A Trip To Caterham
On Monday, I took a trip to Caterham station, as it is one of the Thameslink destinations. This Google Map shows shows the station.
Caterham Station
Note how it is a two-platform station in a confined space. There would appear to be a large car psrk on one side of the station, with a Waitrose underneath.
I took these pictures whilst I was there.
The Caterham branch and the station is typical of many branch lines in the UK and has a four trains per hour service to London; two to each of Victoria and London Bridge.
A Trip To Tattenham Corner
Tattenham Corner station was built to serve the racecourse at Epsom as this Goggle Map shows.
Tattenham Corner Station And Epsom Racecoiurse
Perhaps because of the racecourse and the Downs, unlike Epsom which is in Fare Zone 7, Tattenham Corner is in Fare Zone 6, so it is in Freedom Pass territory.
I went to take these pictures and it should have been an easy trip from London Bridge, but I got the wrong train and had to change at South Croydon and Purley.
It was very much a trundle through typical Surrey countryside of woods, fields and semi-detached houses.
I do wonder if the team that decided that Cambridge would be the other end of the Thameslink service from Tattenham Corner were racing enthusiasts, but it will certainly come in handy for racing, as driving from Newmarket to Epsom is not that easy.
I also wonder, if as Thameslink develops, then this station will get used as a Park-and-Ride station close to the M25 for London, as the Class 700 trains will be a large increase ion capacity.
South Croydon Station
I took these pictures at South Croydon station.
I think it would be true to say, that South Croydon station is looking for a place in the rail network South of London.
The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:
- 2 to London Victoria via East Croydon and Norbury
- 2 to London Bridge via East Croydon and Forest Hill
- 4 to Caterham
Which isn’t much for a station with six platforms.
As I watched for about fifteen minutes, I saw all manner of trains speed through including a new Class 700 train.
When Thameslink opens in 2018, current plans don’t have any trains calling at South Croydon. I think that these will be changed so that a regular pattern of four trains an hour in both directions will call, as Thameslink will want to give passengers at as many stations as possible access to Thameslink services.
If they don’t, I hope they are ready for the protests.
Anybody at station X without Thameslink will be complaining if station Y does!
More Pictures Of The Bermondsey Dive-Under
I took these pictures from the other track of the Bermondsey Dive-Under.
I think they are better than those I posted under Works Around The Bermondsey Dive-Under.
New Track South Of London Bridge
These pictures were taken as I took the 10:29 to Caterham from London Bridge.
There certainly seems to be a lot of new track going in.
Last Ever Class 66 Locomotives Arrive In UK
The title of this post in the headline in an article on Global Rail News. It describes how the last seven Class 66 freight locomotives have now been delivered to the UK.
In my view it is mixed news.
- We need more freight locomotives to get cargo traffic off the roads and these seven will help.
- Class 66 locomotives don’t meet the current EU emission regulations as is explained here.
- They are extremely noisy, vibrate badly and are a constant source of complaints, where they run through built-up areas.
- Once they are imported, will we ever see the back of them?
In addition, we are electrifying more and more lines and in particular freight routes, so where are orders for new electric locomotives?
Will We Get Trams On The Isle Of Wight?
The Island Line on the Isle of Wight, is an oddity in that it is part-tourist attraction, part-commuter link and part-important railway, run using old London Underground tube trains. I wrote about my only ride on the line in A Trip On The Island Line.
According to this report on Rail Magazine, which is entitled Garnett report advises trams for the Isle of Wight, it would be better if the line was redeveloped using trams or light rail, and probably run under much greater local control.
I agree, but I can already hear moans from people who want to keep the line as it is. But it must be a maintenance and operational nightmare! All credit should probably go to South West Trains and their partners, who keep this museum piece running.
I also feel that there could be some innovative form of light rail, run on this difficult line, using a mix of all the new technologies now coming in to the mainstream.
- Ability to run on a well-laid standard gauge track, without electrification.
- Battery/flywheel and electric operation with charging at end and interchanges to give a range of five to ten miles between charging stations.
- Spacious, step-free and enough vehicles, with the capacity of probably a three-car tram.
- Street running capability.
- Totally automatic or semi-automatic one-man operation.
- Tramway-style infrastructure and rules, so stops would be safe and simple.
- Several trips an hour frequency
- Contactless bank card ticketing.
In some ways the nearest form of transport at present is a Parry People Mover. But these are just not big or automated enough. However a modern tram run with more automation and on batteries could be a solution.
I think there is an opportunity on the Isle of Wight to create the prototype of an advanced form of self-contained, environmentally-friendly transport system.
The Island Line is unique in the UK at the moment, but I can think of several places, where this form of automatic light rail people mover might be a solution.
- Chessington South to Chessington World of Adventures
- Greenhithe to Bluewater
- Ipswich to Felixstowe – It could even extend to the seafront along pedestrianised streets.
- Romford to Upminster – Surely, running a four-car Class 710 train is an expensive solution!
- St. Erth to St. Ives
There must be many places in the UK and around the world, where a simple standard drop-in automatic light rail system can be applied.
Many could even be built by local commercial interests or authorities.
Works Around The Bermondsey Dive-Under
I took these pictures as I came into London Bridge on a train from Caterham.
It would appear the Bermondsey Dive-Under is coming together.
The Last Class 378 Train Has Been Lengthened
The last Class 378 train to be lengthened to five cars has a special board on the front.
The Last Class 378 Train Has Been Lengthened
According to this article on RailStaff, the trains won’t be going to six cars. This is said.
Six car is not really an option on either the North London Line or particularly the East London Line because of the constraints of the tunnels.
If that is the case, then to get more capacity, they will need an increased frequency and probably more trains. The Wikipedia entry for the Class 710 trains that will be used on other Overground lines says this.
TfL invited expressions of interest for a total of 39 four-car EMUs in April 2014, with 30 required for the Cheshunt and Chingford routes, 8 for the Gospel Oak to Barking, and 1 for the Romford to Upminster. Since then the planned procurement has been increased to 45 four-car EMUs, with the additional 6 units intended for the Watford DC Line. The intention is that the five-car Class 378 trains used on the Watford route will be cascaded back to the North London and East London Lines to allow for strengthened services.
So it looks like the Watford DC Lines will be running different trains, although they will be the same as those on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line. So the GOBlin will be getting dual-voltage trains, so this means that in future an extension to invade South London via Acton and Hounslow is not compromised.
The Anonymous Widower 