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Peterborough North


great northern
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34 minutes ago, great northern said:

Mapperley tunnel was certainly a very convenient excuse Paul, I agree. The cost of remedying that 60 years ago would have been insignificant compared with what has been spent since, on the trams, for example. Still, railways back then were dirt and outmoded things weren't they, especially if you were a Transport Minister with large holdings in the road transport business, or a property developer?

But he transferred his shares to his wife's name, so there was clearly no conflict of interest.....

 

I believe Dibber 25 in his younger days argued that no development should be allowed on track beds for a finite number of years, in case circumstances changed.  Personally, I believe that reinstatement should not baulk at the cost of demolition if the alternative requires significant use of green field sites.  If you choose to build on a railway line some silly devil chose to close, you should realise that some future silly devil may wish to reopen it!

 

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A blatant "Me too" and another vote for Oxford-Cambridge.  Having grown up in one of the villages it originally served, but doesn't look as though it will do again.

 

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4 hours ago, great northern said:

Mapperley tunnel was certainly a very convenient excuse Paul, I agree. The cost of remedying that 60 years ago would have been insignificant compared with what has been spent since, on the trams, for example. Still, railways back then were dirt and outmoded things weren't they, especially if you were a Transport Minister with large holdings in the road transport business, or a property developer?

 

Nottingham Victoria.  When you  consider the amount of  money British Rail made, and it’s privatised versions continue to make Fromm massive office accommodation that has been built above most of the London termini producing high rents and attracting the travelling public to employment directly above the station, it seems incredible that something similar could not have been done with Nottingham Vic.

 

However as we now know, even the developments above some London Termini were riddled with corruption for which one developer went to prison and Cabinet Minister was forced to resign. Not that I am suggestion for a moment that there was a hint of corruption involved at Nottingham Vic, you understand.;)

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A bit late am I to this one, but the loop, and access from skegness to north lincon/lincon itself is a massive missing link. Skegness is one of the poorest areas in the UK, and the holiday camps/trade/retail outlets are all owned by people outside the area, so the monies they bring in doesn`t stay in the area.  I think this line would be perfect to rebuild using tram/train technology, and would benefit the locals more than anything else.

 

The march GN/GE line is so missed now, just look at all those freights diverted off the ECML for more and more high speed passenger trains. If the woodhead and its connections was still open, you would have a nice 60mph freight line all the way from the north of the WCML all the way to north Anglia. And if you use the joint line via knottingly, you don`t interface with the passenger service until after york.

 

Two more lines further south (oxford-cambridge too easy), how about the line via coalville? Or the original midland line that went to peterborough?

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2 hours ago, TrevorP1 said:

Another vote for Oxford - Cambridge. If allowed I will also add the connections at Verney Junction for Buckingham and Aylesbury/Marylebone.

The junction with the Aylesbury / Marylebone lins is now twofold:

- From Oxford you turn right at Biscester just after the Big "Outlet" shopping centre - to go via Prices Risborough - which brings lots of trade from London.

- Next junction is at Calvert a bit to the west of Verney Junction, where they are building a new town on the filled in brick earth pits - now filled with London rubbish - the south through Quainton Road to Aylesbury and London.

 

I rather suspect the connection to Buckingham will be vis the X60 bus to either Winslow or Miltion Keynes. A shame that reinstatement of the LNWR line to Banbury is now rather unlikely!

 

Regards

Chris H

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In my last job, an earnest chap would periodically put his head round the door and talk about Oxford - Cambridge, or at least the Bletchley and West bit. As we were Silverlink trains, he was right to do so. He represented all sorts of interested parties and stakeholders. So I'll add my name to the throng.

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I am going to be the odd man out today. Stuff the Oxford-Cambridge line, what was wrong in walking a mile and a half, with heavy cases, from St Johns station to the bus station to catch the 128 to Cambridge?

 

Bedford to Northampton line for me, better still a through link to the Bedford to Hitchin line would have been an investment. 

 

Anyhow as a Bedforidian by birth, when did Bedford move to the South Midlands? True it is not really in the South East or East Anglia, in fact Bedford doesn't know where it is but it knows it isn't in the South Midlands. :ireful:

 

Hold on I can hear the bus spotters shouting "The 128 went all the way to Northampton as well".  Midland Road Station is a darn site nearer to the Bus Station than St Johns, old or new stations.

 

 

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5 minutes ago, manna said:

G'day Folks

 

Better go with the Ox & Cam Rly.

 

But the Hitchin - Bedford line would be useful, isn't there going to be a town built on the old RAF airfield !!

 

manna

Hi Terry

 

Which one? Henlow, Cardington or Old Warden.

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I agree with Manna.  Bedford - Hitchin would help with commuter traffic and provide a useful diversionary route for the Midland and ECML (it was the Midland's original route to London using Hitchin - Kings Cross running powers).  Plans for the Henlow airfield development envisage up to 2800 houses, whilst the old Cardington site has already seen much development.  However, at the time of closure the line saw little traffic so closure was probably inevitable.  It is probably best known to most people through its use in the filming of "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines". 

 

Oxford - Cambridge was different and was viewed as a strategic route bypassing London. At one time it was scheduled for development by Beeching, though apparently loss-making.  Ever since its closure there has been a fight to re-open it as a through route, which is at last happening but at a tremendous cost in time and money.  I believe that this was another route which should have been retained, even if services were suspended over less well used sections.  So it has my vote.

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24 minutes ago, great northern said:

And so to the very last view of Grand Parade, for a while at least.

 

 

272194830_690verylast.JPG.13c02e4def957bc42e571944e13f861f.JPG

 

 

That really is a cracking angle. Absolutely sums up the superb lines of the A3’s. Love it !

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Being idle again. Oxford to Cambridge won by a street, so I haven't bothered doing a full count.

 

Today, let's look at Norfolk and Suffolk, but please remember it is not just about nostalgia. Some lines weren't viable then, and still wouldn't be now, so concentrate on those which can now be seen to have been a big short sighted mistake. And I wish the M&GN was still with us too.:mosking:

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