The North Doncaster Chord (also known as the Shaftholme Flyover) is a railway connection (chord) between the freight only lines between Hatfield & Stainforth railway station (the Skellow line) and the Askern branch line, in South Yorkshire, England. The line was built to allow heavy freight trains, mostly from the Port of Immingham, to access the power stations in the lower Aire Valley without the need for them to use the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and creating slower line speeds for faster passenger trains. The chord meant the creation of 2 miles (3.2 km) of new railway and the building of Shaftholme Viaduct, which straddles the East Coast Main Line.
North Doncaster Chord
The green viaduct carries the new Doncaster North Chord over the ECML
Plans for the new section of railway were announced in early autumn 2011, with the expected cost £45 million, and a projection that the new railway would be opened by early 2014.[1][2] The idea for a diversionary railway to take freight trains away from the East Coast Main Line (ECML) had been proposed for some time, and was included in the Yorkshire and Humber Route Utilisation Strategy in July 2009.[3] The strategy detailed that the diversion was to be undertaken during Network Rail's Control Period 4.[4] In late November 2012, Morgan Sindall announced that they had won the contract to build 2 miles (3.2 km) of double track railway, and a six-span viaduct some 807 feet (246 m) long, and 25 feet (7.7 m) high, over the ECML.[5][6][7] The proposal was defined as a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) under the terms of the Planning Act 2008.[1]
Work on the site started in January 2013, with the intention that most of the incoming materials would be delivered by train to a temporary siding located on the old Thorpe Marsh Power Station.[8] However, the Skellow line was cut off from the national network by the Hatfield Landslip one month into the project starting, so most of the bulk fill material had to be delivered to the site by road.[9]
Whilst the chord was constructed to benefit freight movements (the distance between Immingham and the Aire Valley power stations that the freight trains could now take was shortened by 14 miles (23 km)[note 1]), passenger services also benefitted greatly due to the freight trains not needing to use the ECML, and thus allowing speed enhancements and the opportunity for more available paths for passenger trains.[10] Between January 2007 and February 2008, over 5,200 freights trains used the old route onto the ECML (typically about 100 trains per week).[11] The use of the chord and the Askern branch line to access the Aire Valley Power Stations meant that on average, the distance travelled by freight trains was between 7-13% less than the older route via Applehurst Junction and the ECML.[12] Also, each train had its journey time shortened by 30 minutes, which resulted in less carbon emissions.[13] Additionally, in the decade leading up to the planning application, the number of passengers travelling between Doncaster and York on the ECML increased by 35% so the re-routing of freight trains allowed for greater capacity on the ECML.[14]
In addition to the new railway, the project also undertook improvements on the road network in the immediate area, providing a new overbridge for Joan Croft Lane, an unclassified road that connects the A19 with Thorpe in Balne, replacing the former Joan Croft Level crossing, 330 feet (100 m) north of the flyover's viaduct.[9][15] The closure of the level crossing allowed the height of the overhead line equipment to be lowered by 4 feet 3 inches (1.3 m) (it being at a greater height due to road traffic passing beneath it), which in turn allowed the Shaftholme Viaduct to be constructed at a lower height of 4 feet 3 inches (1.3 m) and the approaching railway embankments could also be lower and less visually intrusive.[16][7] The new railway chord opened to regular freight traffic on 1 June 2014,[17] but its official opening was on 26 June 2014, by Patrick McLoughlin, the then Minister for Transport.[13] The new chord runs from Thorpe Marsh Junction on the Skellow Line, to Haywood Junction on the Askern branch line, and has a Network Rail engineer's line reference of HTM.[18]
With the closure of the coal-fired power stations in the Aire Valley, the traffic flows along the new chord dropped by 25%, although biomass loadings to Drax remained healthy.[19] As Doncaster is a known "pinch-point" on the ECML, one of the possibilities for additional use of the chord is for trains that leave the east side of Doncaster railway station going north, could run via Barnby Dun, onto the Skellow Line and over the North Doncaster Chord to access the Askern branch line. In this way, the trains will not need to take up a valuable path on the twin track ECML north of Doncaster.[20]
^Previously, a freight train travelling westwards from the Scunthorpe/Immingham area would have taken the Skellow line at Hatfield & Stainforth, and accessed the ECML at Applehurst Junction going north. They would leave the ECML at Hambleton South Junction, and headed westwards along the Selby Line, leaving to go southwards at Milford Junction to head down the Dearne Valley Line to the Aire Valley Power stations.
^Snowden, Ros (21 November 2012). "Morgan clinches £42m of building projects". The Yorkshire Post. p. 17. ISSN 0963-1496.
^"North Doncaster Chord". aecom.com. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
^ ab"Consultation for the construction of 3km chord linking Askern and Skellow lines over the East Coast Main Line" (PDF). doncaster.moderngov.co.uk. March 2011. p. 2. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
^"Shaftholme Flyover" (PDF). infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk. Network Rail. July 2010. p. 4. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
^ ab"Delivering the North Doncaster Chord". Rail Technology Magazine. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
^Shannon, Paul (2019). British Railway Infrastructure Since 1970. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. p. 47. ISBN978-1-52673-479-2.
^ ab"Transport Secretary tours East Coast Main Line". GOV.UK. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
^"Consultation for the construction of 3km chord linking Askern and Skellow lines over the East Coast Main Line" (PDF). doncaster.moderngov.co.uk. March 2011. p. 3. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
^Haigh, Philip (19 May 2021). "Doncaster enhancements relying of DfT approval". Rail Magazine. No. 931. Peterborough: Bauer Media. p. 31. ISSN 0953-4563.
Sourcesedit
Lane, Pauleen (31 July 2012). North Doncaster Rail Chord, North of Doncaster, Near Shaftholme (PDF). infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk (Report). The Planning Inspectorate. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
Woodburn, Allan (January 2017). "The impacts on freight train operational performance of new rail infrastructure to segregate passenger and freight traffic". Journal of Transport Geography. 58. Elsevier. doi:10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2016.12.006. ISSN 0966-6923.
Yorkshire and Humber Route Utilisation Strategy (PDF). networkrailmediacentre.co.uk (Report). Network Rail. July 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Doncaster Chord.
Image of the chord and viaduct under construction
April 26, 2024
north, doncaster, chord, also, known, shaftholme, flyover, railway, connection, chord, between, freight, only, lines, between, hatfield, stainforth, railway, station, skellow, line, askern, branch, line, south, yorkshire, england, line, built, allow, heavy, fr. The North Doncaster Chord also known as the Shaftholme Flyover is a railway connection chord between the freight only lines between Hatfield amp Stainforth railway station the Skellow line and the Askern branch line in South Yorkshire England The line was built to allow heavy freight trains mostly from the Port of Immingham to access the power stations in the lower Aire Valley without the need for them to use the East Coast Main Line ECML and creating slower line speeds for faster passenger trains The chord meant the creation of 2 miles 3 2 km of new railway and the building of Shaftholme Viaduct which straddles the East Coast Main Line North Doncaster ChordThe green viaduct carries the new Doncaster North Chord over the ECMLOverviewOther name s Doncaster North ChordShaftholme FlyoverStatusOpenOwnerNetwork RailLocaleOwston South Yorkshire EnglandCoordinates53 35 13 N 1 07 19 W 53 587 N 1 122 W 53 587 1 122ServiceTypeHeavy railHistoryCommenced13 January 2013 2013 01 13 Opened1 June 2014 9 years ago 2014 06 01 26 June 2014 official opening TechnicalLine length2 miles 3 2 km Number of tracks2Track gauge1 435 mm 4 ft 8 1 2 in standard gauge vteNorth Doncaster Chord Legend North Doncaster Chord Other lines To York To Church Fenton Milford Junction To Hull Hambleton Junction South To Selby Ferrybridge power station Eggborough power station Drax power station To Goole Askern branch line New overbridge Abandoned Joan Croft level crossing Haywood Junction Shaftholme Viaduct To Wakefield To Goole Hatfield and Stainforth Applehurst Junction To Scunthorpe Doncaster railway station To Rotherham To Lincoln To Retford Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 Notes 4 References 4 1 Sources 5 External linksHistory editPlans for the new section of railway were announced in early autumn 2011 with the expected cost 45 million and a projection that the new railway would be opened by early 2014 1 2 The idea for a diversionary railway to take freight trains away from the East Coast Main Line ECML had been proposed for some time and was included in the Yorkshire and Humber Route Utilisation Strategy in July 2009 3 The strategy detailed that the diversion was to be undertaken during Network Rail s Control Period 4 4 In late November 2012 Morgan Sindall announced that they had won the contract to build 2 miles 3 2 km of double track railway and a six span viaduct some 807 feet 246 m long and 25 feet 7 7 m high over the ECML 5 6 7 The proposal was defined as a nationally significant infrastructure project NSIP under the terms of the Planning Act 2008 1 Work on the site started in January 2013 with the intention that most of the incoming materials would be delivered by train to a temporary siding located on the old Thorpe Marsh Power Station 8 However the Skellow line was cut off from the national network by the Hatfield Landslip one month into the project starting so most of the bulk fill material had to be delivered to the site by road 9 Whilst the chord was constructed to benefit freight movements the distance between Immingham and the Aire Valley power stations that the freight trains could now take was shortened by 14 miles 23 km note 1 passenger services also benefitted greatly due to the freight trains not needing to use the ECML and thus allowing speed enhancements and the opportunity for more available paths for passenger trains 10 Between January 2007 and February 2008 over 5 200 freights trains used the old route onto the ECML typically about 100 trains per week 11 The use of the chord and the Askern branch line to access the Aire Valley Power Stations meant that on average the distance travelled by freight trains was between 7 13 less than the older route via Applehurst Junction and the ECML 12 Also each train had its journey time shortened by 30 minutes which resulted in less carbon emissions 13 Additionally in the decade leading up to the planning application the number of passengers travelling between Doncaster and York on the ECML increased by 35 so the re routing of freight trains allowed for greater capacity on the ECML 14 In addition to the new railway the project also undertook improvements on the road network in the immediate area providing a new overbridge for Joan Croft Lane an unclassified road that connects the A19 with Thorpe in Balne replacing the former Joan Croft Level crossing 330 feet 100 m north of the flyover s viaduct 9 15 The closure of the level crossing allowed the height of the overhead line equipment to be lowered by 4 feet 3 inches 1 3 m it being at a greater height due to road traffic passing beneath it which in turn allowed the Shaftholme Viaduct to be constructed at a lower height of 4 feet 3 inches 1 3 m and the approaching railway embankments could also be lower and less visually intrusive 16 7 The new railway chord opened to regular freight traffic on 1 June 2014 17 but its official opening was on 26 June 2014 by Patrick McLoughlin the then Minister for Transport 13 The new chord runs from Thorpe Marsh Junction on the Skellow Line to Haywood Junction on the Askern branch line and has a Network Rail engineer s line reference of HTM 18 With the closure of the coal fired power stations in the Aire Valley the traffic flows along the new chord dropped by 25 although biomass loadings to Drax remained healthy 19 As Doncaster is a known pinch point on the ECML one of the possibilities for additional use of the chord is for trains that leave the east side of Doncaster railway station going north could run via Barnby Dun onto the Skellow Line and over the North Doncaster Chord to access the Askern branch line In this way the trains will not need to take up a valuable path on the twin track ECML north of Doncaster 20 See also editHitchin Flyover Werrington Dive UnderNotes edit Previously a freight train travelling westwards from the Scunthorpe Immingham area would have taken the Skellow line at Hatfield amp Stainforth and accessed the ECML at Applehurst Junction going north They would leave the ECML at Hambleton South Junction and headed westwards along the Selby Line leaving to go southwards at Milford Junction to head down the Dearne Valley Line to the Aire Valley Power stations References edit a b Lane 2012 p 1 Slack Martin 1 November 2012 Passengers on track for clearer lines as bridge gets go ahead The Yorkshire Post p 2 ISSN 0963 1496 YAHRUS 2009 p 6 60 YAHRUS 2009 p 80 Snowden Ros 21 November 2012 Morgan clinches 42m of building projects The Yorkshire Post p 17 ISSN 0963 1496 North Doncaster Chord aecom com Retrieved 19 October 2023 a b Consultation for the construction of 3km chord linking Askern and Skellow lines over the East Coast Main Line PDF doncaster moderngov co uk March 2011 p 2 Retrieved 2 December 2023 Shaftholme Flyover PDF infrastructure planninginspectorate gov uk Network Rail July 2010 p 4 Retrieved 3 December 2023 a b Delivering the North Doncaster Chord Rail Technology Magazine 1 July 2014 Retrieved 3 December 2023 Shannon Paul 2019 British Railway Infrastructure Since 1970 Barnsley Pen amp Sword p 47 ISBN 978 1 52673 479 2 Woodburn 2017 p 178 Woodburn 2017 p 180 a b Transport Secretary tours East Coast Main Line GOV UK 26 June 2014 Retrieved 3 December 2023 Consultation for the construction of 3km chord linking Askern and Skellow lines over the East Coast Main Line PDF doncaster moderngov co uk March 2011 p 3 Retrieved 2 December 2023 Lane 2012 p 2 Lane 2012 p 12 Doncaster North Chord grade separation completed Railway Gazette International 3 June 2014 Retrieved 2 December 2023 Kelman Leanne 2020 Railway Track Diagrams Book 2 Eastern 5 ed Frome Trackmaps 18A ISBN 978 1 9996271 3 3 Woodburn 2017 p 184 Haigh Philip 19 May 2021 Doncaster enhancements relying of DfT approval Rail Magazine No 931 Peterborough Bauer Media p 31 ISSN 0953 4563 Sources edit Lane Pauleen 31 July 2012 North Doncaster Rail Chord North of Doncaster Near Shaftholme PDF infrastructure planninginspectorate gov uk Report The Planning Inspectorate Retrieved 2 December 2023 Woodburn Allan January 2017 The impacts on freight train operational performance of new rail infrastructure to segregate passenger and freight traffic Journal of Transport Geography 58 Elsevier doi 10 1016 j jtrangeo 2016 12 006 ISSN 0966 6923 Yorkshire and Humber Route Utilisation Strategy PDF networkrailmediacentre co uk Report Network Rail July 2009 Retrieved 19 October 2023 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Doncaster Chord Image of the chord and viaduct under construction Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title North Doncaster Chord amp oldid 1215231040, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
