The Anonymous Widower

Extending The Elizabeth Line – Serving South-East London

The Inadequacies Of Abbey Wood Station

Abbey Wood station is the Elizabeth Line’s main terminus in South-East London.

The architecture is impressive, as the pictures taken before the station was finished show.

But other things are less than impressive.

• There is no station parking.
• Central London rail terminals served by Elizbeth Line services are only Liverpool Street/Moorgate and Paddington.
• Central London rail terminals served by National Rail services are Cannon Street, London Bridge, King’s Cross and St. Pancras.

In my view, Abbey Wood is a lost cause, as a commuter station, unless substantial parking is built at the station.

Parking At Stations In West Kent

This list shows the number of car parking spaces at stations in West Kent and South East London.

• Barnehurst – 162 *
• Belvedere – None *
• Bexleyheath – 83 *
• Chatham – 276 *
• Dartford – 186 *
• Ebbsfleet International – 4945 #
• Erith – None *
• Eynsford – 15
• Farningham Road – None
• Gillingham – 152 *
• Gravesend – 94 *
• Greenhithe – 8 *
• Longfield – 88
• Meopham – 167
• Northfleet – None *
• Plumstead – None *
• Rochester – None *
• St. Mary Cray – 31
• Slade Green – 25
• Sole Street – 61
• Stone Crossing – None *
• Strood – 112 *
• Swanley – 106
• Swanscombe – None *
• Welling – 117

Note.

1. An asterisk (*) indicates direct trains to and from Abbey Wood station for the Elizabeth Line.
2. An hash(#) indicates direct trains to and from Stratford International for the Elizabeth Line.

These figures are according to the National Rail web site.

It looks like unless you can walk to your nearest station and that has an easy connection to Abbey Wood, you’re probably better off going to Ebbsfleet and parking there.

Travelling Between Ebbsfleet International And The Elizabeth Line At Stratford International

Consider.

• Southeastern’s Highspeed service between Ebbsfleet International and Stratford International has a frequency of three trains per hour (tph)
• It takes less than twelve minutes between the two stations.
• It takes ten minutes to walk between Stratford International and Stratford Station for the Elizabeth Line and Greater Anglia services.
• There are eight Elizabeth Line tph to Paddington, calling at all stations. For Heathrow change at Whitechapel station.

Note.

1. From these points, it should be possible to estimate the time you should park at Ebbsfleet to get to an event in London or East Anglia, if you live in Kent and are parking at Ebbsfleet International.
2. I think four tph between Ebbsfleet International and Stratford International would make the route more attractive.
3. If you’re going to Norwich or Ipswich be careful, as only one of the two tph stop at Stratford.

I catch the 12:30 from Liverpool Street for matches at Ipswich on Saturdays. This is the 12:38 from Stratford, so I suspect if you parked at parked at Ebbsfleet before 12:00, you’d make it.

Who’d have thought, that when they built the massive car parks at Ebbsfleet international, that they would be a Park-and-Ride for football at Ipswich. And Norwich too!

Changing Trains At Stratford

This map from Cartometro shows the two Stratford stations.

Note.

1. The Elizabeth Line is shown in purple.
2. The Central Line is shown in red.
3. The Jubilee Line is shown in silver.
4. The Overground is shown in orange.
5. Lifts and escalators take passengers to and from the surface from between platforms 2 and 3 at Stratford International station.

Two pedestrian tunnels connect all the platforms in Stratford station.

• Elizabeth Line trains use platforms 5 and 8.
• Central Line trains use platforms 3, 3a and 6.
• Great Eastern Main Line trains use platforms 9, 9a and 10.
• Overground trains use platforms 1 and 2.

All platforms have lifts.

I suspect, that when you get to know the Stratford complex well, it’s easier than it looks.

But it does need better signage.

Full Step-Free Route Between Ebbsfleet And Heathrow Central

I have just used Transport for London’s Journey Planner, as if I was in a wheelchair and need full step-free access to go from Ebbsfleet to Heathrow Central.

This was the route.

• Southeastern to Stratford International station – 10 mins
• Walk to Stratford station – 21 mins
• Jubilee Line to Bond Street – 24 mins
• Bond Street to Heathrow Central – 32 mins

Note.

1. The times are slower than say myself.
2. I think it is possible to pick up the Elizabeth Line at Stratford.

But the route is certainly possible in a wheel-chair.

The Penge Interchange

This map from Cartometro shows where the East London Line of the London Overground and the Chatham Main Line between Victoria and Chatham cross in Penge.

Note.

1. The East London Line runs North-South through Sydenham and Penge West stations.
2. The Chatham Main Line runs through Penge East station.

There is a plan by Transport for London to create a Penge Interchange station on railway land, where the two lines cross.

• The station could replace Penge West and Penge East stations.
• It would be fully step-free.
• Interchange would be allowed between the East London Line and the Chatham Main Line.

This would increase connectivity for those travelling to and from South-East London and West Kent.

I brlieve that this one interchange could help level-up a large area of South-East London.

 

January 29, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Sport, Transport/Travel | Abbey Wood Station, Chatham Main Line, East London Line, Ebbsfleet International Station, Elizabeth Line, Extending The Elizabeth Line, Football, Great Eastern Main Line, Greater Anglia, Heathrow Airport, Ipswich Town, Kent, Levelling Up, Norwich City, Penge East Station, Penge Interchange Station, Penge West Station, Southeastern, Southeastern HighSpeed, Stratford International Station, Stratford Station