Todmorden Curve

[keep the faith]

Did anyone see the article on BBC news this week regarding using retired London Underground trains in our region. What's the betting we end up with these on our Accy to Manchester route. Any updates on MP's letter?

[Gordon Booth]

Originally Posted by keep the faith

Did anyone see the article on BBC news this week regarding using retired London Underground trains in our region. What's the betting we end up with these on our Accy to Manchester route. Any updates on MP's letter?

They weren't retired- they were scrapped!
They're over 30 years old and are electric so they're going to stick little diesel engines in them so they'll be even slower than the 30+ year old Pacer trains they will replace.
But what the Hell, they'll do for the Northeners.

In the meantime London gets 1000 brand new units.
Who says there's a North/South divide?

[gdm27]

Lets not forget the 15 BILLION they spent on expanding the London underground.

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

Now come on chaps, we wouldn't want the bankers and office workers of London to be late for work or arrive with dirty clothes from sitting in old train carriages. If this was allowed to happen the world may stop revolving round them and the world would be a better place. No Government department is going to allow that to happen, especially the Department of Consultations and Senseless Decisions.

[yerself]

Here's an article from a man in the know. Due to start Sunday 17th May.

https://communityrailman.wordpress.c...cs-in-service/

[Atarah]

Brilliant! Thanks yerself! you wont be seeing much of me, Adlington calls!

[keep the faith]

Originally Posted by yerself

Here's an article from a man in the know. Due to start Sunday 17th May.

https://communityrailman.wordpress.c...cs-in-service/

That's great news!

[lancsdave]

You can actually buy tickets on Trainline now

[Neil]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

You can actually buy tickets on Trainline now

Have you booked to take Mel shopping

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Neil

Have you booked to take Mel shopping

If we book the train it will hopefully be one way to the airport, both of us that is, before you start stirring your wooden spoon

[Neil]

I'm sure she wouldn't leave you behind, sure ish anyway

[Gremlin]

Between Todmoden and Littleborough there is the Summit tunnel two and a half miles long.
It is not true however that passengers are likely to have the breath sucked from their lungs as the train rushed through the tunnel.
In 1841 big shafts were driven through the hill down to the tunnel to allow smoke from steam engines to escape.
This now serves as a safety valve to stop the back pressure which would have sucked the breath out of the people riding the train.
Good forward planning by Mr Stephenson.

[wadey]

My son and I walked through the tunnel after the fire

Summit Tunnel fire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Gremlin]

Long before the fire, in the days of steam and when the tracks were very busy it was compulsory to walk through the tunnel before you could join the "Big boys gang".
There are plenty of little shelters cut in the wall to stand in while a train passed.
To joing the "Junior boys gang" you had to walk through Winterbutlee tunnel at Walsden which was 503 yards long.

There is book published about the Summit tunnel fire with plenty of facts about construction etc.
The centrefold photograph showing fire belching out of two of the vent shafts was taken from my brother's courtyard on the hill opposite.

[wadey]

Just out of interest, how long will it take on the train from Accrington to Manchester Piccadilly ?