On Feb 28, 1:35 pm, "D7666" wrote:
On Feb 28, 10:31 am, "Adrian" wrote:

part, the track beds of the DN&S and LNWR Oxford to Cambridge routes.
route. Utilizing the DN&S bypasses all these choke points and gives
freight trains their own path.

Unless you add flying junctions you will only succeed in moving a
conflict at Reading to Didcot, at Basingstoke to Shawford, and I'm not
sure what you mean at Winchester (other than its plain double track).

Flying junctions are a given. Te point of this exercise would be to
keep freight and passenger traffic out of each other's way.

By Winchester, I mean the stretch between Worting Junction and
Shawford is double track. South of Shawford there is/was an extra
pair. I agree there would need to be some means of rationally
segregating the traffic with conflicting movement between Shawford and
Southampton.

At the moment a northbound freight does not conflict with Down SWML
traffic at Basingstoke, but s/b freight has to cross the path up the
Up SWML. If you divert freight via the DNS suggestion, you remove this
conflict at Basingstoke, but introduce a new one at Shawford, because
now northbound freight will conflict with Down SWML . Likewise,
avoiding Reading by reinstating DNS simply shifts the problem of
crossing the GWML to Didcot.

Wasn't the DNS grade separated from the Bristol route in its day?
Either way the 'new' version would need non conflicting junctions.

Given that the railway is unable to get essential flyovers like Woking
built, there is not one hope of getting them at either Shawford or
Didcot.

The situation at Woking is pitiful.

I do like the DNS idea - if you search back in uk.railway I suggested
it myself - the last time was 3 months ago - and I'm sure its been
commented on before. But it is no way a simple reinstatement of an old
route. I think it might be of value as a relief route in general, but
wholly eliminate conflicts, no.

And does it not have a road built along it for some way ?

There would be a need for some land take.

Adrian