Busy present day single track mainline

[TravisM]

I hope you guys can help but I’ve had a request from a friend in the US who wants to build a mainline which was singled in the past but now becoming busy not only with passenger traffic but Intermodal as well as infrastructure trains.  He wants to put a passing loop in at the station and though it used to have two platforms, only one is used now.  

 

He also wants to base it in the Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire areas and the only line I can think of is the “Robin Hood” Line but from what I can recall, it’s all Class 153’s and 156’s.  I know it’s a long shot but any help would be most grateful.

[Zomboid]

The problem with that question is that the general area has lots of routes, and any which have been singled will not be the first choice for cramming intermodals and infrastructure trains onto in addition to the regular passenger service.

 

Saying that, it's not in the right geographic area, but the line through Kenilworth otherwise pretty much fits the bill.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Zomboid

[ElectroSoldier]

You wont really find any intermodals on single lines.
At the time the lines went to singles due to lack of use intermodal working would mean there is no lack of use.

 

You might want to look at Navigation Road station. Its a single line but there is another track next to it used by the Manc Metro. so the platform isnt OOU.

 

The real problem is he wants to depict two things which go against each other in the real world (or as you guys like to say in the prototype)

 

[giz]

11 minutes ago, ElectroSoldier said:

You wont really find any intermodals on single lines.
At the time the lines went to singles due to lack of use intermodal working would mean there is no lack of use.

 

You might want to look at Navigation Road station. Its a single line but there is another track next to it used by the Manc Metro. so the platform isnt OOU.

 

The real problem is he wants to depict two things which go against each other in the real world (or as you guys like to say in the prototype)

 

Felixstowe branch, although that has always been single.

[LNERGE]

Soham to Ely Dock Junction. Always been single and always causing a problem. 

[robert17649]

most of the line from Exeter to Salisbury is single or singled.

[The Johnster]

Most if not all the UK main lines that carry enough traffic to be described as busy are double track or more, and many of them are operating at very close to full capacity.  Even comparatively quiet routes like Oxford-Birmingham or Gloucester-Swindon which were singled as an economy have had double track re-instated.  There are single track main lines, of course, like the Cambrian and some of the more scenic Scottish routes, but these are also mostly not far off capacity and perhaps do not tick the boxes required by modellers in terms of variety of traffic.  The Cambrian for instance is wall to wall 158s, all in the same livery.  The Salisbury-Exeter route is hardly busy even at the most liberal interpretation of the word.

 

I'd hazard a guess that the busiest single track section is the Royal Albert Bridge.

Edited November 17, 2019 by The Johnster

[Davexoc]

Is that Sir Rod starting a new layout now he has finished his American one??

 

One place I thought of that sort of fits the bill, but is Lincolnshire, would be Brigg. Not a main line, in fact hardly used, but singled one side of the station, and could be the right sort of format. An intermodal would need quite a loop for passing other services, so would singled one side be an option?

 

As has been stated, difficult to provide a prototype location, even the GN/GE joint between Lincoln and Spalding never got singled, but does offer the traffic required when ECML diversions are on.....

[Philou]

Hmmmm ......... I know it's out-of-area, but even the Vale of Glamorgan line (Cardiff - Bridgend via Barry) which has only recently had its passenger services re-instated after 40(?)-odd years (hourly I think) and freight only for those years, was, insofar as I am aware, always double tracked. The freight traffic was primarily MGR traffic to a power station, some Ford engine works traffic (not a lot) and then other times used as a diversionary route when the SWML was being worked upon - not often.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Rivercider]

I don't know the route, but does Coventry to Leamington Spa fit the bill?

 

cheers

[DY444]

2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I'd hazard a guess that the busiest single track section is the Royal Albert Bridge.

 

The single line section over the Trowse Swing Bridge is busier.

[Oldddudders]

3 hours ago, The Johnster said:

 The Salisbury-Exeter route is hardly busy even at the most liberal interpretation of the word.

I'm not sure those who run it daily would agree. Increasing mileage has been re-doubled over recent years, service intensity has increased, and why is my loop at Tisbury, designed in the mid-80s as an additional bolt-hole when disruption had occurred, now timetabled for use by regular services?

[Phil Bullock]

3 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Most if not all the UK main lines that carry enough traffic to be described as busy are double track or more, and many of them are operating at very close to full capacity.  Even comparatively quiet routes like Oxford-Birmingham or Gloucester-Swindon which were singled as an economy have had double track re-instated.  There are single track main lines, of course, like the Cambrian and some of the more scenic Scottish routes, but these are also mostly not far off capacity and perhaps do not tick the boxes required by modellers in terms of variety of traffic.  The Cambrian for instance is wall to wall 158s, all in the same livery.  The Salisbury-Exeter route is hardly busy even at the most liberal interpretation of the word.

 

I'd hazard a guess that the busiest single track section is the Royal Albert Bridge.

 

Wow - when was Oxford - Birmingham singled? Plenty of intermodals on that line!

[phil-b259]

4 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

 

Wow - when was Oxford - Birmingham singled? Plenty of intermodals on that line!

 

I'm guessing The Jonster got confused between the Chiltern and GW routes.

 

The Marylebone - Bicester - Birmingham line was singled between Princess Risborough and Banbury by BR, but redoubled post privatisation to facilitate Chilterns very successful London - Birmingham service. No freight operation to speak of though - unlike the route via Oxford.

[Gwiwer]

15 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I'm not sure those who run it daily would agree. Increasing mileage has been re-doubled over recent years, service intensity has increased, and why is my loop at Tisbury, designed in the mid-80s as an additional bolt-hole when disruption had occurred, now timetabled for use by regular services?

Indeed Ian.  

 

Large sections between Wilton and Pinhoe remain single track having once operated as a double-track main line in some cases with four tracks available through stations.  Loops exist at Tisbury , Gillingham, Templecombe (exclusive of station) to Yeovil Junction (inclusive of station), Chard Junction, Axminster and Honiton.  Most require one train to come to a stand and await the crossing train.  

 

The route now has an hourly service between Salisbury and Exeter with almost a half-hourly service to Yeovil though some trains run via Frome rather than Sherborne.  In addition it is used by GWR trains when the route between Castle Cary and Exeter is blocked which places extra pressure on the loops and requires some adjustment to the timetabled services.  Fast expresses are long gone - all SWR trains now stop at all (or almost all) stations.  That actually helps with line capacity because all trains are making much the same station calls and do not catch each other up nor need to overtake.  It does however mean the route is very much a slower option and few people's first choice for longer distance travel.  

 

 

[Fat Controller]

If you want to see intensive single-line working, then some of the coastal routes in Italy are worth looking out for. That between Ventemiglia , Genoa and beyond is one such, the one from Messina to Taromina and beyond, another,

Slowly , the former route is being doubled, and much is being put in tunnel; the best way to see trains is from one of the tourist boats that run from St Margherita to the Cinque Terre.

[TravisM]

11 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

If you want to see intensive single-line working, then some of the coastal routes in Italy are worth looking out for. That between Ventemiglia , Genoa and beyond is one such, the one from Messina to Taromina and beyond, another,

Slowly , the former route is being doubled, and much is being put in tunnel; the best way to see trains is from one of the tourist boats that run from St Margherita to the Cinque Terre.

 

True but that’s not in the UK lol.  What I think my friend is looking for is something like the Soham - Ely section.  I did suggest that to him but he said that he had several Hornby Class 153’s in EMT and Northern liveries, a EMT Realtrack Class 156 and Class 144 in Northern livery, so he’s stuck with the area he wants.

[298]

In terms of capacity, the Royal Albert Bridge has 80 booked workings for tomorrow, Kenilworth has 112 but that's with me counting them quickly as several freights/engineers workings share the same path but only one is activated as required.

[caradoc]

The Highland Main Line between Perth and Inverness, has double line sections, single line sections, a double line section which was singled but then redoubled, and a double line section which has remained singled ! And it carries DMUs, HSTs, loco-hauled passenger trains, and intermodal (and other) freight.

 

[russ p]

Trowse has at least 8 booked passenger workings over it every hour and that's before ECS light engines freight and shunt moves and at this time of year RHTT. 

It is pretty busy and that's why there are plans to scrap the swing bridge and redouble it 

[Mallard60022]

22 hours ago, robert17649 said:

most of the line from Exeter to Salisbury is single or singled.

Yup, but no freight AFAIK.

P

[Mallard60022]

19 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Most if not all the UK main lines that carry enough traffic to be described as busy are double track or more, and many of them are operating at very close to full capacity.  Even comparatively quiet routes like Oxford-Birmingham or Gloucester-Swindon which were singled as an economy have had double track re-instated.  There are single track main lines, of course, like the Cambrian and some of the more scenic Scottish routes, but these are also mostly not far off capacity and perhaps do not tick the boxes required by modellers in terms of variety of traffic.  The Cambrian for instance is wall to wall 158s, all in the same livery.  The Salisbury-Exeter route is hardly busy even at the most liberal interpretation of the word.

 

I'd hazard a guess that the busiest single track section is the Royal Albert Bridge.

Probably, but not a lot of freight these days. How about Ribblehead?

I think the OP's contact wants lots of different services and I think, like many others, that could be a challenge on single line.

[Grovenor]

Simple answer, modelling something that does not exist is called 'freelance' so just get on with it and think up a backstory.

Regards

[TheSignalEngineer]

16 hours ago, Rivercider said:

I don't know the route, but does Coventry to Leamington Spa fit the bill?

 

cheers

 

15 hours ago, 298 said:

Kenilworth has 112 but that's with me counting them quickly as several freights/engineers workings share the same path but only one is activated as required.

Coventry - Leamington has about six available paths per hour. In the day this is usually taken up by two Voyagers on the Manchester - Bournemouth service, two DMUs on the Leamington - Nuneaton stoppers and one or two freights.

Most of the duplicate freight paths are either because they are for different operators bidding to run the same working or are trains running to a different place each day, such as the MOD (Q)trains which start from Bicester and run to three different destinations as required by the traffic to be moved.

On any weekday there are about 70 passenger trains roughly evenly split between long distance and stoppers.  Of the freight paths about 15 to 20 will actually run.

[robert17649]

1 hour ago, Mallard60022 said:

Yup, but no freight AFAIK.

P

there was at least one such when I travelled on it last month , actually the boss and I have been on that journey a few times recently and have only ever seen one freight(ish ) working , small diesel shunter with a flat wagon of some sort, it may have been making for the historic railway bit at Yeovil junction.