Highland and Islands Enterprise Highland Rail Room for Growth Study Final Report 24 March 2006 Highland Rail – Room for Growth Study Final Report for Highlands and Islands Enterprise Cowan House Inverness Retail and Business Park Inverness IV2 7GF ____________________________________________________________________________ Report Verification Name Position Signature Date Prepared by: Hamish Baillie Study Team 24 March 2006 Chris Rose Checked by: Douglas Leeming Project Manager 24 March 2006 Approved by: Gordon Lindsay Project Director 24 March 2006 Register of Document Holders Name Location No. of Copies Revision Schedule Revision Date Issue No. Details of Revision Issue by B137001 Page 2 of 152 24 March 2006 Highland and Islands Enterprise “Room for Growth” Study Final Report C O N T E N T S EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...............................................................................................10 KEY AREAS OF STUDY.........................................................................................................................10 STUDY AIMS............................................................................................................................................10 KEY OPTIONS FOR APPRAISAL FOR EACH LINE OF ROUTE..................................................11 SUMMARY OF COSTS PER LINE OF ROUTE .................................................................................12 1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................14 1.1 BACKGROUND..............................................................................................................................14 1.2 PURPOSE OF REPORT................................................................................................................15 1.3 REPORT STRUCTURE.................................................................................................................15 2. METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................16 2.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................16 2.2 DATA GATHERING......................................................................................................................16 2.3 REPORTING...................................................................................................................................16 3. OPERATIONS – TRAFFIC ...................................................................................17 3.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................17 3.2 BACKGROUND..............................................................................................................................17 3.3 PASSENGER OPERATING COMPANIES ................................................................................17 3.4 FREIGHT OPERATING COMPANIES......................................................................................18 3.5 PASSENGER TRAFFIC ................................................................................................................18 3.6 FREIGHT TRAFFIC......................................................................................................................24 4. OPERATIONS - INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITATIONS .........................................26 4.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................26 4.2 BACKGROUND..............................................................................................................................26 4.3 LINE SPEEDS.................................................................................................................................26 4.4 JOURNEY TIMES..........................................................................................................................27 B137001 Page 3 of 152 24 March 2006 Highland and Islands Enterprise “Room for Growth” Study Final Report 4.5 ROUTE CAPABILITY...................................................................................................................30 4.6 ROUTE CAPACITY.......................................................................................................................31 4.7 ROUTE UTILISATION.................................................................................................................34 4.8 SIGNAL BOX OPENING HOURS ...............................................................................................37 5. INFRASTRUCTURE BASE INFORMATION ........................................................39 5.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................39 5.2 MAINTENANCE ............................................................................................................................39 5.3 RENEWALS....................................................................................................................................39 5.4 EXISTING SIGNALLING AND OPERATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE ..............................39 5.5 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS................................................................................................44 6. INFRASTRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONS – NON SIGNALLING.........................45 6.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................45 6.2 TRACK ............................................................................................................................................45 6.3 CIVILS.............................................................................................................................................48 6.4 STATIONS.......................................................................................................................................51 6.5 ELECTRICAL & PLANT..............................................................................................................54 7. INFRASTRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONS – SIGNALLING..................................56 7.1 RETB SIGNALLING SYSTEM ....................................................................................................56 7.2 SEMAPHORE SIGNALLING.......................................................................................................58 7.3 COLOUR LIGHT SIGNALLING.................................................................................................59 7.4 LEVEL CROSSINGS .....................................................................................................................60 7.5 SIGNALLING AND OPERATIONAL MODIFICATIONS.......................................................62 8. EXTERNAL ISSUES.............................................................................................65 8.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................65 8.2 LAND ISSUES.................................................................................................................................65 8.3 STATUTORY PERMISSIONS .....................................................................................................65 8.4 USER SAFETY ...............................................................................................................................65 B137001 Page 4 of 152 24 March 2006 Highland and Islands Enterprise “Room for Growth” Study Final Report 9. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND...............................................................67 9.1 ASPIRATIONS ...............................................................................................................................68 10. CONSIDERATION OF THE ASPIRATIONS ........................................................69 10.1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................69 10.2 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................70 10.3 REPORT STRUCTURE ...............................................................................................................70 11. HIGHLAND MAIN LINE........................................................................................71 11.1 HML1: TO UTILISE HIGHER SPEED DIESEL UNITS (SIMILAR TO VOYAGERS) .....72 11.2 HML2: TIMETABLE IMPROVEMENTS.................................................................................74 11.3 HML3: PROVISION OF FOUR FREIGHT PATHS IN EACH DIRECTION.......................82 11.4 HML4: SHORTEN THE LONG SIGNAL SECTIONS ............................................................85 11.5 HML5: CLOSE NEWTONMORE STATION............................................................................86 11.6 HML6: REINSTATE SECTIONS OF FORMER DOUBLE TRACK (NOW SINGLED) ....86 11.7 HML7: TO PERMIT FREIGHT TRAINS OF UP TO 240 METRES TO OPERATE..........87 11.8 HML8: IMPROVED GAUGE CLEARANCE............................................................................88 11.9 HML9: PROVISION OF INTERMODAL FREIGHT TERMINAL AT INVERNESS.........91 11.10 HML10: NEW STATION AT CULLODEN.............................................................................91