Walsall Aspirations

This is a VERY long rail document, kindly sent to me by Nick, which will require a fair amount of time to read completely.

The minutes of the Chase Line Rail Service Stakeholder meeting had
alerted me of the 'Ryecroft Chord' in the Walsall Rail Service and
Facilities Improvement Plan (a 1 Mb PDF download) dated October 2007.

The following is from that document. Some of it looks out-of-date: the
Mid-Cannock container terminal has not progressed to a rail connection;
Bowmur Haulage is now Pentalver (part of Maersk) and four of the coal
trains to Rugeley start from Portbury but Walsall mention the WS&MR -
"Starting in March 2008".

There are a lot of aspirations. Action is another thing.


5.4 Corridor: Birmingham – Walsall – Rugeley – Stafford
Walsall Council will co-operate fully with Network Rail in their:
o Investigation into the feasibility of building the Ryecroft Chord,
linking the Sutton Park Line with the Chase Line. This must not
compromise the future re-opening of the Walsall-Brownhills line.
o Resignalling of Walsall area to improve linespeed / capacity /
capability /performance
o Development of a Pleck Junction freight turn-back facility to increase
capacity and ease congestion at Bescot Yard

5.5 Corridor: Wolverhampton – Walsall – Sutton Coldfield
· Walsall Council will work with Centro and Govia to secure improvements
to the Walsall – Wolverhampton rail route as part of the December 2008
timetable planning process.
o We will work with Centro/PTA and partners to identify funding and
reopen Willenhall Station.
· We will work with Centro, Network Rail and Birmingham CC to determine
the cost and viability of reintroducing passenger services on the Sutton
Line between Walsall and Sutton, with intermediate stations serving
Aldridge and Streetly
· Walsall Council will co-operate fully with Network Rail in their
investigation into the feasibility of building the Ryecroft Chord,
linking the Sutton Park Line with the Chase Line. This must not
compromise the future re-opening of the Walsall-Brownhills Line.

5.6 Corridor: Stourbridge – Walsall – Lichfield
· In order to reinstate freight and passenger services:
o Walsall Council and neighbouring authorities will ensure that the
potential for the Stourbridge – Walsall - Derby route is fully
investigated as part of Network Rail’s new Route Utilisation Strategy
for the region.
o Walsall Council will work with Centro to determine the viability of
short-term public transport use of Walsall-Brownhills corridor and the
potential for Park and Ride.
o We will encourage Network Rail and other stakeholders to seize the
opportunity to bid for funding for the Stourbridge – Walsall route from
the £200m allocated by Government for the creation of a Strategic
Freight Network.
o We will assist Centro and Network Rail in a study to investigate the
feasibility of re-opening Stourbridge-Walsall, and possibly the
Lichfield line, to tram-trains.
o Walsall Council will co-operate fully with Network Rail in their
investigation into the feasibility of building the Ryecroft Chord to see
if it can also link to the Walsall-Brownhills Line.
o We will ensure that Network Rail’s resignalling scheme can accommodate
a reinstated Walsall-Brownhills Line.

5.8 Corridor: Birmingham – Walsall – Rugeley – Stafford
· The Ryecroft Chord will be built to link the Chase Line to the Sutton
Line to improve operational flexibility and also freight and passenger
capacity / capability /performance.
· Walsall Council will work with neighbouring authorities and others to
make the case for the electrification of the Sutton Line: Walsall –
Nuneaton (- Coventry) and also the Chase Line: Walsall – Rugeley Trent
Valley. ....

Walsall Rail Service and Facilities Improvement Plan 2007
5.9 Corridor: Wolverhampton – Walsall – Sutton Coldfield
· There will be a half-hourly services between Walsall and Wolverhampton
· Stations will be built serving Willenhall, Aldridge and Streetly
· The Ryecroft Chord will be built to link the Chase Line to the Sutton
Line to improve operational flexibility and also freight and passenger
capacity / capability / performance.
· Walsall Council will work with neighbouring authorities and others to
make the case for the electrification of the Sutton Line.

5.10 Corridor: Stourbridge – Walsall – Lichfield
· A short-term solution for public transport use will generate patronage
along this corridor
· We will work with Centro/PTA to investigate the potential for Park and
Ride on the Walsall-Lichfield Line
· Walsall Council will liaise with industry partners and neighbouring
authorities to make the case for reinstatement of freight and passenger
services on the Stourbridge-Walsall-Lichfield Line.
· We will work with Network Rail to investigate the feasibility of
linking the Walsall-Lichfield route into the Ryecroft Chord.

Longer term Aspirations 11- 20 years:
5.12 Corridor: Birmingham – Walsall – Rugeley – Stafford
· The Chase Line will be electrified and there will be other
improvements to track and signalling which will allow the introduction
of a faster, more frequent, passenger rail service with an enhanced
passenger environment.
· The electrification will be linked to the Coventry – Nuneaton – Water
Orton – Ryecroft electrification, including the Ryecroft Chord, to
increase the potential of the line to accommodate enhanced local and
long distance passenger services.

5.13 Corridor: Wolverhampton – Walsall – Sutton Coldfield
· Tram-Trains will serve the heavily populated catchment areas along the
route
· Electrification of the Sutton Park Line through to Nuneaton linked
with Walsall-Rugeley electrification, and the construction and
electrification of the Ryecroft Chord, will provide a major strategic
freight route including scope for passenger services.

5.14 Corridor: Stourbridge – Walsall – Lichfield
· The Stourbridge – Walsall – Lichfield Line will be reinstated for
freight and passenger services. Tram-Trains will serve the heavily
populated catchment areas along the route
· The Ryecroft Chord will be built to link the
Stourbridge-Walsall-Lichfield Line to the Chase Line and Sutton Line to
improve operational flexibility and also freight and passenger capacity
/ capability / performance.


8. WALSALL’S RAIL NETWORK TODAY: 2007
8.3 There are frequent conflicts between national services, freight
services and local services.

8.26 The track has now been lifted on the 5 miles between Ryecroft
Junction and Anglesea Sidings just north of Brownhills but from here is
retained for 4.5 miles at the Lichfield end northwards. Cannock Chase
Council supports the reinstatement of the Walsall-Lichfield route.
Network Rail has now downgraded the status of the remaining
Brownhills-Lichfield section from an operational line to a ‘mothballed’
status. It is therefore important to ensure that this section of the
track is retained and not lifted as a further economy measure by Network
Rail. In the event that this did happen, reinstatement would require an
application under the Transport and Works Act for reinstatement, which
would be very time consuming and expensive.

8.27 The trackbed between Ryecroft Cemetery and Pelsall North is used as
part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network, Route 5.

8.29 EWS and the Freight Transport Association both support the initial
reopening of the existing mothballed Brierley Hill-Walsall section, and
eventual restoration of the Walsall-Brownhills closed and lifted
section, as part of an inter-regional rail freight bypass of the
congested Birmingham area network.

10. CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Electrification
10.21 The recently published White Paper “Delivering a Sustainable
Railway says that the case for network-wide electrification will be kept
under review; it is not made yet. The Government is clear that the
industry needs to take a pragmatic and progressive approach to
electrification, determined on a case-by-case basis, driven by business
and operational need. In the short term, the key question is whether the
benefits of such investment over 10–15 years are greater than its costs,
so that it pays for itself regardless of what the optimum longer-term
carbon choices turn out to be. But the case for more strategic, or
network-wide, electrification will also be kept under review in
preparation for future investment programmes as future energy and
generation technologies develop, so that rail can position itself to
take advantage of the best long-term carbon choices.

11. WALSALL’S RAIL NETWORK TOMORROW
Walsall Station
11.6 The construction of a chord Ryecroft to link the Sutton Park Line
and the Chase Line would relieve congestion caused by freight traffic
going back and forth through Walsall station. Almost all the coal trains
serving Rugeley Power station currently run through Walsall from the
Sutton Park Line, reverse at Bescot and then run back through Walsall to
gain the Chase line. This is a major contributor to congestion at the
station, as well as being wasteful of fuel and time. Network Rail has
tentatively proposed creating a new chord at Ryecroft to permit trains
to run directly from the Sutton Park Line onto the Chase line. This
chord would have to run through the site of the former Ryecroft depot
across part of what is planned to become Mill Lane Local Nature Reserve.
Walsall council will work with Network Rail to investigate the
feasibility of such a chord. However, the proposed chord must not
compromise the future development of the Walsall-Lichfield route.

Corridor: Birmingham – Walsall – Rugeley – Stafford
11.7 As part of the re-signalling project, the Network Rail Route
Planning team has identified further enhancements, which are over and
above that of the planned renewals, that may deliver either improved
levels of performance or/and increased operating capacity/capability.
These include various line and junction speed improvements, which are
not part of the re-signalling scheme, along the Cannock Chase line and
Walsall Power Signal Box area.

11.9 With the growing capacity problems at New Street, and no rail
capacity increases proposed in the New Street development, there has
been a suggestion that some Walsall to Birmingham trains could be
diverted into Snow Hill in order to free up capacity at New Street
Station. This would require new tracks (the Benson Road chord) costing
in excess of £45m. Presently, Network Rail does not support such a
scheme and the site is protected for a possible Soho Station.

11.20 The Bloxwich area of North Walsall is served by two stations a
mere 600 metres apart. There is a strong case for relocating the
Bloxwich station 250 metres southwards to the original Station Street
site away from the unfriendly and insecure environment. The Council
takes the view that if the Bloxwich station were to be re-sited closer
to Bloxwich District Centre it would not only help to maintain the
centre’s vitality and viability (an objective of planning guidance) but
tap into a greater residential catchment, increasing patronage.
Accordingly, the Unitary Development Plan, Policy BX9, indicates a
suitable location to construct a re-sited station. This site offers
ground level all-round visibility, scope for a ticket office and a
greater opportunity for parking than the current location.

11.23 Centro’s long-term vision for the Birmingham – Walsall route would
be to increase the core frequency up to six trains per hour from New
Street, if capacity is freed up by the construction of the Bordesley
Chords. This could then potentially facilitate a combination of
half-hourly services to Birmingham from Rugeley, Wolverhampton and
Aldridge via Walsall.

11.25 The Chase Line could be a diversionary route for Birmingham to
Manchester services, but not for timetabled ones due to
non-electrification, line speed restrictions and Stafford remodelling
proposals. [Walsall - Cannock - Rugeley Trent Valley was a frequent
diversionary route in BR days]

11.26 We would want to see the electrification of the sixteen mile link
between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley,.... In 1999, Railtrack
conducted a pre-feasibility study into the electrification of the
Walsall - Rugeley route section.

11.27 Electrification of the Walsall-Rugeley line and Kidsgrove-Crewe
line would provide an opportunity for the development of through
services between Birmingham, Walsall, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Liverpool
and the north. This alternative route would have the potential for
relieving Wolverhampton-Stafford and the slow lines between Stafford and
Crewe.
[ Question Kidsgrove - Crewe is already electrified!]

11.28 Network Rail will examine the feasibility of increasing the
current line speed from 45 mph to 65 mph (except Bloxwich Crossing and
Rugeley Power Station Junction – known as Brereton). Further increases
in speeds are an aspiration. [For those of you who are not already
aware, Brereton is pronounced Breer-ton]

11.29 Almost all the coal trains serving Rugeley Power station currently
run through Walsall from the Sutton Park Line, reverse at Bescot and
then run back through Walsall to gain the Chase line. This is a major
contributor to congestion at the station, as well as being wasteful of
fuel and time. Network Rail has tentatively proposed creating a new
chord at Ryecroft to permit trains to run directly from the Sutton Park
Line onto the Chase line. However, this chord would have to run through
the site of the former Ryecroft depot across part of what is planned to
become Mill Lane Local Nature Reserve. Walsall council will work with
Network Rail to investigate the feasibility of such a chord. However,
the proposed chord must not compromise the future development of the
Walsall-Lichfield route.

11.30 Any upgrade to the route would increase its usefulness as a
potential diversionary route for freight and passenger services. In
particular, if linked to (Coventry-) Nuneaton – Water Orton – Ryecroft
Junction electrification, it would increase the potential of the line to
accommodate enhanced local and long distance passenger services. This
could include a second Birmingham-Manchester route via Walsall and
Rugeley , as proposed in the MidMan study.

Corridor: Wolverhampton - Walsall - Sutton Coldfield
11.31 We will investigate, with Centro and Govia, if a 30 minute
interval Wolverhampton - Walsall - New St - Wolverhampton triangular
service might be practical, using some of the long layover that exists
at Wolverhampton. In principle, Network Rail supports such a service.
However, they would need to performance model the proposed timetable
prior to its operation. They may also require (under the Wolverhampton
re-signalling) an additional south facing bay platform....

11.32 The line passes through the Darlaston – Willenhall – Wednesfield
Regeneration corridor.... The retention of this service and at least one
intermediate station at Willenhall is strongly supported by
Wolverhampton City Council. The service is seen as important in
maintaining sustainable transport links across the Black Country,
particularly as road traffic, including buses, incur considerable delay
on the A454 where it crosses the M6 motorway at Junction 10.

11.33 A Willenhall New Station Study was conducted on behalf of Centro
in 2000. Its recommendation was that the station should be constructed
since it has the potential to pay for itself within 10 years. With the
pressing need to reduce the national carbon footprint it is time to
reassess the business case for the reinstatement of Willenhall
Station....

11.34 There may also be potential for a station serving the Darlaston
Strategic Development Area....

11.36 [Repeat of 11.29 above]

11.37 The Sutton Park Line is currently a Freight only route. Railtrack
has, in the past, investigated the feasibility of electrification of the
Nuneaton - Water Orton - Walsall line to create an alternative freight
artery for traffic currently routed via the Coventry Corridor.

11.38 We would want to see the electrification of the Sutton Park Line,
together with other improvements to track and signalling, and the
re-introduction of passenger rail services. Electrification would also
enable the integration of the line more effectively in Centro’s strategy
for future service development.

11.39 Electrification of the Sutton Park Line through to Nuneaton,
ideally linked with Walsall-Rugeley electrification and the construction
and electrification of a Ryecroft chord, would provide a major strategic
freight route including scope for diverted passenger services.

11.40 Re-instatement of platform 3 at Walsall station as a through line
could lead to a new station at Aldridge and a
Wolverhampton-Walsall-Aldridge service.

11.41 ... The Strategic Regeneration Framework supports a new railway
station at Aldridge....

11.42 Centro own land for a station in Aldridge and outline planning
permission was granted in 2000 for a rail station and park & ride on
land at Anchor Meadow, but this has now lapsed. There is an extant
agreement with Central Trains whereby, should the Aldridge Station have
been built within the lifetime of the soon-to-finish franchise, Central
Trains would have extended the Walsall-Wolverhampton service out to
Aldridge. We will hold talks with Govia to discuss similar proposals.

11.44 There is also potential for a re-opened station near the borough
border at Streetly, which has substantial surrounding residential
catchments.

11.45 Birmingham City Council protects the line via Sutton Park and
Walmley and aspires to the reintroduction of passenger services on the
existing freight-only line serving Minworth, Walmley and Sutton
Coldfield.

11.47 ...Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield and Walsall for carrying passenger
services, but a previous assessment undertaken in 1996 had not shown
sufficient potential usage to re-open the line to passenger services.

Corridor: Stourbridge - Walsall - Lichfield
11.49 The Black Country has very poor rail connections .... If passenger
services were to be restored to the line, many people would in
consequence not need to change trains at Birmingham New Street’s
increasingly crowded platforms ....

11.50 Not only could the line provide for through services from
Worcester to Derby and points north via the Black Country....

11.52 The best option for restoring this line is to develop it,
initially, as a freight route. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), in
its Land Use Planning Guide, specifically mentioned the Stourbridge -
Walsall - Lichfield line as an example of a capacity improvement
necessary to provide for future growth. The SRA stated in its previous
planning documents that it wished to reopen the Stourbridge to Walsall
section as a freight avoiding line for Birmingham, presumably as a first
step. The logical extension of this would be to re-open the line between
Walsall and Lichfield in order to gain the greatest benefits towards
justifying the restoration of passenger services. Railfreight operators
have recognised this and have strongly supported the Council’s rail
polices in this regard. However the SRA Route Utilisation Strategy was
silent on the potential contribution of this important route,
notwithstanding its previous support for the restoration of freight and
its own Land Use Planning Guide.

11.55 For environmental reasons, a business case could be made for the
reinstatement of the Stourbridge – Lichfield line as the missing link in
the SW-NE freight route.

11.56 ...operators the restoration of line for freight and passenger
services, possibly as part of a new cross-region service from Worcester
to Derby and beyond.

11.60 There is a large commuter base of people travelling to Birmingham
from the Chasetown and Burntwood area. The potential of Park and Ride
locations should be investigated, such as the former Charrington’s Oil
depot north of Brownhills, which is now used as an HGV parking area.

11.62 The council, in its Unitary Development Plan Policy T3, has
safeguarded the rail formation between Ryecroft, Walsall and Brownhills
as part of a strategically important route for the future.

11.66 Network Rail has tentatively proposed creating a new chord at
Ryecroft to permit trains to run directly from the Sutton Park Line onto
the Chase line. However, the proposed chord must not compromise the
future development of the Walsall-Lichfield route. Walsall council will
work with Network Rail to investigate the feasibility of such a chord
also serving a potential Walsall-Lichfield reinstated line, enabling
freight trains to move between three lines. Network Rail say that
provisions will be made in the signalling interlocking on the other
lines to accommodate any re-opening of the Brownhills route.

12. FREIGHT
12.1 Rail remained the primary transport system for goods until the
second half of the last century, when road transport started to gain a
serious market share. Rail’s market share suffered substantial decline
as a result of network rationalisation in the 1960s, followed by
subsequent decades of under-investment in the network that remained. The
development of the UK motorway system and the deregulation of road
freight led to the inexorable rise in road transport, and the inevitable
decline in the use of rail for freight and passengers.

12.2 The West Midlands is at the crossroads of the InterCity rail
network and it is also important for through freight movements between
the north west and south/south east as well as north east to south west
and South Wales. The West Midlands has some of the most congested road
and rail routes in the country and yet millions of tonnes of goods have
to be delivered in, or moved through, the region each day. Without
immediate investment in regional infrastructure, transport and economic
growth will grind to a halt and the region will face total gridlock.
Significant environmental benefits can be derived from increased
movement of goods by rail. Economic issues have become increasingly
important, as witnessed by the Working Time Directive, which is expected
to exacerbate the growing shortage of lorry drivers.

12.3 The fast route to reducing transport's carbon footprint is to
increase rail freight which also acts as a freight by-pass and helps
reduce road congestion. Recent research has shown that a tonne of
freight moved by rail creates five times less Carbon Dioxide than the
same tonne being moved on the roads. Rail freight is also up to fifteen
times better than road in terms of other noxious emissions. There is
only a five to fifteen year window in which to take action to avert
catastroph ic climate change. As Stern said, "The scientific evidence is
overwhelming. Climate change presents serious global risks and it
demands an urgent global response".

12.4 The current rail network imposes a number of limitations on freight
traffic. One significant constraint is the relatively tight loading
gauge, which restricts the rolling stock that can operate. This is most
pronounced in the container market, since only a small part of the rail
network can accommodate the taller containers that are increasingly used
in world trade. Nor does the existing infrastructure readily lend itself
to the operation of longer trains, a problem made worse by the
configuration of many freight terminals. Weight and speed limitations
further constrain freight capacity.

12.5 Government’s long-term rail strategy recognises rail freight’s role
in servicing the economy and offering a low carbon freight transport
solution, in line with the recommendations of both the Stern and
Eddington reports. The Government wants to see the development of a
Strategic Freight Network. This would provide an enhanced core freight
trunk network, optimised to freight requirements and providing greater
capability, reliability and availability. This will benefit passengers,
as well as freight services. The Government will work with the industry
to develop and facilitate the delivery of the Strategic Freight Network,
for which £200 million of Network Rail investment has been identified in
the period to 2014.

12.6 The Freight Route Utilisation Strategy (Freight RUS) presents a
view of the freight growth and alterations in existing traffic flows
that could reasonably be expected to occur on the network by 2015 and
presents a strategy to address the key issues that arise in
accommodating these changes. The Challenges for Freight in the Walsall
Area

12.7 Walsall’s rail system has enough capacity to form part of a rail
freight network that would not only provide for modal switch from road
to rail but also avoid the seriously congested passenger rail
interchange in central Birmingham, thus delivering major strategic
advantages for reliability of both passenger and freight services in the
wider area. But, inevitably, there will be conflict between balancing
the needs of passengers versus freight, of local versus inter-city
services.

12.8 The Sutton Park Line remains one of the busiest freight lines in
the region with up to 30 movements each way per day. Timetabled freight
paths in January 2005 were 102 per day. Unlike passenger services, there
is often a large difference between the booked (or reserved) freight
paths and the number actually used on any particular day. Some flows are
seasonal; others only currently operate for 3 days a week (or less); but
the operators often book the paths for 6 days in the expectation of
gaining additional business. Some paths are literally used 'on demand'
with flows of coal switching on almost a daily basis between different
sources at the customers' request. Others are planned for up to five
times a day; but normally only used for three trips.

12.9 There are also paths reserved for passenger trains returning to or
arriving from the depot - empty stock movements. Getting the first two
passenger trains for the Chase Line service to Walsall in the morning
from Wolverhampton Depot is a particular problem as this is also a busy
time for freight movements.

12.10 Almost all the coal trains serving Rugeley Power station currently
run through Walsall Station from the Sutton Park Line, reverse at Bescot
and then run back through Walsall to gain the Chase line. The
installation of a flue gas desulphurisation plant at Rugeley Power
Station will lead to 7-10 additional freight trains a week, moving
limestone in and gypsum out of the site, in addition to the existing
coal trains. These freight trains are a major contributor to congestion
at the station, as well as being wasteful of fuel and time.

The Opportunities for Freight in the Walsall Area
12.11 Network Rail has identified the growth requirements in the Walsall
area - detailed in their Freight Route Utilisation Strategy - and aims
to meet the freight operators’ requirements. This commitment has been
demonstrated through, for example; the Sutton Park planning headway
improvement scheme (the headway between vehicles is the amount of time
that elapses between two vehicles passing the same point travelling in
the same direction on a given route). They are improving the planning
headways along the Sutton Park line from 10 mins to 5 mins. (Note -
headways to the east section of the line are currently controlled by
Saltley Power Signal Box, will also be improved to 5 mins as part of the
Water Orton resignalling scheme 2009).

Walsall Rail Service and Facilities Improvement Plan 2007
12.12 Network Rail is undertaking a proactive approach to gauge
enhancement to allow greater access to the network for the increasingly
common high cube W10 containers (through replacement of higher
structures or lowering of the track). This will enable the rail industry
to carry a significant volume of traffic that would otherwise be carried
by road. In Walsall, the Sutton Line has been identified to benefit from
gauge improvements.

12.13 We believe that freight gauge improvements and line speed on the
Chase Line as well as Sutton Park Line should also be considered. The
Chase Line would be a diversionary route for Birmingham to Manchester
services, but not for timetabled ones due to non-electrification, line
speed restrictions and Stafford remodelling proposals.

12.14 The Route Planning team within Network Rail has identified
enhancements that may deliver either improved levels of performance
or/and increased operating capacity/capability. These enhancement
schemes may possibly be funded from the Network Rail Discretionary but
each scheme must have a justifiable industry business case, with a
Benefit to Cost Ratio (BCR) of at least 2. Additional freight related
enhancement schemes that Route Planning team have identified, which are
over and above that of the planned renewals, are as follows:
o Re-signalling of the Walsall Power Signal Box (PSB) area - the
expected commissioning date is late 2011. The signalling renewal date is
staged, based on life of asset and steady migration of signalling into
the West Midlands Signalling Centre.
o Line and junction speed improvements – various line speed improvements
(not part of the re-signalling scheme) along the Cannock Line (2012) and
Walsall Power Signal Box area.
o Pleck Junction run-round facility – to provide a freight run round
facility on the old track formation towards Round Oak. This removes the
need for freight services to cross the mainline at Bescot Junction to
reverse in Bescot freight yard.
o Direct access to Bescot up yard by providing a facing crossover from
the down Grand Junction line into the ‘Up’ yard at Bescot (Newton
Junction).

12.15 Walsall Council is working with Network Rail to investigate the
feasibility of building a Ryecroft Chord. The Chord would join the
Sutton Park Line to the Chase Line and remove the need for reversing
freight traffic going back and forth through Walsall station and have a
significant impact on reducing its carbon footprint. We will also
investigate the feasibility of linking in the Walsall-Brownhills route
into this Chord.

12.16 There are significant freight flows on the route between Bristol
and the West Midlands. These currently use the main line between Bristol
and Birmingham which includes the Lickey incline, a steep gradient. This
presents a large restriction to freight on the weight of trains and
therefore the length of the trains. The line is also a busy passenger
route.

12.17 Reopening the Stourbridge to Walsall line would provide an
alternative route. By using this route the trains avoid the Lickey
incline; the steepest gradient on the English main line network. It
would also reduce freight trains movements on a main passenger route.
The longer trains the route could accommodate 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.

12.18 Stourbridge to Burton would also be a valuable freight diversion
route for Kings Norton to Tamworth as it would relieve the Camp Hill and
Landor Street to Water Orton routes where Birmingham CC has aspirations
for passenger services. There are also strong passenger flows from
Burntwood through to Birmingham.

12.19 The “Delivering a Sustainable Railway” White Paper makes reference
to the creation of a Strategic Freight Network and allocates £200m to
its development. This may offer an opportunity to fund the Stourbridge –
Walsall route. The potential for the route will also be fully
investigated as part of Network Rail’s new Route Utilisation Strategy
for the region which is due to start later this year.

Terminals and Private Sidings
12.20 The expansion of existing rail freight facilities in the borough,
and at Bescot in Sandwell, are supported in principle by the council,
subject to detailed consideration of issues relating to road access and
environmental impact.

12.21 Terminals provide the key interface between rail freight services,
other modes of transport and/or storage facilities. They can vary
enormously in size and scope, from a simple siding through to large
distribution parks. Development of a new terminal need not be a
permanent, costly or time-consuming project. It may be possible to
commence rail services through a terminal with basic facilities.

12.22 UDP Policy JP3: Rail-served Sites, protects land or buildings
which have potential to be served by rail, and the Council will
encourage their use for activities incorporating rail freight, e.g.
Friars Road.

Present and potential Rail Freight Terminals
· Bescot complex
· Tasker Street (Walsall),
· European Metals Recycling (Darlaston - plans now on hold),
· Bloxwich (Trident Alloys)
· Bowmur/Maersk Mid-Cannock Container depot (Cannock Chase District) for
which a rail connection on the Chase Line is planned.
· Bowmur/Maersk Anglesea Depot (the former Charrington’s Oil Depot)

Unitary Development Plan Policy
[Page 61]
There are a number of freight movements through Bloxwich. The route is
heavily used by coal traffic servicing Rugeley Power Station. There is
one train per day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday timetabled to work
from Bescot yard to the smelter works in Bloxwich and a return working.
In practice, though, this service runs as and when it is required. In
future there could also be up to two additional trains bringing
limestone and gypsum to/from Rugeley Power Station.

[Page 62]
The route from Walsall to Rugeley suffers from particularly poor line
speeds (maximum 45mph). A higher line speed would generate resource
(train crew/rolling stock) benefits as well as performance improvement
and revenue benefits. This route could also be used as a diversionary
route for the Bushbury - Stafford route for non-gauge sensitive traffic
if it had a higher line speed. Ongoing track renewals over the last few
years have replaced much of the former jointed track with continuous
welded rail (CWR), and forthcoming track renewals will facilitate works
to make a higher line speed easier to achieve. The Chase Line is one of
the prime candidates in the region for electrification. Electric
passenger trains have greater acceleration and a higher top speed than
the Diesel units currently used on the line. They would be able to run
at higher speeds between stations on this hilly route, leading to
reduced journey times. Previous plans to electrify the line in 1962 were
dropped from the West Coast scheme when the old service was withdrawn.
It is estimated that the costs of electrifying this 16 mile line would
now be between £12-15 m (based on average costs of £0.5m per single
track kilometre in recent electrification projects), but the benefits
would be considerable. One issue at Walsall is the low tunnel roof at
the north end of the station but this is not insurmountable.

[Page 65]
Provision of new intermediate signal between Bloxwich and Hednesford...
To be included in NR's Walsall resignalling scheme scope.

[Page 72]
Corridor: WOLVERHAMPTON - WALSALL - SUTTON COLDFIELD
Ryecroft Chord to link Sutton Line to Chase Line... Discussing
feasibility with Network Rail.

[Page 78]
Corridor: STOURBRIDGE - WALSALL - LICHFIELD
We are working with Network Rail to investigate the possibility of
building a Ryecroft Chord to link the Sutton Line and Chase Line – which
will improve operational flexibility and freight and passenger capacity,
capability and, performance. We have received assurances from them that
provisions will be made in the signalling interlocking to accommodate
any re-opening of the Brownhills route. We will investigate the
feasibility of including the Walsall-Brownhills Line into this chord.
Question


The 82-page PDF of Walsall's Rail Service and Facilities Improvement
Plan can be downloaded @
http://www.walsall.gov.uk/index/transport_and_streets/transport_strategi
es/rail_service_and_facilities_improvements_plan.htm