I have opened this thread so there can be discussion on what Merseytravel hope can be achieved over the next 30 years. Some of it is very ambitious like a rail connection from Liverpool South Parkway to Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Others involve a new line from Rainford to Skelmersdale, and re-opening two lines to passengers, the Bootle Branch from Edge Hill to Bootle Oriel Road and the North Mersey Branch from Bootle Oriel Road to Aintree.
Also there is a plan to open up the Wapping Branch from Liverpool Central to Edge Hill. This was proposed in the 1970s and a piece of line was actually built at Liverpool Central but never contiued. in recent years this stub of line has been used as a headshunt for Northern Line trains. Up to 30 new stations could be built including within the city boundary St James, Anfield, Tuebrook, Edge Lane, Smithdown Road and Vauxhall.
If I have read this right, there are plans to extend Merseyrail Electics to Warrington, Wigan, Preston and Wrexham - as you say childwallblues, very ambitious.
(29/08/2014 11:17)St Helens Rider Wrote: [ -> ]If I have read this right, there are plans to extend Merseyrail Electics to Warrington, Wigan, Preston and Wrexham - as you say childwallblues, very ambitious.
And sadly very unlikely to ever happen
(29/08/2014 15:45)ls1911 Wrote: [ -> ]And sadly very unlikely to ever happen
Yes Flying Pigs are more likely
(29/08/2014 18:33)FC Pictures Wrote: [ -> ]Yes Flying Pigs are more likely
These plans are indeed ambitious but it would be wrong to dismiss them as being unrealistic or unattainable. For decades the north west of England and Merseyside in particular has been starved of investment in the rail network but this may change in the next few years. If these proposals were submitted by TfL to Boris Johnson they would be accepted and financed at the stroke of a pen.
All political parties are now beginning to realise that for the economy to grow public money needs to be invested in the rail infrastructure to support private developments such as the new Liverpool 2 port complex.
Spot on Barney. All this plan needs is a will to carry it through and of course a few hundred million. Thirty years is one hell of a long time. A lot of this is not new having originally been planned in the MALTS report of the 1970s. This I think stood for Merseyside Area Local Transport Scheme and gave us the Loop and the Link and the original extensions to the Merseyrail. When Liverpool Exchange closed in 1978 and the Southport and Ormskirk services were diverted through the new Link to Liverpool Central. On each platform there were destination indicators which when changing revealed all the destinations that the trains went to or were planned to go to. I always remember that two of them were Hough Green and Aintree via Bootle. At last these aspirations may come true.
(29/08/2014 11:17)St Helens Rider Wrote: [ -> ]If I have read this right, there are plans to extend Merseyrail Electics to Warrington, Wigan, Preston and Wrexham - as you say childwallblues, very ambitious.
Only one of them looks even remotely likely and that is Wrexham .
(29/08/2014 23:48)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]Only one of them looks even remotely likely and that is Wrexham .
I disagree with you. Warrington and Wigan are likely to happen.
Electrification to Skelmersdale appears to be a high priority. Therefore if it goes through it is unlikely that it is not continued to Wigan Wallgate for operational reasons.
Hunts Cross to Trafford Park is likely to be a high priority for electrification in CP6 at 25KV AC. Therefore dual voltage trains will be able to operate to Warrington Central.
Wigan as an extension from Kirkby would be very sensible. As it is already possible to travel from Manchester Piccadilly to Wigan North Western on electric trains, and other lines from Manchester to Bolton/ Wigan (but maybe not via Atherton) are due to be electrified, we could eventually have 319s run from Manchester to Liverpool via Wigan and Kirkby!
(30/08/2014 17:25)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]Wigan as an extension from Kirkby would be very sensible. As it is already possible to travel from Manchester Piccadilly to Wigan North Western on electric trains, and other lines from Manchester to Bolton/ Wigan (but maybe not via Atherton) are due to be electrified, we could eventually have 319s run from Manchester to Liverpool via Wigan and Kirkby!
The 319s would obviously have to fit into the tunnels into Liverpool Central. However if the line is allocated to Merseyrail they would use ther own units.