The Anonymous Widower

West Ealing Station – 28th February 2016

Work is also progressing at West Ealing station, as these pictures show.

The bay platform for the Greenford Branch is also obvious and I wonder , what the eventual form, timetable and opening date for that line will be. In a section on the Future of the Greenford Branch, Wikipedia says this.

In 2017 Crossrail is due to begin using two of the four tracks of the Great Western Main Line and the Greenford service will terminate at West Ealing, rather than continue to Paddington, to obviate interference with Crossrail, and to create track capacity for increased services to Heathrow. In compensation the branch line service will increase from two to four trains per hour. Ealing Council desires to have the line connected to the south west to Clapham Junction via the West London Line, and to the north west to West Ruislip.

Of the various things said in this little section on Wikipedia, I think some might happen.

• Transport for London like fifteen minute interval turn-up-and-go services, so an increase in frequency to four trains per hour would be a serious possibility and make the line a good feeder service for Crossrail.
• Some have said that the branch will become part of the London Overground.
• I doubt the service will go past West Ealing, as that would interfere too much with the Crossrail service pattern.
• I don’t rule out, arranging schedules, stairs and lifts, so that the interchange between the two lines is an easy one, with the minimum of waiting time.
• If the Greenford Branch were to be extended past Greenford, it could create a link between Crossrail and Chiltern.

It would appear that Transport for London won’t get control of West Ealing station until perhaps some time in 2017, so I think it is unlikely, that Greenford Branch services will be changed before this happens.

I also think, that on their past record, Transport for London, might come up with something that is a lot better than any speculation can propose.

February 28, 2016 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Crossrail, Trains, West Ealing Station