Railwatch 075 - April 1998

East Midlands

By Anthony Kay

Hopes for Ivanhoe A delegation of county and city councillors, together with three Leicestershire MPs, has had a meeting with Transport Minister Gavin Strang to press for finance to be made available for the reopening of the Leicester-Burton Ivanhoe Line. The line, which would contribute greatly to the economic regeneration of the Leicestershire coalfield area, was originally scheduled for opening in 1995, but is a victim of changes to funding arrangements associated with privatisation. Dr Strang promised to look into long-term reform of rail funding rules. Unfortunately it may still be five years before it becomes possible to catch a train at Coalville or Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

Kettering-Manton upgrade The line from Kettering to Manton Junction via the Welland viaduct is being upgraded by Railtrack so that it will once again be able to carry diverted trains from the Midland main line from late 1998. There is also renewed hope locally that a regular service from Kettering to Oakham via Corby may be provided.

New rolling stock for Central Trains Central Trains services in the region have for some time suffered from inadequate rolling stock, for example with single-car class 153 units frequently appearing on the Coventry-Nottingham service and needing to be supplemented with buses on the busy Leicester-Nottingham stretch. However, new trains are now being ordered which may allow a doubling of frequency on some routes, as well as dealing with existing problems. Central Trains are also intending to restore the direct service from the Midlands to Stansted Airport, and may introduce further new services, for example Skegness-Manchester Airport via Crewe.

East-West link East Midlands branch is supporting the efforts of the consortium of local authorities seeking a direct rail link between Oxford and Cambridge. The branch's area includes the most problematic part of the route, between Bedford and Sandy. A new alignment will need to be found there as the former Bedford-Cambridge trackbed has been built on in several places. However, the East-West Consortium are confident that all engineering and planning obstacles can be overcome.

Customer care Midland Main Line continue to set a good example in trying to create a more customer-friendly railway. The people who brought us the much-appreciated free tea and coffee have now noticed that existing arrangements for first-class passengers hardly justify the cost of first-class tickets. Hence the introduction of premier service and business class. Premier service includes complimentary meals and various other extras to give a genuinely first-class travel experience, while business class gives more limited enhancements in first-class or segregated second-class carriages at the price of a standard open ticket.

Note: contact details (postal and email addresses, along with telephone numbers) in old editions of Railwatch out of date. Click CONTACT US for latest contact details.