balders Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 https://www.albertocosta.org.uk/news/alberto-backs-exciting-lutterworth-line-railway-plans I'm afraid I don't know if this is the correct place to put this, mods please feel free to move it somewhere more appropriate if needs be. I'm staggered at the lack of financial grasp some of these people have given the infrastructure costs at the Rugby end alone! Politics aside, a good idea. Reality, however, is cruel. @dagrizz @Rugd1022 Keep safe Regards Guy 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 12, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 12, 2021 I note one of the stated benefits is to link Rugby and Northampton by rail. I was under the distinct impression a rather good link already exists, but perhaps I'm out of date.... 2 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
balders Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 (edited) Looking at it further they want to cut behind Lutterworth off the old GC and hook up with the remains of the old Rugby Leicester line at the back of Magna Park (Bitteswell). This will bring it across the viaduct into Rugby. Still not convinced though! There is a need for another rail solution as the area around Lutterworth and the A5 is very congested with lorry traffic, despite DIRFT and the upcoming DIRFT2. Regards Guy Edited March 12, 2021 by balders 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold rodent279 Posted March 12, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 12, 2021 2 questions. 1- how do they propose to get out of Rugby? 2- how do they propose to get into Leicester? I'm all for reopening railways, but some are too far gone. At 50-odd years since closure, it wouldn't be "reopening" so much as constructing a new railway, using some land that was previously a railway. Should it have closed? Probably not. Is it worth reopening? Probably not. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagrizz Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 18 minutes ago, balders said: I'm staggered at the lack of financial grasp some of these people have given the infrastructure costs at the Rugby end alone! Thanks for this, Guy, do you have a link to the original report? Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
balders Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 Rugby to Bitteswell via the old Leicester line. Hooking up with the old GC looks like a bind, then a junction at Narborough with the Leicester Nuneaton line. Regards Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
balders Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 1 minute ago, dagrizz said: Thanks for this, Guy, do you have a link to the original report? Graham Hi Graham I don't as I lifted it direct from Alberto Costa's Facebook page. Only saw it about 20 mins ago so not had time to do any detailed digging. I'd imagine they've discounted the GC at the Rugby end as the connections there would be billions worth of monies. At least the viaduct is still in good order! Regards Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagrizz Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 1 minute ago, balders said: I'd imagine they've discounted the GC at the Rugby end as the connections there would be billions worth of monies. Yes, and relaying a railway through the Brownsover housing estate would give extra emphasis to 'Not in my back yard' 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
balders Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 The more I look at this it is actually proposed to diverge and follow the A426 past the top of Cotesbach with a branch to Magna Park somewhere on top of Churchover. I think April 1st has arrived early! Regards Guy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekstuart Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 2 hours ago, rodent279 said: 2 questions. 1- how do they propose to get out of Rugby? 2- how do they propose to get into Leicester? I'm all for reopening railways, but some are too far gone. At 50-odd years since closure, it wouldn't be "reopening" so much as constructing a new railway, using some land that was previously a railway. Should it have closed? Probably not. Is it worth reopening? Probably not. 1 hour ago, dagrizz said: Yes, and relaying a railway through the Brownsover housing estate would give extra emphasis to 'Not in my back yard' I don't know the Leicester area well enough to comment, but getting out of Rugby is easy enough as the line is still clear. It doesn't go through Brownsover, but to the West of the Avon Valley Industrial Estate (this might have been renamed by now, but it's along the Lutterworth Road.) As it happens, when I was working there an inspection was undertaken on the viaduct to see whether it could be reinstated and as I understand it was classed as structurally sound; this was in one of those early privatisation eras when everyone was looking at playing trains. Of course that was 20 odd years ago. I am not sure whether it's fair to say it's probably not worth re-opening. It would not only provide an intrinsically beneficial option for local traffic, but there can never be too many diversion options for engineering purposes or for re-routing away from over-crowded lines. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagrizz Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 6 minutes ago, Derekstuart said: It doesn't go through Brownsover, but to the West of the Avon Valley Industrial Estate Yes but we were commenting on the problems of using the ex-GC route. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekstuart Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 2 minutes ago, dagrizz said: Yes but we were commenting on the problems of using the ex-GC route. I still can't see any part of it that's under Brownsover. I've walked the old lines enough times. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15&lat=52.39445&lon=-1.24351&layers=168&b=1 could you possibly point out what I've missed as I would be interested to look at it. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
balders Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 (edited) As Alberto Dacosta states its at a very early stage and is just a fledgling proposal. Obviously we all know how long these blue sky proposals take to even get to a basic stage. Given the proposed route alongside one of the busiest roads in South Leicestershire, the fact that DIRFT1 and 2 exist, and Magna Park is pretty much unoccupied, the quarry at shawell has just had its extension agreed across the proposed track bed, and the approved solar farm, this will never get off the ground. Regards Guy Edited March 12, 2021 by balders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
balders Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 4 minutes ago, Derekstuart said: I still can't see any part of it that's under Brownsover. I've walked the old lines enough times. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15&lat=52.39445&lon=-1.24351&layers=168&b=1 could you possibly point out what I've missed as I would be interested to look at it. Thanks. Utilising the old route would take it down past Newton, at the back of Brownsover estate (my mum's house backs onto the old track pretty much) and through the estate (Staveley Way etc) before crossing the canal and the long gone viaduct across the Boughton Road towards the site of the birdcage Bridge as was Regards Guy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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