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Posted by: Darren Apr 15 2013, 07:33 AM

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/resinstating-railway-lines-from-newbury-to-lambourn-could-end-traffic-woes-says-enthusiast

Better still, completely close the A34 and make it a double track.

Posted by: Biker1 Apr 15 2013, 09:18 AM

The article says the Somerset & Dorset line has been re-opened which of course hasn't and never will.
I think they are referring to a small society who have established themselves at a base at http://www.sdjr.co.uk/ and have re-opened a short length of track and a museum.
The DNS will never open again, at least not in our lifetime and the Lambourn Valley re-opening is even less likely than that.
Pie in the sky eh??

Posted by: John C Apr 15 2013, 09:19 AM

This topic keeps appearing every few years but the reopening of the DNandS will not happen unless it takes an entirely different route because there are now housing estates, trading estates, and major roads built on the old trackbed alignment.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 15 2013, 09:43 AM

I can't see it happening, but then great projects need great vision. But even so, I don't see transport as the greatest challenge of our generation. We missed the opportunity to conserve the routes after the Beeching closures and that mistake can't easily be unmade now so it's probably not worth fussing over. Getting freight off the roads would be nice but I don't think it's as important as energy security and global warming so if there was a spare £20G knocking around I think investment in nuclear fusion and the synthesis of liquid fuel would be by number one priroty, and well worth cancelling Trident2 to afford.

Posted by: part time Apr 15 2013, 11:26 AM

Reinstating the 1960's would end traffic woes.

Posted by: Biker1 Apr 15 2013, 11:58 AM

No-one is suggesting that are they?

Posted by: blackdog Apr 15 2013, 03:56 PM

As car ownership was something like one car for every 5 households in the mid 60s it would certainly make a huge difference. On the other hand, re-opening the railway to Lambourn would make almost no difference whatsoever.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 15 2013, 04:09 PM

Though there were also less roads, and what roads there were had been cart tracks since the retreat of the ice age, with towns growing up around where those roads crossed and bridged rivers, and everyone with a car expecting to park right outside the high street butcher, baker, candlestick maker, etc - just like now really. So there were still traffic jams in the 60's.

Posted by: On the edge Apr 15 2013, 04:30 PM

I still have the prospectus for a prestige office suite dated 1962; claiming car park based on a generous 1 space per 10 desks! In that town, rush hour car journey to this town centre office from suburb took 45 mins. Today (and they still moan) it takes 20. Round here anyone remember summer weekends? Just one way over the Kennet!

We probably need to go back even further - we used to have a reasonable public transport system, didn't feel the need to tanker fermented water across Europe and made things a bit nearer their market.

Posted by: Darren Apr 16 2013, 06:50 AM

I was thinking Mad as a Hatter, but the gist is the same. I bet Network Rail park the letters in the 'polite reply, but hint you are barking' pile.