Changing Trains At Carmarthen Station
Carmarthen station is on a spur from the West Wales Line from a triangular junction.
This Google Map shows the station and the junction.
Carmarthen Station
My train from Swansea arrived in the station and I crossed the tracks to the other platform to get my onward train to Pembroke.
These are some pictures of the station.
There aren’t many stations, where passengers are allowed to cross the lines.
This Google Map shows the station layout in detail.
Carmarthen Station Layout
It is a good example of how a reversing siding works.
Note in the larger map, the railway crosses over the River Towy, as it goes to the West.
There is a lifting bridge over the river called Carmarthen Bridge.
This web page on Movable Bridges, describes the bridge and has a picture.
The bridge was built in 1911 and hasn’t worked since about 1956.
Old Uncle Tom Cobley And All Financing
This article from Railway Gazette is entitled Pension funds back Abellio East Anglia order for Stadler trainsets.
These details of the trains are given.
Stadler’s first major order for UK main line passenger rolling stock covers 58 Flirt UK trainsets to be built in Switzerland. There will be 10 12-car 25 kV 50 Hz inter-city EMUs for London – Norwich services with 628 standard and 80 first class seats plus a bistro, and 10 12-car EMUs for the London – Stansted Airport route with 710 standard class only seats. The 24 four-car and 14 three-car electro-diesel units for standard class only regional services will have the diesel engines in a mid-train power module car.
But the most interesting part of the article is about the financing of the trains.
Funding is being led by Rock Rail and SL Capital Partners, with additional co-investment equity provided by the GLIL infrastructure investment joint venture of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund and London Pensions Fund Authority. Debt was arranged by DC Advisory from Aviva, Sun Life, Barings Asset Management, Legal & General, Standard Life Investments and the European Investment Bank, which is providing a 28-year £60m loan using its European Fund for Strategic Investments guarantee for the first time in the UK.
A large number of reputable names seem to have their signatures on the deal.
I notice that the European Inveestment Bank is there, so they can’t be too bothered about Brexit.
Rail Replacement Trains
I was alerted by this blog post from Utterlee, that was entitled LONDON OVERGROUND GOES OFF THE RAILS.
It describes how because of engineering works, London Overground were routing North London Line services between Camden Road and Willesden Junction stations by way of South Hampstead, Kilburn High Road and Queen’s Park stations.
These pictures show my journey.
Well it makes a change from the dreaded rail replacement bus.
The Route
I took the train from Stratford to Willesden Junction, via the following stations.
- Hackney Wick
- Homerton
- Hackney Central
- Dalston Kingsland
- Canonbury
- Highbury and Islington
- Caledonian Road and Barnsbury
- Maiden Lane – Closed
- Camden Road
- Primrose Hill – Closed
- South Hampstead
- Kilburn High Road
- Queen’s Park
- Kensal Green
The route took eight minutes longer.
I think this was explained by having to wait to slot in with the Bakerloo Line trains at Queen’s Park and the wait of a minute or so, which the power was changed between voltages.
The Class 378 Trains
The Class 378 Trains obviously fit the route, as they run on all of it on a daily basis.
The station display and onboard announcements were correct and the five-car train I rode, fitted all the stations between Camden Road and Willesden Junctions.
The Bay Platform 2 At Willesden Junction
I wrote about this platform in Platform Action Has Finished At Willesden Junction.
Wikipedia says this about the platform.
Normally only the first and last NLL trains of the day, which start or terminate here, use the bay platform, though it is used for empty stock transfers between the depot and the North London and Gospel Oak to Barking lines.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr, shows the lines.
The Bay Platform At Willesden Junction
It looks like the platform can accept trains from the South and East.
It certainly reversed the train efficiently for its return journey.
As it gives a totally step-free access between both Northbound and Southbound services on the Bakerloo and Watford DC Lines, I’m certain that this platform wasn’t built solely to handle empty stock movements, early and late trains, and rail replacement trains.,
If you look at the map, the station can act as a terminus and reverse trains from the following directions.
- From the East on the North London Line in the Bay Platform 2
- From the South on the Watford DC Line in the Bay Platform 2
- From the West on the North London Line in the Willesden Junction Turnout
- From the South on the West London Line in the Willesden Junction Turnout
Because of the crossover to the North of the station, trains can even be reversed coming from the North on the Watford DC Lines.
I can’t believe that Transport for London haven’t got a cunning plan for the use of this convenient platform.
The Class 172 Trains
As the pictures show, all of the Class 172 trains for the Gospel Oak to Barking Line were parked at Willesden Depot.
I know, they’ll be used again from February 2017, but surely there is something more productive they could do in the meantime.
The Class 710 Trains
The Class 710 trains ordered for the Gospel Oak to Barking Line are actually Class 710/2, with a dual voltage capability. This is probably sensible, as it would mean they could go past Gospel Oak to Richmond or Clapham Junction, which has been suggested and the stations are firmly in third-rail territory.
London Overground have also ordered six Class 710/2 trains for the Watford DC Line. Wikipedia says this about the use of Class 710 trains on the Watford DC Line.
The intention is that the five-car Class 378 trains currently used on the Watford route will be cascaded back to the North London and East London Lines to allow for strengthened services.
I suspect that London Overground want a fleet with a consistent capability of dual voltage on all the cross-London Lines.
But will four-car trains on the Watford DC Line be sufficient capacity for the line, which currently has five-car services?
It is probably worth noting that South Hampstead and Kilburn High Road stations have lower passenger levels than say Hackney Central or Dalston Kingsland stations, so perhaps, a three tph four-car service will be sufficient.
Incidentally, as Euston to Watford Junction takes fifty minutes,it would need six trains to run a three tph service all day.
So it looks to me, that the base service through Kilburn High Road and South Hampstead stations will be three four-car trains per hour all day.
Could Stratford To Willesden Junction Via South Hampstead Be Made Permanent?
Last week, when I passed through Willesden Junction station, I noticed a Class 378 train was waiting in the Bay Platform 2.
Perhaps it was an empty stock movement or were London Underground doing a bit of route training for drivers in preparation for the weekend’s Rail Replacement Train.
There are various factors that will affect Transport for London’s thinking.
- The Watford DC Line means that paths and platforms at Euston station must be reserved for third-rail electric trains.
- Watford Junction station will be getting a direct connection to
- Euston station will be rebuilt for HS2.
- Crossrail and Thameslink will be fully open in 2019.
- Camden Town tube station will be rebuilt and extended, possibly with a better link to Camden Road station.
- Old Oak Common station will be built, as part a major infrastructure development and transport hub.
- A future Old Oak Common station could have connections to Central Line, Chiltern Line, Crossrail, HS2, North London Line, West Coast Main Line and West London Line.
- The low passenger numbers at Kilburn High Road and South Hampstead stations.
- Highbury and Islington station must be on an early list for updating to improve its terrible access to the low-level Victoria Line and Great Northern Metro.
- Camden Council would like to reopen Maiden Lane station.
- Primrose Hill station could be rebuilt with a decent walking route to Chalk Farm tube station.
- Four-tracking of the North London Line between Camden Road and Highbury and Islington stations could be possible.
- West Hampstead Interchange could be created to link the North London Line, Chiltern Line and Underground services.
- There is a need for more freight and passenger services across London.
- Electrification and an increase in capacity for the Gospel Oak to Barking Line will change travel patterns.
- Plans exist to run passenger services on the Dudding Hill Line.
I feel that we could be seeing a reorganisation of services across North London and probably there will be no better time
Stopping the Watford DC Line service to Euston might be a good idea for the operation and reconstruction of the crowded London terminus, but it would deprive passengers from Kilburn High Road and South Hampstead of their direct service to Euston.
But is a three trains per hour (tph) service to Euston worth keeping, if stopping it, eases the situation at Euston?
Perhaps if the following interchanges were built or improved, then passengers might accept the closure of the direct service to Euston.
- Primrose Hill station and Chalk Farm tube station.
- Camden Road station and Camden Town tube station.
- Maiden Lane station for everything at Kings Cross.
- Highbury and Islington station for Victoria Line and Great Northern Metro.
I think in an ideal world, the least amount of disruption and uncertainty will be caused by improving one or more of the stations named above and then seeing how the pattern of passenger journeys develop.
Consider.
- Transport for London had a lot of staff on the platforms and in the stations on Sunday, who were explaining what was happening to the trains.
- There could be arguments to reopen Primrose Hill station with a walking route to Chalk Farm tube station, as it would surely give an alternative route to avoid Camden Town station during that station’s rebuilding.
- There are probably freight capacity reasons for four-tracking between Highbury and Islington and Camden Road stations.
I think we could see a package of improvements such as.
- Step-free connection between the Overground and the Victoria Line and Great Northern Metro at Highbury and Islington station, using the closed entrance on the other side of Holloway Road.
- Reopening of Primrose Hill station
- Improved voltage changeover at Primrose Hill station.
- Reopening of Maiden Lane station.
- Enabling works for four-tracking between Highbury and Islington and Camden Road stations.
Organised professionally, I suspect that it could all be done with the minimum of disruption to existing services.
Could The North London Line Be Four-Tracked Between Camden Road And Highbury And Islington Stations?
I ask myself this question every time, I take a train across from between Camden Road Highbury and Islington stations.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr explains why.
North London Line
Note the two extra tracks to the North of the North London Line, that have been closed. Some were closed in 1870, but the space looks from the train that there might be a possibility of reinstatement.
This Google Map shows the four-track section through the site of the former Maiden Lane station.
The Site Of Maiden Lane Station
Note.
- The four tracks of the North London Line at the top.
- The remains of the platforms at Maiden Lane station.
- The East Coast Main Line going down the right hand side pf the map.
- The Channel Tunnel Rail Link going across the bottom -right hand corner.
The single track in the space between the lines , which runs South-West to the North-East, is the North London Incline, which loops to the South of the North London Line and allows train to come down the East Coast Main Line and then go West along the North London Line.
I once took it in a sleeper between Edinburgh and Euston.
It was a journey that illustrates how all sorts of freight and passenger trains, get to use the North London Line.
Four tracks between Hackney and Willesden would certainly add to the capacity of the line and help get its unique mix of trains through this crowded part of London.
Consider.
- East of Camden Road station, there would need to be some reorganisation and new track.
- Highbury and Islington station would need reorganising.
- West of Camden Road station, as there is two routes to Willesden Junction, each of which has two tracks, there are four tracks already.
- New digital signalling will help.
Four tracks might not be created, but something will have to be done to create more capacity for freight trains from London Gateway and the Haven Ports to any part of the country West of London or the M1.
And of course, travellers will demand more passenger trains along the line.
Is Highbury and Islington Station The Key That Unlocks Everything?
Highbury and Islington station suffered a double whammy.
- On the 27th June 1944 it was hit by a V1 flying bomb.
- Much of the remains of the station was then demolished in the 1960s, to create an interchange for the Victoria Line.
Luckily the 1960s architects left the station building on the other side of Holloway Road more or less intact on the outside.
But things are happening at the station.
- The Northern City Line will become the Great Northern Metro with a minimum of twelve trains per hour (tph) between Moorgate and Alexandra Palace before splitting for Welwyn Garden City and the Hertford Loop Line.
- The Victoria Line will keep increasing the number of trains, it squeezes through the 1960s tunnels. One day, I wouldn’t be surprised to see 40 tph. Victoria is a generous lady!
- In Increased Frequencies On The East London Line, I wrote of up to 24 tph along the East London Line, with Automatic Train Control in the core section. This must surely bring more trains to Highbury and Islington.
- The North London Line will get extra trains cascaded from the Watford DC Line from 2018.
- The urban realm outside the station could be improved.
If all these trains and their passengers are going to be handled quickly and safely, then improvements must be made to the station.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the lines at the station.
Highbury And Islington Station
The access to the Overground Lines at the station is easy, but with two just escalators and long passageways the access to the four deep-level platforms is terrible. It’s even worse if you’re disabled or have problems, as there is no lift.
I’ve not seen a 3-D image of the station, but a station-man told me, that he feels that lifts and possibly another bank of escalators could be installed in the second entrance on the other side of Holloway Road.
He might be wrong, but something drastic needs to be done to improve connectivity between the Overground and the deep-level lines.
The only thing that might get the station out of trouble in this matter, is the cross-platform interchange between the Victoria Line and the Great Northern Metro. This will ease passengers speedily to and from Moorgate and its hopefully comprehensive double-ended Crossrail station shared with Liverpool Street.
At present, two of the four lines through Highbury and Islington are bay platforms.
- Platform 1 would probably be left as it is, as going through would probably be difficult.
- However Platform 2 looks like it could accept through sevices, or serve as a terminus from services from either direction.
So will Highbury and Islington station be the key that unlocks everything?
It’ll certainly give passengers from stations like Camden Road, interesting travel options.
Possible New Routes
If you look at the combined North and East London Line system, that runs in a curve around North East London, it has termini; both in use and possible all along its length.
- At the Eastern and Southern ends you have Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace, New Cross, Stratford and West Croydon.
- Walthamstow and Chingford can be reached from Hackney Wick and Stratford.
- At the Northern end you have Watford Junction.
- At the Western ends you have Clapham Junction and Richmond.
- In the middle you have Highbury and Islington and Willesden Junction stations, that could probably turn trains from either direction.
It looks to me, that Transport for London have several options and all the statistics to create cross-London routes that passengers would use.
A Walk From Moorgate To Liverpool Street Station
This morning, I walked from Moorgate to Liverpool Street station, when it was quiet.
I took a route through Finsbury Circus, and was thus able to look at the various Crossrail works in the area.
These are some comments about the area, often based on this page on the Crossrail web site, which details the urban realm around Crossrail stations in the City of London.
Moorgate
Moorgate station will be much changed from the current station.
Reading the Crossrail web site, gives the impression that the majority of passengers will generally walk to the station from perhaps their office, a bus or a taxi. This is said.
- Reducing carriageway width in Moorgate and increasing footway space.
- Introduction of a central pedestrian median in Moorgate to improve crossing at a key pedestrian crossing point and improve accessibility for all users.
- A new pedestrianised public space will be created on Moorfields between New Union Street and London Wall, with access limited to emergency and service vehicles only.
- Moorfields south of Moor Place will act as a ‘secure zone’ outside the new station entrance in which vehicles access will be controlled via station controlled retractable bollards.
- Away from the raised carriageway areas regular kerb heights are retained in close proximity to the station entrance in Moorfields, Moorgate and Fore Street which allow for comfortable boarding of taxis via wheel chair ramps. The closest regular height kerbs to the station are located approximately 30m from the station entrance on Moorfields and Moorgate.
All is part of a wider plan in the City of London, which will probably result in a more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly city.
Buses On Moorgate
Nothing is said about buses on Moorgate, which are important to me, as they stop at the end of my road, with Northbound and Southbound stops within a hundred metres of my house.
I have two main bus routes, that will take me to and from Moorgate; the 21 and the 141.
I can remember as a child the London trolleybuses, one of which was the 641, which was replaced by the 141 bus.
This link shows where the Balls Pond Road and Mildmay Park cross about sixty years ago and the present day, perhaps seventy metres from my house.
I find it very convenient.
Moorgate is served by four main bus routes; the 21, 43, 76 and 141, all of which except the 76 go between Bank and Old Street stations.
I don’t know how the buses will be reorganised after Crossrail, but I suspect that the current stops will be used initially and only changed, when a new pattern of use emerges.
Crossrail and the Moorgate rebuild could effect the buses in several ways.
- Many new passengers will get a bus to and from Moorgate.
- I would suspect that Crossrail could cut the number of private cars in the centre of London.
- The better walking route to Liverpool Street station in the dry, might mean more bus passengers.
- The improved Great Northern Metro might increase or reduce passengers using the buses at Moorgate.
- Moorgate’s taxi-friendly design, may mean the station get choked by back-cabs and Uber.
\the rebuilding of Bank and London Bridge stations will also have an effect.
I suspect Transport for London, suspect what is going to happen, but the reality will only be found, when all the new lines, stations and walking routes are open.
Finsbury Circus
Finsbury Circus is an oasis in the City and Crossrail will hand it back after completion, with a hopefully-tasteful ventilation shaft in the middle.
Black Redstarts
Black Redstarts are quite a rare bird in the UK, but it appears that London has a population.
A notice in Finsbury Circus Gardens gave more details.
The Central Line
The Central Line isn’t built deep under buildings in central London, but it goes under the roads. At Liverpool Street station, I get the impression that it ran between the station and the next door Broad Street station (now Broadgate), before going South under Old Broad Street and then curving to the West under Throgmorton Street to go to Bank station.
You can get an impression of the depth of the Central Line from the length of the escalators at Liverpool Street station.
This extract taken from the Wikipedia entry for the Central London Railway, which was the predecessor of the Central Line, describes the construction of the tunnels.
To minimise the risk of subsidence, the routing of the tunnels followed the roads on the surface and avoided passing under buildings. Usually the tunnels were bored side by side 60–110 feet (18–34 m) below the surface, but where a road was too narrow to allow this, the tunnels were aligned one above the other, so that a number of stations have platforms at different levels. To assist with the deceleration of trains arriving at stations and the acceleration of trains leaving, station tunnels were located at the tops of slight inclines.
So you have a stack of lines and tunnels at Liverpool Street station.
- Close to the surface is the Metropolitan and Circle Lines going across the front of the station, roughly East-West
- 18-34 metres down the Central Line runs perpendicularly to the sub-surface lines.
- Crossrail is the deepest line in an East-West direction.
Crossrail is also building a pedestrian walkway in an East-West direction, that goes under the Central Line and above the level of the Crossrail running tunnels.
Is The Sun The Future Of Energy?
I get up early and usually watch the BBC Breakfast programme.
On Sunday, this usually includes the short version of the BBC News on-line program Click.
Sometimes, it is rather wacky, but today they reported on something that will effect us all; solar power.
If you’d like to watch the short version of Click, it’s here on the BBC web site.
They have two segments that show the improvements coming in solar energy.
- In the first, the program shows how Oxford University are using better materials to improve the efficiency of panels.
- In the second, the program talked to a Swiss company called Insolight, who have developed a replacement panel that moves to focus the sun’s energy on highly-efficient tiny solar cells, which gives an efficiency of 36%.
Never underestimate the ingenuity of scientists and engineers to create a more efficient world.
Are Crossrail Developing A Philosophy For Linking With Other Lines?
I have now written some posts about rail lines that have strong connections to Crossrail.
- In The Great Northern Metro, I described how a Great Northern Metro was being developed that had a very strong connection to Crossrail at Moorgate.
- In Extending Crossrail To Gravesend, I showed how Crossrail was having multiple effects along the North Kent Line.
- In The Future At Shenfield Station, I reprinted some comments, which said that Shenfield will become an important interchange.
All are different solutions, individually designed for the interchange.
Crossrail At Reading
If you look at the Reading station page on the Crossrail web site, nothing of substance is said, except the obvious.
Reading station requires relatively little work to prepare for the new Elizabeth line service.
But then you’d expect that as Reading station was only reopened after a complete rebuild in 2014. If the station hadn’t been designed to accept Crossrail efficiently, it would have been a design disaster of the highest order.
If say you are travelling from Bristol and want to go to say Bond Street you will have two possible routes.
- Stay on the train to Paddington and change to Crossrail there.
- Change to Crossrail at Reading.
I would appear that the change at Paddington is a short walk and an escalator down, but I have read nothing about how you will change trains at Reading.
Will it be a walk across a platform at Reading or an escalator up to the bridge and then another one down?
Judging by the London Bridge experience, I suspect it’ll be the escalator route.
As you have two options for the interchange, I doubt it will take long for passengers to work out what is their best route. They would also have the option to change their mind en route.
Some of the biggest winners will be passengers between say Bristol and stations between Reading and London, as they will probably have a relaxed change at Reading, rather one in a busy Paddington.
Crossrail At Shenfield
A lot of the reasoning at Reading for long-distance passengers applies at Shenfield, as you can change at Shenfield, Stratford and Liverpool Street for many services.
Crossrail At Abbey Wood
Passengers to and from North Kent only have one station to interchange with Crossrail, unlike those from the East and West.
Some information says that it will be a cross platform interchange at Abbey Wood station, but it could be a double escalator transfer.
It should be clear next year, when Abbey Wood station, is more complete.
The High-Frequency Interchange
If you look at stations and the frequency of Crossrail trains to and from Central London in trains per hour (tph) you get.
- Abbey Wood – 12 tph in Peak, 8 tph in Off Peak
- Shenfield – 24 tph in Peak, 16 tph in Off Peak
- Paddington – 24 tph in Peak, 16 tph in Off Peak
- Shenfield – 12 tph in Peak, 8 tph in Off Peak
So certainly going into Central London, you probably won’t have long to wait for a train.
Coming out, you might develop a philosophy if you need to catch a specific train out of Paddington or Liverpool Street.
The tube-like frequency of Crossrail will be a great help to passengers.
Interchange Between Crossrail And The Central Line At Stratford
This double cross-platform interchange is working at Stratford, where the Shenfield Metro and the Central Line have shared a platform, as long as I can remember. It actually dates from 1946.
At present there are 6 tph on the Shenfield Metro and 24 tph on the Central Line.
Crossrail will introduce other high-frequency interchanges like this.
Interchange Between Crossrail And The Great Northern Metro
At Moorgate, the frequencies of the two lines will be.
- Crossrail – 24 tph in the Peak and 16 tph in the Off Peak
- Great Northern Metro – 14 tph in the Peak and 10 tph in the Off Peak
The longest time you are likely to wait in the Peak is about four minutes, with six minutes in the Off Peak.
Obviously, you’ll still have to walk between the two platforms and the first train that comes might be going to the wrong destination.
I think Irene’s Law, that works so well for the Underground, could work equally well for Crossrail and lines linked to it, like the Great Northern Metro.
Interchange Between Crossrail And The Victoria And Piccadilly Lines
There is no direct interchange between Crossrail and the Piccadilly and Victoria Lines.
But there is cross-platform interchange between the Great Northern Metro and the \Victoria Line at Highbury and Islington station.
So will passengers going between Crossrail and the Nortern reaches of the Victoria Line do the double change at Moorgate and Highbury and Islington stations? I think East Londoners with their honorary degrees in ducking and diving will!
And then to get on the Piccadilly Line going North, it’s just another cross-platform interchange at Finsbury Park.
It won’t be a route on the tube map, but I’ve just calculated that if you’re going from Oakwood to Heathrow Central, it’ll be twenty minutes quicker than taking a direct run on the Piccadilly Line.
Interchange Between Crossrail And The Northern Line
Crossrail has interchanges with both branches of the Northern Line.
- City Branch at Moorgate
- Charing Cross Branch at Tottenham Court Road
As both branches are 20 yph now and will only increase, the longest wait to chanmge to the Northern Line will be little more than three minutes.
Interchange Between Crossrail And Thameslink
Both lines have a frequency of 24 tph, where they meet at Farringdon station.
If the interchange is an easy one, this one must work with the minimum of delay.
Interchange Between Crossrail And The East London Line
At Whitechapel, the frequencies of the two lines will be.
- Crossrail – 24 tph in the Peak and 16 tph in the Off Peak
- East London Line – 20 tph from 2019 all day.
The longest time you are likely to wait is about four minutes.
As the interchange will be a couple of escalators, it will be an easy one.
Conclusions
I said this earlier.
All are different solutions, individually designed for the interchange.
But until proven otherwise, they would appear to be easy and fast.
One factor that seems to fall out, is that if you have an interchange between two high-frequency lines, the interchange can be easy and fast.
Interestingly, train services at stations served by Crossrail are slated to be increased.
- Abbey Wood is getting extra Thameslink services and possibly other services made possible by Thameslink’s unblocking of London Bridge.
- Liverpool Street is getting more services because of new trains on the London Overground.
- Liverpool Street, Shenfield and Stratford are getting more services because of the new Abellio franchise and a billion pound purchase of new trains.
- Moorgate is getting more services because of the creation of the Great Northern Metro.
- Paddington and Reading are getting more services, courtesy of the Great Western Electrification.
I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the positive affects of Crossrail.
Is Community Rail A Good Thing?
This article from the BBC is entitled TransWilts rail service made permanent by government.
It would certainly appear that the revived fifty kilometre service across Wiltshire has been a success.
The line may not be as spectacular as Settle-Carlisle, but like that famous line, Transwilts seems to show that Community Rail lines work.
A Station In Need Of Improvement
For some people, Hackney Wick station is an ideal place to start a visit to the Olympic Park.
But as these pictures show, it is not one of the best of London’s stations.
On the other hand, you can see in the first of the pictures, that work has started on a major station upgrade.
A guy in head-to-toe orange told me, that a new station will have emerged by February 2018.
In The Plans For A New Hackney Wick Station, I show a few pictures of what the station will look like.
Progress Through Walthamstow – 28th September 2016
These pictures show the Gospel Oak to Barking Line through Walthamstow.
Note.
- It looks like both tracks have been mostly relaid.
- The slab track under Pretoria Avenue, where it was put in due to a sewer being beneath the bridge.
- There is also slab track at the other end of this section of line, but I suspect, it’s covered with ballast.
From what I could see at Blackhorse Road station, there doesn’t appear to be any foundations for lift towers or ramps to create step-free access to the Overground platforms. On Network Rail’s Access for All list of improvements. the improvements at Blackhorse Road station are listed as Future Planned for 2017/2018.
As the new Class 710 trains will start running in 2018, surely it would be good planning to at least do all the work needed on the Overground platforms now!
Or is there some rule, which says that when you make one line at a station step-free for all, you must do that for all lines?
It is interesting to look at this Google Map of the station.
The Victoria Line station is the square building to the North East of the obvious GOBlin station, with the space between the stations being just grass and some bushes.
In one of the pictures, there is a lot of work going on in this area.
Could it be, that there is a route to create a lift shaft from somewhere in this area, that goes both down to the Victoria Line and on the surface connects to the ticket hall and the bridge over the GOBlin?
It could also be work associated with a new chiller described in this article on the TfL web site., which is entitled Innovative new fan chiller to help customers beat the heat.
If you look inside the station, you’ll see that the escalators down to the Victoria Line platforms, start just to the West of the bridge over the Overground.
Without more information, it’s difficult to work out what is happening.
But it would surely be a good idea to do all the work at the same time and get the station step-free before the GOBlin starts running electric trains.
Vivarail In The Financial Times
There is an article about Vivarail’s Class 230 train in the Financial Times today.
I have a feeling that this is one of those projects, where the engineering will deliver, but the overall concept might initially not be a big seller.
I can think of one or two cars, for which that could be said.
I’m certainly looking forward to riding in the prototype that hopefully will be appearing between Coventry and Nuneaton before the end of the year.
It will be interesting to compare the experience with that of a D78 stock, that I rode a couple of weeks ago.
As any horseman will say. “Handsome is as handsome does!”
The Anonymous Widower 