The Anonymous Widower

Barriers And Planters On The London Overground Platforms At Clapham Junction Station

To get home from Feltham station, after my visit this morning to see the new bridge, which I wrote about in The Completed Bridge At Feltham Station, I changed trains at Clapham Junction station.

I noticed that a barrier has been put up between the current two Overground platforms; 1 and 2.

.I suspect it is for safety reasons, as it will certainly stop passengers falling off the platform.

I also noticed that planters had been placed where I suspect that the new Platform 0 will be built.

Note.

1. If the track is to placed between the planters and the platform, the space could be a bit small.
2. Or is the platform going to be rebuilt a bit narrower?
3. It also looks like the platform won’t be long enough for the planned eight-car train.

I also took these pictures of what looks to be a Fire Exit.

Could it be a temporary entrance, that will be used if there is a lot of work going on about the Grant Road entrance to create the new platform?

I also took these pictures of the Eastern end of the platform.

Considering, that the Class 378 train is five cars and an eight-car train would be sixty percent longer, it looks to me, that they will have to extend the platform, behind the temporary entrance or perhaps further towards the East.

Or could Network Rail have called up Baldrick, and asked him for one of his cunning plans?

Consider.

• Currently, there is a one train per hour (tph) between Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction stations, run by Southern.
• The service used to run between Milton Keynes and South Croydon stations.
• There surely is a need for a high-frequency service between the High Speed Two station at Old Oak Common and Clapham Junction station.
• Currently, there is no planned link between Crossrail and the West London Line.

Hythe Road station is planned to be on the West London Line and will serve the High Speed Two station at Old Oak Common.

This Transport for London map, shows the position of the proposed Hythe Road station with respect to High Speed Two and Crossrail.

Note.

1. The West London Line to and from Clapham Junction goes down the East of the map.
2. The North London Line to and from Richmond goes down the West of the map.
3. The current Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction service doesn’t go through the site of Hythe Road station, but somehow sneaks round on the freight line in the map.

Wikipedia describes the proposal for Hythe Road station like this.

Hythe Road railway station would be situated about 700 metres (770 yards) from the mainline Old Oak Common station. Construction work would involve re-aligning the track along a new railway embankment (built slightly to the north of the existing line) and demolishing industrial units along Salter Street, on land currently owned by a vehicle sales company (‘Car Giant’). The station structure will sit on a viaduct, with a bus interchange underneath. The station will incorporate 3 platforms, allowing through services between Stratford and Clapham Junction with an additional bay platform to accommodate terminating services from Clapham Junction.

I can envisage an eight tph service between Clapham Junction and Hythe Road stations, made up something like this.

• Four tph between Stratford and Clapham Junction stations
• One tph between Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction stations
• Three tph between Hythe Road and Clapham Junction stations

Note.

1. Services would stop at Shepherd’s Bush, Kensington (Olympia), West Brompton and Imperial Wharf.
2. Two platforms at Clapham Junction station could easily handle eight tph.
3. The London Overground’s five car Class 378 trains would probably be long enough for the shuttle.
4. There is even the possibility of running the Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction service with five car trains, to void the expense of creating an eight-car platform at Clapham Junction station.

It would be better if the Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction service could go through Hythe Road station. But this might be difficult to arrange.

Conclusion

An eight tph service through Old Oak Common could be a nice little add-on for both High Speed Two and Crossrail.

January 12, 2022 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Clapham Junction Station, Class 378 Train, Crossrail, High Speed Two, Hythe Road Station, London Overground, Old Oak Common Station, Platform 0 At Clapham Junction Station, Safety