[Archived] Train Station For Ewood And South Blackburn

[cruz]

What about a station near the aquaduct pub?

[Glenn]

We get a lot of requests to publicize various causes, mostly they get ignored because they are thinly disguised attempts at getting some free marketing, or simply because they have no special connection with Rovers, Blackburn in football in general.

However, one of the people behind this has been in contact and I knew it was something that had been discussed on here before, so I figured I would promote it. But it seems someone beat me to it.

Anyway, they have a facebook group too

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=316046918208

[yoda]

Getting off subject here, but the Beeching cuts were an act of national vandalism instigated by a Tory transport minister (Ernest Marples) who had vested interests in the road haulage industry. He'd be in prison these days for corruption.

The Tories had another go at closing the railways in the 1980s through the Serpell Report and of course were responsible for the farcical privatisation of BR in the early 1990s led by a civil servant named Stewart Robson who later turned up on the board of Barclays Bank before it almost went bust two years ago. Another candidate for HMP.

Back on subject, an Ewood railway station is a good idea and in an ideal world of joined-up public transport thinking but it would be built but I doubt it ever will even with line double track because there are too many operational and funding difficulties.

If the double track was re-instated, there would not be any operational difficulties, except maybe the wrong kind of snow occasionally

[Tris]

Network Rail have today published their Northern Hub study - press release here - containing proposals to be implemented "from 2014".

It's about as non-committal as you can get on the subject of doubling the Blackburn - Bromley Cross line.

Key benefits for passengers in Greater Manchester could include:

• Two new through platforms (numbered 15 and 16) at Manchester Piccadilly
• A new line at Ordsall to directly link Piccadilly and Victoria
• Trains every 15 minutes to Liverpool and Yorkshire
• Faster journeys between Manchester and Liverpool (33 mins)
• More frequent services from Manchester to Liverpool South Parkway, Widnes and Birchwood
• Direct services from Manchester Airport to Chester
• A doubling of trains between Manchester and Knutsford
• Journey time reduction of 12 minutes from Wigan Wallgate to Manchester
• More peak trains to Marple and Rose Hill

When considering options, Network Rail has been careful not to propose anything that would prevent a Todmorden Curve being built at some time in the future, to connect Burnley with Manchester.

It has also made sure that it will be possible to double the number of peak trains from Blackburn and Darwen to Manchester if passing places on the line are improved.

[jim mk2]

If the double track was re-instated, there would not be any operational difficulties, except maybe the wrong kind of snow occasionally

How would away supporters specials get to the station ?

[yoda]

How would away supporters specials get to the station ?

same as any other place, but who cares

[cletus]

I use the Blackburn to Manchester train line from time to time. I seem to remember a couple of the stations on the line being used on a 'request basis' sometimes. If nobody wants to get off or on, the train doesn`t stop. Surely the same system could be used on an Ewood station?

If the government want people to use more public transport, they should be doing alot more to encourage people to do so.

[stuwilky]

How would away supporters specials get to the station ?

Using the track?

But as an aside, when was the last time you heard of a supporters special for anyone, never mind home or away fans?

[LeChuck]

I use the Blackburn to Manchester train line from time to time. I seem to remember a couple of the stations on the line being used on a 'request basis' sometimes. If nobody wants to get off or on, the train doesn`t stop.

How do you make a timetable using that method though? If the trains are flying through stations they're going to be arriving at places very early. If the timetable is written without taking all the 'request basis' stops into consideration then the trains could potentially be very late.

[cn174]

How do you make a timetable using that method though? If the trains are flying through stations they're going to be arriving at places very early. If the timetable is written without taking all the 'request basis' stops into consideration then the trains could potentially be very late.

First of all the Blackburn-Manchester train doesn't 'fly' though any station!! But it is quite a common thing to have request stops, surely there's only going to be a need for it on a match day.

[cletus]

How do you make a timetable using that method though? If the trains are flying through stations they're going to be arriving at places very early. If the timetable is written without taking all the 'request basis' stops into consideration then the trains could potentially be very late.

....or early, if they calculate it into the timetables. You`re putting obstacles in the way here.

It`s simple if you put the journey from Clitheroe to Manchester into timed sections. E.G....

Clitheroe to Blackburn = 20mins (including all stops) If fewer stops are used, the train gets into Blackburn earlier but waits at station a few minutes longer.

Blackburn to Darwen = 10mins (including Ewood Park stop) Train waits at Darwen longer if Ewood stop not used.

Darwen to Bolton = 20mins (including all stops)

Bolton to Manchester Victoria = 15mins (including all stops)

[LeChuck]

Ah okay...I misunderstood a bit there. That makes sense now.

[thenodrog]

Getting off subject here, but the Beeching cuts were an act of national vandalism instigated by a Tory transport minister (Ernest Marples) who had vested interests in the road haulage industry. He'd be in prison these days for corruption.

I agree, but from that article lets also see the Labour party's stance laid bare ...........

"Changing attitudes and policies

It was in 1964 that a Labour government was elected under Prime Minister Harold Wilson. During the election campaign, Labour promised to halt the rail closures if elected. Once elected, however, they quickly backtracked on this promise, and the closures continued, at a faster rate than under the previous administration and until the end of the decade.

[/i]

Funny how the Labour party promise so much whilst in opposition and then welch on the deal asap after they are in power isn't it Jim? If anyone doubts that then just ask any miner or indeed any employee of a nationalised company that was privatised in the Thatcher years.

[whittle blue]

But as an aside, when was the last time you heard of a supporters special for anyone, never mind home or away fans?

[wilyrover]

I use the line a lot. There seems to be a growing number of passengers using the trains on a monthly basis. This will increase as more people commute to Manchester. Eventually a railway station around the Ewood area will be necessary - that's without including Rovers in the equation. Football traffic will be even more useful for helping create better services on the line. It could be something similar to Horwich Parkway.

[ross-shire rover]

Do we have to have an anorak hanging under the stairs to take part in this thread ?

[mellison24]

Lol, don't be daft! There's 4 trains per hour between Preston and Manchester, 4 trains between Liverpool and Manchester, etc etc.

Well, bugger me with a fish-fork! That really surrised me. I was certain there'd be more trains due to the amount of people in the locality (Clitheroe, Preston, Blackburn etc) who work in Manchester. There ought to be a few more!

[jim mk2]

same as any other place, but who cares

because trains from the south usually reach Blackburn via the west coast main line and Farrington curve. To reach the Blackburn - Manchester line the train would have to reverse in Blackburn station, which for operational reasons is not going to happen.

[stuwilky]

AS you appeat to have missed it Jim, when was the last time there was a football special train pulled into Blackburn Station?

[yoda]

because trains from the south usually reach Blackburn via the west coast main line and Farrington curve. To reach the Blackburn - Manchester line the train would have to reverse in Blackburn station, which for operational reasons is not going to happen.

Like I said, who cares, its not like Blackburn needs any infrastructure improvments is it

[cruz]

Well, bugger me with a fish-fork! That really surrised me. I was certain there'd be more trains due to the amount of people in the locality (Clitheroe, Preston, Blackburn etc) who work in Manchester. There ought to be a few more!

Limited service due to one line as stated earlier.

because trains from the south usually reach Blackburn via the west coast main line and Farrington curve. To reach the Blackburn - Manchester line the train would have to reverse in Blackburn station, which for operational reasons is not going to happen.

When we went to Old Trafford for the fa cup semi final the train was jam packed with people who had headed into the ribble valley like saddo's in order to get a seat. The train sat there for about 10 minutes because extra rolling stock was coming form preston. This train arrived and linked up to that train then set off in the direction of manchester. No reversing necessary.

The last football special to pull into Blackburn was the returning train from manchester that day which was so long people had to jump off the train in darwen due to there being no platform.

However by the time a train from preston got from mill hill to blackburn then onto a new station at ewood you could have got off at mill hill and bought a pint

[Dan Furness]

Network Rail have today published their Northern Hub study - press release here - containing proposals to be implemented "from 2014".

It's about as non-committal as you can get on the subject of doubling the Blackburn - Bromley Cross line.

I find it harder to grasp Tris that peak time services on the Clitheroe line to Manchester only run on 2 carriages!! I use this everyday

[cletus]

How sad am i? I actually checked google earth to see if the line from Blackburn to Darwen was a single line .....it is, barring the passing loop at Darwen station.

[Dan Furness]

How sad am i? I actually checked google earth to see if the line from Blackburn to Darwen was a single line .....it is, barring the passing loop at Darwen station.

you needed to google earth that - just look out the feckin window!

[mellison24]

Why bother with a train 'to Ewood' anyway? Just get off at Blackburn and walk it. It's only 1.5 miles.