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Originally Posted by Reamer
Interesting , TL. I take your point about the Blackburn/Clitheroe section but, personally, I don't see why a circuit line could not run alongside current routes so the Clitheroe to Manchester would remain (a little tweaking, maybe). Other routes would use sections of the circuit such as the Blackpool/Leeds trains and Preston/Colne.
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There's all sorts of variations on which to run the service route. The key point, though is that while it's Network Rail which will be reinstating the curve it will be the train operating companies that will have to find the rolling stock and fit in to and adjust the existing timetables to run the service. They are only going to do that when they see a sound business plan that is going to give them a profit. We'll see what happens.
I don't see the curve reinstatement as being that much of a major job. After a structural assessment, its a case of clearing the undergrowth, putting down the bedding,tracks and signalling and then linking up with the existing lines. If the funding is in place, then work should start early next year but given Network Rails track record on similar projects you're probably looking at 6 months before it's fit for purpose. We'll just have to see then just who's ready to run the service - assuming of course, there have already been expressions of interest.