(31 Jul 2024, 8:07 pm)PH - BQA wrote Will it be that quick though? You'd assume the old road will need properly blocking off prior to trains being allowed through. 

If it's anything to go by, the Borders Railway (which is around 40% longer than this) had 12 weeks of driver training. I'd imagine this may need slightly less time, but I do think the continued absence of a firm opening date is telling. 

You're going to need to announce this ahead of time, and time is ticking.

Can't imagine it'll take too long for the road, assume they'll just rip it up straight away and throw the new tracks down with the roads curtailed at both sides. They're quite impressive Network Rail when you watch some of the Geoff Marshall stuff on site, when they actually want to do stuff. Can't see it being too hard work tbh as it's all closed off from the public.

If they start on Monday, they've got 8 weeks for the driver training, assume it might be a bit quicker though as the line isn't new so you won't have all the hoops of testing a new link per say so it'll just be route familisation rather than training as I assume they're already being trained up elsewhere? I'm not sure on that though.

It's going to be tight though mind, agreed there. I do, for some reason, think they'll get it open though.

Mind speaking of new stations Northumberland Park seems as badly delayed, the last time I went through there on the Metro they've done pretty much nothing above the ground.