70 years of obliterating railway lines; HS2 buries nature

Another transport/financial scandal is the destruction of the 56 Kms Black Country Railway section of the Derby to Devon via Dudley principal mainline railway. 9 Kms is being given over to the Light Rail, West Midlands Metro (over half a billion pounds) and to a Very Light Rail test track (over £30 m)! 47 Kms will remain unused for passenger trains and a short section used for freight. Another short section might get the Ultra Light Rail shuttle tram. This is on top of six railway lines already destroyed in Dudley borough, alone over the last fifty years! MORE INFO: timweller1@gmail.com test track (over £30 m)!

Deception, dishonesty to get their Metro trams

ARE JOURNALISTS MISSING SOMETHING OR IS IT ME?

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS?

MORE SCAMS, MISCONDUCT AND STRAIGHT LIES?

"The BBC (Martin Bashir) used deception to get their (his) 1995 scoop." 'Today' on 22 May 2021

Birmingham's Transport HQ used deception to get their Metro trams on the UK's last, principal, mothballed, mainline railway from Derby to Devon via Dudley.

1. Deception in insisting, for over 20 years, that "Light rail investment (trams) provides the basis for restoring heavy rail services (trains) at the appropriate time."  Tom Magrath, Passenger Services Director, Centro, 18 September 2000.
2. Deception in 'Midlands Today' interview that "passive provision" would be built in to the tram works on the mainline railway.  Only some bridges are being strengthened for track sharing or double running.
3. Improper influence with the national tram promotion group, UK Tram Ltd, sharing the same building as Transport for W Midlands and the Combined Authority - 16 Summer Lane.
4. Most misleading to suggest that trams will become tram trains that will make them suitable for the run from Derby to Devon via Dudley.

 

SPRINT DUPLICATES METRO!

Dear Paul - and copied to my other declared Metro Mayor candidates to put me right

"Sprint is a reliable, frequent, zero-emission bus
based rapid transit system offering the comfort,
look and feel of a modern tram or light rail system"

and,

"Sprint passenger fares will be priced in conjunction
with bus, whilst providing benefits more aligned
with tram"

('Transport Briefing: Sprint Delivery Programme, March 2021', page 1)

Therefore, why is £15 BILLION of greenhouse gas emissions being spent over the next 19 years to give us eight new tram lines over 150 miles and 380 tram stops?

Am I right in thinking that trains, buses, three different kinds of trams and, Sprint buses make for FOUR transport modes, with the tram made up of three sub-modes (light rail, very light rail and ultra-light rail)?

Does this multi-modal transport provision mean a multi-mixed up transport provision? 

Will this mean more confusion and congestion on both our remaining railway lines (the half used, half wasted, 120 Kms Black Country Railway "of national strategic significance") and, roads?

 "of national strategic significance".pdf

Will this mean more changes and delays as passengers attempt to make ONE public transport journey?

Can Fare-Free Public Transport (FFPT) be seen as a move for equality with elders and, ending discrimination against the young and middle-aged?

I would be glad of your guidance and opinion, please Paul.

FOR UK TRAM AT TRANSPORT HQ

How do you distinguish between light rail and heavy rail?

When is a tram a train and a train a tram?

Is it sensible to have on a former mainline railway between Worcester and Derby, a conversion that will eventually mean, at best, two changes?  One from train to tram at Stourbridge Jct and a second change from tram to train at Walsall station to get to Derby.

Or, it might mean, from train to ultra-light rail at Stourbridge Jct to Brierley Hill; change to light rail to Wednesbury for the bus to Walsall railway station to get the train, again for Derby.

How do all these changes make sense in encouraging users to move from car driving to public transport?

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP!

A word of encouragement to our transport, planners, strategists, managers and politicians

Only for the last fifty years our dear transport, planners, strategists, managers and darling politicians (from councillors to MEPs) have been resolute and persistent in thinking that urban railway lines were for cars and lorries to use and, for homes and hotels to be run down them.  An intriguing departure from normal transport practice.  About 80 Km in the Black Country and Birmingham have gone this way.

More by accident than design, one main line railway was not destroyed for homes, trading estates and roads.  Indeed, such is progress that our terrific transport personnel are now turning the UK’s most important, unused but easily reinstated, double track intercity line into use by two different kinds of slow trams.  We are now to have Very Light Rail and Light Rail, very slow and slow - a shuttle tram and a Midland Metro tram - going on 9 Km out of 65 Km that are unused - unused for passenger trains, would you believe - on this nationally vital but overlooked 120 Km main line railway between Worcester and Derby.

Yet, the lot of them do, ultimately, want the trains.  They genuinely think that Metro trams “are the basis for restoring heavy rail services at the appropriate time” (letter dated July 2000 from Tom Magrath, Passenger Services Director, Centro and repeated last year).  This is complete idiocy!

However, things are definitely looking up.  From being drunk and incapable with their success in putting cars, lorries and buildings instead of trains down rail lines, they have now improved to an E grade.  From F grade to E grade in now being only less than competent by running slow trams that stop almost as frequently as buses on double tracks that are desperately needed for commuter and intercity trains between London and the North via the Black Country.

£55.7 billion for HS2.  Not a dickey bird for the 115 Km double track railway lines in the West Midlands without a single passenger train or station.  Homebase was built on one station in Brum - Kings Heath!

£6 million per Km for Scotland’s new, rural, rail line last year, according to RailNews.

£106 million per Km for Birmingham - Brum getting all the money, yet again - for road running Metro trams to replace buses to grandiose Grand Central Shopping Centre and diesel perfumed, basement station.  A similar sum of £106 million per Km for the status symbol trams to the even more prestigious HS2 stations for Brum.  The £128 m for 1.2 Km did include 21 new trams to replace the 16 year old trams, according to RailNews. So, say £80 m per Km for trams to the HS2 station and beyond.

Enough said.

"The rail crisis" The Times 27 June 2015

COPIED TO: Birmingham City Council, Dudley MBC and Network Rail Chief Executives, for their urgent action

Sir,  How bizarre can Birmingham and the Black Country get when it comes to rail?  Is this not a bigger scandal than FIFA?

For fifty years, Network Rail and the authorities have deliberately kept nearly fifty miles of double track freight lines without passenger trains and stations.  Lines that are literally alongside or near to commuter congested roads.  All of them had successful passenger services for about 100 years, until fifty years ago.

Our transport aficionados have been so mesmerised by Midland Metro trams that in 34 years of enthusiastic endeavour, costing taxpayers millions of pounds, they will have finally achieved their one and only tram line by Christmas when it finally delivers shoppers to our dazzling, mirror-like, brand new Grand Central Shopping Centre and station at a cost of £750 million (the old New Street Station).  Cost for the 0.7 mile tram extension at £75.4 million is £100 million per mile!  A network of 200 Km Light Rail (LR) tram lines were planned to be in use by 2000. In 2015, they achieve 22 Km (mostly on a rail line) while 78 Km of double track freight lines remain devoid of commuter and ICE (inter city express) trains!

France, Switzerland and Germany have stunning ICE trains.  Our 13 miles Black Country Line had express trains for about 100 years until the 1960s.  Nothing since then - not even Midland Metro (LR) trams that, extraordinarily, remains their intention after 34 years.  With growing road and rail congestion, why are our experts still wanting to see trams?  The very latest plan is for Very Light Rail (VLR) trams on this local and nationally vital rail line.  This strategic line is to shuttle passengers for only one mile, on one track down our ICE line, to the inter-city line in our neighbouring borough of Sandwell.  The other track will be the test track for VLR.  Why not connect Dudley directly with all parts of the UK with ICE trains to increase capacity and to reduce train congestion at our shiny new Grand Central Shopping Centre and station and, on our road and rail network?

Truly terrific transport - I don't think!

Rail in the UK
First with trains but will the UK be the last to complete electrification?  If it ever happens, of course.
Switzerland was late with their railways, according to TV film presenter Michael Portillo but, did all their electrification in the 1920s and 30s.

Rail in Birmingham and the Black Country

In our conurbation, the rocking and swinging sixties saw over 100 miles (161 Km) of passenger lines closed by our transport people and the rail workers tolling the bell for their own demise!

Is this unheard of in the EU?

Over 50 miles (80 Km) lost for ever.  Unique in Western Europe for one conurbation?

Those superb rail engineers, the Swiss, built and installed the monorail at Merry Hill Shopping Centre in the 1980s.  Just a pity that our transport professionals forgot to connect it to the heavy rail line next to the Waterfront.  And, its still there.  It is called the Black Country inter-city Line and should have been re-opened, then - 30 years ago - but they have, still done nothing to get it back in use.  Truly extraordinary!
Our transport experts not only left the monorail 400 metre short of the heavy rail line but then allowed the monorail to be closed and carted off for use, elsewhere soon after it opened!

Our transport experts are experts at experimenting with novel ways of using rail lines by sending hotels, homes and trading estates down them, eg Dudley to Wolverhampton line on the well used by passengers for 100 years, the old Oxford, Worcester, Wolverhampton Railway Company line (part of that line is the Black Country Line of 21 Km).

Surprising news - our experts are experts at squirreling away 45 miles (72 Km) some, literally alongside or, near to commuter congested roads over these last fifty years as road and rail congestion has grown.
Shock news - goods trains can use the 72 Km but not us passengers!

Bad news - of the 72 Km, 21 Km is the only unopened, mothballed, nationally important, inter-city rail line that has remained closed for fifty years!
The 21 Km Black Country inter-city Line is the only north-south railway between Hereford and Shrewsbury in the west and congested New Street Station in the east.

But, don't despair - this line will, one day, have a Very Light Rail (VLR) tram from a university group and, for all of 2 Km out of the 21 Km!
The only problem: we have to wait until it is developed, tried and tested and, passed fit for Health and Safety to allow fare paying passengers.

Hurrah!  Then, it will get extended in bite sized chunks.
Never mind, that the bite sized chunks strategy never delivered the dozen Metro Light Rail trams in 34 years.
This time, it will work with VLR, for sure, however.  Even if it does take another 34 years!
In 34 years, one Metro line (and even then not connected to Wolverhampton rail station until later this decade!)

After all, our transport professionals think it would be scandalous to allow the university students and graduates to work on their VLR on the 3 Km Pensnett branch line, that I think would be ideal.  They think the Black Country inter-city Line will be ideal for freight trains, and for Light Rail Metro and for the university Very Light Rail tram idea but never for ordinary, diesel, passenger trains instead of light rail!
Good God!  We can't have Virgin and Chiltern trains on the line to connect the Black Country directly with London, Bristol and Scotland.  After all, Dudley people are only allowed to use trains to those cities via Birmingham stations and Wolverhampton.

Great news - rural, southern Scotland has their 48 Km rail line re-opening in September to connect Edinburgh with small communities slap bang in the middle of nowhere (cost £294 million).
Bad news -Never again will Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall be connected to London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow by the Black Country inter-city Line (cost less than £200 million).  Unless, there is a rapid change of heart.

But, good news, all of £15 billion for London's rail tunnels to open in 2019.

and nothing for additional tunnels at New Street Station to ease rail congestion there.

But, fantastic news - we got £600 million for a new shopping centre - this year, even - to brighten the rail passengers' day at a tarted up and gleaming, sun reflecting, glorious Grand Central Shopping Centre and, as an afterthought, the underground station is tagged along,  too - in the basement!
ALL IS FORGIVEN!

Inter-city and commuter Black Country Rail Line now has another obstacle placed in its path!

​

Dear Mr Ian Austin - and copied to a few of the decision makers and people of influence

The unused, nationally important Black Country Line is the only north-south rail line between New Street Station in the east and the Hereford-Shrewsbury line in the west.

I am attempting to see all the MPs on the Black Country Rail Line to show how advantageous it would be for their constituents.

Thanks very much for your prompt reply that came this morning.  However, you are not on my side at all, as the fine letterhead would have me believe!

In addition, you need to intervene not on my behalf but on behalf of your constituents who might like to have a direct rail connection to all parts of Britain, now.  Do you not feel able to make representations on behalf of the Zoological Gardens, the Castle, Canal Trust and Black Country Museum who might like to be connected, once more, to the national rail network in this decade rather than the next?  And, in this life rather than the dreams of the next!

For about twenty years I have been working, from time to time like you, in trying to get "Dudley town connected to the wider transport network, for businesses to locate here and to bring jobs to the area."  You write, "that the plans are finally making some progress."  They are not, in my opinion.

These are the obstacles:

1. The plans are still to put light rail Metro trams on a heavy rail double track line.  But, now, the latest plan is to put very light rail tram trains as well as the light rail Metro trams that have failed to turn up even late, in 34 years!  This is absolutely absurd.  The 13 miles is reserved for freight, only and never for poor passengers - and, for only a little matter of 50 years, too!
2. Only one tram line in 34 years of fruitless endeavour is a truly shocking and laughable record.  'Private Eye' would have a field day, if they knew!
3. Don't you think that putting existing passenger trains back on the 45 miles of heavy rail lines they were designed for, would be more sensible - economically and ecologically and improve capacity on the rail network in Brum and the Black Country?
4. At least, the light rail Metro was fully developed, tried and tested before it was put on the Snow Hill to Wolverhampton Low Level rail line.  The ultra light tram train is under development by the Warwick Manufacturing Group.  How many more years will have to creep by before the tram train is sufficiently safe and reliable for the public to use?  For the Parry People Mover, it was getting on for twenty years.  It is now on the Stourbridge Jct to Town branch line - ideal for light rail.
5. In the meantime, why not put existing diesel trains and stations back on the Black Country Rail Line that would also include inter-city trains from London and Glasgow?  More capacity is urgent - now!
6. Would you support the Innovation Centre being built at Trindle Road/Castle Hill and using the mothballed line out to Wolverhampton via a new rear entrance to the Black Country Living Museum and directly to Dudley Canal Trust?  Could the Museum and Trust contribute funds?
7. Alternatively, would you support the Innovation Centre and its ultra light rail, tram train being developed on the flattened Brierley Hill Steel Terminal site at Moor Street (opposite Lindsey Place)?  There is a 2Km line there that could be brought back to test the tram train, instead of the 50 year old, mothballed inter-city line.
8. Would that not be more sensible than preventing inter-city and commuter trains being returned to 13 miles through the very heart of three Black Country boroughs?
9. How very strange that passenger numbers and robust business cases all confirm that it is economically viable to have light rail Metro and, now at the same time, an untried, very light rail tram train but, never for run of the mill, inter-city and commuter trains on our unused Black Country Line.  The simple solution is all too obvious!
10. Are you not intrigued that, including our forgotten inter-city and commuter Black Country Line, there are 45 miles of double track freight only lines in our densely populated and congested urban conurbation of Birmingham and the Black Country?  WHY?  Not just intrigued but pretty livid would be a more appropriate reaction!
11. ​
    ​To the best of my knowledge and belief, in our six council areas out of the seven in the West Midlands, ​
    Network Rail has never allowed passenger trains and stations to return to what are now, freight only lines.  Did you know that?  Is there anything you can do to stop this piece of complete idiocy, please?
12. In summary, in my opinion, stop all light rail plans until the heavy rail network in Brum and the Black Country is fully used, open and is at least as good as the average on the mainland of Europe.  And, until additional tunnels are built on both approaches to New Street Station - "the UK's rail congestion bottleneck", according to the BBC's Peter Plisner from very many years ago.  This applies, even more, after £600 million has just been spent/wasted in dealing with, not rail and road congestion but passenger congestion - to improve the passenger experience while we all wait for our delayed or non-appearing trains!!

Having just listened to a wonderful and amusing Radio 4 programme on 'Archive Hour' about complaining, is there anything here that you think, Mr Austin, might be a justifiable cause of complaint over the work of our transport experts and professionals; officers and members?