R A I LT R AC K - The Railways Archive

These are the route improvements we plan to deliver continued
Glasgow Central There is a long-held perception in the railway industry that there is a capacity constraint on the approaches to Glasgow Central Station and that this
may preclude the introduction of new services that our customers may aspire to.
Our analysis demonstrates that both present and future aspirations for train paths can be delive red by the current infrastructure on the ap p roaches to
G l a s gow Central. Depending upon the nature and volume of proposed services to Glasgow Airport, some specific enhancements for these serv i c e s
m ay be re q u i red when the full specification for such a service is established. Such enhancement would be included in the cost of the scheme.
If the forecast growth in train movements materialises, the performance of the train plan during peak periods may deteriorate slightly by
perturbation which cannot be recovered through available movement capacity. However, the renewal of signalling at Glasgow Central and approaches
during 2000–2003 will reduce the current level of infrastructure equipment failures. This will offset any peak-hour performance deterioration
through increased train movements.
Midcalder–Edinburgh Our 1998 Statement identified this as a potential bottleneck. We have conducted a detailed analysis of the route’s current capability and assessed
further train path predictions. We have concluded that all known predicted train paths can be accommodated through a revised timetable structure,
the existing signalling equipment, and an upgrade in traction current supply to remove the present restriction on train movements.
This additional traction current capacity will be installed at Curriehill as part of our equipment renewal programme.
In the next 12 months, we will conduct a detailed timetable review with our customers to test the robustness of our conclusion and agree action
plans to deliver it.
Freight throughout the route We have, as part of the West Coast upgrade, agreed with the Rail Regulator to make available a total of 42 additional train paths each day, each way
(passenger and/or freight) over the south end of the route. If the freight operating customers bid successfully for all of these paths from 2005 this
would, when added to the 1997 base figure (40 paths), more than double the number of freight trains operated between Wembley and Rugby.
We will invest a substantial sum on the core section south of Crewe. This will ensure that the additional train paths can be supplied with the desire d
l evel of performance and that the additional trains can co-exist with the enhanced high-speed passenger train service operated by Virgin Tr a i n s .
Since the Regulatory hearing, a number of traffic growth forecasts have been submitted by the freight operating customers. Their reasonable
requirement submissions, for the year 2008, total 154 paths in each direction. Given an uneven distribution of trains across 24 hours, the forecast
doubles again train path demand during most daytime hours. From 2005, both the slow and fast lines will be operating at capacity, so that the
forecast growth of freight could only be handled with a further substantial expansion to the railway infrastructure.
We have continued to discuss with our customers the options that offer realistic solutions. First, and as part of the overall freight routeing strategy,
other routes’ capabilities are being examined on both an individual and network basis. Second, a number of the operators would like to use highspeed
interurban trains in the two ‘open-access’ 140mph paths between London and Crewe which might, if traffic were transferred from the slow
lines, help make capacity available for freight. Additional work is currently in hand to quantify the value of this option. Last, increased freight-train
lengths can successfully address a proportion of the forecast growth.
Proposals The proposals set out on the next page, when implemented, will give sufficient capacity to handle PUG 2, our contractual commitments as at
18 March 1998 and our commitments to the Rail Regulator.
CAPABILITY CHANGES TO ACHIEVE ROUTE VISION
JOURNEY TIMES km STOPS CURRENT POSITION 2001 POSITION SUSTAINING THE ROUTE ACHIEVING ROUTE VISION
London Euston–Glasgow 645 8 76mph (5hr 18min) 95mph (4h 12min) No change 100mph (4hr 01min)
London Euston–Birmingham 182 3 71mph (1hr 35min) 86mph (1hr 18min) No change 97mph (1hr 10min)
London Euston–Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe 304 3 73mph (2hr 35min) 94mph (1hr 59min) No change 104mph (1hr 49min)
LINESPEEDS (km of track)
Up to 35mph 233 233 233 230
40–75mph 840 748 748 748
80–105mph 1123 630 630 590
110–125mph 728 1317 1317 966
Over 125mph 0 0 0 391
TOTAL 2924 2924 2924 2924
GAUGE (km of route)
W6A 1080 1080 1080 1080
W7 1071 1071 1071 1071
W8 1050 1050 1050 1050
W9 872 908 908 908
W10 0 675 675 675
AXLE WEIGHT (km of track)
Up to 20.3 tonnes 0 0 0 0
20.4 tonnes to 23.4 tonnes 1202 1202 1202 1202
23.5 tonnes to 25.4 tonnes 1722 1722 1722 1722
TOTAL 2924 2924 2924 2924
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