Proposal to reopen between Bridgnorth and Ironbridge

[Ben B]

 

Quote

there would be at least one level crossing to reinstate (one bit of road still has rails in from when it was a level crossing originally) 

 

I can't imagine them getting permission to re-instate a level crossing, even on a quiet road... the lot trying to reopen Gobowen-Oswestry-Llynclys as a community/heritage railway of a broadly similar pattern to the proposed Ironbridge project have been outright banned on level crossings by the Highways Agency.  I can kind of see the point where crossing the hideously-busy A5 dual carriageway would be out of the question in this day and age, but the smaller crossing on the edge of Llynclys (like the A5 one it still has rails in the road) can not be restored either.  The railway has been told they have to basically bridge them, so two long embankments either side of the crossings and two new bridge decks of sufficient height to clear the tallest lorries will be needed, effectively stalling the project, unless the highways agency decide to raise the roads and bridge the railway lines instead, equally unlikely.

[phil-b259]

25 minutes ago, Ben B said:

 

 

I can't imagine them getting permission to re-instate a level crossing, even on a quiet road... the lot trying to reopen Gobowen-Oswestry-Llynclys as a community/heritage railway of a broadly similar pattern to the proposed Ironbridge project have been outright banned on level crossings by the Highways Agency.  I can kind of see the point where crossing the hideously-busy A5 dual carriageway would be out of the question in this day and age, but the smaller crossing on the edge of Llynclys (like the A5 one it still has rails in the road) can not be restored either.  The railway has been told they have to basically bridge them, so two long embankments either side of the crossings and two new bridge decks of sufficient height to clear the tallest lorries will be needed, effectively stalling the project, unless the highways agency decide to raise the roads and bridge the railway lines instead, equally unlikely.

 

Yet the very same Highways England (Its not been the Highways Agency for years now) has indicated its not going to stop the building of a NEW level crossing across the A21 down in Kent for the Rother Valley Railway to link Bodiam and Robertsbridge!

 

So while the ORR and Network Rail have policies that forbid new level crossings, there is some wiggle room for Heritage railways that have low linespeeds or previously disused railways being returned to use (the Dunfermline - Alloa - Stirling line got a couple of level crossings reinstated after years of disuse during the complete rebuild in 2006.

Edited March 19, 2021 by phil-b259

[melmerby]

Elsecar heritage line.

June 2009:

https://goo.gl/maps/EFG45o7bADYhSBom9

 

July 2016:

https://goo.gl/maps/sEBQyANLE2FwMsq3A

[Ben B]

9 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Elsecar heritage line.

June 2009:

https://goo.gl/maps/EFG45o7bADYhSBom9

 

July 2016:

https://goo.gl/maps/sEBQyANLE2FwMsq3A

 

I don't think, in three visits over about 3 years, I ever saw that crossing in use.  Reading an online article in the Barnsley Chronicle about the problems at the line, it mentions the L/C wasn't bought into use whilst they were waiting for approvals, cutting off the last mile of the extension.

 

I wonder if it depends on location and the local authorities over level crossings being allowed, or certain historical precedents/rules that make them easier to approve?

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, Ben B said:

 

I don't think, in three visits over about 3 years, I ever saw that crossing in use.  Reading an online article in the Barnsley Chronicle about the problems at the line, it mentions the L/C wasn't bought into use whilst they were waiting for approvals, cutting off the last mile of the extension.

 

I wonder if it depends on location and the local authorities over level crossings being allowed, or certain historical precedents/rules that make them easier to approve?

Still no barriers fitted in Dec 2020 and crossing now fenced off:

https://goo.gl/maps/JrvLxju2of5LrLSb7

 

And

https://www.elsecarheritagerailway.co.uk/

 

 

[Edge]

16 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

There was a proposal to reopen the line north of Bridgenorth a few years ago, at the time the SVR had no interest in it and I doubt that, that position has changed.

 

 

From recollection their response was something like "we have quite enough trouble keeping our current 16 miles of track going, thank you"

[Andy Tunstall]

Just to share - I asked Network Rail what the status of the line from Madeley Junction to Ironbridge Power Station was: 

"We don’t hold any information about works to enable the reopening of the line.  In the course of our normal work, however, we have undertaken bridge strengthening works on the Albert Edward Bridge.  The Line of Route is technically still in use though currently carries no trains, we are carrying out these works with programmes due to complete in Spring 2023.

We are aware of a proposal by the developer of the former Ironbridge Power Station to consider the possibility of removing materials by rail.  Our structures renewal noted above, and some additional relatively minor maintenance, will allow the Line of Route to carry trains following the completion of the works at Albert Edward Bridge.

Network Rail
7th July 2022"

So it isn't disused, and reopening an existing freight line for passengers would be to the lower end of the scale.  Compare to Okehampton reopening, that was £41 M for a longer section or relaid track.  Major cost would be a station in Coalbrookdale, they seem to be about £10 M for a single platform (e.g. Bow Street near Aber).  Unlike Okehampton though there are at least 500,000 visitors per year to the 10 Ironbridge Museum sites, plus many who just come to look at the bridge, so there would be substantial savings in Carbon, Pollution and Congestion if even some people diverted from cars to a simple train service from Wolverhampton to "Ironbridge Gorge".  Further possibilities could be extra stations at the new homes site at the power station and Madeley for the Academy.

Connecting to Telford Steam Railway would be interesting but the idea of connecting Ironbridge to Bridgnorth is ridiculous:

- Poor condition of viaduct from the power station to Ironbridge
- Nowhere for a station in Ironbridge as it is now a car park
- Subsidence issues around Jackfield
- Coalport and Linley stations are privately owned
- Golf Course across the way at Bridgnorth
- State of Brignorth tunnel
- A new home built on the SVR side of the tunnel
- No bridge into the SVR

All for what benefit - the SVR is already successful.

Keep it simple, start with a single station (with a hire bike hub), served by Hydroflex hybrid (electric/hydrogen) trains and connection to the mainline, look at the TSR project over time and connect all the other parts of the Gorge with hydrogen fuel cell buses.   

 

 

[MarkC]

On 19/03/2021 at 17:29, phil-b259 said:

 

Yet the very same Highways England (Its not been the Highways Agency for years now) has indicated its not going to stop the building of a NEW level crossing across the A21 down in Kent for the Rother Valley Railway to link Bodiam and Robertsbridge!

 

So while the ORR and Network Rail have policies that forbid new level crossings, there is some wiggle room for Heritage railways that have low linespeeds or previously disused railways being returned to use (the Dunfermline - Alloa - Stirling line got a couple of level crossings reinstated after years of disuse during the complete rebuild in 2006.

To revive this - as I understand it, the local authority/HE are looking at the level crossing across the A21 as a Good Thing, because it's being regarded as part of Traffic Calming measures for that stretch of road.

 

However, we digress.

 

I agree with others that there is very little chance of the railway from Bridgenorth to Shrewsbury being reinstated - costs, geology, developments since the line closed...

[Blandford1969]

Ok, so lets look at this from both sides. 

 

1) Feasibility - There would be a number of challenges with the re-instatement

• Bridge north of the station- the road was lifted after closure, however most heavy traffic now bypasses the town. Any bridge would be longer
• Beyond the tunnel - Bramble Ridge - the trackbed has houses on a little way past the station. However there is room to slew off the trackbed round the back of the houses and along the part
• The golf club - It would be possible to slew at the end of the park hard up against the road to minimise impact on the golf club and then back onto the trackbed
• Jackfield - millions was poured into the ground to stabilise it, but a new trackbed would be needed. Additionally to get part of the trackbed back would need demolition of some houses. 
• Ironbridge - the station site is used as a car part
• Buildwas junction - the developer has proposed building houses over part of the trackbed. 

With the right amount of money it would be possible ..... but.... 

 

Rail a  couple of years ago was 250K per half mile before sleepers, ballast, laying etc, turnouts are at least 50K each - So you would have to make an assumption of 3 to 4 million pounds per mile taking all costs into account. 

 

Now you come to the other considerations

 

Coal has moved from about £100 per ton last year to over £400 now and its still going up. 

Our locos already do BR mileages between shopping - extending would cause more wear and tear to those and mean more were needed for a service so increasing costs (overhauls are around the 750K mark presently) 

You would need at least one or two extra sets of coaches to support a service - again this would cause more wear and tear and increase costs

Staffing - You would need additional signalboxes, although logic would say to automate everything even if it looked like semaphores (again more cost) You need station staff and lets assume you reopen Coalport and Ironbridge. There is at least one level crossing at Ironbridge and Jackfield plus all the other small ones. 

 

Passengers - the cost of a through ticket would probably be at least £50 to £60 , and who can afford that?

 

I would love to drive north out of Bridgnorth, however realistically I can never see it happening. and certainly not by the SVR. If a separate company wanted to do it (and one exists) then you would still have to work out access to the SVR at Bridgnorth. Any operation would probably be more like a light railway. 

 

 

H

 

 

[Phil Himsworth]

6 hours ago, Andy Tunstall said:

So it isn't disused, and reopening an existing freight line for passengers would be to the lower end of the scale. 

I cycle to work alongside some of the upper sections of the line; it is occasionally visited by Network Rail vans and the signals are still on, albeit they only have a single red light on them, the others having been removed. According to people more familiar with the bottom end of the line they have been doing work of some kind down there as well.

 

I didn't know the bridge work had been done, that's interesting to hear. I'd be surprised if there's much material still to be removed from the power station site by now though; all the major demolition work was a couple of years ago now.

 

It would be great to see trains on that line again, whether national services or TSR; Coalbrookdale is a spectacular setting.