Dore-stop! Continued bottleneck illustrates a lack of action
The article on page 18 of RAIL 827 is illustrated by a DB Cargo freight train heading east as it passes Totley Tunnel East box. It is approaching two sections of track that were singled in 1985, running from Dore West junction to Dore South and Dore Station junctions respectively.
No doubt that was perceived as an improvement at the time, but operationally it must soon have been regretted - not least because a major section of that single track is through Dore & Totley station.
At the time only a few slow services stopped there, but it’s now an increasingly popular commuting station for Manchester as well as Sheffield.
The aggregates train shown is a slow-moving bottleneck on the only line between Manchester and Sheffield. To bring some relief there are plans to reinstate the second track between Dore West and Dore Station Junctions, which also requires rebuilding a second platform at Dore & Totley. A new passing loop is planned to hold trains like this to await a southbound path off the Hope Valley line towards Chesterfield. Another loop is planned at Bamford.
Despite the long-standing and obvious need to redouble this section, the Hope Valley Capacity Scheme is currently in the long grass, awaiting decision from the Department for Transport.
The planning has taken what seems to be forever. The May 2016 Public inquiry inspector’s report reached the DfT in November. Local consultations started almost four years ago, and indications of intended redoubling were filtering out years before that.
Construction was intended to start in May 2017 with completion by autumn 2018. A year’s delay looks to be a very optimistic guesstimate, and many wonder if it’s ever going to happen.
Compare that with buying trucks or coaches and getting them operational on the road within weeks. Whether it’s for passengers or freight, the rail industry needs to resolve such obvious bottlenecks a lot more quickly.
No doubt others will come up with umpteen good reasons why things haven’t happened, but those living close by can’t understand how it’s taking over 30 years to correct the mistake! There must be very many similar examples across the nation.