INBOX
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From: Keith Ashington Subject: EGIP
One item appears to have been missed from these planned investment cuts; maintenance costs. The original scheme would have seen a replacement of heavy DMUs with lighter EMUs, switch diamond crossovers with grade- separated junctions (fl yovers / fl yunders) and electrifi ed freight into Grangemouth freight yard and Kincardine power station. The proposals will see an increase in maintenance costs, especially now that the overhead wires need to be maintained.
From: Ric P Subject: EGIP
EGIP was a bold initiative to electrify the main routes across the ‘Scottish Midland Valley’, as I was taught for O level in the 60s. I saw the excellent Glasgow Blue Trains, brilliantly marketed, but their fl air was diluted as services were pruned, the Caledonian Blue was replaced by drab rail blue and in time lost its identity until Strathclyde adopted its red and cream colours, another style being abandoned.
But the new St Andrew’s Blue ‘Saltire’ styling is being
applied across the system, to be accompanied by a new generation of electric trains, a super new improved railway.
BUT, a big BUT, this is all expensive, so let’s see what we can cut? Not a good idea – phase yes; cut no!
1) A to B is fi nished and there is a new service linking what were coal mining communities 50 years ago, lots of clunky old chuffers pulling rusty coal wagons around Bathgate, with Austin Leyland vans being the new growth industry. How long did that factory last? The restored link with modern electric trains every 15 or 30 minutes is a major boost to economic growth in the communities the line serves. Airdrie now has a link to the east.
2) Queen St to Waverley via Falkirk High. The obvious fast route, but why have the proponents said all trains must go via High, when traditionally trains alternated via the two Falkirk stations, every 30 minutes? This is an acceptable frequency. So Plan B is wire via Falkirk High, and then wire up the loop to Grahamston.
3) Sort out the links from Glasgow and Springburn to Cumbernauld
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is more convoluted than an MP’s reply to a simple question about his/her expenses.
and Falkirk. The benefi ts of this scheme is that it completes an electrifi ed route from Falkirk to Motherwell, and so the Grangemouth freight link could be included.
4) Holytown to Midcalder Jct. Where? I hear you say! This completes the third route from Glasgow to Edinburgh via Shotts, where a mix of fast and stopping trains would complement the Airdrie-Bathgate Route.
5) Lastly work north from Falkirk to Stirling and Dunblane, and fi nally to Alloa.
If these schemes were done, one after the other, the schemes become affordable and deliverable, and boost mobility and so economic activity.
From: Nonsuchmike Subject: DfT’s HS2 plans have not learnt from HS1 mistakes, say MPs
The debate is not so much about speed but about capacity, reliability, regularity and comfort. We desperately need extra capacity so that my other three factors can be improved. If somebody suggested building the extra twin tracks alongside the existing NW route and clearing all problems out in order to widen the trackbed, then I would be all for that, but it cannot be done without destroying vast miles of industry, housing and building new bridges/tunnels.
In addition, the track would not be high speed enough, as the course
My only gripe with HS2 is that it only portrays a double track, whereas for the next century we need a quadruple track, with double track (not single) connections to HS1
near St
Pancras. Yes, I agree we could certainly aim to put more of the course underground near major city dormitory towns like Ealing/ Ruislip, but there is so much green provision with tunnels and green tunnels already I was ready to criticise this part, but was suitably impressed with their credentials.
Meanwhile, why can’t they widen the Welwyn Viaduct to four-track and bore two more tunnels to improve the East Coast route? Far cheaper and less controversial.
From: Mikey B Subject: Hitachi selects MTU to supply IEP engines
When Hitachi announced its UK manufacturing/assembly plant, Alistair Dormer and others promised that a local supply chain would be established. Whilst accepting that the best diesel engines are undoubtedly made by MTU in Germany (incidentally, Tognum AG, the owners of MTU, are themselves 50% owned by Rolls Royce Plc), we should keep a watching brief for the identities of the other suppliers and see how many will actually be British companies.
From: Brian Subject: New £130m Oxford- London link via High Wycombe
A great outcome. Let’s all hope we will continue to see such innovative
thinking from Arriva team?
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
opinion@railtechnologymagazine.com
rail technology magazine Oct/Nov 12 | 11 the
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