Posted 30th June 2020 | 3 Comments
DfT receives 50 bids for railway reopening funds
THE Department for Transport says it has received 50 bids for funding to help restore long-withdrawn railway services or stations, many of which were axed after Dr Richard Beeching had become chairman of the railways in 1961 and published his notorious ‘reshaping’ report two years later. Examples of bids include restoring passenger trains to Ferryhill in County Durham and reopening Consett to Newcastle, which lost its passenger trains as long ago as 1955. In the south west, the lines include Bodmin Parkway to Wadebridge, part of which is still used by heritage services, and also Par to Newquay, which remains open but is a candidate for upgrading, while another group of bidders is calling for the restoration of Charfield station in Gloucestershire. The proposals will now be considered by a panel including Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy. Announcements are expected by the end of the summer.
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C Hammond Lewknor, Thame
Princes Risborough to Chinnor (opened for 'specials' a few years ago) but extend to Aston Rowant; would ease M40 traffic and serve a lot of local villages who are cut off other than by road.
Andrew Mortimer, Culcheth, Warrington
At least one of 2 stations on the historic George Stephenson Liverpool to Manchester railway line should be reinstated/reopened i.e. Kenyon Junction & Glazebury, when you consider the subsequent and still continuing population growth in nearby Culcheth, Leigh & Lowton
Barry Farmer, Walsall
A station what should be considered for reopening is the former Wyrley&Cheslyn Hay station on the Walsall to Rugeley line .large scale housing development as gone on since the station closed in 1965.