Tramline - oughtibridge to stocksbridge

[geared 305]

I wouldn't have thought the topography really lends itself to a tram - a winding valley that often floods and occasionally collapses.

 

Well there's an existing and in-use train line there, and it's been in place for many years

[AngryLocal 10]

Even though s13 and s9 are well covere by public transport, it would make some journeys easier with tram routes added.

[Planner1 431]

I thought that there was a tram link included in the planning my for the new housing project in Oughtibridge on the old paper mill site?

 

No, there isn't. It would be rather difficult to justify conditioning a £200m tram line on one housing development.

 

A local group did do a study into opening up a passenger rail link on the existing freight line. Don't believe anything came of it.

[*_ash_* 88]

No, there isn't. It would be rather difficult to justify conditioning a £200m tram line on one housing development.

 

A local group did do a study into opening up a passenger rail link on the existing freight line. Don't believe anything came of it.

 

If the high speed rail comes, won't that require this rail link if going through Victoria?

[geared 305]

Did the council ever actually describe the HS2 route when they pushed for it to come through the city centre??

 

There was talk at one point of a massive tunnel going right under the city?

 

---------- Post added 14-11-2016 at 13:17 ----------

 

The maps on the actual government website show it still going through Meadowhall.

 

I don't think they actually know where the route is going for certain??

[Dan_Ashcroft 10]

Well there's an existing and in-use train line there, and it's been in place for many years

 

Reopening the Woodhead line between Penistone and Sheffield Victoria (with stops at Stocksbridge, Wadsley Bridge and Neepsend) for commuting would be a very good idea IMO.

[biotechpete 10]

Seemingly the government is consulting on handing over control of railway stations to the new mayoral authorities. So it might be feasible if the city could fund it.

[sheffmiller 10]

So looking at the comments it would be very difficult to extend the tram line to stocks bridge because of the road layouts and far too expensive

[Andy C 86]

Did the council ever actually describe the HS2 route when they pushed for it to come through the city centre??

 

There was talk at one point of a massive tunnel going right under the city?

 

---------- Post added 14-11-2016 at 13:17 ----------

 

The maps on the actual government website show it still going through Meadowhall.

 

I don't think they actually know where the route is going for certain??

 

Following the council's campaign, the HS2 high speed line will not be coming to Sheffield - SOME of the HS2 trains will divert off the High Speed line to Leeds onto the classic railway at Clay Cross and run into Sheffield Midland via Chesterfield and Dronfield, with some continuing on via Meadowhall to rejoin the high speed line in the Dearne Valley. Those HS2 trains not scheduled to divert onto the slow loop into Sheffield will continue on the high speed line direct to Leeds, missing out Sheffield.

 

Of course it is likely some of the existing train services to Sheffield will have to be removed to create paths for the HS2 trains, as Sheffield won't be benefitting from the extra capacity on the network the new high speed line is designed to create.

 

So well done Sheffield City Council. You've got HS2 trains coming into the City Centre rather than calling at a proper high speed station at Meadowhall.

 

---------- Post added 14-11-2016 at 21:16 ----------

 

Well there's an existing and in-use train line there, and it's been in place for many years

 

Personally I think the tram-train solution using the Don Valley Railway line would be more beneficial than a street tramway extension.

 

Trams could start in Stocksbridge somewhere around the steelworks/Fox Valley development, ideally with a park and ride car park and bus link feeding into it and run on a direct, traffic free line at a decent speed calling at newly constructed tram stops on the site of the old stations at Oughtibridge, Wadsley Bridge, Neepsend, Kelham Island East and Victoria before using a new bit of track to join the existing tramway at Nunnery Square to run into the City Centre.

 

Doing it this was not only would the journey time into town be faster and more reliable but there would be much less new track to build - it would simply be a case of electrification of the existing railway, some new platforms and some changes to the signalling.

 

The Don Valley Railway Campaign (http://donvalleyrailway.org) estimate a tram-train could do Stocksbridge to Victoria in about 15 minutes with a further 10 minutes to get to Castle Square via Nunnery. This compares very favourably to going by road, even at the times when traffic isn't congested.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Andy C

[ivan edake 13]

t would be nice if they extended it a bit and made it take in both the Northern General and the Hallamshire hospitals.

[*_ash_* 88]

So looking at the comments it would be very difficult to extend the tram line to stocks bridge because of the road layouts and far too expensive

 

I'm not sure of the numbers that Planner mentioned as the majority of it could be potentially be on already flat/ex-rail land. (that's what Manc did, use old railway trunk routes).

 

If it could be done cheaper because not on roads, then I wouldn't disapprove of it, if it was a bit faster.

 

Saying this. Getting it from where it currently ends at Middlewood, around the Winn estate and onto the old trunk line probably wouldn't be easy. And it's not very close to places like Oughtibridge and Wharncliffe side, so the stops would be quite far away from the estates.

 

Probably cheaper all around to just run the link bus as they do now. It's rarely heavily congested.

 

---------- Post added 14-11-2016 at 22:55 ----------

 

t would be nice if they extended it a bit and made it take in both the Northern General and the Hallamshire hospitals.

 

I didn't see the last page...

 

I disagree here. Wherever the tram is on roads, it just cause so much delay for cars/buses. I can't see any advantage in the long run.

 

Plus to run the tram up to say Broomhill from West St (about a mile) would probably cost as much as Middlewood to Stocksbridge (nearly 5)

[Andy C 86]

I'm not sure of the numbers that Planner mentioned as the majority of it could be potentially be on already flat/ex-rail land. (that's what Manc did, use old railway trunk routes).

 

If it could be done cheaper because not on roads, then I wouldn't disapprove of it, if it was a bit faster.

 

Saying this. Getting it from where it currently ends at Middlewood, around the Winn estate and onto the old trunk line probably wouldn't be easy. And it's not very close to places like Oughtibridge and Wharncliffe side, so the stops would be quite far away from the estates.

 

Probably cheaper all around to just run the link bus as they do now. It's rarely heavily congested.

 

---------- Post added 14-11-2016 at 22:55 ----------

 

 

I didn't see the last page...

 

I disagree here. Wherever the tram is on roads, it just cause so much delay for cars/buses. I can't see any advantage in the long run.

 

Plus to run the tram up to say Broomhill from West St (about a mile) would probably cost as much as Middlewood to Stocksbridge (nearly 5)

 

Personally I really don't see the point of building new tram lines on street - the trams just get stuck in the same traffic congestion as the buses and cars do so no real benefit.

 

It really needs to be a segregated railway line where the trams can run fast and reliable away from the traffic, just using street running for short periods to access the heart of heavily built up areas such as the City Centre.

 

Currently both hospitals enjoy very good bus services but also suffer from being on very busy road corridors with nowhere really to put a railway unless the roads are narrowed.