very difficult problem.
The article talks about several solutions.
- One is a new station at St. James Market, which I wrote about in Bradford Seeks Support On Rail Project Which Could Deliver £30bn Benefits.
- Another suggests electrifying between Bradford and Leeds and increasing capacity between the two cities.
These are probably the best of a rather mixed and downright impractical bunch.
The big problem with Bradford Interchange station is that it is a terminal and not a through station. Through trains between say Leeds and Halifax or Huddersfield have to reverse in the station, which slows the services down by up to five minutes.
Currently the following local services call at Bradford Interchange station.
- Blackpool North and York
- Chester and Leeds
- Halifax and Hull
- Huddersfield and Leeds
- Manchester Victoria and Leeds
Note.
- All services have a frequency of one tph.
- All trains are diesel-powered.
- All services reverse in Bradford Interchange station.
- Platforms 1 and 2 can accommodate five-car Class 180 trains, which are 120 metres long.
This Google Map shows Bradford Interchange station.
Note.
- Platforms 1 and 2 are the longer pair of platforms to the West.
- Platform 3 and 4 can probably handle a four-car train.
- I suspect that if necessary platforms could be lengthened so they could all take a five-car Class 802 train, which is 130 metres long.
In Would Automated Trains With The Ability To Run Backwards Improve Passenger Train Services?, I proposed providing sufficient automation and signalling improvements, so that drivers could drive the train from either cab.
This would make the reverse at Bradford Interchange station take as long as a normal stop, without any reduction in safety.
If this could be made to work efficiently, it must open up the possibility of a Leeds and Manchester Airport service.
- It would call at Bradford Interchange, Low Moor, Halifax, Brighouse and Huddersfield.
- It would satisfy Bradford’s need of a direct service to Manchester Airport.
- It would improve getting to the airport for Low Moor, Halifax and Brighouse.
There would be no need for large amounts of new or modified infrastructure.
Bradford Seeks Support On Rail Project Which Could Deliver £30bn Benefits
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
Delivery of a new city centre railway station in Bradford is estimated to boost the city’s economy by £30bn over ten years, with Bradford Council now seeking government support to deliver the major rail project.
The article also says that the the station, will be built on the site of St James Market, which is owned by the Council.
This Google Map shows the market and the surrounding roads and railways.
Note.
- Bradford Interchange station is in the North-West corner of the map.
- St. James Market is marked by the red arrow in the middle of the map.
- The railway Between Leeds and Bradford Interchange stations via New Pudsey station curves in a loop South of the market.
- The railway going South from Bradford Interchange goes to Bradford Low Moor and Halifax stations, before taking the Calder Valley Line via Hebden Bridge to Manchester Victoria station.
I think it would be feasible to build the station on the current route between Leeds and Bradford Interchange stations, with perhaps a mixture of through and bay platforms.
This second Google Map, shows Mill Lane Junction, where the lines from New Pudsey and Bradford Low Moor stations join South of Bradford Interchange station.
Note.
- Bradford Interchange station is on the rail line to the North.
- The proposed new Bradford station and the existing New Pudsey station are on the rail line to the East.
- Bradford Low Moor station is on the rail line to the South.
It would appear that an extra chord should be added to the junction to allow trains between Manchester Victoria and Leeds via the Calder Valley Line can call at the new station in Bradford.
Current trains between Manchester Victoria and Leeds using this route have to reverse at Bradford Interchange. The new station and the extra chord would avoid this.
Conclusion
I think that this proposal has possibilities.
The Anonymous Widower 