On Wed, 2 Aug 2017 11:46:40 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 10:23:22 on Wed, 2 Aug
2017, d remarked:

I'm pretty sure that the MML will be electrified to Kettering (and Corby).
It's the sections north of there that are now off the agenda yet again.

Whats special about kettering compared to Nottingham and Derby which are
much larger connurbations?

Only that it's the junction to Corby. Frankly, they should implement one
of those battery EMUs shuttling between Corby and Kettering - with
charging wires at either station - and leave north of Bedford to
diesels. At least until they can find the money to extend Thameslink to
Leicester.

A class 700 all the way to Leicester? Ouch!

In message , at 10:52:28 on Wed, 2 Aug
2017, d remarked:
On Wed, 2 Aug 2017 11:46:40 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 10:23:22 on Wed, 2 Aug
2017, d remarked:

I'm pretty sure that the MML will be electrified to Kettering (and Corby).
It's the sections north of there that are now off the agenda yet again.

Whats special about kettering compared to Nottingham and Derby which are
much larger connurbations?

Only that it's the junction to Corby. Frankly, they should implement one

So whats special about Corby?

At one time (until the station was re-opened) it was the biggest place
without a railway station.

They're both past their best midlands towns without much going for
them.

People were trying to reverse that decline.

of those battery EMUs shuttling between Corby and Kettering - with
charging wires at either station - and leave north of Bedford to
diesels. At least until they can find the money to extend Thameslink to
Leicester.

Either you find more paths for extra trains or no one south of Luton will
be able to get on in the rush hour

Clearly you've not read the reports of train loading on the line.

if you extended Thameslink that far north.

How far further north do you think Leicester is than Peterborough?

Plus the timetable would probably become a work of fiction.

Why?
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 12:39:39 on
Wed, 2 Aug 2017, Recliner remarked:

I'm pretty sure that the MML will be electrified to Kettering (and Corby).
It's the sections north of there that are now off the agenda yet again.

Whats special about kettering compared to Nottingham and Derby which are
much larger connurbations?

Only that it's the junction to Corby. Frankly, they should implement one
of those battery EMUs shuttling between Corby and Kettering - with
charging wires at either station - and leave north of Bedford to
diesels. At least until they can find the money to extend Thameslink to
Leicester.

A class 700 all the way to Leicester? Ouch!

How far further north do you think Leicester is than Peterborough?

--
Roland Perry

On Wed, 2 Aug 2017 13:41:37 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 10:52:28 on Wed, 2 Aug
2017, d remarked:
They're both past their best midlands towns without much going for
them.

People were trying to reverse that decline.

Great, but I would have thought leicester and nottingham would be first on
the midlands list, especially the latter.

Either you find more paths for extra trains or no one south of Luton will
be able to get on in the rush hour

Clearly you've not read the reports of train loading on the line.

I haven't. But I did have a friend who commuted on the line from herts for
a number of years and apparently it was cosy in the rush hour. Ok, this was
10 years ago now but I doubt the number of passengers has declined.

if you extended Thameslink that far north.

How far further north do you think Leicester is than Peterborough?

IMO the Thameslink equivalent on the ELL is the Great Northern into Moorgate
and that only goes as far north as Stevenage. All the peterborough trains AFAIK
are fast trains that stop at very few stations.

--
Spud

On Wed, 2 Aug 2017 13:43:37 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 12:39:39 on
Wed, 2 Aug 2017, Recliner remarked:

I'm pretty sure that the MML will be electrified to Kettering (and Corby).
It's the sections north of there that are now off the agenda yet again.

Whats special about kettering compared to Nottingham and Derby which are
much larger connurbations?

Only that it's the junction to Corby. Frankly, they should implement one
of those battery EMUs shuttling between Corby and Kettering - with
charging wires at either station - and leave north of Bedford to
diesels. At least until they can find the money to extend Thameslink to
Leicester.

A class 700 all the way to Leicester? Ouch!

How far further north do you think Leicester is than Peterborough?

By rail, I'd have thought it was nearly 20 miles further?

Mind you, I wouldn't want to travel even as far as Peterborough on a
class 700.

In message , at 12:57:25 on Wed, 2 Aug
2017, d remarked:
On Wed, 2 Aug 2017 13:41:37 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 10:52:28 on Wed, 2 Aug
2017, d remarked:
They're both past their best midlands towns without much going for
them.

People were trying to reverse that decline.

Great, but I would have thought leicester and nottingham would be first on
the midlands list, especially the latter.

Either you find more paths for extra trains or no one south of Luton will
be able to get on in the rush hour

Clearly you've not read the reports of train loading on the line.

I haven't. But I did have a friend who commuted on the line from herts for
a number of years and apparently it was cosy in the rush hour. Ok, this was
10 years ago now but I doubt the number of passengers has declined.

The Leicester pax (who currently only have a share of 4tph much shorter
trains) will be spread across all the extended Bedford trains.


if you extended Thameslink that far north.

How far further north do you think Leicester is than Peterborough?

IMO the Thameslink equivalent on the ELL is the Great Northern into Moorgate
and that only goes as far north as Stevenage. All the peterborough trains AFAIK
are fast trains that stop at very few stations.

The only stations between Bedford and Leicester are Wellingborough,
Kettering and Market Harborough.

--
Roland Perry

In message , at 14:19:14 on
Wed, 2 Aug 2017, Recliner remarked:

A class 700 all the way to Leicester? Ouch!

How far further north do you think Leicester is than Peterborough?

By rail, I'd have thought it was nearly 20 miles further?

Very close in mileage. For trains with a similar number of stops it's
just 7 minutes. And that's with diesel on the MML, an electric train
should be able to close the gap significantly.

Mind you, I wouldn't want to travel even as far as Peterborough on a
class 700.

That's a different issue, but affects both routes.
--
Roland Perry

On Wed, 2 Aug 2017 14:34:02 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 14:19:14 on
Wed, 2 Aug 2017, Recliner remarked:

A class 700 all the way to Leicester? Ouch!

How far further north do you think Leicester is than Peterborough?

By rail, I'd have thought it was nearly 20 miles further?

Very close in mileage. For trains with a similar number of stops it's
just 7 minutes. And that's with diesel on the MML, an electric train
should be able to close the gap significantly.

Or not, as the case may be: the current diesels can travel at up to
125mph, but the wiring to Bedford was only designed for 100mph
running. And IEPs on diesel power probably won't be able to get up to
125mph. So if the HSTs are replaced by IEPs, the service may actually
slow down.


Mind you, I wouldn't want to travel even as far as Peterborough on a
class 700.

That's a different issue, but affects both routes.

Indeed so.

On Wed, 2 Aug 2017 14:27:41 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 12:57:25 on Wed, 2 Aug
2017, d remarked:
IMO the Thameslink equivalent on the ELL is the Great Northern into Moorgate
and that only goes as far north as Stevenage. All the peterborough trains
AFAIK
are fast trains that stop at very few stations.

The only stations between Bedford and Leicester are Wellingborough,
Kettering and Market Harborough.

And those stations will attract everyone from surrounding villages and towns.
Plus its twive the distance of london - stevenage so plenty of scope for
the timekeeping to go pear shaped.

--
Spud

On Wed, 02 Aug 2017 14:43:58 +0100
Recliner wrote:
On Wed, 2 Aug 2017 14:34:02 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 14:19:14 on
Wed, 2 Aug 2017, Recliner remarked:

A class 700 all the way to Leicester? Ouch!

How far further north do you think Leicester is than Peterborough?

By rail, I'd have thought it was nearly 20 miles further?

Very close in mileage. For trains with a similar number of stops it's
just 7 minutes. And that's with diesel on the MML, an electric train
should be able to close the gap significantly.

Or not, as the case may be: the current diesels can travel at up to
125mph, but the wiring to Bedford was only designed for 100mph
running. And IEPs on diesel power probably won't be able to get up to
125mph. So if the HSTs are replaced by IEPs, the service may actually
slow down.

Thats an interesting point. I suppose the DoT would argue the better
acceleration of the IEP will make up for it but I suspect thats unlikely
over longer distances.

--
Spud