R A I LT R AC K - The Railways Archive

Route characteristics
DESCRIPTION The core route traverses the Pennines through the Hope Valley
between Stockport and Sheffield and extends to the east coast seaside resort of
Cleethorpes. The route provides a vital link between Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds
and Doncaster and supports extensive urban services for Greater Manchester
and South Yorkshire PTEs. Services to Lincoln, Retford, Worksop and on to the
recently extended Robin Hood service to Nottingham also use the route. The
link across the Pennines between Sheffield and Manchester is especially
important, as parallel roads are of poor quality and, in the main, single
carriageway. The route is especially important to the freight operators as it serves
the port of Immingham, the steel mills of Scunthorpe and the quarries of
Derbyshire.
BOTTLENECK ANALYSIS The Dore–Sheffield–Swinton route currently
operates close to available capacity. A number of our customers and the
Route vision
Our vision for this route is centred upon developing the network to run more
trains, especially through the Sheffield–Doncaster Cor ridor. In addition, we intend
to reduce journey times by improving the linespeeds, to maintain rail’s
competitive position on this corridor given the poor roads between Sheffield
and Manchester.
Additional capacity on the route to meet the Franchising Director and
customer requirements may come from infra s t ructure development, or
a l t e rn a t i ve ly from more efficient use of existing capacity as set out above. These
t wo altern a t i ve approaches have the same goal of serving the markets fo r
i n t e rurban and local stopping services with more frequent trains. The
d e velopment of neighbouring routes – in part i c u l a r, the major wo rks that we have
s t a rted to completely remodel Leeds Station (Route 8), the plans to remodel the
junctions at Doncaster (Route 2), and the development of the WCML at
Route development and customer requirements
We are working with the PTEs of Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire to
understand how the route can best serve their transport needs in terms of
services and stations. We are working within the South Yorkshire Centre of
Excellence to develop integrated transport plans.
We are also evaluating with customers and local authorities whether
These are the route improvements we plan to deliver
Franchising Director have aspirations to increase the volume of train movements
in this area. We are currently working with all our industry partners to determine
the most appropriate timetable solution to achieve all aspirations over the next
five years and the additional infrastructure required to achieve this. This includes
a timetable review over the whole Birmingham–Manchester– Sheffield–Leeds
area. By summer, we will be able to determine the infrastructure enhancements
necessary on this route to provide capacity for the predicted train movements.
This is likely to involve a combination of doubling the track at Dore Station
Junction and providing two tracks to Dore West Junction; modification to the
track layout and speeds in Sheffield Station, enhancing Holmes Junction and
increasing the route to Rotherham Control from one to two tracks, increasing
track layout between Aldwarke and Swinton to three or four tracks.
The results of the study and the agreed actions will be included in the
2000 NMS.
S t o c k p o rt and Manchester (Route 1) – will have significant spin-off benefits fo r
capacity on this route. The plans at Doncaster will provide better connections
from Sheffield to Doncaster and then onwards to Hull (see Route 2).
Our vision for this route also encompasses improving the linespeed and
thereby reducing journey times for passengers. We have identified a list of
priority sites where train speeds can be increased, especially between
Cleethorpes and Doncaster, and Manchester and Sheffield.
To develop freight services, we are working with EWS in the Scunthorpe
area to assess the feasibility of introducing heavier trains, thereby reducing the
numbers of trains and potentially freeing up capacity for other services. Projected
demand for most other freight services can be met largely by the existing
infrastructure.
reopening of the Chimley–Buxton–Matlock route would be viable. This would
improve access to Peak District National Park and create the opportunity to
improve long-distance passenger and freight services between North West
England, the Midlands and southern England.
CAPACITY CHANGES TO MEET FRANCHISING DIRECTOR, PTE AND CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVER ROUTE VISION
LOCATION PROPOSED SOLUTION YEAR REF
Dore Junction–Sheffield–Meadowhall We are working to pursue a two-pronged approach to the capacity issues within this bottleneck. 2002/03
First, we are investigating a timetable solution, and then, with the results of this, assessing the need for
new infrastructure. We will complete this work within the year, it will be reported in the 2000 NMS,
and we aim to complete the solution by 2002/3. Proposals include doubling the single-line sections at
Dore, remodelling the layout at Sheffield, and doubling Holmes Junction.
Doncaster Remodelling of the junctions including St James at Doncaster, and the plan to build a flyover there, providing 2004
a better connection to the Hull route (see Route 2), will also reduce journey times on this route, allow
for more clockface timetables and more punctual trains. This will allow for development of an improved
Sheffield–Hull train service. We are intending to deliver journey-time improvements over the section
between Cleethorpes and Doncaster.
Doncaster–Gainsborough Improvement to route capacity and capability as part of ECML upgrade. 2003
Scunthorpe–Immingham heavyweight freight A feasibility study into running freight trains with heavier axle weights will be completed this year. 2002
We aim to deliver the final scheme by 2002.
A
B
C
D
207