Reopening Corby railway station

1 reopening

1.1 proposals
1.2 announcements
1.3 design , construction

reopening
proposals

the east midlands branch of independent campaign group railfuture proposed kettering — corby line should included in cross-country swindon — peterborough service, not implemented. in 2001, midland mainline, rail operator of midland main line franchise, decided against building new station corby. in 2003, corby s urban regeneration company, catalyst corby, announced plans build new station 2011.

in june 2006, department transport (dft) told prospective bidders new east midlands rail franchise (combining midland main line services london st pancras , eastern section of central trains network) have include in tenders price service new station in corby. dft s east midlands rail franchise consultation noted corby had been targeted substantial housing growth on course of franchise , provision of station in line sustainable communities plan. new service created extension of hourly london kettering service.

announcements

the new station @ corby, looking south. platform of 1987 station can seen on right.

in april 2007, network rail announced had allocated £1.2-million towards rebuilding of station response housing , jobs growth in county. final decision on station, planned open december 2008, made department transport. on 22 june, dft confirmed stagecoach had won franchise , revealed company – operating east midlands trains (emt) – run hourly london kettering service, possibility of extending new station in corby , putting corby within 75 minutes of central london.

an article in june 2008 edition of modern railways, produced in cooperation emt, suggested that, december 2008, corby served trains leaving st pancras kettering @ 8 minutes past each hour. however, pending removal of infrastructure constraints – notably, need reinstate third track between wellingborough , kettering , raise line speed between corby , kettering – hourly through-service , corby have been unfeasible initially, trains being unable make run kettering corby , within projected timings. therefore, possible exception of peak-time services, connection , corby have provided shuttle service, change of trains @ kettering. this, emt need lease additional rolling stock, speculated class 222 stock cascaded hull trains. in addition, dft approval of hourly kettering service still awaited.

services had been due start on 14 december 2008, emt admitted had yet secure agreement dft , rolling stock operating company (rosco) 4 additional trains needed. emt announced services not commence until 20 march 2009.

the station s opening brought forward 23 february 2009, limited interim timetable of 1 train london , each day. emt promised more services begin once additional 3 trains had become available. on 7 april 2009, east midlands trains announced full hourly service (13 trains each way) begin monday 27 april 2009.

transport secretary geoff hoon presided on official opening of station on 30 april 2009, hourly passenger trains london , limited northbound service.

design , construction

site clearance works in march 2008. platform old station can seen @ right of picture, below british rail lights , period when station briefly open in 1980s.

the north northants development company , english partnerships submitted plans design of station in late july 2007 , detailed planning permission granted council in november. development company predicted new station unlock estimated £200-million of further commercial investment in corby, creating more 1,200 jobs. added station provide added impetus residential development , aid transformation of town centre shopping , civic facilities.

the project cost £8.3 million, , construction began in june 2008, following conclusion of agreement kettering construction firm mainline contractors. station built @ station road, adjacent site of old station, act transport interchange corby, bus , taxi facilities being relocated there. new road planned lead interchange, have 140-space car park, taxi rank, drop-off , pick-up areas , bus area. site clearance works began in march 2008 , completed in summer.

the station third built modular station design developed network rail, following mitcham eastfields , greenhithe. there has been criticism of design commission architecture , built environment that:

[t]here no evidence of strong design thinking , little indication suggest concept has been considered integrated whole. can read in awkward junction between station building , canopy , poor siting of railings , street furniture in relation station structure. there lack of finesse elevations, illustrated mismatch between doors , panels. taken together, these shortcomings lend station ungainly , impoverished form.

an artist s impression of station on website of local mp, phil hope. in june 2009, announced station had won chartered institution of highways , transportation s award effective partnerships , received praise having been built on time, within budget , high standard.