Busy present day single track mainline

[caradoc]

3 hours ago, Zomboid said:

Oxford to Worcester ticks some of the requested boxes, but not a whole lot of freight goes that way. It's more of a single line intercity route.

 

The GSW from Kilmarnock to Troon/ Barrhead might be relevant too?

 

Since the demise of coal traffic there is sadly very little freight of any kind over the GSW route (except during unusual circumstances such as the closure of the WCML at Lamington Viaduct in 2016 !)

 

[TravisM]

I’ve made a suggestion to my friend of St Bees and the Cumbrian Coast, and while it might not have Intermodal, it has nuclear traffic as well up until last year, Class 37’s on passenger trains.  He has a Hornby Class 153 in Northern livery and if Realtrack do another batch in that livery, quids in.

Edited November 21, 2019 by jools1959

[DavidB-AU]

6 hours ago, Erixtar1992 said:

Golden valley line swindon - kemble was only recently double tracked again, after originally being double track then singled back in the day. 
some sort of freight must surely go up towarda gloucester way from swindon

 

That's why I suggested it. BR wanted to single the entire line back in the 60s but locals kicked up a fuss and it was only done to Kemble.

 

EDIT: Did some more digging into this and the only passing places were to be Kemble and Sapperton (don't know if this was to be the tunnel itself or a passing loop without station nearby).

 

There is some freight, including some Bicester to Ashchurch MOD workings, and it would (in theory) possible to divert some Wales containers via Gloucester.

 

Cheers

David

Edited November 20, 2019 by DavidB-AU

[KeithMacdonald]

12 minutes ago, DavidB-AU said:

 it would (in theory) possible to divert some Wales containers via Gloucester.

 

It's not just a theory, I have seen container traffic being diverted like that, re-joining the main line at Swindon and heading east. And quite a variety of heavy freight as well.

[DavidB-AU]

Another possibility could be the Brigg branch of the Sheffield-Lincoln line. Apply Rule 1 and imagine all sorts of diversions to Cleethorpes and Immingham. Pretend somewhere like Kirton Lindsey (which has a rather attractive station building) has a passing loop.

 

Cheers

David

[Fat Controller]

6 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

It's not just a theory, I have seen container traffic being diverted like that, re-joining the main line at Swindon and heading east. And quite a variety of heavy freight as well.

It was done during the last extended closure of the Severn Tunnel.

[Zomboid]

And probably made possible in part because of the re-doubling...

[ejstubbs]

On 19/11/2019 at 02:08, DavidCBroad said:

Schloct Summit

 

Apologies for going way off topic but it's Slochd, surely?  Unless "Schloct" is one of those oddities where the railway has used a name for a location that doesn't quite match what anyone else calls it (ISTR there's another thread somewhere on RMWeb about that).  But then the sign by the present day railway* says "Slochd" and I've not found any use of the alternative form on any old maps online - although Google does turn up a small number of hits for it (though vastly outweighed by the 10,000+ hits for "Slochd Summit").

 

We now return you to normal programming.

 

* According to that Wikipedia article the Gaelic for "Slochd Summit" is "An Sloc" so it doesn't look like "Schloct" could have originated in that language.  I find that translation a bit dubious anyway: AFAICT "An" simply means "The".  "Sloc" means pit, hole or hollow, and the anglicisation does appear in a number of local place names on the OS map: there is Slochd Mòr ("Mòr" meaning big) and An Slochd Beag ("Beag" meaning small).  I suspect it's a reference to the somewhat precipitous layout of the ground in the area.  One thought does occur: I believe that Highland pronunciation of "Sloc" would have quite a soft "s" sound at the beginning, which might explain a transliteration in to "sch".  Not sure where the terminal "d" comes from in the OS' anglicisation, though.

[The Stationmaster]

9 hours ago, DavidB-AU said:

 

That's why I suggested it. BR wanted to single the entire line back in the 60s but locals kicked up a fuss and it was only done to Kemble.

 

EDIT: Did some more digging into this and the only passing places were to be Kemble and Sapperton (don't know if this was to be the tunnel itself or a passing loop without station nearby).

 

There is some freight, including some Bicester to Ashchurch MOD workings, and it would (in theory) possible to divert some Wales containers via Gloucester.

 

Cheers

David

The Swindon - Standish Jcn route was only ever singled between Swindon Loco Yard and Kemble.  The subsequent stages of the proposed singling were never carried out although the resignalling did introduce some very long signal sections which reduced line capacity.

[DavidB-AU]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

The Swindon - Standish Jcn route was only ever singled between Swindon Loco Yard and Kemble.  The subsequent stages of the proposed singling were never carried out although the resignalling did introduce some very long signal sections which reduced line capacity.

 

I know. I said that.

 

Cheers

David

[Reorte]

On 19/11/2019 at 01:58, The Johnster said:

But it's double track by the time it gets to Blea Moor, isn't it?

 The line redoubles as you get there. There's also a loop past the box, which, on the south side, joins the single track section. Last time I went past the sidings were still there, but long since disconnected.

[DCB]

10 hours ago, ejstubbs said:

 

Apologies for going way off topic but it's Slochd, surely?  Unless "Schloct" is one of those oddities where the railway has used a name for a location that doesn't quite match what anyone else calls it (ISTR there's another thread somewhere on RMWeb about that).  But then the sign by the present day railway* says "Slochd" and I've not found any use of the alternative form on any old maps online - although Google does turn up a small number of hits for it (though vastly outweighed by the 10,000+ hits for "Slochd Summit").

 

We now return you to normal programming.

 

* According to that Wikipedia article the Gaelic for "Slochd Summit" is "An Sloc" so it doesn't look like "Schloct" could have originated in that language.  I find that translation a bit dubious anyway: AFAICT "An" simply means "The".  "Sloc" means pit, hole or hollow, and the anglicisation does appear in a number of local place names on the OS map: there is Slochd Mòr ("Mòr" meaning big) and An Slochd Beag ("Beag" meaning small).  I suspect it's a reference to the somewhat precipitous layout of the ground in the area.  One thought does occur: I believe that Highland pronunciation of "Sloc" would have quite a soft "s" sound at the beginning, which might explain a transliteration in to "sch".  Not sure where the terminal "d" comes from in the OS' anglicisation, though.

My spell check can't cope with Celtic place names but I hope the mis spelled location is still identifiable.

[ElectroSoldier]

 

 

 

 

On 17/11/2019 at 23:26, 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.

Over what time period is that?

[298]

Booked for Monday.

[TheSignalEngineer]

4 hours ago, ElectroSoldier said:

Over what time period is that?

See my post from Monday on page 1 for a breakdown of what usually runs across a 24 hour period.

 

[corneliuslundie]

Is it best for our friend to look at a might have been rather than a real line? One problem is that intermodal is pretty well restricted to the main lines. But thjere are secondary routes which have freight, often aggregates and similar. To be in our friend's area what about postulating reopening of the Midland route to Manchester as a single track line, with freight coming down south from all those quarries? Not intermodal, but freight, and could be several operators, including of course East Midlands and Northern. Or the Robin Hood line re-opened further north so that it also attracts freight flows? Other wise, I agree that the only contenders I can think of with intermodal and passenger traffic are Felixtowe and Ely-Soham.

Jonathan

[eastwestdivide]

On 20/11/2019 at 04:14, DavidB-AU said:

Another possibility could be the Brigg branch of the Sheffield-Lincoln line. Apply Rule 1 and imagine all sorts of diversions to Cleethorpes and Immingham. Pretend somewhere like Kirton Lindsey (which has a rather attractive station building) has a passing loop.

 

Cheers

David

That's a good call. The route came into its own when the main line via Scunthorpe was closed due to a landslip - some of my photos of diverted freight are over on this thread (pages 13-14):

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/68209-landslip-at-hatfield-stainforth/page/13/

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/68209-landslip-at-hatfield-stainforth/page/14/

 

 

Edited November 22, 2019 by eastwestdivide

[KeithMacdonald]

38 minutes ago, corneliuslundie said:

 the only contenders I can think of with intermodal and passenger traffic are Felixtowe and Ely-Soham.

 

Could somewhere north of Southampton be a candidate? Perhaps on the old Newbury - Winchester line?

 

Quote

The Port of Southampton is less than two miles (3km) from the M27 and has direct rail links to the national railway network for both freight and passengers. The port offers 23 container trains a day with gauge clearance for 9'6" high containers to major cargo-generating regions in the Midlands, North West, East Coast, and Scotland.

 

https://www.abports.co.uk/locations/southampton/

[eastworld]

Perhaps taking a line which is currently single track and creating excuses to increase the traffic (examples being reinstating lineside industries that once had a rail connection, or putting a connection into to ones that had none) - you can use the excuse that the line is being reviewed for doubling/redoubling hence it is busy but isn't (yet double track).

 

Stu

[Philou]

18 minutes ago, eastworld said:

Perhaps taking a line which is currently single track and creating excuses to increase the traffic (examples being reinstating lineside industries that once had a rail connection, or putting a connection into to ones that had none) - you can use the excuse that the line is being reviewed for doubling/redoubling hence it is busy but isn't (yet double track). 

 

Stu

 

How about a cameo of new track being laid alongside the single line - be a little different?

 

[eastglosmog]

1 hour ago, Philou said:

 

How about a cameo of new track being laid alongside the single line - be a little different?

 

If the redoubling of the Cotswold line as typical, then the whole line is shut whilst they do the works, as a good deal of realignment of the old single line is needed and less chance of knocking workers over.

[ikcdab]

Not in your area, but Salisbury to Exeter is suitable. Busy line, was once double, carries some occasional freight and other traffic om dioversions....

[DavidB-AU]

6 hours ago, Philou said:

 

How about a cameo of new track being laid alongside the single line - be a little different?

 

 

I was going to post the same thing. It would be interesting to show different stages of the line being redoubled.

 

Cheers

David

[rogerzilla]

Ribblehead Viaduct?

[The Johnster]

1 hour ago, rogerzilla said:

Ribblehead Viaduct?

See Mallard 60022's post Nov 18.  And it's a bl**dy big bridge to fit on a 9' layout, except in T scale...