CHANNEL TUNNEL ROUTES
A two-stage gauge enhancement project to maximise the traffic potential of routes from the Channel Tunnel to London and beyond, generating more traffic between the UK and the Continent:
• Enhance gauge from W9 to W12, which allows the movement of additional European rail vehicles and deep sea containers
• Enhance a route linking the Channel Tunnel Rail Link with the West Midlands, North West and Yorkshire for full European gauge traffic.
FELIXSTOWE TO NUNEATON
Add capacity to the 'cross country' route between Felixstowe and the West Coast main line at Nuneaton, via Ely, Peterborough and Leicester to allow for the increasing demand from the Port of Felixstowe, including the new Bathside Bay port at Harwich.
The extra capacity can be created by resignalling to make shorter headways, doubling of track between Soham and Ely, and grade separation at Leicester on the Midland main line. At Nuneaton a chord is needed for northbound trains to reach the West Coast
SOUTHAMPTON TO WCML
Capacity pinchpoints at the main route hubs of Basingstoke, Reading and Oxford can be resolved by longer and additional freight loops and changes to signalling headways between Didcot and Leamington Spa, particularly between Oxford and Aynho junction. A passing loop on the single track section between Leamington Spa and Kenilworth would also add capacity.
SOUTHAMPTON TO WCML
Gauge enhancement for two alternative diversionary routes are needed for the core route via Eastleigh, Basingstoke, Reading and Didcot.
The diversionary routes are:
• Southampton to Basingstoke via Romsey, Laverstock and Andover.
• Southampton to Didcot via Romsey, Salisbury, Westbury, Melksham and Swindon.
These provide alternative routes on the southern end of the Southampton to WCML core route. Capacity enhancement through signalling and a passing loop between Trowbridge and Thingley are required.
North of Leamington Spa a diversionary route needs gauge clearance and capacity work on the Sutton Park line between Solihull, Small Heath, Saltley and Bushbury.
SOUTH HUMBERSIDE MAIN LINE
With the port of Immingham at the end of the South Humberside main line from Doncaster generating around 18 per cent of the total UK freight tonnage and potential for significantly more, extra capacity is needed to allow rail to grow with the port. Humber International Terminal stage 2 (HIT2) has doubled the amount of coal the port can handle. Additional capacity can be created by more tracks and signalling works to reduce headways.
Another track for trains heading towards Immingham is needed while a new line between Lindsey Ð bypassing the oil terminal Ð and the Killingholme line with overtaking loops would create a new route to the HIT2 complex.
TRANSPENNINE AND NEWCASTLE TO CARLISLE
Gauge cleared routes are needed to allow the ports of Liverpool and Seaforth in the west as well as Hull and Immingham in the east to move containers by rail on standard wagons to the terminals in the North West and North East via the Carlisle to Newcastle line and TransPennine lines. This would create a diversionary route between the East and West Coast main lines.
FELIXSTOWE AND SOUTHAMPTON
Maximising the use of each train is essential and will require investment in loops on the network and terminals.
The Channel Tunnel Freight routes were designed to accommodate 775 metre length trains to maximise the amount of goods conveyed.
BARKING TO GOSPEL OAK TO WILLESDEN
The route suffers from poor signalling headways which restricts capacity so modern signalling would provide vastly increased capacity and electrification would allow full use of the route by all freight trains and allow growth through longer trains.
The route provides an alternative to the Great Eastern main line and the North London Line from the North Thameside area terminals comprising Tilbury, Dagenham and the new port of Thamesport at Shell Haven.
OXFORD TO BLETCHLEY
If the route between Oxford and Bletchley was reopened as a through route, it would provide the diversionary route needed for trains travelling from Southampton and the West Coast main line.
This route would provide capacity to relieve the eastern end of the Great Western main line and the southern end of the West Coast main line
STOURBRIDGE TO WALSALL
Reopening the Stourbridge to Walsall line would provide an alternative route for trains travelling between Bristol and the West Midlands, avoiding the Lickey incline, the steepest gradient on the English main line network.
The incline means restrictions are placed on the weight, and the length, of trains. Reopening would also reduce freight trains movements on a main passenger route and longer trains would allow more goods to be transported for each train, allowing rail to grow with the Bristol ports. It would also allow rail to capture expansion in the South Wales ports.
HOPE VALLEY
Modern signalling would provide a step change in capacity because the route used by construction and coal trains suffers from an antiquated signalling system. The provision of loops would allow freight to dovetail between the passenger trains.