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Trams in Preston (again!)

AndySaville

AndySaville

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Sep 17, 2008
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http://premetro.co.uk/news/premetro-preferred-bidder-for-preston/

Haven't a clue where this has come from or who have 'preferred' this company to bid for yet another attempt to reopen the Longridge line but this time it's a company who are already running a tramway in Stalybridge.

However the page does refer to the shambolic Trampower outfit so I won't hold my breath.

By coincidence I'm typing this whilst aboard the metrolink from West Didsbury to Shudenhill.
 
AndySaville said:
http://premetro.co.uk/news/premetro-preferred-bidder-for-preston/

Haven't a clue where this has come from or who have 'preferred' this company to bid for yet another attempt to reopen the Longridge line but this time it's a company who are already running a tramway in Stalybridge.

However the page does refer to the shambolic Trampower outfit so I won't hold my breath.

By coincidence I'm typing this whilst aboard the metrolink from West Didsbury to Shudenhill.
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I sometimes wonder if Im the only other person who would really like to see this happen.
 
raefil said:
I sometimes wonder if Im the only other person who would really like to see this happen.
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I'd love it to happen. I live two minutes walk from the old line and see how untouched it is from Skeffy Road to Preston Station and how only a cycle path stands between it and Redscar.

As much as PCC's rejection of Trampower's application was frustrating the company clearly didn't have the funding or commitment to do the job properly.


These guys have done it. Turned an old railway line into a tramway. The disappointment is they've linked Trampowrr's out of date website to it (2012).

A route to serve UCLan, Deepdale, North End, West View, Deepdale Retail Park (the traffic there!), Ribbleton, Gammul and perhaps Grimsargh and Longridge?

Everything crossed!
 
raefil said:
I sometimes wonder if Im the only other person who would really like to see this happen.
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I'd like to see it happen and think it would be a good idea to get the J31a P&R back in use however something about the whole Trampower operation doesn't add up and now LCC have spent all that money on the Fishergate scheme I really cant see it running down Fishergate as proposed for a long, long time.

But we shall wait and see I guess!
 
merca2005 said:
I'd like to see it happen and think it would be a good idea to get the J31a P&R back in use however something about the whole Trampower operation doesn't add up and now LCC have spent all that money on the Fishergate scheme I really cant see it running down Fishergate as proposed for a long, long time.

But we shall wait and see I guess!
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funny enough though Fishergate is just wide enough for a tram now, if it went ahead can't see any cars being allowed down there at all
 
merca2005 said:
I'd like to see it happen and think it would be a good idea to get the J31a P&R back in use however something about the whole Trampower operation doesn't add up and now LCC have spent all that money on the Fishergate scheme I really cant see it running down Fishergate as proposed for a long, long time.

But we shall wait and see I guess!
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The way these things work that makes it more likely, not less.

It would be good to see trams on this one, but maybe it is something that could be looked at as more of a tram-train scheme, depending on the exact details a bridge over the main running lines could allow the trams to continue towards ormskirk or through other parts of south Preston. Alternatively a really adventurous / money mad scheme might even push them through the Fishergate car park...

In the first instance getting something that links up that north east corridor would be definite progress.
 
6pence said:
The way these things work that makes it more likely, not less.

It would be good to see trams on this one, but maybe it is something that could be looked at as more of a tram-train scheme, depending on the exact details a bridge over the main running lines could allow the trams to continue towards ormskirk or through other parts of south Preston. Alternatively a really adventurous / money mad scheme might even push them through the Fishergate car park...

In the first instance getting something that links up that north east corridor would be definite progress.
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I'd start with the old Deepdale line, see if a line to the docks would be viable as a passenger service (trams would have to leave Preston Station, go past the entrance to the tunnel under Fishergate them come back on themselves) then go from there.

If Blackpool South could be linked with the trams on the front and then Fleetwood linked with Poulton you'd have an extensive, clean and economical orbital tramway to replace the dreadful Northern Rail trains.

Ormskirk to Preston, including the restoration of the Burscough curves to Southport, is something Merseyrail are keen to invest in (the bridge over the new widened Penwortham Bypass has been built for two sets of tracks) but LCC don't seem interested.

A station at Midge Hall with a park & ride would make a fortune.
 
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northender0602 said:
funny enough though Fishergate is just wide enough for a tram now, if it went ahead can't see any cars being allowed down there at all
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The whole of Fishergate should be pedestrianised anyway, buses and cars should be directed down the ring road.
 
AndySaville said:
I'd start with the old Deepdale line, see if a line to the docks would be viable as a passenger service (trams would have to leave Preston Station, go past the entrance to the tunnel under Fishergate them come back on themselves) then go from there.

If Blackpool South could be linked with the trams on the front and then Fleetwood linked with Poulton you'd have an extensive, clean and economical orbital tramway to replace the dreadful Northern Rail trains.

Ormskirk to Preston, including the restoration of the Burscough curves to Southport, is something Merseyrail are keen to invest in (the bridge over the new widened Penwortham Bypass has been built for two sets of tracks) but LCC don't seem interested.

A station at Midge Hall with a park & ride would make a fortune.
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The old Northern Rail trains are being replaced by new units in a couple of years - won't solve the issue of a lack of integrated transport but they will make existing journeys more pleasant.

I'm a bit of an anorak when it comes to trains and reinstating old routes so am pleasantly surprised I missed the news about Merseyrail and the Burscough curves. I do doubt it would ever happen as that is something Transport 2000 were campaigning for over 30 years ago and never got anywhere.

Midge Hall has been looked at many times over they years and always found to be not viable financially. It would be great if it was reopened though - do you know something or is it just a wish of yours.
 
No brainer this, it should go back all the way to Longridge, and even branch off to Whitingham again to serve all the new houses being built, saves people traveling towards Broughton in their cars.
 
I walked on a few walk outs for the team route, it was going from Deepdale, thro Miley Tunnel(which is in very good order inside), past the University and along the side of the station to Platform 7 in Preston Station. This would mean extending the bridge over the ring road and cutting through Dock Street sidings(Corporation Street) and into the station. That would be the tricky bit.
The link to the Docks just wouldn't work, as the existing line in place is so arkward to get to from the opposite side of the station.

They wanted to link this into a continuation line to south Ribble, but it would mean cutting thro the Fishergate centre car park and cutting thro Networkrails butler street depot.

I would love to see this happen, but how much Fooking about do we have to see before this finally gets the go ahead!!
 
roofer32 said:
I walked on a few walk outs for the team route, it was going from Deepdale, thro Miley Tunnel(which is in very good order inside), past the University and along the side of the station to Platform 7 in Preston Station. This would mean extending the bridge over the ring road and cutting through Dock Street sidings(Corporation Street) and into the station. That would be the tricky bit.
The link to the Docks just wouldn't work, as the existing line in place is so arkward to get to from the opposite side of the station.

They wanted to link this into a continuation line to south Ribble, but it would mean cutting thro the Fishergate centre car park and cutting thro Networkrails butler street depot.

I would love to see this happen, but how much Fooking about do we have to see before this finally gets the go ahead!!
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When I was a kid, there was a big train shed off Pitt Street and the line to Longridge was functioning, you could see the entrance to the line from Pitt Street.

As you know it went under the Miley and onwards through Deepdale and Ribbleton, carrying coal mainly - probably to feed the Red Scar works(Courtaulds maybe).

That line would be very useful for commuters from Longridge to Preston, I believe there was a platform at Gammull as well.

Local infrastructure can only strengthen the economy of a city. Buses are fine and needed but so are railway tracks, London without the tube and overground would standstill.

Investment in positive transport links should be a priority for the council.
 
It would be extremely easy to link the park and ride at capital centre to the old tram rd (clue in the name!) and have it go straight through to the bottom of fishergate centre car park next to the railway station multistorey. Walton park linked to the city centre at relatively low expense.
 
Civil projects such as trams are a great way to enrich the top tiers of local government, elected officials plus family and friends thereof. You, the council tax payer get to foot the bill. If Edinburgh is anything to go by it will be late, massively over budget and under used. Enjoy.
 
By contrast, Manchester...

I think that the costs etc depend on what exactly is involved in construction. Conversion of old railway lines is always much easier than trying to put in street running on some of the busiest commercial roads in the city. The problem there is whether the former goes near enough to the latter.
 
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