Infrastructure
towards Redditch for approximately 2km. The new piece of track would mean that the number of services could increase to three per hour in each direction. Construction of a new track would also mean a second platform would be needed at Alvechurch station. But some are already asking why the loop line has to be so long. Why not just have a short section of double track at Alvechurch Station? Kaye says: ‘The length and location
of loop being proposed was developed to minimise disruption to local residents, to minimise any new infrastructure, but also to provide operational flexibility. If the loop length was much shorter, there would be greater potential for service delays due to waiting for lines to be available before proceeding. The loop length and location has been validated via timetable modelling.’ The improvements on the branch line
to Redditch form part of a wider scheme that also includes electrification of the line from Barnt Green to nearby Bromsgrove and the construction of a new station there. Kaye says: ‘Although both schemes are being delivered under the same programme portfolio – along with the Bromsgrove
Electrification project – the Bromsgrove station scheme is third-party funded, whereas the Redditch scheme is funded as part of Network Rail’s Control Period 4 settlement. Although the schemes are independent of each other, it is intended that once these projects have been delivered, the Cross City service will also extend to Bromsgrove on completion of the electrification work. ‘Three trains per hour will run to
Redditch, via the Alvechurch passing loop, and three trains per hour will run to Bromsgrove.’ If the proposals for the loop line get
the final go ahead, work could start on the scheme in Autumn 2013 and be completed by summer 2014. The other major scheme is on a much
larger scale in the Stafford area. There, Network Rail is exploring options to improve the rail network at a major junction on the West Coast Main Line in Norton Bridge. It’s designed to help deliver what Network Rail says will be a ‘more reliable network for passengers’. Despite the completion of a £9bn upgrade of the line, growth of both passenger and freight
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traffic means additional trains paths are needed on the route. But why wasn’t the work done as part of the WCML upgrade? Jo Kaye says: ‘The upgrade of the West
Coast Main Line was primarily to facilitate Pendolino tilting trains and needed to be
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