Reopen the railways

[Walter Cronc]

I'm not a fan as such but it seems to be the way of the world. Could both governments not seek Chinese/Arab investment in such infrastructure? The Chinese are definitely help fund key UK assets such as Hinckley nuclear facility and high speed 2. Could that be viable?

[armaghniac]

I just popped forward in my Tardis to 2030, or was it 2040 the dial was broken, and took a picture of the Keady train laden with tourists going to Armagh.

[Tony Baloney]

I just popped forward in my Tardis to 2030, or was it 2040 the dial was broken, and took a picture of the Keady train laden with tourists going to Armagh.

Keady must playing Cuchulainn's in the big local hurling derby.

[LeoMc]

A good resource to show where the old railways run. Looks like most of the route through Omagh is now part of the by-pass so it would be a new route needed there.

https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php

Reopening the Derry-Portadown line through Omagh would mean building the part of the A5 dual carriageway that bypasses Omagh.

A new railway does not have to follow the path of the old one. A new line could run south of Omagh along side the proposed road or it could loop round the north of the town.

[An Watcher]

Yeah but when you factor in the cost if clearing a path for a new one it would add god knows what to the cost

[LeoMc]

Yeah but when you factor in the cost if clearing a path for a new one it would add god knows what to the cost

Much of the existing track through Omagh is under the great Northern road, the Omagh through pass. Replacing that road could cost a lot more than laying a new track.

When they vest the land and level it for that section of the A5 why not take and do twice the width.

[Aaron Boone]

The new Omagh station would be well out of town then, somewhere like Lough Muck.

[LeoMc]

The new Omagh station would be well out of town then, somewhere like Lough Muck.

Not necessarily, the station could be accessed by a spur off the main line, running alongside the Dromore road, maybe to the Sacred Heart playing fields, much as the original one was. However the original spur line run through where Dunnes is now.

Anyway these are all semantics unless significant funds are found to secure the route.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Suppose another question worth asking is...

If the majority of people on the trains would be commuters, and they are commuting to office jobs (reasonable assumption given tradesmen need a van full of gear) - would much of the benefit be derived by forcing companies* into either letting people work from home, or by having multiple regional offices within easy commute of the employee rather than all centralised to a city or two?

Which coincidentally would also do wonders for the rural economy.


*if big companies expect the govt to support them by providing all the infrastructure to transport their employees to one central very congested hub without a compelling reason (i.e. its a manufacturing site as opposed to the back-offices of a bank), then tax the shite out of them for it.

[LeoMc]

Local commuter rail is not factored in. It is aimed at main-line or inter-city services.
Any commuter rail would be a bonus.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Local commuter rail is not factored in. It is aimed at main-line or inter-city services.
Any commuter rail would be a bonus.

What's the majority of people on these? Leisure travel or business travel?

[Milltown Row2]

Over in London this weekend, the rail system, while parts are on strike lol, is fantastic, cost is probably a reason but if you live on a commuter belt you'd never drive to work (depending on type of job of course)

I live 10 minutes walk from a train station and rarely use it unless I'm going into town for drinks, I work in two places with train stations I could link to, but it's too much hassle, the car gets me there quicker!

If the network was better or more frequent it would be used more often, who's going to invest in something that will take decades to break even, if it's lucky

[general_lee]

I commute on the train, used to drive 10 mins to the station until I moved to where I am now, 10 min walk away. There are people from Dungannon, Armagh etc drive to Portadown to get the train. If they build it, it will get used. Translink need to put on night trains past 11pm but obviously don't fancy the hassle which is a shame. 

[LeoMc]

Local commuter rail is not factored in. It is aimed at main-line or inter-city services.
Any commuter rail would be a bonus.

What's the majority of people on these? Leisure travel or business travel?

I think they are hoping for a lot more freight.

[Rossfan]

Local commuter rail is not factored in. It is aimed at main-line or inter-city services.
Any commuter rail would be a bonus.

What's the majority of people on these? Leisure travel or business travel?

Free Travel!