Electrics to Harrogate?!

[52A]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-yo ... e-14143032

Just like the Isle of Wight!

[Ferrybridge Flyer]

Good idea-but in these austere times,i'm sure there'll be a reason not to do it.Good thinking though.

[Trestrol]

Oh dear,A little knowledge is a bad thing. They seem to have overlooked certain areas of expense, Like converting the trains from 4 rail to 3 rail, the modifications to meet network rail stanards and don't the LUL use a different voltage to NR for third rail. Yes its a train but not all trains are the same. It took a lot of work by Nexus to get there Metro cars to run to Sunderland. I think this will die a death quietly. Would it not be better to hire a loco and a couple of coaches to run the service.

[hq1hitchin]

Oh dear,A little knowledge is a bad thing. They seem to have overlooked certain areas of expense, Like converting the trains from 4 rail to 3 rail, the modifications to meet network rail stanards and don't the LUL use a different voltage to NR for third rail. Yes its a train but not all trains are the same. It took a lot of work by Nexus to get there Metro cars to run to Sunderland. I think this will die a death quietly. Would it not be better to hire a loco and a couple of coaches to run the service.

Quite so, Trestrol. It would be interesting to see whether they could get past the vehicle acceptance process to allow them to run in that part of the world, because they're not really crashworthy and LUL run them on Network Rail routes by 'grandfather rights' together with mitigation measures like tripcocks on the trains and trip arms on NR's signals. By the time the costs of electrification, converting the stock, mods to signalling equipment, building a maintenance depot etc are taken into account - probably just as cost effective to lease some DMUs.

[Autocar Publicity]

I can't see this happening. Apart from what's already been mentioned, why would they want to introduce something different to the overhead wires already there on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines? If you want to improve services, either redo the signalling and use extra DMUs, or electrify Leeds - Knaresborough and lease a few extra 333 units. The latter means more operational flexibility for Northern and means they don't have to build a separate depot for servicing. KISS...

[92120]

MMM! listened to this on Radio Leeds this morning,and i honestly thought it was a joke!!!!
The old pacers used on this line are a joke,often only having 2 or 3 coaches and with the paying passengers crammed in like sardines,very very dangerous.
Surely replacing these outdated vehicles with a few dedicated modern DMU's would solve the problem?Or of course a diesel powered push pull?
But i suppose that is unrealistic as we only ever get handmedowns from the southeast of england!! and i assume that as the government buys all stock and then tells the franchise holders what they can have there are no old DMU's due to be replaced in the south of england?
Remember we are above that line that runs from the Wash to the Bristol Channel!!
The electrics used on the Airvalley and Wharfdale routes are fast ,comfortable and reliable (previously the old Clacton slam door stock after a 50mill. refubish)but all need to be lengthened by a couple of coaches.We are supposed to be getting an extra 20 coaches to help out(handmedowns from Scotrail) but they are being spread accross services to Doncaster and Manchester Airport as well!!
I recently travelled from Leeds to Huddersfield just after 10.00 on a Sunday morning on the Hull -Manchester Airport train,2 coach DMU packed to the gunnels, my return at 15.30 was a 3 car DMU and still packed .
Oh to have trains like the South East!!!
Don.

[harvester]

Not April 1st is it?????????????

[kudu]

When the ECML electrification was planned Bradford District Council lobbied to ensure they were included. Their concern was less about Leeds-Ilkley/Skipton going under the wires than Leeds-Bradford as they wanted to ensure Bradford literally stayed on the Inter-City map. But I don't think there was the remotest interest from Harrogate or North Yorkshire Councils. I'm not saying that their lobbying would have necessarily succeeded in extending then wires to Harrogate but their failure to do so ensured they were left out, with the results you see today.

Some years earlier Harrogate were very keen to make sure they were excluded from the new West Yorkshire Met area and hence from the PTE, so you could say they get the public transport - bus and rail - they deserve.

Kudu

[hq1hitchin]

There are some perfectly serviceable Mark 3 sets presently stored in Ireland, being declared redundant with the introduction of more modern stock there. Seems the drawback to bringing them back here is the cost of new Standard Gauge bogies, which has put some off the idea, so I am told. Plug doors as well - they could be v useful.

[Wavey]

It does not seem the most sensible of ideas to have a none standard system and where would these units be serviced exactly? Would there need to been 3rd rail all the way to Neville Hill or would there be another maintenance depot built and at what cost? Leeds - Harrogate should have been electrified when the Ilkley line was done - a missed opportunity there.
There is much talk of improving services and capacity but all that seems to happen is a bit of station titivation (Leeds City plan for example). Little in the way of longer trains, putting missing track back,extra platforms, re-opening lines to reduce congestion etc.
Reinstatement of the missing 22 miles of the Leeds Northern (Harrogate to Northallerton) would improve services from Harrogate to Leeds and be a better investment in my opinion.
This would have many benefits:
- Give the City of Ripon a rail service back.
- Give Harrogate a Trans-Pennine service again.
- Increased service Harrogate - Leeds. (no capacity issues from western approaches to Leeds City station)
- Healthy competition for Newcastle/MIddlesbrough - Manchester/Liverpool services (either run via Thirsk/York or via Ripon/Harrogate).
- Additional network resilience during infrastructure repairs.

Sadly there does not seem to be much ambition or drive to see this happen.
Oh yes Crossgates - Wetherby and link to Otley should be put back as well!

[60129 GUY MANNERING]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-yo ... e-14143032

Just like the Isle of Wight!

Interesting that the shoebeams and shoes on the C69 Stock are 2 feet above the running rails. Must have been modified of late.

[kudu]

Leeds - Harrogate should have been electrified when the Ilkley line was done - a missed opportunity there.

See my post above on why this didn't happen.

Kudu