(13 Apr 2015, 3:00 pm)Andreos1 wrote There is a lot more to re-opening the Leamside Line than Nissan.
It instantly opens up space on the ECML and Durham Coast line as a start, gives communities left without a rail link since the closure to passengers in the 60's links to the national network, whilst offering the chance to re-invigorate those areas at the same time.
It will potentially reduce congestion and pollution on the roads too.
If the link from South Hylton is extended towards Penshaw, then with Nexus owning that section, any heavy rail accessing it, will pay a levy, which will then go into the public purse.
Network Rail viability reports/studies relating to the Leamside Line are available to view online and make interesting reading.
I think that the initial costs in rebuilding the infrastructure may be high and I am not sure about the practicalities it extending it to the Galleries, but the benefits will be felt far and wide.
I thought Network Rail owned the stretch of line to South Hylton or is it only bit between Sunderland and Pelaw Junction NR owns...
I remember quite a few years ago reading a suggestion by someone which pretty much said, turn Sunderland Station-Pelaw over to Nexus completely and convert Park Lane and whatever land is around it to heavy rail running mainline services to Newcastle via the northern end of the Leamside Line, and run all Durham Coast Trains through Park Lane, another suggestion I have seen was a Sunderland/Washington Loop like the present Yellow Line...If only I could remember where I read this I woulda shared
