European Rules On Platforms Threaten To Slow Down HS2
This is the headline on an article in today’s Sunday Times.
It’s all about people in wheel-chairs having level access to the trains. This is possible on many trains in the UK, but on the Continent, it is generally impossible.
It is probably, yet more fall-out from the different ways the UK and everybody else built their railways.
We went for a small loading gauge, which was probably logical to the engineers at the time, except for Brunel, who wanted a broader track gauge and bigger tunnels and bridges.
Everybody else coming several years later went for their own gauges, many of which were larger.
We even built larger gauge railways in Ireland and India.
So everywhere you are getting problems to create a standard that is acceptable to all.
In the December 2016 Edition of Modern Railways, there is an article by Roger Ford entitled Electrical Clearances: The Plot Thickens. This would appear to be another manifestation of the same problem.
We will have to find a solution, as otherwise places like Liverpool, which will not have a dedicated high speed station, will not get a high speed service, as the high speed trains will always have to stop at high speed platforms.
In my view, this is a problem, where politicians should be banned from having an opinion. We need to have platform heights at x, y and z and be xx away from any electrical wires.
Give a simple standard to the train building companies and the engineers and see what they come up with!
How Will They Build The Bakerloo Line Extension?
I ask this question, as my trip yesterday to Redbridge station, got me thinking.
Wanstead, Redbridge and Gants Hill stations share several characteristics.
- They are built under a main road.
- They are architecturally significant, with two being designed by Charles Holden.
During the Second World War, they were part of an underground factory for Plessey.
It strikes me that as the route of the Bakerloo Line Extension, will for some way, lie under the Old Kent Road, with two stations currently called; Old Kent Road 1 and Old Kent Road 2, that the section of line could be similar in nature to the Redbridge stretch of the Central Line.
This map shows a route.
Bakerloo Line Extension Map
I’m sure, that they’ll come up with better names, on their initial route to Lewisham, via New Cross Gate.
This Google Map, shows the route of the Old Kent Road from Bricklayers Arms to New Cross Gate station.
Bricklayers Arms To New Cross Gate
Bricklayers Arms is at the North-West corner of the map and New Cross Gate station is the South-East.
To my naive mind, the route would be one that an experienced Tunnelling Engineer would find attractive.
- Elephant and Castle station is not far to the West of Bricklayers Arms.
- The current Bakerloo Line station at Elephant and Castle points vaguely East, so could probably be connected to under Bricklayers Arms.
- The tunnels could go under the Old Kent Road between Bricklayers Arms and New Cross Gate.
- The tunnels could go under the railway between New Cross Gate and Lewisham stations.
- The Extension could terminate in two deep-level platforms under the current Lewisham station.
- The Old Kent Road is lined with supermarkets and large out-of-town stores like Asda, B & Q, Sainsburys and Toys R Us.
But possibly above all, the extension could probably be built without causing too much disruption to existing infrastructure.
I’ll look at a few issues in a bit more detail.
Cut And Cover Or Bored Construction
Some European nations would build the extension using cut and cover methods, but then we’re the tunnel kings!
As there has also been improvement in the tunnel boring machines over the last twenty years, I would expect that a big hole will be dug somewhere and then the main tunnels will be bored out, as is being done on the Northern Line Extension.
The choice of the main tunneling site will depend on several factors.
- Sufficient space.
- Good road or rail access to get heavy equipment to the site.
- Away from sensitive areas for noise.
Probably the most difficult problem, is getting the tunnel spoil out.
Although there are plenty of large sites along the Old Kent Road, look at this Google Map of New Cross Gate station.
New Cross Gate Station
Note that next to the station is a large Sainsburys. The supermarket group has form in co-operating with large rail infrastructure projects, in that their Whitechapel superstore was virtually rebuilt to make space and access for Crossrail.
So could we see the same co-operation here?
New Cross Gate Station
New Cross Gate station is the middle interchange on the Bakerloo Line Extension.
If as I speculated above, Sainsburys co-operate, I think we could see a rebuilt superstore growing into a more important shopping centre with good rail and tube access.
Consider.
- Trains between London Bridge and Surrey call.
- East London Line trains call.
- Thameslink trains will soon be passing through at speed.
- Around a dozen bus routes pass the station.
- There would probably be space for housing above the development.
So could we see New Cross Gate station growing into a major transport interchange?
Yes! Especially, if Thameslink called at the station!
Lewisham Station
Lewisham station has been proposed as the terminus of the Extension.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the lines in through the station.
Lines Through Lewisham
Lewisham station has one of those layouts designed by Topsy.
Perhaps for now, the best solution would be to just add a couple of deep-level platforms to create a new terminus for the Bakerloo Line.
Consider.
- Transport for London are planning at least 36 trains per hour (tph) between two underground two platform terminals on the Victoria Line.
- Battersea Power Station station is being built like this.
- I doubt the extension will need a depot South of Elephant and Castle station.
Lewisham station would be rebuilt to provide a high capacity interchange between all services at the station.
The Bakerloo Line Train Frequency
Wikipedia says this in the Current And Future Infrastructure section of the Bakerloo Line.
Transport for London proposes to upgrade the line eventually, but not until other deep-level lines have been dealt with. This will include new signalling and new trains, enabling a maximum frequency of 27 trains per hour. TfL currently expects these to be in place by 2033.
So when the Extension is built, it would seem logical that the line could be rebuilt for 27 tph.
The Northern Section Of The Bakerloo Line
If the Bakerloo Line is extended to the South, then it would seem logical that the Northern end should be improved to take the increased number of trains, which share a lot of the line to Watford Junction with London Overground.
Platform Height Issues
At some station on the Northern section to get in to and out of the Bakerloo Line 1972 Stock trains, is quite a step and it would be difficult in a wheel-chair.
I have covered this in Platform Height Issues On The Watford DC Line and feel that dual-height platforms could be used.
Onward From Lewisham
Most proposals for the extension of the Bakerloo Line, envisage the line taking over one or both of the terminals on the Hayes Line.
Wikipedia has a section on the current proposal.
This is said.
In December 2015, Transport for London announced that the Old Kent Road option was indeed its preferred route, and proposed taking the line as far as Lewisham, which it said could be running by 2030. Proposals for a further extension beyond Lewisham, such as to Hayes and Beckenham or Bromley, would now be considered in a separate phase in the more distant future.
But I do wonder, if extensions to Hayes and Beckenham Junction could be less necessary than they were a few years ago.
- The construction of a Camberwell station on Thameslink is being considered.
- Good design at New Cross Gate and Lewisham could improve connections for passengers on the Hayes Line.
- The extra capacity across the South Bank and through London Bridge, must benefit passengers from the Hayes Line.
- Elmers End station is getting an improved Tramlink service.
Bear in mind too, that Transport for London now have much better statistics from which to plan new connections and lines.
How would the following smaller projects on various wish-lists affect services South from Lewisham?
- Better links connecting to Abbey Wood station in addition to Crossrail.
- A decent connection between Catford and Catford Bridge stations.
- Interchanges at Brockley and Penge on the East London Line.
Could they even kick extension of the Bakerloo Line in the Hayes direction into at least the 2040s?
The Issue Of Bakerloo And National Rail Trains Sharing Tracks
If the Bakerloo Line is to be extended past Lewisham on the Hayes Line to Hayes and Beckenham Junction, you have the problem of two types of train with different characteristics.
- First Class is not available on the Underground.
- Platform height can be matched to the train, to give level access.
Restricting the Bakerloo Line Extension to deep-level platforms at New Cross Gate and Lewisham, avoids the sharing issues, by keeping the two sizes of train separate.
- Bakerloo Line trains terminate at Lewisham.
- Good interchange must be provided between the Bakerloo Line and National Rail trains.
Obviously, by the correct design of the deep-level platforms at Lewisham, extension of the Bakerloo Line to somewhere suitable in the future is not ruled out.
The Northern And Bakerloo Line Extensions Are Similar
The similarity between the two extensions is very strong.
- The Northern Extension adds two stations and the Bakerloo adds only four.
- Both extensions are reasonably short.
- Both extensions start at an existing station.
- Both extensions could end in similar underground two-platform terminals.
- Both extensions might be extended further.
So could the Bakerloo Line Extension be an ideal follow on project for the Northern Line Extension?
And after that, there are other follow-on projects, where provision for extension has been left.
- Extending the Northern Line Extension from Battersea Power Station to Clapham Junction.
- Extending the Bakerloo Line Extension to wherever is needed.
- Extending the Jubilee Line from North Greenwich and Charing Cross.
- Extending the DLR from Bank
- Extending the Victoria Line to Herne Hill.
Could the relative success in getting such a good start on the Northern Line Extension, with hardly any controversy or disruption have influenced Transport for London to bring forward the Bakerloo Line Extension.
Perhaps with even the same team!
Conclusion
I feel that the Bakerloo Line extension will be built in a very similar way to the Northern Line Extension.
The more I dig, the more I like the plan for the extension and think it is right for project management reasons to bring it forward.
Redbridge Station
Whilst visiting Newbury Park station, I took the opportunity to visit the below-grounmd parts of Redbridge station.
The station is unusual for the Underground in that there is effectively a very wide island platform between the two tracks.
Many stations, like those on the Northern reaches of the Piccadilly Line, that I know so well, do have this layout, but this must be a station with some of the widest platforms.
Wikipedia says this about the station.
Redbridge is often described as the shallowest deep level (as opposed to cut and cover) station on the network, as it is only 5.2 metres (17 ft) beneath the surface. However, this is misleading as the station tunnel was constructed by the cut and cover method, with the running lines descending into genuine tube tunnels at either end of the platforms – similar to the Central line platforms at Mile End.
I also get the impression, that the station could be designed, so that as at Stratford, trains rise up into the station, thus turning kinetic energy into potential energy to slow the train. This energy is released to accelerate the train out of the station.
Newbury Park Station
According to this article in the Ilford Recorder, Newbury Park station is going to be one of the first in the latest batch of stations to be given step-free access.
So I went for a look.
Note.
- Lifts can probably be added easily to the existing bridge.
- Lifts are certainly needed, ss I saw a couple of mothers struggling with buggies.
- The station buildings on the platforms have potential for making really nice.
- The barrel roof is not to my taste, and I would rejoice if it had to be demolished for health and safety reasons.
- The station is a Grade II Listed building.
It is certainly an unusual station.
Road Improvements In Southgate Road
Southgate Road is just round the corner from where I live and it forms the boundary between the posh of Islington in the West and the plebs of Hackney in the East.
Over the last couple of weeks, the traffic lights, where Southgate Road and Balls Pond Road cross have been replaced and we now have Countdown, which makes crossing easier.
Now Islington want to put a box junction just to the South of the traffic lights, where Dove Road joins Southgate Road.
These pictures show the area.
I have a feeling that this scheme may be a little bit half-baked, as it appears to be an Islington-only scheme, when surely, it should be a scheme that is promoted by both Boroughs.
In And Out Of The Angel
The area around Angel tube station, is one I visit regularly.
- I shop in the same Marks and Spencer, Boots and Woolworths, that my grandmother used before the Great War.
- Woolworths is now Waitrose.
- I visit Chapel Market, as she probably did.
- I often walk close to where my father was born and past the church where my grandparents married.
- Perhaps, once a week, I’ll buy myself lunch or dinner in the area.
- I regularly, use the area to change buses or get on and off the Northern Line.
It’s also an area of memories of life with C and the children around 1970, when we lived in the Barbican and we’d regularly walk up the hill with the children to shop at Marks and Spencer.
But not at the moment. This article on the BBC is entitled Angel Islington flooded by water main burst.
These are pictures I took of the traffic. Or lack of it!
There are no buses from Dalston to the Angel, so the only way to go is to go South to Old Street or Moorgate stations and then get the Northern Line up to the Angel.
At least the buses are running the other way, so I can get home easily.
It is a pain, but it will be sorted.
Yesterday, I had to get to Boots to pick up my Warfarin and the pharmacist did as usual, ask me for my yellow book.
I don’t have one, as I see the GP every three months or so, have a chat about my INR and he writes a prescription, which is electronically sent to Boots for me to collect.
To show how stable my INR level is, I’ve now been on 4 mg. a day of Warfarin for over three years now.
Discussing this with the pharamacist, I told her, I put this stability down to being a coeliac on a gluten-free diet.
There are some hints at research in this area at eminent Universities, but with my experience, it seems that if you are on Warfarin, a gluten-free dietmay help to stabilise your INR levels.
The Last Cowboy Rides On
Kirk Douglas is a hundred today.
I always liked his film; Lonely Are The Brave, ever since I watched it late one night, whilst programming Artemis.
Happy Birthday, Kirk!
Has Sadiq Khan Got His Sums Right?
This article on the Rail Technology web site, which is entitled Underground set to undergo biggest capacity expansion ever, is a good summary of Sadiq Khan’s plans for Transport for London.
It’s All About Cash Flow
I am unsure about the plans, as it seems to me that a there is a lot of money to find in two years less to fund the building of the Bakerloo Line Extension.
So there is the double whammy of the fare freeze and accelerated construction!
Crossrail And Thameslink
I also think that Crossrail will contribute some of this money and because it is properly designed, it will stimulate growth in areas like Canary Wharf, Farringdon, Old Oak Common, Paddington, Romford and West Drayton, to name a few places.
The same however, can’t be said for Thameslink.
- It doesn’t serve many areas ripe for development.
- As it is not a TfL route like Crossrail, it won’t generate anything like the same fare revenue.
- Thameslink could turn out to be too much of a long-distance commuter line.
- Govia Thameslink Railway’s first loyalty is not to London.
On the whole, I don’t think it will benefit London as much as Crossrail will.
The Underground
Until I learn otherwise, I do think that the engineers of the Underground, may have thrown the Mayor a few lifelines.
- It would appear that the Victoria and Jubilee Lines can go to 36 trains per hour (tph).
- By raising the voltage and installing automatic train control on the sub-surface lines, there can be a 33 % increase in capacity.
- New Piccadilly Line trains will be ordered in 2017.
One and two, should happen easily and if the design is right, three could be a big game-changer.
But the problem, is that although these will generate cash flow in the long term, only 36 tph on the Victoria Line will happen in the near future.
I also feel, that although the capacity of the Victoria Line can easily be increased, will the stations be able to cope. Highbury and Islington, Oxford Circus and Victoria are not mentioned in the article.
All of these trains and passengers will also generate lots of heat and although Crossrail is designed to handle the watts, the deep-level Underground trains and stations were not.
This might mean a route change by passengers from older lines to Crossrail, which could have various effects.
The Non-Devolution Of Rail Lines To TfL
I have a feeling that the figures show that this is very much neutral to TfL’s finances, as some of the routes need a lot of money spent on stations and new trains. But under the new arrangement, TfL will probably have more say in service quality on the lines, than they do now.
Good Design Of The Bakerloo Line Extension
There must surely be scope to save more money in the design of the Bakerloo Line Extension. But I suspect that most of the easy savings have already been found.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a radical design for the extension come out at a late stage. But this is less likely, as because the line is an extension, it must be compatible with the existing line.
The Petty Cash
I think that where the Mayor might make up the shortfall is in the smaller things, that people forget.
For example.
- Expansion of the Night Tube to all lines, the Drain and the Overground.
- Tactical and expanded contactless ticketing.
- Better train scheduling.
- Expansion of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line and the Barking Riverside Extension.
- Expansion of the East London and Lea Valley Lines.
- Extra stations and station entrances.
- Development of Old Oak Common.
But some things already proposed will be tricky.
- I don’t think that he’ll save the money he wants on staff.
- Politicians always overestimate what they’ll earn from property development.
- You can only build so much affordable housing.
- Developers might find building housing just outside London is more profitable.
- The Mayor could have Union trouble.
There are probably a lot more where these came from.
Conclusion
With Brexit and Trump, there is a possibility of a drop in passenger numbers and income, which could derail everything.
It will be a close run thing.
Levitation Magic
How do you raise a 200 tonne masonry arch bridge by 900 mm, so that you can fit overhead electrification and freight trains with large containers under the bridge?
You used to call in Paul Daniels, but now he’s gone you have to use other forms of magic!
If finesse doesn’t work, you resort to the brute force technique that IK Brunel used to launch the Great Eastern – hydraulic power.
This article on the Freyssinet web site, describes how the bridge was lifted.
For an encore, the engineers then lowered the bridge by 465 mm.
Why raise a bridge like this?
Surely, to use a simple method, like explosives or a large hydraulic breaker and rebuild is a lot easier.
The trouble is it isn’t as this method disturbs the working railway much less and is quicker.
Network Rail also have five hundred bridges like this that need to be raised.
It would certainly make an interesting live stream from the Internet. Perhaps, a fee could be charged to watch for a charity like Cancer Research UK.
Brunel, who played the showman at times, would have approved of that!
The Anonymous Widower 