Britain rail map re-imagined

[teccuk]

Always found drawing maps, wheather real, or not very de-stressing, hence all the network map diagrams. Inspired by a book I read which talked about an economist who re-drew the railway map of Britain to reflect what he though 'optimum', i did the same.

Of course it won't stand up to close scrutiny, there are bound to be lots of geographic features ignored or towns missed out (i just used google maps), but it was interesting to see how it compared to real life.

- Managed to avoid Retford and Crewe becoming important centres; although Carlisle and Shrewsbury still end up as major junctions despite their size.
- Deleted Swindon at first as its only as a result of the railways. Ended up putting it back on. Apparently if Swindon didn't exist we'd have to invent it.
- Its more dense than the current network because i'm soft and wanted good coverage.
- Its not as dense as the peak network though.
- Split it into 6 different companies (based on each one having a London Terminus, except Scotland).

Anyway, would be curious to know thoughts or see if anyone else has done anything similar.

[Leanden]

Very good stuff, i'm in the process of building an openttd scenario with a full representation of the modern day rail and road network, this will make my job of co-ordinating the rail much easier

[Ameecher]

Some interesting ideas, not sure how chuffed people of Lowestoft would be only being linked to Diss seeing as Norwich is the only place of any significance nearby although that would probably be as a result of being the only place with direct links.

[Kevo00]

Pretty good, and Ullapool gets the railway connection it never had!

Mark Casson was the economist - lovely man, and has some interesting ideas - I've seem his book once, think he didn't have an ECML or something like that.

[teccuk]

Thanks for interest.

- Lowerstoft to Diss is good point, I think each time I drew a line I was thinking what the route would actually be. With that one i think it was Cam - Low via Diss.
- Leanden. Wow glad to have helped in however a small way.
- Thanks Kev! I might try and read it. Didn't know that about Ullapool.

Cheers.

[Kevo00]

Being an academic book, its price is not dissimilar to building a railway

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Worlds-First-Ra ... 34-4825242

[teccuk]

Maybe i can get it from the Library

[noofnoof]

none on the Isle of Man?

[Nawdic]

Being more-or-less tramways, I don't think this is necessarily part of the rail network. Can't see the Croydon Tramlink on there!

[Kevo00]

What is now known as the Isle of Man steam railway used to have three different lines and even carry freight...

[teccuk]

none on the Isle of Man?

Yeah there's a line N-S from Cowes to Shankin via Newport. Seemed big enough to warrant it.

[Chris]

Yeah there's a line N-S from Cowes to Shankin via Newport. Seemed big enough to warrant it.

That's on the Isle of Wight .

[JamieLei]

Seems equally valid for the Wight variety though!

[josq]

Poor Sunderland lost its links.
We need more rail not less!

[teccuk]

Poor Sunderland lost its links.
We need more rail not less!

Ok, you're right. A link from Durham via Houghton, or to Hartlepool, would be useful!

[audigex]

Can't quite agree with Cumbria - I'd take out the "shortcut" across the top of the Furness peninsula entirely - you'd never fill a train in that area bypassing Barrow. I'm not convinced the line via Keswick to Whitehaven/Workington is necessary, either - apart from a few tourist (who'd just go to Windermere and get bus/boat anyway) there's nobody who'd actually use the line....although if you kept it, you could probably cut out the Cumbrian Coast line as a route and just keep a stub at each end from Barrow/Carlisle

The same for the link between Skipton and Penrith, I don't think you'd have enough passengers among the 45 people who live along that route.

[orudge]

Is there a reason there's no longer a "direct" link from Perth to Glasgow? Or, in fact, Dundee to Perth?

[Kevo00]

There is a pressure group to re-open the Keswick branch, isn't there?

Although of course, that doesn't mean it would be financially viable.

The real life S&C effectively does the same job as the Skipton-Penrith line there - its the through freight that really justifies it as far as I know.

[61653]

Can't quite agree with Cumbria - I'd take out the "shortcut" across the top of the Furness peninsula entirely

And route all the nuclear traffic for Sellafield through Barrow station? I'm not sure that's a good idea, especially given that Barrow is one of the construction locations for the new aircraft carriers- you'd need a military presence on board the nuclear flask trains to prevent the (admittedly quite remote) possibility of a terrorist hijacking!

[SkeedR]

...
- Deleted Swindon at first as its only as a result of the railways. Ended up putting it back on. Apparently if Swindon didn't exist we'd have to invent it.
...

And now how would I get to Swindon? I could drive as it's <20 minutes down the M4 but using the train is a much nicer alternative to get to the Great Western Outlet Village...