Work Has Really Started At Hackney Wick Station
This article in the Hackney Gazette is entitled Hackney Wick Overground station and surrounding streets on track for £25m redesign.
This is said.
Work is underway on a £25 million scheme for east London’s new Hackney Wick Overground station complex with major improvements in the surrounding streets.
So I went along to take some pictures.
The article says that there will be a subway under the railway by the Spring and the station will by completed next January with new stairs and two lifts.
According to this article on Ian Visits, the tunnel will be built alongside and pushed under the railway. This was done successfully at the new Rochester station.
That certainly fits with what i saw!
Maghull North Station Gets Approval
This article in Rail Technology Magazine is entitled Green light given to Merseyrail’s new Maghull North station.
The following are points from the article about the new Maghull North station.
- The new station forms a key part of the Sefton Council’s Local Plan.
- The new station offers relief to Maghull station.
- The new station will support development in the area.
- The new station will have 156 car parking spaces.
- The station has all the facilities passengers need.
- The station design probably needs little work to the track and a few new signals.
- Construction will start in August 2017, with opening expected in May 2018.
- Visualisations show the station has two platforms outside the double-track, with lifts and stairs to both platforms.
- The main station building is separate from the platforms and has level access to the footbridge.
The whole scheme is costing £13million.
I shall be looking forward to visiting the station, when it opens in sixteen months.
Thoughts On Revenue And Costs
It is interesting to note that Maghull station handles about 1.8 million passengers a year, who probably spend about an average of three pounds on a ticket, so the station could generate about £5million a year.
It is probably, a valid assumption to say that Maghull North station will generate a couple of million pounds a year in revenue.
But as it towards the end of the line and as the only station to the North with substantial traffic is Ormskirk, I suspect that the current four trains per hour service will handle the extra passengers from Maghull North station.
So after a quick look, I feel that Maghull North station could be paid for by the extra passengers and their revenue.
It should be born in mind, that a lot of things will and could happen to trains between Liverpool and Ormskirk.
- From 2019, the line will see new Stadler trains, which will cut journey times and speed up station stops.
- Trains may go from Liverpool to Skelmersdale via Ormskirk.
- Trains may go direct from Liverpool to Preston, without a change at Ormskirk.
- The Burscough Curves may be reinstated giving access from Ormskirk to Southport and Wigan.
All developments will generate passengers at both Maghull stations.
I hope the station design has left space to add more car parking.
Lessons For Other Station Proposals
I suspect for those, who took the decision to build Maghull North station, found it an easy decision to take.
- The passenger demand is there.
- The station can be built without a major blockade of the line.
- New trains will be serving the station.
- Related developments could increase the train frequency.
But most importantly, the station could be paid for from extra revenue.
How many other proposed stations fit these criteria?
Has Work Stopped On The Met Line Extension?
This question is asked in the title of this article in the St. Albans Review.
The full title is.
Has work stopped on the Met Line extension? TfL worker says work is suspended.
TfL say the project is just being examined in detail.
I think, that when the Croxley Rail Link is built, it will be very different to what Hertfordshire planned.
I gave my view in TfL Seeks New Procurement Plan For Metropolitan Line Extension
I proposed a simpler design.
- Watford station would remain open.
- A four tph link would run all day between Watford Junction and Amersham stations.
- Trains could be Class 710 trains or similar.
- Stops would be at Watford High Street, Vicarage Road, Cassiobridge, Croxley, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood and Chalfont & Latimer.
- No new electrification.
- Single-track in places to reduce costs.
No-one would get a worse service than currently and the new stations of Cassiobridge and Vicarage Road, would make rail an alternative for many travellers.
The Anonymous Widower 