82-400: 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,
164-514: A Class 41 (an HST prototype) achieved a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in a test run. In the 1980s, the line was electrified and InterCity 225 trains introduced. These have in turn been largely replaced by Class 800 and Class 801 units. The November 2021 Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands stated that the linespeed would be upgraded to 140 mph (225 km/h). The line links London, South East England , East Anglia and
246-721: A 1904 proposal by the Great Northern Railway to electrify its suburban services from London. A short stretch of the ECML in the Newcastle area was electrified with a third rail in 1904, as part of the North Eastern Railway 's suburban Tyneside Electrics scheme. Following the success of this scheme, in 1919 the North Eastern Railway, planned to electrify 80 miles (130 km) of the main line between York and Newcastle;
328-548: A 58 per cent increase in passengers. The programme also electrified the Edinburgh-Carstairs branch of the WCML, to allow InterCity 225 sets to access Glasgow Central , with the added benefit of creating an electrified path to/from Edinburgh on the WCML from the south. In total the electrification programme covered roughly 1,400 single-track miles (2,300 km) and required major infrastructure changes, including resignalling of
410-493: A final cost of £63 million. Diesel Multiple Units running from Hull to York began using the line on 16 May 1983, and InterCity train services began running on the line from 3 October. The line was the first purpose-built section of high-speed railway in the UK having a design speed of 125 mph; however, research by British Rail in the 1990s indicated that the route geometry would permit up to 160 mph operation, subject to
492-502: A heavy train over long distances, immediately cut over one hour from the standard London to Edinburgh journey time, from seven hours to under six. Further improvements to the infrastructure meant that by the mid-1970s, another half-hour had been cut from the journey time. In the years following the introduction of the Deltics, sections of the ECML were upgraded for trains running at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h). On 15 June 1965,
574-408: A large role in the decision to proceed. Construction began on the second phase in 1985. In 1986 the section to Huntingdon was completed; Leeds was reached in 1988, then York in 1989 and Edinburgh in 1991. Electric services on the full length of the line began on 8 July 1991, eight weeks later than scheduled. Significant traffic increases occurred in the two years after completion; one station recorded
656-511: A new line began in 1977. At the parliamentary reading of the bill, it was claimed that the alternative of leaving a mile wide bed of coal unmined underneath the line would represent a loss of £500–800 million. The act was passed in 1979, the British Railways (Selby) Act, 1979 . Due to the long timescale of the planning process, the full design and construction phase was required to be carried out in four years (by 1983). The line's design
738-504: A pair of Napier Deltic engines that had been developed for fast torpedo boats. The Class 55 'Deltics' were for a time the fastest and most powerful diesel locomotives in service in Britain, capable of reaching 100 mph (160 km/h) and providing up to 3,300 hp (2,500 kW). When introduced into service in 1961, the Class 55's ability to rapidly accelerate and maintain high speed with
820-610: A scholarship to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies , University of London , and was assigned to study Japanese. He was one of the "Dulwich boys", thirty sixth-formers recruited to boost the ranks of military translators who were accommodated at Dulwich College . In 1943 he joined the Intelligence Corps of the British Army , serving first in India and Burma, and later in
902-623: A shortened InterCity 125 train of two Class 43 power cars and three coaches during a southbound run from Darlington to York. At least two other trains have subsequently recorded higher speeds, but as of February 2023 the InterCity 125 record remains the highest to have been officially verified. A British speed record for electric locomotives of 161.7 mph (260.2 km/h) was achieved on 17 September 1989, also at Stoke Bank, by Class 91 locomotive number 91010. On 26 September 1991, an InterCity 225 shortened electric locomotive train
SECTION 10
#1732851061736984-488: A special design of overhead wiring was developed for use on the visually-sensitive Royal Border Bridge , as well as the Croxdale and Durham City viaducts . Elsewhere the standard Mk. 3B equipment was deployed. The electrification was completed at a cost of £344.4 million (at 1983 prices, equivalent to £1169.3 million in 2023), a minor overrun against its authorised expenditure of £331.9 million. Of
1066-426: A steady green aspect the driver would reduce speed to no greater than 125 mph, and thus be ready to react to subsequent signals in the same manner as when driving a lower-speed train. The testing found, however, that drivers couldn't be expected to consistently and accurately interpret and respond to lineside signals when driving at the higher speed, and regulations were later changed throughout Britain to require
1148-465: 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 ,
1230-709: Is carried along its route by several bridges and viaducts which are recognised as architecturally significant listed structures ; the longest of which is the 659-metre-long (2,162 ft) Royal Border Bridge at Berwick-upon-Tweed . Others include Digswell Viaduct , near Welwyn Garden City , at 475 m (1,558 ft), the Ouseburn Viaduct in Newcastle at 280 m (920 ft), Durham Viaduct at 240 m (790 ft), and Chester Burn Viaduct in Chester-le-Street at 230 m (750 ft). The 350-metre-long (1,150 ft) King Edward VII Bridge in Newcastle
1312-543: Is currently limiting speeds to 125 mph. There are currently no plans to retrofit ERTMS equipment to the InterCity 225 fleet, as they are expected to be withdrawn before the removal of the lineside signals; this means they will never reach their design speed of 140 mph (225 km/h) in service. The line is mainly quadruple track from London to Stoke Tunnel, south of Grantham , with two double track sections: one between Digswell Jn & Woolmer Green Jn, where
1394-565: Is on fairly straight track on the flatter, eastern side of England, through Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire , though there are significant speed restrictions because of the line's curvature particularly north of Darlington and between Doncaster and Leeds. By contrast, the West Coast Main Line crosses the Trent Valley and the mountains of Cumbria , with more curvature and had a lower speed limit of 110 mph (180 km/h). Speeds on
1476-548: Is provided by Hull Trains , Grand Central and Lumo . The ECML is part of Network Rail 's Strategic Route G, which comprises five separate lines: The core route is the main line between King's Cross and Edinburgh, the Hertford Loop is used for local and freight services, and the Northern City Line provides an inner-suburban service to the city. The line has engineers line references (ELR) ECM1 to ECM9. The ECML
1558-527: The East Midlands , with Yorkshire , the North East and Scotland, and is important to their local economies. It carries commuter traffic in north London as well as cross-country, commuter and local passenger services, and freight . In 1997, operations were privatised. The primary long-distance operator is London North Eastern Railway , but open-access competition on services to Northern England and Scotland
1640-685: The Eastern Region , the North Eastern Region , and the Scottish Region (the former two were merged together in 1967). In the early 1960s, steam locomotives were replaced by diesel-electrics , amongst them the Deltic , a powerful high-speed locomotive developed and built by English Electric . The prototype was successful and a fleet of 22 locomotives were built and put into BR service for express traffic. Designated Class 55 , they were powered by
1722-600: The Industrial Society . He organised a study conference on human problems in industry at the invitation of the Duke of Edinburgh , for which he was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in 1957. He then joined Booker McConnell , becoming a director of the company. He remained on the board of Booker until 1970, when he was appointed chairman-designate of the newly nationalised National Ports Authority. This
SECTION 20
#17328510617361804-466: The Leeds-Selby Line . The estimated project cost was £60 million, of which £48.4 million was for civil engineering . Construction was formally started on 29 July 1980, in the presence of Glynn England (CEGB), Peter Parker (BR), and Derek Ezra (NCB). The work was undertaken by A. Monk & Company Ltd and was completed 3 months ahead of schedule, formally opening on 3 October 1983, at
1886-527: The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) for long-distance passenger traffic between London and Scotland. The LNER's chief mechanical engineer Nigel Gresley designed iconic Pacific steam locomotives including Flying Scotsman and Mallard , the latter of which achieved a world record speed for a steam locomotive, 126 mph (203 km/h) on the Grantham-to-Peterborough section. In 1948,
1968-673: The Midland Main Line . The infrastructure supported speeds of up to 140 mph, allowing a non-stop run of three hours and 29 minutes between London and Edinburgh on 26 September 1991. As part of testing done to support safe operation the increased maximum speed, BR experimented in 1988 with using a fifth signalling aspect – flashing green – on the fast lines between Peterborough and Stoke Tunnel. The flashing green aspect appeared at signals preceding one displaying an ordinary steady green aspect, and authorised running at up to 140 mph. Upon encountering
2050-433: The National Coal Board to pay for the construction of the 14-mile-long (23 km) Selby Diversion . Construction commenced in 1980, and was completed in late 1983 at a cost of £63 million (equivalent to £214 million in 2023). The new section diverged from the original alignment at Temple Hirst Junction, north of Doncaster, bypassed Selby station and the area to be undermined by coal workings, and then joined
2132-639: The Penmanshiel tunnel collapse in the Scottish Borders in 1979 necessitated urgent works to divert the line around the irreparably-damaged tunnel; ultimately the line was closed for five months and around 1,100 yards (1 km) of the original alignment had to be abandoned. In the late 1970s in the north of England, the development of the Selby Coalfield – and the anticipated subsidence that might result from its workings – led
2214-479: 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
2296-541: The West Coast Main Line (WCML) and ECML; a detailed plan drawn up in 1957 gave a completion date of 1970 for ECML electrification. However, the East Coast authorities decided that they could not wait over a decade for service improvements, and instead decided to invest in high-speed diesel traction, the Deltic and High Speed Train, as an interim measure to implement improved services, whilst West Coast electrification proceeded, and
2378-521: The West Coast Main Line (WCML) were increased with the introduction of tilting Pendolino trains and now match the 125 mph speeds on the ECML. The line's current principal operator is London North Eastern Railway (LNER), whose services include regular long-distance expresses between King's Cross, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East of England and Scotland. LNER is operated on behalf of
2460-543: The Children Fund ; Oliver Parker , film director; Nathaniel Parker , the actor ), and a daughter. Parker died on 28 April 2002 from a suspected heart attack while on a trip to Turkey. Parker was the first former chairman of British Rail to have an engine named in his honour. At a ceremony at Old Oak Common TMD on 17 September 2003, Class 43 power car number 43127 was named "Sir Peter Parker 1924–2002 Cotswold Line 150" by Lady Parker. The naming had been arranged between
2542-724: The Department for Transport by a consortium of Arup Group , Ernst & Young and SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit , which took over from Virgin Trains East Coast on 24 June 2018. Other operators of passenger trains on the line are: Eurostar previously held the rights to run five trains a day on the line for services from mainland Europe to cities north of London, as part of the Regional Eurostar plan, which never came to fruition. The overnight Caledonian Sleeper occasionally uses
Selby Diversion - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-422: The ECML represented the best value by far. Its in-house forecasts determined that increases in revenue and considerable reductions in energy and maintenance costs would occur by electrifying the line. In 1984, the decision was made to commence the electrification of the rest of the ECML to Edinburgh and Leeds. The Secretary of State for Transport Nicholas Ridley and Minister for Railways David Mitchell played
2706-478: The ECML were offered to bidders as the InterCity East Coast franchise. It was held by Great North Eastern Railway from 1996 until 2007, when the company experienced financial difficulties; the franchise then passed to National Express East Coast until in 2009, when it too encountered financial problems and the government was forced to run the franchise itself as ' East Coast '. Another attempt at returning
2788-552: The ECML when engineering works prevent it from using its normal train path on the WCML. DB Cargo UK , Direct Rail Services , Freightliner and GB Railfreight operate freight services. The ECML is one of the busiest lines on the British rail network and there is insufficient capacity on parts of the line to satisfy all the requirements of both passenger and freight operators. Peter Parker (British businessman) Sir Peter Parker KBE LVO (30 August 1924 – 28 April 2002)
2870-466: The ECML. LNER's 4468 Mallard set the record for a steam locomotive at 126 mph (203 km/h) whilst descending Stoke Bank on 3 July 1938. The record remains standing today, and a trackside sign was erected in July 1998 at the 90 + 1 ⁄ 4 milepost to commemorate the achievement. The world record for diesel-powered trains was set at 148 mph (238 km/h) on 1 November 1987, by
2952-492: The ECML. Where the existing bridge clearance was insufficient, project managers favoured wherever possible the rebuilding of the bridge rather than the lowering of the track, as the latter requires considerable civil works and can create long-term drainage problems. Where listed buildings were to be affected by the programme, BR sought approval for its plans from the Royal Fine Art Commission . Through this process
3034-536: The LNER and its West Coast competitor, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), produced ever-more-powerful express locomotives. This reached its crescendo in the late 1930s, when the LNER introduced the famous streamlined Class A4 locomotives and the LMS countered with its own streamlined Coronation Class – both of which were capable of reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph (160 km/h). The competition
3116-514: The Leeds–York line of the former York and North Midland Railway at Colton Junction, south-west of York. The old line between Selby and York was dismantled and is now a public cycleway. Mining subsidence discovered in 2001 also necessitated the realignment of 1.8 km (1.1 mi) of line at Dolphingstone in East Lothian , between Prestonpans and Wallyford stations. The new alignment takes
3198-540: The NBR between Berwick and Edinburgh (agreed in 1862 but not exercised until 1869). The entire ECML came under control of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923, under the Railways Act 1921 which 'grouped' many small railway companies into four large ones . The LNER was the second largest railway company in Britain, its routes were located to the north and east of London. The LNER appointed Nigel Gresley (who
3280-584: The United States and Japan , eventually reaching the rank of major . In 1947 he left the army and, after a conversation over tea with Lord Murray of Newhaven , read history at Lincoln College, Oxford . At Oxford he joined the Dramatic Society, where he was widely regarded as the best undergraduate actor of his day alongside contemporaries Kenneth Tynan , John Schlesinger and Lindsay Anderson . Parker met Shirley Catlin (the future Shirley Williams ) in
3362-700: The Widened Lines route and the GWML, where ERTMS complements traditional lineside signals, the southern ECML will have its signals removed once the transition period to ERTMS is complete. This means that all trains running on the route will be required to be fitted with the appropriate onboard equipment. The Class 800 series (LNER Azuma Classes 800 and 801 , Hull Trains Paragon Class 802 , Lumo Class 803 ), Thameslink Class 700 and Great Northern Class 717 fleets are fitted with ERTMS equipment from manufacture. The Great Northern Class 387 fleet are undergoing retrofit, with
Selby Diversion - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-693: The beginnings of the resurgence in train travel in the United Kingdom. Politically, he was a socialist (but later joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ). His socialist principles were severely tested by the industrial relations difficulties with the three railway unions ( ASLEF , the National Union of Railwaymen and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association ) while he was Chairman of British Rail. There were several major strikes on
3526-400: The crossing with a flyover or tunnel, which would increase capacity on both lines, have been proposed on several occasions but are complicated by costs and spatial constraints at the site. With most of the line rated for 125 mph (200 km/h) operation, the ECML was the fastest main line in the UK until the opening of High Speed 1 . The high speeds are possible because much of the line
3608-457: The effects of the Serpell Report into railway finances in 1982, which made no recommendations but had set out several options for a future network, some of which would have involved mass closures. On one occasion, Parker had to catch a train from Crewe to Carlisle , but arrived late and accidentally boarded a non-stopping service heading for London Euston . Parker was succeeded in 1983 by
3690-444: The fastest London–Edinburgh timing down by another hour, to 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours. They operated most express passenger services on the line until electrification was completed in 1991, after which they continued in use on services that run off the ECML and onto non-electrified lines. Generally popular with the public, and considered by some to be iconic, they ran on the ECML for 41 years, before being withdrawn in 2019. In 1973,
3772-543: The first length of high-speed line, a 17 miles (27 km) stretch between Peterborough and Grantham, was completed. The next section was 12 miles (19 km) of line between Grantham and Newark and more sections were upgraded to enable high speeds along much of the line. Continuing demand for reduced journey times led British Rail to introduce a successor to the Deltics, the InterCity 125 High Speed Train (HST) between 1978 and 1979. These could reach speeds up to 125 mph (201 km/h) on existing infrastructure, bringing
3854-517: The first train sent to Worksop Depot in October 2022. Following its return to service in July 2023, the remaining trains will be retrofitted in Hornsey Depot. The introduction of in-cab signaling will allow the ECML line speed to be increased to 140 mph in some places. The Class 800 series trains were designed to reach this speed, but minor modifications will be required to remove the equipment that
3936-438: The form of a gentle curve of up to 77 m (253 ft) towards the south, supported by concrete slabs and other ground stabilisation and reinforcement techniques, and is designed to avoid the need for a permanent speed restriction. It came into use in the last week of April 2003, at a cost of £56 million (equivalent to £92 million in 2023). World speed records for both steam and diesel traction have been set on
4018-581: The franchise to private-sector operation was made by Virgin Trains East Coast in 2015, but this failed in 2018, and thus since then it has been run by the public sector through the government's operator of last resort procedure under the London North Eastern Railway brand. The route of the ECML has been altered or diverted several times, beginning with the opening of the King Edward VII Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1906. Later,
4100-534: 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
4182-508: The line from Temple Hirst Junction (near Selby in Yorkshire) to the Scottish border; the construction of new signalling centres at Niddrie, York, and Newcastle; the commissioning of ten new connections to the national electricity grid; and structure clearance and electrical immunisation works along the length of the line. Included in the structure clearance works were the 127 overbridges that crossed
SECTION 50
#17328510617364264-523: 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;
4346-604: The line passes over the Digswell Viaduct , Welwyn North station and the two Welwyn tunnels; and one between Fletton Junction (south of Peterborough) and Holme Junction, south of Holme Fen. The route between Holme Junction and Huntingdon is mostly triple track, with the exception of a southbound loop between Conington and Woodwalton. North of Grantham the line is double track except for quadruple-track sections at Retford , around Doncaster, between Colton Junction (south of York), Thirsk and Northallerton , and Newcastle. The line
4428-506: 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
4510-507: The line. Services were operated using "East Coast Joint Stock" until 1922. The trains were hauled by GNR locomotives between King's Cross and York, which entailed utilisation of GNR running powers over the NER between Shaftholme Junction and York (which had been agreed in 1849 and exercised from the opening of the GNR in 1850); and by NER locomotives between York and Edinburgh, using NER running powers over
4592-525: The line. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broadly parallel to the A1 road . The main line acts as a 'spine' for several diverging branches, serving destinations such as Cambridge , Leeds , Hull , Sunderland and Lincoln , all with direct services to London. In addition, a few ECML services extend beyond Edinburgh to serve other Scottish destinations, such as Stirling , Inverness , Aberdeen or Glasgow Central , although
4674-537: The lineside signalling system on the southern ECML between London King's Cross and the Stoke Tunnel was commissioned in 1977 and as such was up for renewal between 2020 and 2029. Instead of renewing the current lineside signalling, it was decided to upgrade this section of the ECML to ERTMS in-cab signalling. This will not be the first instance of ERTMS on the UK rail network; it is in use on the Cambrian Line (where it
4756-670: The necessary overhead line equipment and signalling upgrades. The new line also avoided the speed restriction over the swing bridge at Selby . The former ECML route, the NER's 1871 York and Doncaster branch line, was closed from Selby northwards. East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line ( ECML ) is a 393-mile long (632 km) electrified railway between its northern terminus at Edinburgh Waverley and southern terminus at London King's Cross station . The key towns and cities of Peterborough , Doncaster , York , Darlington , Durham and Newcastle are on
4838-468: The principal London-Glasgow route is the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The line was built during the 1840s by three railway companies, the North British Railway , the North Eastern Railway , and the Great Northern Railway . In 1923, the Railways Act 1921 led to their amalgamation to form the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the line became its primary route. The LNER competed with
4920-453: 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. Proceedings for an act to enable
5002-402: The prototype HST British Rail Class 41 recorded a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in a test run on the line. There had been proposals to electrify all or parts of the ECML as far back as the early 1900s, but no significant scheme was implemented until the 1970s and 1980s, with the entire line being electrified in two stages between 1976 and 1991. Early proposed schemes included
SECTION 60
#17328510617365084-447: The railway system during his chairmanship. Parker reorganised the management of the railway system, creating five business sectors, instead of having it based on geographical regions. He was a critic of the underinvestment in the railways by successive British governments, claiming that he was trying to shore up "the crumbling edge of quality". He also campaigned vigorously against the anti-rail lobby, most notably in successfully resisting
5166-449: The railways were nationalised and operated by British Railways . In the early 1960s, steam was replaced by diesel-electric traction , including the Deltics , and sections of the line were upgraded so that trains could run at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h). With the demand for higher speed, British Rail introduced InterCity 125 high-speed trains between 1976 and 1981. In 1973,
5248-408: The scheme progressed as far as a prototype locomotive , however it was cancelled on financial grounds after 1923 when the NER was grouped into the LNER, and the new management had no interest in pursuing the scheme. In the early-1930s, studies were conducted into electrifying sections or all of the ECML. British Rail 's 1955 modernisation plan placed equal importance on electrification of both
5330-639: The total cost, 60 per cent was for the electrification process itself, while the remaining 40 per cent covered rolling stock, including the new InterCity 225 trains procured specially for the route. These were introduced in 1989 to operate express services. They were developed by the General Electric Company (GEC), as the winners of a competitive tender process. The InterCity 225 sets were used alongside other rolling stock, including Class 90 locomotives and Class 317 electric multiple units. The displaced diesel trains were reallocated predominantly to
5412-516: The university's Labour Party club and they had a relationship. In her autobiography ( Climbing the Bookshelves ) Williams says that "...by the spring of 1949 I was in love with him, and he, a little, with me...". He stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate for Bedford in the 1951 general election . After graduation he spent two years with Philips before becoming head of the overseas department of
5494-420: The use of in-cab signalling whenever running service trains at speeds above 125 mph. Nevertheless, the fifth aspect was not removed from signals in the test area , and the relevant track Sectional Appendix continued to list the capability to run special test trains in excess of 125 mph as recently as 2008. As part of the privatisation of British Rail in the mid-1990s, passenger operations on
5576-639: The vice-chairman, Robert Reid . His other appointments included the chairmanship of the Rockware Group (1971–76, and 1983–92); Bookers Engineering and Industrial Holdings (1966–70); Associated British Maltsters (1971–73); Curtis Brown (1971–76); Dawnay Day (1971–76); Mitsubishi Electric UK (1984–96); and Whitehead Mann (1984–2000). He was also chairman of the National Theatre , the British Tourist Authority and of Westfield College . He
5658-562: Was knighted in 1978 and appointed a KBE in 1993. He was conferred with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure 1st Class (1991) (Japan). Parker married Gillian Rowe-Dutton in 1951, a general practitioner and gardener who wrote The Purest of Pleasures: Creation of a Romantic Garden . The couple had three sons (Alan Parker, public relations and former chief executive of Save
5740-450: Was a British businessman and chairman of the British Railways Board from 1976 to 1983. Parker was born in France on 30 August 1924 but spent part of his childhood in Shanghai where his father worked for an oil company. The family were evacuated from China in 1937, and while his father went to work in Africa, his mother and the rest of the family settled in Bedford , England, where he attended Bedford School . After leaving school, he won
5822-536: Was authorised in 1971 for the benefit of London suburban services as part of the Great Northern Suburban Electrification Project , using Mk. 3A equipment. The scheme electrified 70 route miles (110 km), including the Hertford Loop Line , part of the Cambridge Line from Hitchin to Royston , and incorporated the Northern City Line to Moorgate . In the late 1970s, a working group of British Rail and Department for Transport officials convened and determined that, of all options for further electrification,
5904-636: Was authorised to reach speeds up to 140mph completing the London to Edinburgh journey in 3 hours 29 minutes. In November 2021, as part of the Integrated Rail Plan , the DfT announced a major upgrade of the line. The upgrade is set to include major track improvements and digital signalling, leading to higher speeds, reduced journey times and increases in seat capacity. The power supply will also be upgraded to allow longer and more frequent trains. The last refresh of
5986-512: Was connected to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway , a short section of which was used to reach the NER at Knottingley . In 1871, the line was shortened when the NER opened a direct line from an end-on junction, with the GNR, at Shaftholme, just south of Askern to Selby and over Selby Bridge on the Leeds - Hull line direct to York . Through journeys were important and lucrative for the companies and in 1860 they built special rolling stock for
6068-538: Was constructed by three independent railway companies. During the 1830s and 1840s, each company built part of the route to serve its own area, but also intending to link with other railways to form the through route that would become the East Coast Main Line. From north to south, the companies were: The GNR established an end-on connection with the NER at Askern , famously described by the GNR's chairman as in "a ploughed field four miles north of Doncaster". Askern
6150-514: Was curtailed soon thereafter by the coming of World War II . In the aftermath of the war, Clement Attlee 's Labour Government nationalised the LNER and the other three major railway companies in Great Britain with the passage of the Transport Act 1947 , and with effect from 1 January 1948 merged them into British Railways (BR). The ECML came under the control of three of BR's regions ;
6232-407: Was engaged in long running rivalry with the West Coast Main Line (WCML), the other main trunk route between London and Scotland. At various points in the late 19th century, highly publicised but unofficial races occurred between express trains on the two routes, most notably in 1888 and 1895. These races were ended over concerns over safety, but later the rivalry resumed in the 1920s and 1930s as both
6314-578: Was first piloted), on the Thameslink core Widened Lines route (with an ATO overlay), and on the Heathrow branch of the Great Western Main Line . However, it is the most complex application yet; never before in the UK has ERTMS been used on such a busy, mixed-traffic line, with freight , commuter , regional and InterCity services sharing as little as two tracks in the tightest sections. Unlike
6396-402: Was for an operation speed of 125 mph (201 km/h), initially opening at 60 mph (100 km/h), with the line speed to be progressively raised. The railway line used standard concrete sleepers at 650 millimetres (26 in) spacing with rails of weight 54 kg/m. The junction at Colton used a fixed nosed crossings at an angle of 1.77°. The line included chords to allow running from
6478-560: Was knighted in 1937) as its Chief Mechanical Engineer, and under his tenure, Pacific steam locomotives were developed as the standard express locomotive to work the line, several of which became famous, these included the Class A3 , including 4472 Flying Scotsman , and the later Class A4 , including 4468 Mallard . During this time Mallard set a new world-record speed for a steam locomotive (see § Speed records ). The East Coast Main Line
6560-422: Was largely complete by 1974. During the period when Richard Beeching was chairman of British Rail, WCML electrification with a spur from Carstairs to Edinburgh was seen as possible justification for the truncation of the ECML at Newcastle. British Rail carried out electrification of the southern part of the ECML with 25 kV AC overhead lines from London King's Cross to Hitchin between 1976 and 1977. This
6642-663: Was opened in 1906, replacing the older High Level Bridge as the main railway crossing of the River Tyne . Newark flat crossing , where the ECML crosses the Nottingham–Lincoln line on the same level just north of Newark Northgate station, is one of only two remaining flat crossings in Britain, the other being on the Cambrian Line where it intersections with the Welsh Highland Railway . Plans for grade separating
6724-669: Was scrapped following the election of the Heath Government in 1970, leaving Parker to find other directorships until his appointment in 1976 as the chairman of the British Railways Board . Succeeding Sir Richard Marsh , Parker was appointed Chairman of British Rail in 1976 by the Labour Government and continued to serve during the Premiership of Margaret Thatcher . He guided the organisation through difficult times to
#735264