Railway electrification coming to Newbury Options

[Hugh Saskin]

Within eight years, says DaFT

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/railelectrification.pdf

Good news for passengers, ultimately, although Kintbury passengers etc, will have to change at Newbury. Good news for home owners, too, as the value of properties always tend to go up if they are near a station with electric trains to London, making it attractive for commuters. Not such good news for those locals seeking to buy a home, perhaps...

[Branston Pickle]

Am I alone in thinking that only electrifying as far as Newbury is a bit pointless? It either means running diesel trains on an electric line, or else everyone changing at Newbury. I once heard that running diesel trains on a electric line is quite expensive, so would probably result in a hike in fares. The other alternative would seem to involve running quite a few extra trains, again leading to a rise in fares. It will possibly also mean that Newbury will lose express services to London and the West country, as the HST's will be replaced by electric units that couldn't operate west of Newbury.

[Hugh Saskin]

Am I alone in thinking that only electrifying as far as Newbury is a bit pointless? It either means running diesel trains on an electric line, or else everyone changing at Newbury. I once heard that running diesel trains on a electric line is quite expensive, so would probably result in a hike in fares. The other alternative would seem to involve running quite a few extra trains, again leading to a rise in fares. It will possibly also mean that Newbury will lose express services to London and the West country, as the HST's will be replaced by electric units that couldn't operate west of Newbury.

It's a start, I suppose, like when they only electrified from Kings X to Royston before going through to Cambridge and Kings Lynn a few years later. Diesel trains come up from Salisbury and beyond now, running from west of B'stoke and into Waterloo on an electrified railway and have done since 1967. Sadly the HSTs are about worn out, 30 plus years old, and will have to be replaced within the next ten years anyway - they have been a phenomenal British success story. I think they propose some kind of dual power replacement for them, these being able to take electric power when under the 25 k.v. wires. One benefit of electrification should be a much enhanced service from Newbury to Padd (at the moment it doesn't compare well with that available from B'stoke into London), it is to be regretted nationally that we have so many railway routes not yet electrified - St Pancras to Sheffield being a very good example. As for financing it all, you may depend that the farepayer will contribute handsomely whatever happens.