From the Daily Post today:

New study into cost of rail freight plan
Sep 2 2005 By Eryl Crump, Daily Post


ASSEMBLY bosses yesterday said a new probe into the cost of upgrading a 
North Wales rail line to carry freight was under way.

More than 50 jobs could be created, and others safeguarded under plans 
to haul Blaenau Ffestiniog slate waste by train along the Conwy Valley 
line.

It would also take hundreds of HGVs off the roads while ensuring the 
line, popular with holidaymakers, stayed open for passenger trains.

But plans were shelved because upgrading the line was expected to cost 
more than 44m.

Yesterday Network Rail said it reconsidered the plan and believes the 
upgrading could be carried out for less.

Network Rail operations director Paul Charmbury said: "There's been a 
re-appraisal of work required on the branch line between Blaenau 
Ffestiniog and Llandudno Junction and it can be done for considerably 
less than previously estimated.

"This has been passed onto the Welsh Assembly who have commissioned 
consultants to assess the proposal."

Yesterday an Assembly spokesman said consultants WS Atkins were asked to 
assess the Network Rail report.

He said: "That response is awaited by the end of September and it will 
then be considered by Assembly ministers before a final decision is 
reached."

Meirionnydd Nant Conwy AM Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas said talks between the 
company, Network Rail and local authorities continued despite the 
proposal being refused a grant.

He said: "I am looking forward to the consultants' report being received 
for consideration."

Slate waste was exempt from an aggregate tax introduced by the 
government in 2002 and so was in demand by the building industry.

Alfred McAlpine Slate Ltd, which runs four slate quarries in Gwyn-edd, 
was keen to cash in on the market.

The firm put forward the plan to remove millions of tonnes of waste from 
its Blaenau Ffestiniog quarries three years ago.

The firm applied for Objective 1 funding of 10.6m towards the project.

The scheme would see a terminal to load the slate waste onto trains 
being built at Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Rail operator Freightliner Ltd will buy special wagons and a fleet of 
locomotives to haul the trains.

Initially three trains a day, carrying up to 2,000 tons each, will run 
along the line to Llandudno Junction and then onwards along the North 
Wales main line.

Conwy Valley residents objected to the proposal, raising concerns over 
the effects on tourism and the environment.

Dave Roberts wrote:

> But plans were shelved because upgrading the line was expected to cost
> more than £44m.


Was that another over-estimate because they didn't want it to happen?
;o)

By upgrade do they mean strenghtening the structures and track or is it
just the provision of more passing loops and the required signalling?

peter

"naked_draughtsman"  wrote in message
news:1125678396.640100.54430@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...

Dave Roberts wrote:

> But plans were shelved because upgrading the line was expected to cost
> more than 44m.


Was that another over-estimate because they didn't want it to happen?
;o)

By upgrade do they mean strenghtening the structures and track or is it
just the provision of more passing loops and the required signalling?

AIUI the track and structures would need strengthening. The loop at North
Llanwrst ought to be adequate for three slate trains a day (and the return
empties), though the loop may need to be lengthened.

Peter

In message , at 17:05:49 on Fri, 2 Sep 
2005, Dave Roberts  
remarked:

>The scheme would see a terminal to load the slate waste onto trains 
>being built at Blaenau Ffestiniog.


Integrated transport - building the trains on site!
-- 
Roland Perry