News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 208 - 30/08/2010
- RAIL FREIGHT [all issues]
- RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE [all issues]
- STATIONS [all issues]
- GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues]
- BAM Nuttall to finish all work on southern section by mid-December 2010
- Busway bosses plan for emergency vehicles to use track
- Cambridge MP feels that Manchester busway 'suspension' is no surprise given problems in Cambridgeshire
- PRESERVED RAILWAYS [all issues]
- Mid-Norfolk Railway takes train further north on Sunday 29th August
- Whitwell and Reepham Railway Preservation Trust's first-ever steam gala makes healthy profit to help fund its expansion
- WEBSITES [all issues]
The next Railfuture East Anglia Branch meeting will be on Saturday 25th September 2010 at Chapel Field Methodist Church, Norwich. The speaker will be Chris Starkie, Chief Executive of "Shaping Norfolk's Future".
The Railfuture East Anglia branch will be conducting an all-day footfall count at Dullingham station on Thursday 16th September 2010. Several volunteers have been found. Anyone wishing to help count the number of people boarding and alighting each each train should contact branch chairman Peter Wakefield.
The inquest into the 10th May 2002 Potters Bar train crash finished on 30th July after sitting for seven weeks with the jury deciding that the points (south of the station connecting the two down lines) were in an unsafe condition and there had been failures to either inspect or maintain them.
On Thursday 23rd September 2010, East West Rail Link project manager Patrick O'Sullivan will be the guest speaker at the AGM of Oxon & Bucks Rail Action Committee at Milton Keynes Partnership, Central Business Exchange II, 414-428 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 2EA. It starts at 18:45.
The retail price index for the year to July 2010 was 4.8%, which means that regulated rail fares will increase by 5.8% in January 2011, as they are based on July's RPI rate plus 1%.
RAIL FREIGHT
Application to delay doubling of Ipswich-Felixstowe branch line until 2018 is approved
In 2005 Hutchison Ports UK, which operates the Port of Felixstowe made a TWA Order application to lengthen freight sidings at Ipswich Marshalling Yard and double approximately 7km of the Ipswich to Felixstowe Branch Line railway line with changes to level crossings. In particular the Westerfield level crossing, which currently has half barriers, would be upgraded to full-width barriers with CCTV. The combined works would have increased the capacity of the Branch Line from 47 arrivals/departures per weekday to 76, whilst fitting around the hourly passenger service between Felixstowe and Ipswich. Following a public inquiry in March 2007, in September 2008 the order was granted, but required the work to be commenced by 14th October 2013.
The then Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, considered that the proposed works to enhance the freight-carrying capacity of the Felixstowe Branch Line were essential to the proposed expansion of the Port of Felixstowe, which in turn was vital to meeting the urgent national need for additional container handling capacity. A key element of the expansion was that a good proportion of the additional freight coming through the Port should be carried by rail rather than by road.
However, there has been a significant downturn in the volume of trade and the consequent demand for berths. The effect of this has been to reduce the number of containers coming through the Port and the number of containers being transported by road. The port says that it has retrenched five years in terms of growth with domestic volume below 2005 levels and road movements below 2004 levels. The need to deliver Phase 2 of Felixstowe South Re-configuration (FSR) in the immediate term is therefore reduced. As a result HPUK asked to be allowed to delay the £46m dualling of the Felixstowe Branch Line with work commencing by 31 December 2018 (more than five years later), claiming that rail capacity can accommodate predicted volumes without impacting on the highway network until then. HPUK confirmed that rails works would be delivered before FSR 2 became operational.
As the local planning authority, Suffolk Coastal District Council considered the request (application C10/0544/FUL) at a Meeting of the South Area Development Control Sub-Committee on Thursday 19th August 2010. DfT Rail, Network Rail and the Highways Agency had all agreed that the works could be put back to December 2018 unless Phase 2 comes into operation before then, whilst the Section 106 stated that the backstop date could be varied if agreed. Objections to the delay were received as follows:
The East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership wanted the works being 'completed' rather than 'commenced' by 31 December 2018. However, they were concerned that with limited capacity on the branch line then extra freight train usage may be at the expense of passenger trains on both the branch line and the Ipswich - Lowestoft line (used by all freight trains between Westerfield and Ipswich Yard) and on the Norwich to London Line.
DB Schenker considered that:
* HPUK has underestimated the future demand for freight capacity on the branch line;
* Additional space will be required in the near future;
* The efficiency improvements which HPUK have discussed with Network Rail and DfT Rail will not operate so as to provide additional capacity;
* Failure to increase capacity will increase the amount of freight carried by road contrary to government policy;
* Postponement of the works could prejudice the delivery of related enhancements to the Ipswich to Nuneaton Line;
* The application is an inappropriate use of procedure that was introduced as a temporary measure to alleviate the hardship of the current
recession to allow planning permissions which were about to expire to be extended; it was not intended to be used to delay a project required
to mitigate the effects of the main development;
* The submitted Environmental Statement will not be an adequate baseline assessment of the environment because it was carried out 5 years ago
and would relate to a development that would not take place for up to a further 10 years.
Individuals objected as follows:
* Passenger and freight trains are already being delayed because of the lack of capacity on the line (examples given). Dualling is required now;
* The economic downturn is not as severe as is being suggested;
* The cost of providing the works is 'peanuts' for a major Chinese company;
* Residents of Trimley are subjected to pollution when trains are stationary, waiting for a path;
* The branch line upgrade is of national importance; if the line fails, everything must go by road;
* Orwell Bridge is already overloaded;
* It is nonsense that Network Rail need 42 months notice of intended works;
* The delay would result in 8 years of uncertainty; situation will be much changed in 2018.
Despite these objections, approval for the delay was given. It was agreed with DfT Rail that the port could achieve 30 to 32 trains per day with more efficient use of the freight terminal. With 80 - 85% utilisation this would mean that demand would outstrip supply on the 5% growth model in 2018 and on the 3% growth model in 2024.
Council Papers: https://apps3.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/committeeminutes/showagenda.asp?id=16819.
RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE
Ipswich Chord will be built as double track
Keywords: [IpswichChord]
Network Rail has decided to build the 1.1km Ipswich Chord (formerly known as the Bacon Factory curve) near Hadleigh Road in Ipswich with double track, to allow freight trains to enter and leave the East Suffolk line at the same time. Instead of spending £35m to create a single track chord and another £30m years later (when traffic volumes had grown) to add a second track, Network Rail will now spend £41m to create the double track route, which runs through waste ground and will also require bridge across both a rode and the River Gipping plus widening of embankments along 400 metres of the Great Eastern Main line. Network Rail has managed to make savings as it was originally costed at £48m. The project is dependant on the government's comprehensive spending review in October 2010 not withdrawing the funds and assumes that planning permission (using a TWA order) will be obtained. Work would start in 2012 and be complete by March 2014.
The Ipswich Chord, which will enable trains up to 48 trains (24 each way) to travel between Felixstowe Port and the Midlands to avoid a reversal at Ipswich should lead to more than 2,000 fewer lorries every day on the A14 (i.e. 750,000 per year) by the year 2030. Other schemes along the route are in development, such as the two freight loops at Ely (construction should start in 2012) and the flyover and chord at Nuneaton to avoid crossing the West Coast Main Line on the level.
The double tracking of the branch, which has been delayed by Hutchison because of the recession, still needs to take place. Apparently GB Railfreight are having to run an additional Ely to Manchester intermodal with the containers taken by road to and from Felixstowe as there are no suitable paths left on the Felixstowe branch. Railfuture is concerned that there may be pressure to give the paths occupied by passenger trains to rail freight and therefore it wants the planned doubling to be brought forward.
STATIONS
Cambridge Station ticket hall will triple in size as part of cb1 plan
Keywords: [CambridgeStation]
Brookgate, which is the company behind the £850m 'cb1' revamp of Cambridge station area, will be refurbishing the existing station buildings from 2011. The overcrowded ticket hall will be expanded by 250 per cent by summer 2012 and will provide easier access and more waiting areas, by summer 2012 just months after the new island platforms should have opened. Details of where the space would be found or restrictions imposted owing to the listed status of the station were not revealed
Council proposal: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Station-ticket-hall-to-triple-in-size-as-part-of-cb1-plan.htm.
GUIDED BUSWAY
BAM Nuttall to finish all work on southern section by mid-December 2010
According to Graham Hughes of Cambridgeshire County Council, the busway is "not going to open [to the public] this year, but it's not going to be too much longer." This has been taken to mean buses running in service in early 2011.
The final stretch of busway track, which is towards Trumpington Park and Ride, will soon begin to be laid - around 80% is in place already. This will mean that all track should have been laid during autumn, with all the major structures, such as a new bridge over the railway line linking the route to Addenbrooke's Hospital, already near to completion, allowing the busway to be handed over during December 2010. However, the council is no closer to convincing BAM Nuttall to fix six supposed 'defects' on the northern section to St Ives, and are likely to be finished by the council after the handover. The contract allows the council to to complete the work if BAM has not fixed the defects within a month of handover.
BAM Nuttall has been deducted more than £6 million for late delivery so far, and will continue to be deducted almost £14,000 a day until the handover, which should have happened around 18 months ago. The project is also hugely over budget, with current estimates putting the price at £160 million against a forecast of £116m.
The Institution of Civil Engineers will be hosting a Cambridgeshire Guided Busway lecture on 9th September in Dorset! This will presumably be yet another 'positive' presentation about Cambridgeshire Guided Busway despite delays and cost overruns, which pro-busway supporters might call mere 'teething troubles.'
Busway bosses plan for emergency vehicles to use track
Because of the inadequacy of the supposed maintenance track running parallel along the guided busway between Cambridge and St Ives, which has been built too low and is frequently flooded, the county council is intended to allow emergency vehicles to travel along the busway itself, rather than face pedestrians, cyclists and horses. This decision has been taken because the maintenance track is expected to be under repair whilst buses are running, and will never be continuously available throughout the year.
Firefighters have already tested their tenders on the stretch between Oakington and Longstanton. Their vehicles are wide enough to avoid the "traps" at the busway entrances. Critics have seized on the county council's statement that "only vehicles fitted with guide wheels can safely travel along the busway track." Bruce Parcell, fire services operation manager for the Cambridge area, said: "We will drive on the busway track to deal with most situations that could occur, such as a bus fire." There is no intention to use the busway as a priority access route for non-busway incidents.
News story: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Plans-for-emergency-vehicles-to-use-guided-busway.htm.
Cambridge MP feels that Manchester busway 'suspension' is no surprise given problems in Cambridgeshire
Julian Huppert MP for Cambridge claims it comes as "no surprise" that a £76 million guided busway project for the Leigh area of Greater Manchester has been put on hold after an expert visited the Cambridge scheme. According to his press release, Julian said: "Clearly common sense has prevailed here. It comes as no surprise that Greater Manchester is going to err on the side of caution after the fiasco we have seen with Cambridgeshire County Council's guided busway." Joining in the political opportunism, Liberal Democrat Highways spokesman, Kilian Bourke said: "This is an embarrassment. The Conservative county council's mismanagement of the scheme is being held up around the country as an example of what not to do. It is just unfortunate that local taxpayers are footing the bill for its mistakes. We must have a full, independent inquiry into this whole project if the council is to regain residents' trust.".
MP Blog: http://www.julianhuppert.org.uk/content/huppert-not-surprised-guided-busway-hold.
PRESERVED RAILWAYS
Mid-Norfolk Railway takes train further north on Sunday 29th August
Keywords: [MidNorfolkRailway]
In what is becoming an annual event, albeit not publicised in advance, on the penultimate day of steam running, the MNR took Denis How's steam train beyond Dereham onto the northern extension to the limit of track capable of taking a train. In 2009 the train reached Hoe level crossing, just north of the gates. However, in the last year MNR volunteers along with young people on Norfolk probation service's Community Payback scheme have repaired track as far as bridge 1701, a few hundred metres north of the level crossing.
Whitwell and Reepham Railway Preservation Trust's first-ever steam gala makes healthy profit to help fund its expansion
Keywords: [WhitwellReepham]
The Whitwell and Reepham Railway's 1st steam ralley on 31st July and 1st August was a success with 628 paying visitors. A minimum of 350 people were needed to break even so the charity will have made a profit to plough into its expansion.
WEBSITES
Interactive Multi-modal Map information shows operational rail-connected facilities
Anyone researching UK railfreight will find the http://www.freightbestpractice.org.uk website useful, particularly the interactive multi-modal Map, which can be used to check the existence of operational rail-connected facilities.
The http://www.wimp.com/traintrack website has some amazing footage from Belgian railways of a train laying its own tracks. The video also shows a ballast under cutter machine, a 'continuous action' tamper and 'ballast regulators' at work.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 208 - 30/08/2010
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