Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
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by Lib Dem team on 18 June, 2015
Keith Holloway and the Lib Dem team are campaigning for new Cheadle station on the Mid-Cheshire line, with more frequent trains stopping there.
We need your help.
We know Cheadle needs a station, but we’ve got to persuade Transport for Greater Manchester, the Government and the train companies if we’re to succeed.
We can only persuade them if they know there’s strong local support for the plan.
Please sign our petition and ask others to sign it too.
The Lib Dems want to see an orbital Metrolink line with stops at Cheadle and Gatley. A new station and improved train service for Cheadle would be an important step towards that and would help reduce the traffic on our roads and the cars in our car parks.
8 Comments
Iain – Well as you probably guessed from previous correspondence on this subject, I would most enthusiastically sign a petition for the re-instatement of Cheadle (LNW) and Gatley/Northenden stations. If the need is there, this could indeed form part of an orbital route from, say, Stalybridge to Altrincham (or Northwich or even Chester) with trains scheduled at convenient times to connect with other services at Stockport.
However, I believe the suggestion that it should become a Metrolink line too would be a major discouragement to TfGM once all the technical issues are considered.
As I listed in last week’s discussion, these would include:
Dual voltage 25kVac/750Vdc vehicles if and when the line is electrified by NR – now 4th on its list of lines to be electrified. As the existing new fleet of trams would not be suitable, these dedicated vehicles would have to be specially built and be more expensive. Formal approvals would be needed as such vehicles do not operate anywhere else in the UK.
The loading gauge differences would add to the complication of the tram vehicles as the platform height and gaps would have to be addressed to conform with legally prescribed step tollerances.
The mechanical strength of the trams would have to be beefed up to meet collision damage requirements – adding to the cost.
I doubt that the track modifications necessary to accommodate the various wheel-rail interface issues would be acceptable to NR – particularly if you are suggesting running through Stockport station rather than through the streets.
The signalling systems would require special attention with communications to both administrations.
The operational considerations between NR and Metrolink attendant on passing trams through a busy Stockport station (if that is what you are suggesting) would be considerable if not impossible to achieve harmoniously.
By far the better solution would be to press for a heavy-rail NR service with existing diesel trains in the near future with the possibilty of 25kVac electric trains operating after the line is electrified. This would utilise conventional rolling stock under one administration and be a natural extension of the existing network with conventional infrastructure.
If a Metrolink connection to Cheadle is desired (and I think this would be popular) a branch from East Didsbury would seem the most logical, terminating somewhere near the railway bridge. Of course this would mean bridgeing the Mersey, probably a costly issue but maybe justifiable.
I look forward to hearing the responses received from TfGM on these issues.
The good news is that far from Metrolink or tram-train discouraging TfGM, they’ve looked at all the technical issues and signed up to it. It’s now in their strategy and the challenge we have is getting it higher up the list.
It would be worth you having a read of the Stockport Rail Study, published back in January and putting on this site, as that addresses many of the issues you’ve raised.
Whilst I’m sure the technical
Issues listed above are valid, they have been previously surmounted. Navigation Rd near Altricham has dual NR and Metrolink usage. One platform for trains and one for trams.
Sometimes it’s less about technical issues as political will.( Not that I doubt the Lib Dems on this issue)
Alan – NR and Metrolink do not share the same tracks between Navigation Road and Altrincham and therefore the issues above have not been surmounted.
If the content of the previous submissions by people who are obviously well acquainted with the technical problems is typical of the discussions that will take place at Council level – then I don’t think we have any chance of seeing any type of train in Cheadle any time soon.
Iain, I have scanned the Stockport Rail Strategy Report you mentioned (very repetitious, were they paid by the page?) and did not see any detailed answers to the issues I raised. These are typical of those that have ‘delayed’ other similar projects in this country.
Interestingly, I did not notice any reports of comments from NR and I would be like to see their reaction to proposals to operate ‘tram-trains’ on their network, the services on which I agree, could be enhanced .
By all means press on with proposals to re-open Cheadle and Gatley/Northenden stations in our area – this must be the most expeditious and economic solution but in my view, introducing trams on this line would be costly, retrograde step.
Iain –
On a more positive note, if the existing train service between Manchester, Stockport and Chester is hourly, a good test of future patronage may be to insert mid-hourly trains between these times at Stockport but running from Stalybridge to Chester. This would double the frequency on the Mid-Cheshire line and provide the ‘orbital’ service that is apparently desired East of Stockport. Assuming rolling stock is available, this could be done now with minimal disruption, even in advance of constructing stations at Cheadle and Gatley/Northenden.
Incidentally, due to the significant interval between trains, these latter could initially be ‘By Request’ stops if doubt exists as to their popularity. This might avoid extra signalling costs.
Iain – Another thought about Metrolink to Cheadle in the immediate future.
Has a small shuttle bus running between East Didsbury tram stop and Cheadle High Street been considered? These were popular between Piccadilly and Victoria stations a few years ago. Metrolink may be prepared to sponsor it and it could carry Metrolink branding.