Absolutely fascinating thread. I never knew there was so much fervour for reopening old lines! But this is great.
A couple of notes about my area. The reinstatement of Uckfield to Lewes is a great idea, and the re-linking to Tunbridge Wells a great idea. Unfortunately there is a supermarket blocking the route at Tunbridge Wells West, making this probably impractical. Uckfield to Lewes is still an OK idea - there is a half hourly double decker bus route that I often use and there is definately the potnetial passengers required. As a diversionary route for the Brighton mainline to Eastbourne I don't feel it's appropriate as it's a little circuitous, but the East Grinstead - Lewes route is, and this is the Bluebell railway line, and the trackbed is almost entirely intact with no supermarkets. I would love to see this line reopened, taking 2 fast trains per hour off the Brighton mainline. Two slight diversions would be required to be built south of Horstead Keynes due to stupid housebuilding, but not by much as there are empty fields next to the old line (where they didn't build the houses - it beggars belief that in open countryside they built on the old railway line - I know why, but its still stupid!)
