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Selby Diversion
The Selby Diversion is a mainline railway in the United Kingdom, built as a new part of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) to avoid an area of potential subsidence over the newly discovered Selby Coalfield.
The line opened in 1983, running roughly northwest from a junction on the ECML near Temple Hirst, south of Selby, to a junction near Church Fenton, south of York.
As of 2015, the line is used primarily by long-distance north–south services, as well as some freight trains. Most freight trains have been diverted from the line by the opening of the North Doncaster Chord project which was completed in June 2014.
From the northern end, the line runs off a junction with the southwesterly former York and North Midland Railway mainline from York south to Church Fenton and Brotherton; the line turns south, crossing the River Wharfe. At the Leeds and Selby Line, the line travels under the east–west railway, with junctions allowing trains from York to continue east to Selby, and trains from the south to continue west to Leeds (see Hambleton junction). The line then runs southeast to a junction with the former York and Doncaster branch Line (Selby to Doncaster section), joining the line at a junction near the village of Temple Hirst, just south of its crossing of the River Aire.
The line forms part of the East Coast Main Line (ECML), and part of section Network Rail's SRS (Strategic Route Section) G.07 track section (Colton junction-Doncaster) as line number LN600. The line is electrified at 25 kV AC using Mark 3b equipment, the route availability is 10, loading gauge is W9, and maximum permissible speed is 125 miles per hour (201 km/h). The line is signalled using multiple aspect signalling under Track Circuit Block regulations.
As of 2015, the line has approximately 4 north–south long-distance trains per hour.
In the 1970s, the National Coal Board (NCB) began development of a new underground mining complex in the area around Selby, North Yorkshire, the Selby Coalfield; because of the risks to trains from mining subsidence, a diversionary route for the ECML was built, paid for by the NCB. After opening by British Rail in 1983, ECML trains no longer called or passed through Selby, instead leaving the former ECML at Temple Hirst junction and connecting with the former York and North Midland Railway line to York at Colton junction near Church Fenton. The NCB made the proposal in 1974, and, following a planning inquiry in 1975, received consent in 1976.
Evidence at the planning inquiry showed that the mine would (in the local geological context of a high water table, and sand substrata) lead to unpredictable subsidence on the line from Selby to York (ECML), and as such would render the line unsafe for a high-speed service. The inquiry recommended that the line be re-sited.
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Selby Diversion
The Selby Diversion is a mainline railway in the United Kingdom, built as a new part of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) to avoid an area of potential subsidence over the newly discovered Selby Coalfield.
The line opened in 1983, running roughly northwest from a junction on the ECML near Temple Hirst, south of Selby, to a junction near Church Fenton, south of York.
As of 2015, the line is used primarily by long-distance north–south services, as well as some freight trains. Most freight trains have been diverted from the line by the opening of the North Doncaster Chord project which was completed in June 2014.
From the northern end, the line runs off a junction with the southwesterly former York and North Midland Railway mainline from York south to Church Fenton and Brotherton; the line turns south, crossing the River Wharfe. At the Leeds and Selby Line, the line travels under the east–west railway, with junctions allowing trains from York to continue east to Selby, and trains from the south to continue west to Leeds (see Hambleton junction). The line then runs southeast to a junction with the former York and Doncaster branch Line (Selby to Doncaster section), joining the line at a junction near the village of Temple Hirst, just south of its crossing of the River Aire.
The line forms part of the East Coast Main Line (ECML), and part of section Network Rail's SRS (Strategic Route Section) G.07 track section (Colton junction-Doncaster) as line number LN600. The line is electrified at 25 kV AC using Mark 3b equipment, the route availability is 10, loading gauge is W9, and maximum permissible speed is 125 miles per hour (201 km/h). The line is signalled using multiple aspect signalling under Track Circuit Block regulations.
As of 2015, the line has approximately 4 north–south long-distance trains per hour.
In the 1970s, the National Coal Board (NCB) began development of a new underground mining complex in the area around Selby, North Yorkshire, the Selby Coalfield; because of the risks to trains from mining subsidence, a diversionary route for the ECML was built, paid for by the NCB. After opening by British Rail in 1983, ECML trains no longer called or passed through Selby, instead leaving the former ECML at Temple Hirst junction and connecting with the former York and North Midland Railway line to York at Colton junction near Church Fenton. The NCB made the proposal in 1974, and, following a planning inquiry in 1975, received consent in 1976.
Evidence at the planning inquiry showed that the mine would (in the local geological context of a high water table, and sand substrata) lead to unpredictable subsidence on the line from Selby to York (ECML), and as such would render the line unsafe for a high-speed service. The inquiry recommended that the line be re-sited.