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Gov't: 'No case' for BML2





Notters

Well-known member
Oct 20, 2003
24,865
Guiseley
Dr Beeching made probably the worst decision ever about the railwways with no foresight whatsoever.

The Lewes to Uckfield line and Eridge to T Wells branch line were both closed for different reasons, neither of which were anything to do with Beeching.

Oh and FFS.
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
The Lewes to Uckfield line and Eridge to T Wells branch line were both closed for different reasons, neither of which were anything to do with Beeching.

Oh and FFS.

He closed many lines which if they had still been open would have eased the pressure on other lines like Brighton to London His actions were arguably one of the worst decisions ever made by a government.
 


portlock seagull

Why? Why us?
Jul 28, 2003
16,979
Blowing all the budget on HS2, that could well prove to be a massive white elephant. This scheme on the other hand would improve thousands of peoples lives for a fraction of the cost

Train direct from T Wells to Falmer would be brilliant

But HS2 will get you to Birmingham 20mins quicker and that is worth it's weight in....? (over to you NSC!!)
 


CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jan 27, 2009
5,922
Shoreham Beach
The Chichester bypass has also been canned. Locals couldn't agree on a route so the rest of us can just carry on dawdling around the multiple roundabouts.

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
The Chichester bypass has also been canned. Locals couldn't agree on a route so the rest of us can just carry on dawdling around the multiple roundabouts.

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

Should have carried out the plans for the Folkestone to Honiton motorway when it was suggested in the 70s/80s.
 




Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,324
Uffern
The Lewes to Uckfield line and Eridge to T Wells branch line were both closed for different reasons, neither of which were anything to do with Beeching.

Oh and FFS.

That's true enough about Eridge/T Wells but Lewes/Uckfield is a bit more complicated. It's true that it wasn't included in the Beeching cuts but the closure was part of a general feeling that railways had had their day. The Beeching cuts started this process, so the plans to close the Lewes/Uckfield line were readily accepted.

But the decision not to re-open the line is astonishing. As the report says, the population in the area is set to double and, given there are not thousands of new jobs down here, a lot of those people will commute to London. The infrastructure can barely cope as it is, I shudder to think what it will be like in 20 years time
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
This is a myth too...

That wasnt a myth as building had started hence the road at Crossbush that was to go over the River Adur and by pass Arundel is just an eyesore going nowhere now and serving no purpose.

The houses in Warren Rd Worthing were all compulsory purchased but when the plan was scrapped resold as very low prices. So was no myth just the costs went up dramatically./
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,265
What fraction?

What part of the line?

Balcombe tunnel and Purley Croydon seem to be the obvious areas needing repair/improvment. then the line just north of Croydon to London Bridge, to lift the speed restrictions too (though not sure why they are, assume its track problems).

Eh? The Gatwick expansion on its own would make the matter worse not better. And how would you make the current BML better?

Gatwick was going to spend a few billion improving the line through to London terminals. BML would be better if the signalling could handle more trains up through to Croydon, thats them main bottle neck and one BML2 would have only added to. i think there is work to address this anyway, so we'll see improvments.

it would be great to have a second line through Sussex, but basic cost/benefit says its not such a clever idea as it wouldnt be used outside rush hour. put it this way, for a back up line to cover the 15-20 days a year the BML is really TITSUP, how much more would you pay? 10%, 25%, 50%?
 


clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,179
Sorry to say but there must be more pressing needs for improving public transport in this country than this ?



Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patreon
Oct 8, 2003
49,341
Faversham
If you want to get from Dover to Brighton by train, you need to go to London. If you want to got from Dover to Brighton by road, you have to go near London (M2, M26, M25, M23). From Dover to Brighton nd on to Southampton is an e****ing disgrace. Its like the third world. Transport infrastructure my arse.

When I drive from Faversham to the Amex, I cut through country; Tenterden, Sandhurst, Bodium etc. It takes 2 hours. If I go the motorway route it is 10 miles longer and only an hour and 20 minutes - unless there are problems (which there always are). Pathetic.

But I pity you poor buggers who have to commute from the Britonanove region to London for work. At least in my case it is a matter of choice . . .
 


Yoda

English & European
That wasnt a myth as building had started hence the road at Crossbush that was to go over the River Adur and by pass Arundel is just an eyesore going nowhere now and serving no purpose.

The houses in Warren Rd Worthing were all compulsory purchased but when the plan was scrapped resold as very low prices. So was no myth just the costs went up dramatically./

Sorry, it is an urban myth.

There is absolutely no evidence that such a route was ever planned seriously by the Ministry of Transport.

The only evidence yet found supporting that theory was that in 1936, the Institute of Highways Engineers suggested a network of motorways which included one across the south of the country, though north of the current M27 between the Taunton area, across near Winchester and ending at Dover. It was almost instantly rejected by the Government.

The following is a link showing the original 1975 strip map of the M27 plans: http://pathetic.org.uk/unfinished/m27/map/

As you can see, the original plans were only as far as Chichester.
 


Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,381
Sorry, it is an urban myth.

There is absolutely no evidence that such a route was ever planned seriously by the Ministry of Transport.

The only evidence yet found supporting that theory was that in 1936, the Institute of Highways Engineers suggested a network of motorways which included one across the south of the country, though north of the current M27 between the Taunton area, across near Winchester and ending at Dover. It was almost instantly rejected by the Government.

The following is a link showing the original 1975 strip map of the M27 plans: http://pathetic.org.uk/unfinished/m27/map/

As you can see, the original plans were only as far as Chichester.

So the A272 would have been part of that ?
 




Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,381
He closed many lines which if they had still been open would have eased the pressure on other lines like Brighton to London His actions were arguably one of the worst decisions ever made by a government.

Can't see how they would have eased pressure aside of Lewes to Uckfield. Shoreham to Horsham would have been of no use- even now.
 


Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
8,486
Brighton
Excuse my ignorance here. I live in Uckfield and, as it happens, the railway tootles across the countryside every half an hour about a mile in the distance. It's a single track.
Now I cant for the life of me work out how anyone is going to get a double track along here and off to London. As for going off towards Brighton, heck we've built on most of the land between Uckfield Station and the A22 and beyond that is countryside. Build a dual track express line through there, never happen I'm afraid.
 


Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,381
Never understood the closer of Three Bridges to East Grinstead. Although I guess the 'A' road played a part.

That's one line that may have been profitable.

I wonder how true it is that Beeching had a deliberate bias against his home town.
 


Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,381
Excuse my ignorance here. I live in Uckfield and, as it happens, the railway tootles across the countryside every half an hour about a mile in the distance. It's a single track.
Now I cant for the life of me work out how anyone is going to get a double track along here and off to London. As for going off towards Brighton, heck we've built on most of the land between Uckfield Station and the A22 and beyond that is countryside. Build a dual track express line through there, never happen I'm afraid.

It would seem so. Although the plans say it is viable with some re-routing.
 




The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
Balcombe tunnel and Purley Croydon seem to be the obvious areas needing repair/improvment. then the line just north of Croydon to London Bridge, to lift the speed restrictions too (though not sure why they are, assume its track problems).

AND the Ouse Valley Viaduct. AND the doubling of line capacity south of Haywards Heath. AND the congestion at East Croydon which can't cope with any more capacity.

Gatwick was going to spend a few billion improving the line through to London terminals. BML would be better if the signalling could handle more trains up through to Croydon, thats them main bottle neck and one BML2 would have only added to. i think there is work to address this anyway, so we'll see improvments.

BML2 isn't planned to go through East Croydon. It doesn't have the capacity.

it would be great to have a second line through Sussex, but basic cost/benefit says its not such a clever idea as it wouldnt be used outside rush hour. put it this way, for a back up line to cover the 15-20 days a year the BML is really TITSUP, how much more would you pay? 10%, 25%, 50%?

BML is tits-up every day - dispute or no dispute.
 


Yoda

English & European
So the A272 would have been part of that ?

I honestly do not know, I can't seem to find any of the original plans online. Quite possibly some of it looking at the route of the A272. I would guess at more the A303 route, heading down the the A272 along a path near Alton & Haselmere towards where the Billingshurst area of the A272. Would hate to guess the route through East Sussex and Kent.
 



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