New line(s) in UK?

[Flosta]

About the newly inaugurated Eurotunnel HSL (which I had the chance to ride
last week), I read that it should be "the first new line built in the UK in
the last 50 years" (or something similar).

Is this really true? What about the line to Leeds? Was it just an existing
line adapted to 125 mph in the '80 ('90ies)? No "bits" of new lines?

Thanks in advance
flosta

[Arwel Parry]

In message <bmg6um$e6t$***@sunnews.cern.ch>, Flosta <***@ftnetwork.com>
writes

Post by Flosta
About the newly inaugurated Eurotunnel HSL (which I had the chance to ride
last week), I read that it should be "the first new line built in the UK in
the last 50 years" (or something similar).

The usual claim is "the first new line to be built in the UK in 100
years", which isn't true because the GWR was still building new lines
until 1914.

Post by Flosta
Is this really true? What about the line to Leeds? Was it just an existing
line adapted to 125 mph in the '80 ('90ies)? No "bits" of new lines?

It's generally true. There have been no major new lines built since WW1
-- the biggest work since then was probably the Selby Diversion on the
East Coast Main Line which was built in the 1980s thanks to new coal
mines being built in the area (now closing!). Most other improvements
have been "fettling up" existing lines, and the construction of
occasional chords here and there between other lines.

[William JONES]

Hello,

"Arwel Parry" <***@cartref.demon.co.uk> a �crit dans le message de news:YCX+oF8$x9i$***@arwel.cartref.demon.co.uk...

[...]

| It's generally true. There have been no major new lines built since WW1
| -- the biggest work since then was probably the Selby Diversion on the
| East Coast Main Line which was built in the 1980s thanks to new coal
| mines being built in the area (now closing!). Most other improvements
| have been "fettling up" existing lines, and the construction of
| occasional chords here and there between other lines.

When was the Chessington line built ?

[Gavin Hamilton]

Post by William JONES
Hello,
[...]
| It's generally true. There have been no major new lines built since WW1
| -- the biggest work since then was probably the Selby Diversion on the
| East Coast Main Line which was built in the 1980s thanks to new coal
| mines being built in the area (now closing!). Most other improvements
| have been "fettling up" existing lines, and the construction of
| occasional chords here and there between other lines.
When was the Chessington line built ?
--

1920's or 30's...............

G

[unknown]

As Tue, 14 Oct 2003 21:38:39 +0100 appeared fresh and rosy-fingered,

Post by Gavin Hamilton

Post by William JONES
When was the Chessington line built ?

1920's or 30's...............

The usual claim about CTRL includes major/main/etc line. There have
been quite a few branches and such built, especially if you include
the Underground.

[David H Wild]

Post by William JONES
| It's generally true. There have been no major new lines built since WW1
| -- the biggest work since then was probably the Selby Diversion on the
| East Coast Main Line which was built in the 1980s thanks to new coal
| mines being built in the area (now closing!). Most other improvements
| have been "fettling up" existing lines, and the construction of
| occasional chords here and there between other lines.
When was the Chessington line built ?

In the 1930s - but it's not really "major".

[John Rowland]

Post by David H Wild

Post by William JONES
When was the Chessington line built ?

In the 1930s - but it's not really "major".

I think the Sutton to Wimbledon was built later than the Chessington.

[David H Wild]

Post by John Rowland

Post by David H Wild

Post by William JONES
When was the Chessington line built ?

In the 1930s - but it's not really "major".

I think the Sutton to Wimbledon was built later than the Chessington.

Sutton to Wimbledon was opened in 1930, the Chessington Branch not until
May 1939. The Chessington line was intended to go to Leatherhead, but
construction was interrupted by the war.

[Graeme Wall]

In message <tKVib.77461$***@phobos.telenet-ops.be>
"William JONES" <***@pandora.be> wrote:

[snip]

Post by William JONES
When was the Chessington line built ?

IIRC started late 30s, suspended during WW2 and opened late 40s, so just over
the 50 years. Mind you they haven't finished building it yet.

[Alan Osborn]

Post by William JONES
When was the Chessington line built ?

Was supposed to be a through line to Leatherhead
halted abruptly at Chessington South due to outbreak of WW2 never
restarted

[David Bromage]

Post by Arwel Parry
The usual claim is "the first new line to be built in the UK in 100
years", which isn't true because the GWR was still building new lines
until 1914.

Not forgetting the Selby Diversion in the early 1980s.

Cheers
David

[Arwel Parry]

Post by David Bromage

Post by Arwel Parry
The usual claim is "the first new line to be built in the UK in 100
years", which isn't true because the GWR was still building new lines
until 1914.

Not forgetting the Selby Diversion in the early 1980s.

Which I didn't forget in the next paragraph! :)

[Phil Richards]

On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 12:22:39 +0100 Arwel Parry

Most other improvements have been "fettling up" existing
lines, and the construction of occasional chords here and
there between other lines.

Plus of course branches to several airports (Manchester, Stansted etc.)
in the last 20 or so years. The trend of course has extended to most
other countries across Europe (& other parts of the world) too...

[Ulf Kutzner]

Post by Phil Richards

Most other improvements have been "fettling up" existing
lines, and the construction of occasional chords here and
there between other lines.

Plus of course branches to several airports (Manchester, Stansted etc.)
in the last 20 or so years. The trend of course has extended to most
other countries across Europe (& other parts of the world) too...

IIRC, mainlines Madrid - Aranda - Burgos and Medina del Campo - Zamora -
Ourense (or important parts of them) were opened around 1968.

Regards, ULF

[Ulf Kutzner]

Post by Ulf Kutzner

Post by Phil Richards
Plus of course branches to several airports (Manchester, Stansted etc.)
in the last 20 or so years. The trend of course has extended to most
other countries across Europe (& other parts of the world) too...

IIRC, mainlines Madrid - Aranda - Burgos and Medina del Campo - Zamora -
Ourense (or important parts of them) were opened around 1968.

I should add Belgrad - Bar in Yugoslavia.

Regards, ULF

[David Eerdmans]

Post by Ulf Kutzner

Post by Phil Richards

Most other improvements have been "fettling up" existing
lines, and the construction of occasional chords here and
there between other lines.

Plus of course branches to several airports (Manchester, Stansted etc.)
in the last 20 or so years. The trend of course has extended to most
other countries across Europe (& other parts of the world) too...

IIRC, mainlines Madrid - Aranda - Burgos and Medina del Campo - Zamora -
Ourense (or important parts of them) were opened around 1968.

In the Netherlands, main line Amsterdam - Schiphol - Leiden ( - the Hague)
is relatively recent. It was opened in various stages in the 70s and 80s.

I don't know if it counts as a main line, but the line Amsterdam - Lelystad
was also opened somewhere in the 80s. It will defintately become a mainline
if the Hanzelijn (Lelystad - Zwolle) is built.

Regards,
David

[iMark]

Post by David Eerdmans

Post by Ulf Kutzner

Post by Phil Richards

Most other improvements have been "fettling up" existing
lines, and the construction of occasional chords here and
there between other lines.

Plus of course branches to several airports (Manchester, Stansted etc.)
in the last 20 or so years. The trend of course has extended to most
other countries across Europe (& other parts of the world) too...

IIRC, mainlines Madrid - Aranda - Burgos and Medina del Campo - Zamora -
Ourense (or important parts of them) were opened around 1968.

In the Netherlands, main line Amsterdam - Schiphol - Leiden ( - the Hague)
is relatively recent. It was opened in various stages in the 70s and 80s.
I don't know if it counts as a main line, but the line Amsterdam - Lelystad
was also opened somewhere in the 80s. It will defintately become a mainline
if the Hanzelijn (Lelystad - Zwolle) is built.

I would categorize the Flevolijn (Weesp-Lelystad) als a mainline. It was
buitlt to the (then) highest standards and is suitable for 160 km/h.
There are no level crossings.

iMark

[U***@web.de]

Post by Ulf Kutzner

Post by Phil Richards

Most other improvements have been "fettling up" existing
lines, and the construction of occasional chords here and
there between other lines.

Plus of course branches to several airports (Manchester, Stansted etc.)
in the last 20 or so years. The trend of course has extended to most
other countries across Europe (& other parts of the world) too...

IIRC, mainlines Madrid - Aranda - Burgos and Medina del Campo - Zamora -
Ourense (or important parts of them) were opened around 1968.

1435 mm HSL section Zamora - Pedrera (on the way to Ourense)
will open tomorrow.

[Alan Osborn]

Post by Phil Richards
On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 12:22:39 +0100 Arwel Parry

Most other improvements have been "fettling up" existing
lines, and the construction of occasional chords here and
there between other lines.

Plus of course branches to several airports (Manchester, Stansted etc.)
in the last 20 or so years. The trend of course has extended to most
other countries across Europe (& other parts of the world) too...

If you exclude LT, Light Rail, Tram lines etc. and heavy rail lines that
have reopened .
I reckon the last actual new 'heavy rail' is the route into Heathrow
from Heathrow Junction on the GW main line which I opened 1st June 1998

[Ole Petter Ingebrigtsen]

Post by Alan Osborn
I reckon the last actual new 'heavy rail' is the route into Heathrow
from Heathrow Junction on the GW main line which I opened 1st June 1998

The Gardermoen line in Norway (all new-build) was opened slightly later.

[Tadej Brezina]

Post by Phil Richards
Plus of course branches to several airports (Manchester, Stansted etc.)
in the last 20 or so years. The trend of course has extended to most
other countries across Europe (& other parts of the world) too...

The new TEN corridor Link SLO - HUN from Murska Sobota voa Hodos to
Zalalövö (hope it's written ok :-) ) and on to Budapest
It's only one track non electrified (yet), but carries international Trains
and freight.

Tadej
--
Tadej Brezina (***@gmx.at)
Baden Österreich
http://stud3.tuwien.ac.at/~e9526139/start.htm

[Alan Osborn]

In article <bmg6um$e6t$***@sunnews.cern.ch>, Flosta <***@ftnetwork.com>
writes

Post by Flosta
About the newly inaugurated Eurotunnel HSL (which I had the chance to ride
last week), I read that it should be "the first new line built in the UK in
the last 50 years" (or something similar).
Is this really true? What about the line to Leeds? Was it just an existing
line adapted to 125 mph in the '80 ('90ies)? No "bits" of new lines?
Thanks in advance
flosta

There have been numerous bit and pieces but the media refers to the last
long-distance main line which was the Great Central which built its
London Terminus at Marylebone opened in 1899.
Ironically it seem to have suffered first in first out politics and most
of the route closed c. 1966 leaving just basically London commuter
services, but in recent times it has benefited from rail privatisation,
with its operator Chiltern Trains competing for the Birmingham trade
with through services to Birmingham Snow Hill cheaper than those offered
by Virgin Trains out of Euston.

[Flosta]

Thanks to everybody for the infos.

I understand that diversions and "bits and pieces" have been built rather
recently (without taking into considerations subway and tramway(!) new
lines). The longest ones should account at least 20-30 km (I guess).
So although the recently Eurotunnel HSL can infact be considered as a new
MAIN line (instead of a "diversion"), its length is greater but still
comparable (= same "order of magnitude") to the longest of these "bits and
pieces", at least until 2007...

So, to me the most relevant issue remains that it is the highest speed line
in UK (very nice to cross Kent at 300 km/h!)

Thanks again
Flosta

Post by Flosta
About the newly inaugurated Eurotunnel HSL (which I had the chance to ride
last week), I read that it should be "the first new line built in the UK in
the last 50 years" (or something similar).
Is this really true? What about the line to Leeds? Was it just an existing
line adapted to 125 mph in the '80 ('90ies)? No "bits" of new lines?
Thanks in advance
flosta