Dear Tom and Antony
Congratulations on winning the Heritage prize at the ICE, West Midland awards gala in Birmingham last night (19 September) for the replacement bridge over Birmingham New Road on the 120 Kms Worcester to Derby mainline.
Were you aware that this bridge, like Parkhead Viaduct and its sister, Stambermill Viaduct (still in use for freight despite never being strengthened!) down the track towards Stourbridge, were both carrying goods and passengers trains for about 100 years and could have been returned to its original use to relieve congestion on M5/M6 and other main roads in the vicinity?
Would you like to read this letter from Network Rail and the DfT about your broken up, principal mainline railway "of national strategic significance" that is now part tramway, part cycle-walkway and part fresh air?
Would finishing the 56 Kms with TRAINS throughout, between Stourbridge Jct and Burton on Trent, have been at a fraction of the price (per Km) that the seven W Midlands councils have spent for the trams on only 5.5 Kms?
Could you explain in layman's terms, please why it was regional taxpayers paying for the very hefty strengthening of Parkhead Viaduct rather than Network Rail with UK taxpayer funds?
And why not Stambermill still in use for steel freight trains?
Tom said, "the teams’ efforts have prioritized the preservation of this local icon – a shining example of the MMA’s dedication to leaving a positive legacy.” Would you all have been a lot prouder, with a stronger legacy, if you had played a part in restoring the Black Country and South Staffordshire section of the Alternative/Forgotten London to Edinburgh Mainline Railway - now broken up into heavy rail, light rail and a Very Light Rail test track, plus major cycle-walkway over infrastructure opened in December 2003 (railway bridge over M6 Toll) for TRAINS?!
It would be lovely to hear from you in winning me over from the absurdity of, now two mainline railways in Brum and the Black Country turned over to trams as we all sit in idle comfort in traffic jams in our cosy cars.
Well done, once again, for a truly great effort.
Tim (from not so heavenly Halesowen with our own railway having homes and undergrowth running down it!)
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