Why We Should Improve Train Lines
I’m biased and love trains and other forms of public transport.
But everybody should read this document, which describes how and why a group wants to upgrade all the train services in the Lea Valley.
It details various solutions and the benefits they will bring.
It is also a report that has been listened to!
Lea Bridge station is being reopened and the London Overground, is taking over the Lea Valley lines.
The report is also full of innovative and sensible suggestions about how to improve the area for work, rest and play. Typical is the idea to create a footpath and cycleway to Northumberland Park station across the Lea Valley.
If the Overground can do for the Lea Valley lines, what it has done for other parts of London, it’ll be a good start.
Lea Bridge Station From The Train
After travelling round the Walthamstow Reservoirs, I continued on the train to Stratford. I took these pictures, as the train passed the disused Lea Bridge station, which is going to be reopened.
There ewas no sign of any work going on.
The Walthamstow Reservoirs
I knew there were reservoirs at Walthamstow, but I didn’t know they were so extensive, until I read an article in last night’s Standard.
Thames Water are getting together with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to develop this area as an area of wetlands.
There’s a lot about the site here. The reservoirs are a Site of Special ScientificIinterest.
Is Heathrow Connect Worth Keeping?
Today, I’ve gone to Heathrow using Heathrow Connect, ostensibly to take the pictures of the new Stockley Viaduct on the way in and the way out.
There seemed to be very few people going the whole way in either direction and at a price of £13.05 for the round trip with a Senior Railcard, it’s not cheap. But then if you went from Paddington to Heathrow by Underground, it’s only probably about twenty minutes slower.
Quite a few people were using the intermediate stations like Ealing Broadway and Hayes, but as these would not be on special expensive Heathrow prices, I suspect that they are not very profitable for the company.
When Crossrail is completed in 2019, Heathrow Connect is going to be dropped anyway as the new railway will call at all Heathrow Connect stations.
One thing I didn’t like about it was the lengthy underground walks to the station from Terminal 1.
I hope Crossrail will be improving the interchange to the terminals, when it opens. But then Crossrail will not be serving Terminal 5 and a change of train will be required.
How customer-friendly is that?
As Terminal 5 is exclusively British Airways, they must be splitting blood.
The Viaduct At Stockley Coming From Heathrow
I took these pictures coming back.
Such an impressive structure, is one of those that can’t be photographed too many times.
Note that coming back around midday the Heathrow Connect train was almost empty until it pickedup passengers in the Ealing area.
The Viaduct At Stockley Going To Heathrow
I mentioned in this post, that one of my reasons for using Heathrow Connect was to get pictures of the new viaduct at Stockley that carries the Heathrow branch of Crossrail over the Great Western Main Line.
The pictures were taken going to Heathrow.
It looks to be a very substantial viaduct. But then news reports are saving it is one of the largest bridges in the area since Brunel built the Great Western.
Restrictive Rules On Heathrow Connect And Express
I might go to look at Stockley Junction today and the best way would be to get Heathrow Connect to the airport and back.
So I checked up whether I can use my Senior Railcard on the train services. This section on the Heathrow Express gives the details about how you can. There is also this statement.
Yes, you can use a number of railcards on Heathrow Express to obtain discounted travel. To qualify you must purchase at the ticket office, not online or on board.
Obviously, they don’t agree with TfL’s policy of closing ticket offices.
They also don’t agree with the policy of the Gatwick Express as stated here.
Gatwick Express now accepts railcards online allowing you to make great savings on the already discounted online price if you have one of the following cards:
So Heathrow and Gatwick are out of step. Or you can always use the Piccadilly line, where the main problem is overcrowding.
It does appear though that according to Boris, as reported here, Crossrail will have a similar ticketing regime to the Underground.
So perhaps time will be up for the rip-off Heathrow rail services?
Is John Lewis A Lucky Company?
English cricket was in a bad way after the disastrous Australian tour last winter and it does seem that a change of sponsor to Waitrose has brought a change of luck!
You could argue the team would have improved anyway, but even if that is the case then John Lewis have shown superb timing to decide to sponsor the team.
It is said that you have to make your own luck.
John Lewis certainly do!
Especially this morning, with pictures of happy cricketers with Waitrose on their chests, all over the media.
The Anonymous Widower 