Trent Valley Line
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| Trent Valley Line |
| from north to south
Stafford
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The Trent Valley Line is a section of railway line in England. It forms the section of the West Coast Main Line between Rugby and Stafford.
The line was electrified during the 1960´s in the wake of the 1955 BR modernisation plan.
The cities, towns and villages served by the line are listed below.
[edit] Improvement works
The West Coast Main Line has four tracks between London and Rugby, a "fast" line and a "slow line" in each direction (the slow lines diverting via the Northampton Loop Line). Similarly, there are four tracks north of Stafford. Although parts of the Trent Valley Line are four tracks, there is an eleven mile long section of track between Tamworth and Armitage that has only ever been double track. When plans for the modernisation of the WCML were being developed in the 1990s, it was realised that the existing arrangements could not accommodate the faster Pendolino trains as well as slower local services. It was therefore decided to increase the number of tracks between Lichfield and Armitage to four; later it was decided to extend this from Tamworth as well, giving four tracks from Nuneaton to Colwich Junction, north of Rugeley.
Work started in 2004, and access roads were built on the eastern side of the line. Earthworks for the new track are currently (October 2006) in progress, with work also being done to rebuild or replace the 37 bridges on that section of line. There is also a level crossing at Hademore which is being replaced by a bridge.
Additionally, the line between Rugby and Brinklow, which is currently three tracks, is being quadrupled. The line from Brinklow to Nuneaton will remain three tracks, at least for the time being. A two-mile section north-west of Colwich Junction will remain double track, as this goes through the 777 yard long Shugborough Tunnel, which would be too expensive to widen.
As well as the civil engineering works, the whole of the Trent Valley line will be resignalled. The work is scheduled for completion in August 2008, at an estimated cost of £350 million.
[edit] References
- The Railway Magazine, August 2006
- Railway Track Diagrams - Midlands & North West, ISBN 0-9549866-0-1
