£14m Peak District Rail Freight Extension Unveiled
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
I discussed this project in full in Peak District Freight Sidings Get £18m Network Rail Boost, where I showed this Google Map of the sidings at Buxton, where the stone trains must reverse.
This latest Google Map, which is to a more detailed scale and 3D, clearly shows the lengthened sidings alongside the Manchester-Buxton Line.
Note the footbridge across the lines appears in both maps.
Conclusion
It looks to me that Network Rail have managed to implement this freight project to bring more stone out of the Peak District by train.
As the cost of the completed project is quoted as less than the figure quoted before the project started., the project could even have been completed within the budget.
This has been a project when £18million has been spent for these benefits.
- Each train will transport 2,500 tonnes of materials.
- Each train will take 76 lorry loads from the roads.
- Less trains will be needed to transport the same tonnage.
How many other small projects like this could be undertaken?
Monumentous
A BBC Breakfast reporter used this word and started a lot of discussion this morning.
So I typed it in to Google.
I found this page with a title of Fritinancy.
This was given as an example of use of the word.
Mr. Obama has shown, in one appearance after another, a capacity to make people feel good about their country again. His supporters want desperately to turn the page on the bitter politics and serial disasters of the past 20 years. That they have gravitated to a black candidate to carry out this task is — to use a term I heard for the first time this week — monumentous.
So it has been used before.
Wi-fi On A Train In A Deep Tunnel Under London
I’ve just been using wi-fi on a Class 717 train between Essex Road and Moorgate stations.
Is this the first railway line deep underneath the surface of London to have wi-fi installed?
I shall be interested to see, if I use the line more, as an alternative way to get to Moorgate from my house.
Development Of The Southall Gas Works Site
I took these pictures as my train went past the former Southall Gas Works to the West of Ealing station.
This was where there used to be a gasholder with a helpful sign, showing the way to Heathrow..
You can just see the L of LHR and the arrow.
This Google Map shows the site.
It is going to be a big development.
There are some older pictures from 2016 in What A Waste Of Valuable Land.
Hertford North Station To Go Step-Free
This document on the Government web site is entitled Access for All: 73 Stations Set To Benefit From Additional Funding.
Hertford North station is on the list.
These pictures show the station.
The station has three platforms and Platforms 2 and 3 already have a lift.
So it needs a lift to be fitted to Platform 1.
This Google Map shows a 3D image of the station.
Platforms are numbered 1,2 and 3 from the right.
It does look as though there is space to put in a lift.
A Scrapyard Special Ready For The Blowtorch
I took these pictures of possibly the worst train, I’ve ridden in for some years.
I took this Class 313 train between Hertford North and Old |Street stations.
Not all trains of this age have to be so dirty and unkempt.
In Liverpool’s Underground Trains, I showed these pictures.
These Merseyrail Class 507/508 trains are only three years younger, than those in London.
Both fleets are being replaced before the end of 2020.
So it’s not that if trains are going to the scrapyard they have to be let go!
I do wonder whether that this illustrates the point, that if trains are run as a concession from the Local Authority, like those of Merseyrail and London Overground, there is much better control of service quality.
In Gibb Report – Moorgate Services Could Be Transferred To The London Overground, I laid out Chris Gibb’s view of what should happen.
This was my conclusion.
Chris Gibb has made an interesting proposal.
There are good reasons to transfer the Great Northern Metro to London Overground.
- London Overground have the expertise to introduce the new trains.
- Transport for London have the expertise to redevelop the stations on the route at the Southern end.
- GTR will be able to concentrate on Thameslink
- Moorgate, Old Street, Essex Road and Highbury and Islington stations become Transport for London-only stations.
- London would gain a new Metro line between Moorgate and Alexandra Palace via Highbury and Islington and Finsbury Park, that extends into Hertfordshire and has a frequency of at least twelve tph.
- Crossrail gets another North-South feeder line.
- Highbury and Islington and Finsbury Park will become high quality interchanges.
- The Hertford Loop Line can be developed independently of Thameslink and the East Coast Main Line to be a high-capacity North-South Metro from North London to Stevenage.
- The Victoria Line gets a cross-platform connection to the Great Northern Metro for Crossrail at Highbury and Islington.
- The only problem, is that it might remove some of the reasons for extending Crossrail 2 to New Southgate.
Overall it strikes me that GTR have been working totally without any vision or any idea about how their new trains will transform the Great Northern Metro.
I hope Sadiq Khan is watching what is happening from his bunker in South London.
Is There A Need For A Waterloo To Gatwick Service?
Whilst writing Are Network Rail And Heathrow Southern Railway Moving Towards A Joint Project On Western And Southern Access To Heathrow Airport?, I got to thinking about connectivity to London’s two main airports; Heathrow and Gatwick.
If both the Western Approach To Heathrow (WRAtH) and Heathrow Southern Railway (HSR) schemes are completed, Heathrow will have direct connections to the following major stations and areas.
- Canary Wharf using Crossrail
- City of London using Crossrail
- Clapham Junction using HSR
- HS1 using a future Crossrail to Ebbsfleet
- HS2 using Crossrail
- Liverpool Street using Crossrail
- Reading using WRAtH
- Waterloo using HSR
- West End using Crossrail
Many more places will need a single change at Clapham Junction, Farringdon, Reading, Stratford, Waterloo or Woking.
Awkward stations to get to and from Heathrow include Kings Cross, London Bridge, St. Pancras and Victoria.
Admittedly, Kings Cross, London Bridge and St. Pancras can be reached using Crossrail and Thameslink or the Underground, but Victoria is not easy as Crossrail doesn’t have an interchange with the Victoria Line.
Gatwick will have direct connections to the following major stations and areas.
- City of London using Thameslink
- HS1 using Thameslink
- Reading using GWR
- Victoria using Southern or Gatwick Express
- West End using Thameslink
Many more places will need a single change at Clapham Junction, Farringdon, Reading, or Victoria.
Awkward stations to and from Gatwick include Canary Wharf, Euston, Liverpool Street, Paddington and Waterloo.
Consider these points about Waterloo station.
Waterloo Has The Connectivity
Waterloo is on four Underground lines.
- Bakerloo Line for North West London, Paddington, West End,, South East London and North East London in collaboration with Dear Old Vicky!
- Charing Cross Branch of the Northern Line for North London, Euston and the West End.
- Jubilee Line for North West London, West End, Canary Wharf and Stratford.
- Waterloo & City Line for Bank and the City of London.
Waterloo also has its own network of frequent and comprehensive services to South West London and further afield.
Waterloo Could Be Getting Crossrail 2
In Sadiq Khan’s dreams!
The Bakerloo Line Extension and the West London Orbital Railway are much more urgent to be built, but they don’t serve Surrey, where posh commuters live!
Waterloo Is Almost A Tourist Destination
I say almost, as it is just a short walk from Westminster, several important museums and galleries, and the Thames.
Waterloo Station Is A Place To Meet Friends And Business Associates
I regularly meet friends as they pass through Waterloo station, as it has several restaurants, where you can sit, eat, drink and chat.
Waterloo Station Is Going To Be Developed
Plans are being developed to build above Waterloo station.
Could this include more hotels, in addition to offices and housing?
Why Has There Been Talk Of A Service Between Waterloo and Heathrow For Years, But Nothing About A Link To Gatwick?
Heathrow AirTrack was proposed by BAA some years ago and now Heathrow Southern Railway are putting in a privately-funded proposal.
But search for a proposal for a direct service between Waterloo and Gatwick and you find nothing sensible.
- Could it be that the route is too difficult or there is not enough capacity at Gatwick and/or Waterloo?
- Is it that a route to Heathrow would be much more profitable, as it is so much bigger?
- Is it tradition? Waterloo serves the South West and London Bridge and Victoria serves the South.
But time is moving on, a larger Waterloo and Gatwick stations are coming and Network Rail are getting some of their best brains around digital signalling.
A Waterloo And Gatwick Airport Service
As Gatwick expands, I believe that a direct service between Waterloo and Gatwick Airport will become more necessary.
The Route Of The Service
I’m not sure of this, but I believe that there is a route between Waterloo and Streatham Common or East Croydon stations, which could be used for a Waterloo to Gatwick service.
- It may need to use the flyover at Waterloo, that used to be used by Eurostar.
- I wrote about using the flyover in Waterloo Upgrade August 2017 – Waterloo To Sevenoaks.
- Could it use a route like Brixton, Herne Hill, Tulse Hill, West Norwood, Gipsy Hill, Crystal Palace, Norwood Junction and East Croydon?
- Once on the Brighton Main Line it would be plain sailing.
- Of the stations on the route I mentioned, only Norwood Junction has a direct service to Gatwick.
- A rebuilt Brixton station with its Victoria Line connection could be a valuable interchange.
- Crystal Palace will have a six trains per hour (tph) service on the Overground to Highbury & Islington.
- The route is fully electrified using third-rail.
I’m sure a practical and useful route can be found.
The Frequency Of The Service
Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted Express services have a frequency of four tph.
So I wouldn’t think it unreasonable for a service between Waterloo and Gatwick Airport stations to have the same frquency.
Express Or Typical Suburban Service
Airport trains around London fall into two styles.
- Express – Gatwick Express, Heatrow Express and Stansted Express.
- Typical Standard Suburban Train – Crossrail and Thameslink.
As I am happy to use Thameslink to Gatwick, I have no particular preference. Except that if getting an early flight out of Gatwick, I take a night bus to Victoria and then use Gatwick Express, as it runs all night.
Passenger demand would decide, the level of service.
Trains For The Service
An appropriate train would be chosen to match the service style.
- Express – Class 387 train as per Gatwick or Heathrow Express
- Suburban Train – SWR’s Class 701 train
Both would do a very capable job.
Platforms At Waterloo
If I assume that Heathrow Southern Railway’s four tph service between Waterloo and Heathrow uses a single platform at Waterloo, I would expect it will be one of the higher-numbered platforms.
So could a Gatwick service with the same frequency use the next door platform?
This would surely be very convenient.
Conclusion
I think it is quite likely that a service between Waterloo and Gatwick Airport could be run.
But whether it is worthwhile is another matter.
Writing On The Wall For Oil Say Funds
The title of this post is the same as that of an article on page 37 of today’s copy of The Times.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Several big fund managers believe that oil companies should shut themselves down because soon they will be impossible to invest in as the world switches to tenewable energy.
A survey of 39 fund managers with $10.2 trillion under manaement found that 24 per cent wanted the oil industry “to wind down their businesses and return cash to shareholders” All but two of the funds said that oil stocks would not be attrative investments within ten years if they failed to respond to climate risks.
It’s pretty strong stuff.
So could we see a reduction in the use of oil and gas as a fuel?
In some countries including Denmark, Iceland, the United Kingdom and the United States, renewable energy is growing at a good rate.
The UK did draw the full set, in being blessed with the full set of coal, oil, wind, wave and tidal. We also have a bit of geothermal, hydro and solar.
We will still extract coal, gas and oil, but not for fuel.
- Very high quality coal is needed for steel-making, where carbon-capture could be used.
- Gas and oil are used as chemical feedstock for plastics, everyday chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Hydrogen gas, produced by electrolysis for use as fuel, a chemical feedstock and central heating.
Shell have already purchased First Energy, who are a domestic energy supplier in the UK, so are they getting out of oil?
Are fund managers and oil companies starting to go in the same direction, with a lot of the world’s drivers sticking slavishly to petrol and the dreaded diesel?
How Flower Power Is Being Used To Fight Terrorists
The title of this post, is the same as that of an article on pages 38-39 of yesterday’s copy of The Times.
It describes how Marshalls and the wonderfully-names subsidiary; The Great British Bollard Company are using giant planters to stop terrorist attacks using trucks.
The pictures with the article show some gigantic planters stopping a large vehicle.
Are Network Rail And Heathrow Southern Railway Moving Towards A Joint Project On Western And Southern Access To Heathrow Airport?
In Could Rail Access To Heathrow Be Formed Of The Best Bits Of Various Schemes?, which I wrote in August 2018, I came to an extensive series of conclusions, which I have now changed as HS4Air and Windsor Link Railway have now been consigned to the landfill site of unbuilt projects.
In Could Rail Access To Heathrow Be Formed Of The Best Bits Of Various Schemes, But Discounting HS4Air And Windsor Link Railway?, I give my latest views.
These were my conclusions.
Heathrow Connectivity
Heathrow needs a very high level of connectivity, for passengers, workers and freight.
The two major schemes, that are left, provide that.
- Heathrow Southern Railway, which extends Heathrow Express to the South West and provides links to Waterloo and Greater South London.
- Western Rail Approach To Heathrow does what it says in the name.
Both schemes would share the same Western access route to Terminal 5 station and this could be modified to serve a new rail terminal under the new third runway.
What About The Workers?
Heathrow’s other big need is rail access for the increasing numbers of people, who work at the airport and live locally.
- Heathrow Southern Railway links the airport to South West London.
- Western Rail Approach To Heathrow links the airport to Reading and Slough.
- Crossrail links the airport to Old Oak Common with its housing developments and rail connections with High Speed 2 and the London Overground.
- West London Orbital Railway will bring more workers and passengers to Old Oak Common from all over North West and South West London.
Old Oak Common will be important for many working at the airport.
Pollution Solution
As the airport develops, Heathrow Southern Railway and Western Rail Approach To Heathrow could together make a substantial reduction in the pollution emitted by the airport.
Old Oak Common station
Old Oak Common station will become an important interchange for workers and passengers travelling to and from Heathrow.
- It must be totally step-free.
- Some of the long interchange walks on current plans should be augmented by travelators.
- Crossrail is planning six tph between Old Oak Common and Heathrow. Is that enough?
Get Old Oak Common right and all those needing to go to and from Heathrow will benefit.
Heathrow And Gatwick
The connection between Heathrow and Gatwick airports is tortuous at present, but will get better as the years progress, as Crossrail and Thameslink improve.
As the airports grow, with a third runway at Heathrow and a second one at Gatwick, how many people will want to travel quickly between the two airports, as increasingly, both airports will offer services to more destinations?
As a Londoner, I also believe that we will see more split flights, where passengers stopover in London for a night or two, when they are going halfway around the world.
Terminal London will be the best airport transfer terminal in the world.
Heathrow And High Speed One
I will be very surprised if many travellers need to go quickly between Heathrow and High Speed One.
For those that need to do it, using an extended Crossrail between Heathrow and Ebbsfleet will probably be good enough.
Heathrow And High Speed Two
For all sorts of reasons Heathrow needs good connectivity to High Speed Two.
With the elimination of direct access to the airport by High Speed Two, a short journey between Heathrow Airport and Old Oak Common stations will have to be acceptable.
It should also be noted, that Network Rail’s Western Approach To Heathrow (WRAtH) and Heathrow Southern Railway (HSR) would share the following infrastructure or interests.
- Heathrow Terminal Five station.
- The Western access tunnel and track to Heathrow.
- Network Rail is planning a flyover at Woking, which would help HSR’s plans.
If a rail terminal were to be built under a new third runway, that too would be shared.
An Update On Heathrow Southern Railway
In the May 2019 Edition of Modern Railways there is an article which Is entitled Time For Action On Heathrow’s Southern Link.
Most of the article takes the form of an interview with Graham Cross, who is the Chief Executive of HSR.
The first part is a call to the Government to make a decision soon, as otherwise HSR’s funding and timescale will be at risk.
In the rest of the article, Mr. Cross talks about the project and introduces some changes.
More Tunnels
This is an extract from the Modern Railways article.
The line would be mainly in tunnel to minimise environmental impact. “We would need to tunnel under certain obstacles anyway, and once you’ve set up tunnel boring machines, you might as well stay underground.” says Mr.Cross.
Could this move to tunnels also be driven by improved tunnelling techniques and cost savings, in addition to the environmental impact?
If so, will we be seeing more new tunnels in the UK, for rail, roads, electricity and sewage?
This Google Map shows the Northern section of the HSR route.
Note
- The South-Western corner of Heathrow Airport can just be seen in the North-Eastern corner of the map.
- Wraysbury station is towards the North-Western corner of the map.
- The M25 running North-South
- Staines station is the station South of the King George VI Reservoir
- The Staines-Windsor Line running North-West from Staines station.
- The Waterloo-Reading Line running West from Staines station.
The HSR would need to thread its way on the Eastern side of the M25.
From the map in the Modern Railways article, it appears that the route from Heathrow Terminal 5 station splits into two Southerly routes a short distance to the East of the point where the Staines-Windsor Line goes under the M25.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr may help to make everything clearer.
Note.
- The reservoirs are shown.
- The troublesome level crossings between Staines and Egham.
- It also spears that there is a disused railway going North through Yeovenney Halt.
- Yeovenney Halt would not be far from the route of the HSR to the East of where the M25 and the Staines-Windsor Line cross.
This Google Map shows the area in detail.
It’s not an area that with large numbers of houses and businesses.
Two routes are shown for HSR on the map in Modern Railways from the area to the East of where the M25 and the Staines-Windsor Line cross.
- One route joins the Staines- Windsor Line to take trains to and from Staines station.
- A second route is shown passing under the Staines-Windsor Line.
Note.
- As there is plenty of space, a flyover could be built if needed to connect Heathrow Airport to Staines station.
- The space would also be useful for creating a tunnel portal to continue the route to the South.
Two options are shown on the map in Modern Railways, to connect Heathrow to the Chertsey Branch Line.
Option 3 connects to North of Virginia Water station.
Option 8 connects to North of Chertsey station.
This Google Map shows Virginia Water and Staines stations and the area in between.
Note
- Virginia Water station is towards the bottom-left of the map,
- Staines station is towards the top right.
- The area of Yeovenney Halt can just be seen.
This Google Map shows the area between M25 and Chertsey station.
Note that Chertsey station is in the South-East corner of the map.
It looks like one or even both of the routes from Yeovenney Halt to the Chertsey Branch Line could be fairly easy to dig.
- There could be suitable sites at both Virginia Water and Chertsey.
- The distance is under ten miles.
- Much of the work could probably be done without closing the railways.
- There’s space for a flyover at both locations.
- Very few, if any business or residents would need to sell up and move.
- The tunnels could even be under the M25.
As Mr. Cross said, tunnelling could be a good option.
As WRAtH will also be tunnelled could both twin bore tunnels be dug with the same tunnel boring machines? Or as part of the same contract?
There certainly seem to be options for co-operation between the two projects to save money.
No West-Facing Triangular Junction At Staines
This is an extract from the Modern Railways article.
An earlier idea to create a triangular junction with a west-facing connection towards Egham did not command local aupport and was dropped.
I described this previously in Heathrow Southern Railway’s Proposed Chord At Staines.
It was intended to enable a two tph service between Weybridge and Heathrow Terminal 5 stations.
I would assume passengers are happy to change trains at Staines, which is step-free.
The Google Map visualisation, shows the footbridge at Staines station.
Waterloo To Heathrow Services
This is an extract from the Modern Railways article.
The first would comprise a four trains per hour (tph) service from Waterloo to Heathrow Terminal 5 as an extension of existing SWR services, with 2 tph running via Twickenham and 2 tph via Hounslow. HSR envisages these services would be formed of SWR’s new Class 701 trains.
Note.
- Ten-car Class 701 trains will probably be used.
- These trains have 556 seats and can accommodate 740 standees, which is nearly 1300 passengers.
The frequency and capacity compares well with Crossrail to the Airport.
Heathrow Express Extension To Woking, Guilford and Basingstoke
This will become two services wit a frequency of two tph.
- Paddington and Guildford via Old Oak Common, Heathrow, Woking and Basingstoke.
- Paddington and Guildford via Old Oak Common, Heathrow, Woking and Guildford.
Note.
- Basingstoke, Guildford and Paddington get a direct train to Heathrow, Old Oak Common and Paddinhgton.
- Twelve car Class 387 trains would work the service.
- My rough estimate says thirty four-car sets would be needed.
- A twelve-car Class 387 train has sixty percent more seats than a nine-car Class 332 train.
It is also said in the article, that a flyover could be built at Woking in CP6, which would help the Heathrow Express services.
Crossrail Extension To A Bay Platform At Staines Station
In Heathrow Southern Railway’s Plans For Staines, I discussed a plan to extend Crossrail services from Heathrow Terminal 5 station to a bay platform at Staines station.
It is not mentioned in the Modern Railways , so am I right to think, it is not going to happen.
- The proposed Waterloo to Heathrow Terminal 5, will provide a capacity of 5,200 passengers per hour between Staines and Heathrow Terminal 5
- Do WRAtH intend to run the two tph, that HSR wanted for Staines, to Slough and Reading to provide Western access to Heathrow?
So dropping the original plan is probably a reasonable decision.
How Many Trains Will Use Heathrow Terminal 5 Station
Currently, the service to Heathrow Terminal 5 station is as follows.
- 4 tph – Heathrow Express – Paddington and Terminal 5
- 2 tph – TfL Rail – Paddington and Terminal 5
There is also a shuttle to Terminal 4 station, running approximately every fifteen minutes.
Crossrail
After Crossrail opens the service will be.
- 4 tph – Heathrow Express – Paddington and Terminal 5
- 2 tph – Croosrail – Paddington and Terminal 5
Only the name on the train and the train type will have changed.
WRAtH
According to Wikipedia, WRAtH will have the following services.
t is envisaged that there would be a service of four trains an hour from Heathrow to Slough and Reading. Earlier publicity also suggested there would be two trains per hour to Twyford and Maidenhead.
Heathrow Express have offered to run services to Reading which would stop only at Slough.
I have I have a few thoughts.
- A service from Reading must have access to all terminals at Heathrow.
- All stations between Langley and Reading need at least two tph to Heathrow.
- Should services between Paddington and Heathrow be extended to Reading?
- Services must run on a 24/7 basis, to allow people to get to and from work and passengers on seriously delayed flights to get to their destination..
One way to provide a good basic service would be to combine the shuttle between Terminal 4 and 5 with the service to Slough and Reading.
- A train starting at Reading would call at a number of stations including Slough on its way to Heathrow Airport.
- It would then call at the following station in order; Heathrow Terminal 5, Heathrow Central, Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Central and Heathrow Terminal 5.
- It would then return to Reading via Slough.
The stopping pattern between Langley and Reading would be arranged to suit passenger needs.
Advantages of this extended shuttle are as follows.
- All terminals are served by services originating in the West.
- The four tph shuttle is matched with four tph on WRAtH to and from Reading.
- No Westward-facing bay platform is needed at Terrminal 5 to turn trains from Reading.
- A Westward-facing bay platform might be useful for service recovery.
All trains using WRAtH to and from Reading would use through platforms at Terminal 5.
HSR
HSR will have the following services.
- 2 tph – Heathrow Express – Paddington and Basingstoke via Woking
- 2 tph – Heathrow Express – Paddington and Guildford via Woking
- 2 tph – SWR – Waterloo and Terminal 5 via Hounslow and Staines
- 2 tph – SWR – Waterloo and Terminal 5 via Twickenham and Staines
Note.
- The Heathrow Express services will use through platforms.
- The Waterloo services could use a bsay platform.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the current layout of platforms at Heathrow.
Adding all the requirements together, the following platforms will be needed.
Two through platforms for the following services.
- 2 tph – Heathrow Express – Paddington and Basingstoke via Woking
- 2 tph – Heathrow Express – Paddington and Guildford via Woking
- 4 tph – Crossrail – WRAtH services between Reading and all terminals
Note.
- Eight tph would not be difficult to handle.
- Heathrow Express and the WRAtH services would alternate.
- There would be same platform interchanges between Heathrow Express and WRAtH services.
In addition, there would be the following.
- A bay platform for Waterloo services.
- Possibly another platform for service recovery.
Ther could also be extra platforms for long distance services between Heathrow Terminal 5 and destinations like Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford and Plymouth
It has amazed me, how by combining HSR, Crossrail, Heathrow Express and WRAtH services together needs so few platforms in Terminal 5 station.
Conclusion
Network Rail’s Western Appoach To Heathrow and Heathrow Southern Railway may currently be two separate schemes with different funding models, but they have a lot of shared infrastructure, interests and objectives.
Both projects would surely be better with strong co-operation.
Judging by how well it all seems to fit, it does seem that they are talking.
The Anonymous Widower 