New Rail Connections: New Journey Opportunities

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Shadow Crosscountry would enable the following

A step change in rail services for the East Midlands

The major cities of Nottingham, Leicester and Derby have a population in the millions. Though the existing cross country network calls at Derby, this project would serve the region better, offering faster services to a wider range of destinations.

The UK's premiere park and ride station

The line would pass the junction of the M1 and M6. This provides the opportunity to develop park and ride services offering an alternative for drivers heading for a list of cities that includes Oxford, Leicester, Derby, Manchester and London - the intermodal exhange marketed as 'Parkway One'.

Service enhancements between the East Midlands, Sheffield and Leeds

... meeting the need to strengthen inter-city rail services within Yorkshire

Extra capacity and diversionary routes

Shadow Crosscountry would act as a rail 'Birmingham Bypass'. Birmingham's rail system is congested: this is not easy to address as there is little opportunity to expand lines and stations. The new line would address this, and would also offer diversionary routes, flexibility, and additional capacity for freight movements. In particular it would reinstate a quality route for freight between south wales, the west country, and the east midlands. None currently exists.

Quality services from the East Midlands to Manchester

The abandoned rail link between Derby and Manchester is potentially a core component of the rail system. The majority of the line is already in use by freight and passenger services. Shutting an 18 mile section in the middle was not rational considering the long term retention of both ends, the economics of which will be improved by reopening the entire line.

Urban Regeneration

This project is an investment in Britain's cities.

A link for the University of Derby's split campuses

The University of Derby has established a campus at Buxton, increasing demand for travel between the two locations, and increasing the need for the town to have better long distance travel connections.

Competitive services for the new Wembley Stadium

Wembley has not been well served by rail as its closest station has had a recent history of very poor quality rail services. The new line would redress this, providing direct services to Wembley Central station.

Construction of the line implies:

Construction costs minimised compared to either a new build or major alterations to an existing line

The majority of the work concentrates on existing but derelict trackbeds - it is not work of the kind necessary to upgrade the West Coast Main Line.

Benefits for existing services

Little disruption to existing services during construction, and enhanced capacity on completion.

Environmental benefits

The nature of the route implies the minimum of disruption to existing lives and businesses.

The opportunity to enhance rail industry civil engineering skills

An element of the construction work will be at one remove from the 'front line' nature implied by work on rail lines that are in use. It will provide further opportunity to grow the skills base of the rail industry.

There's also a down side:

Increased pressure on parts of the existing rail system

As well as providing much additional capacity, the new line would increase demands on parts of the existing system.

• The line between Oxford and Didcot is operating near capacity. Resignalling work may be able to increase that capacity.
• The line will present additional trains to locations such as Manchester Piccadilly and its approaches - but the paths of some existing services may be available to be extended to comprise the new services.

Environmental impact of reopened lines

Part of the line runs through the Peak District national park - but the railway has the potential to ease pressure on the park's roads.

Environmental disturbance from railway operation

The disused lines would reopen as conventional railways, using existing structures where possible. There would be no need to alter structures and stations to accommodate an enhanced loading gauge. The nature of the train service would not be intensive, for much of the time no trains would pass any one location. This compares very favourably with the noise generated by many roads.

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Rebuilding the West Coast Main Line?
Here are some more ingredients for success:
Matlock to Manchester
Southern Great Central
Aynho - Princes Risborough
Oxford to Bletchley.
One down: three to go ... and the West Coast Main Line is always going to need rebuilding ...