Is Platform 1 At Ipswich Station Big Enough?
For some years, trains for Felixstowe and Lowestoft have usually shared Platform 1 at Ipswich station.
But with the new longer Class 755 trains replacing the current Class 150 or Class 153 trains, I suspect this will no longer be possible.
I was going to Felixstowe and my train left and returned to Platform 2B, which in the fourth picture is occupied by the back end of Norwich to London Express.
It looks like when all the new trains are in service, Platform 2 will be used by the following trains.
- Three trains per hour (tph) from Norwich to London.
- One tph From Peterborough to Colchester
- One tph to and from Felixstowe
In addition four Lowestoft services per day will go to and from London.
It strikes me, trains will have to keep very much to time or there is a need for an extra platform.
Free Water At Ipswich Station
I hope this is the shape of things to come.
Greater Anglia give more details on this page on their web site.
By Class 345 Train To Shenfield
This morning, I took one of Crossrail’s Class 345 train between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.
Even these initial trains, which are a couple of cars short of a full train, are a long walk from end-to-end.
I actually followed the driver, who was changing ends, by walking along the platform.
Two school parties of young children had arrived on the train, and she took time out from her walk, to chat to a couple of teachers and some of the children.
If you look at the second and last pictures, you’ll notice a door on the side of the cab. But the driver left and entered the train through the passenger compartment. In the last picture another driver is entering the train.He was perhaps taking over the train.
So it does seem, that drivers are happy to enter and leave the train, via the passenger compartment, which it appears they will be doing in the New Tube for London.
Is It Back To The Future In Manchester?
In the 1970s British Rail, proposed three tunnel projects in the North
- A Loop and Link in Liverpool that linked railways from North, South and the Wirral underneath the City Centre.
- A tunnel under Newcastle.
- The Picc-Vic Tunnel, under Manchester.
All three tunnels were designed to connect the railways on both sides of the cities.
- Liverpool got the much-loved and successful Northern and Wirral Lines of Merseyrail in 1977.
- Newcastle got the much-loved and successful Tyne and Wear Metro in 1980.
- Manchester got nothing, as Harold Wilson cancelled it, like Maplin Airport and the Channel Tunnel.
Am I right in thinking that the Channel Tunnel was resurrected later and opened in 1994? It is now much-loved and successful!
Finally, the Government and a lot of opposition MPs and unions have decided that Maplin be replaced by a third runway at Heathrow.
Will that be cancelled by Boris, David, Jeremy, Ruth or Vince?
Today, this article has been published on Rail Magazine, which is entitled Option For Underground Station At Manchester Piccadilly.
Apparently, to integrate Northern Powerhouse Rail into the HS2 station at Manchester Piccadiily station, one option is to go underground.
So are those ideas and surveys of the 1970s being looked at for a solution?
Inside A Piccadilly Line 1973 Stock Train
These pictures show the interior of a 1973 Stock train.
There are worse trains in the UK.
It should be noted that the trains were extensively refurbished in 1996-2001.
In some ways, the current layout of the train, is now very much the standard layout for London Underground rolling stock.
Celebrating Gay Pride
Yesterday, was London’s Gay Pride Day.
Some of the roundels have been changed in certain stations.
Should we see jaunty alternatives at other times or events during the year?
From Farringdon To Tottenham Court Road Station
After photographing the artwork at the new Barbican entrance to Farringdon station, I went to the current station entrance with the aim of getting to Tottenham Court Road station.
Obviously, when Crossrail opens, this will be a single-station hop on Crossrail, but there is no obvious quick way as present.
So out of curiosity, I asked one of the station staff, what is the recommended route.
She said, that the easiest way is to walk to Chancery Lane station and take the Central Line.
I also asked her why Thameslink, which is so much part of Farringdon station and will be such an important route at the station after Crossrail opens.
She said, but that’s National Rail.
So I walked to Chancery Lane.
It was a very hot day and uphill. But I made it without difficulty.
Crossrail will certainly make my journey easier, but I can’t help feeling that some journeys from Farringdon are better done using Thameslink.
Consider the following journeys.
Farringdon To London Bridge
Currently, I would do this journey using Thameslink, but what will Transport for London want us to do?
- Use Crossrail to Moorgate and get the Northern Line.
- Use Crossrail to Bond Street and get the Jubilee Line.
- Use Crossrail to Whitechapel and get the Jubilee Line.
I shall still use Thameslink.
Farringdon To Victoria
Currently, I would do this journey using Thameslink to Blackfriars and then get the Circle or |District Lines.
I suspect that Transport for London would recommend one of these.
- Use the Circle Line all the way. Easy but long.
- Go to Kings Cross on the Circle or Metropolitan Lines and get the Victoria. Not the easiest with a heavy case.
I shall continue to use Thameslink.
The New Museum Of London
The new Museum of London will be built close to Farringdon station.
I think, it will end up as one of London’s top museums.
But is it easy to get to the British Museum, National Gallery,Tate Modern and all those other museums in South Kensington.
The British Museum will be just a stop on Crossrail, when that opens, but for the others Thameslink will play a part.
For these routes and other reasons, Thameslink must be on the Tube Map.
Farringdon Station – 7th July 2018
These pictures show the Barbican station end of the Crossrail entrance at Farringdon station.
Note the design in the glass.
This article on Property Week is entitled Helical To Build £120m Office Over Farringdon Station.
It looks like the building of this block is starting.
West Hampstead Station – 7th July 2018
The new bridge at the West Hampstead station is now in use and it looks like the new station will be completed by the end of the year.
As the last picture shows this could be one of those station developments, where a deck could have been built over the North London Line to increase the number of flats built in the development on the South side of the railway.
This Google Map shows West Hampstead station on the North London Line and West Hampstead tube station on the Jubilee and Metropolitan Lines, although the latter don’t stop.
Note the development stretches a long way to the West between the North London Line and Underground Lines.
There have been plans to create a West Hampstead Interchange on West End Lane.
As these envisaged moving the Overground station to the East side of West End Lane and the new station is being built on the West side, It would appear there’s been a rethink.
Perhaps the Underground station is to be moved to the West side of West End Lane and will have an entrance on the small square in front of the M & S Simply Food and alongside the new Overground station.
This Google Map shows an enlargement of the area.
The new station could have platforms on the following lines.
- Jubilee Line
- Metropolitan Line
- Cjhiltern Railway
It would be a very worthwhile interchange. Especially, as passengers could do the following.
- Walk across the square for the Overground for East London.
- Walk perhaps another hundred metres to West Hampstead Thameslink station, which is also proposed as the terminus of the West London Orbital Railway.
There could also be a development on the top of the new station, which would hopefully contribute to the cost.
I have no idea, if anything will happen here, but Transport for London are looking to create new stations with over-site development. The Mayor also seems keen on the West London Orbital Railway, as it is based on under-used infrastructure and requires no new track or tunnels.
Getlink Pushes Budget Train Service Between London And Paris To Rival Eurostar
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on I-News.
Getlink is the infrastructure company, who actually own the tunnel and they have commissioned research into the idea, as this paragraph indicates.
Currently, Eurostar trips take around 2.2o hours and depart from St Pancras. The new link between Stratford and Paris would take just over three hours, but 25-30 per cent lower operating costs would mean lower fares for passengers. The numbers come from consultancy firm Roland Berger, and was commissioned by Getlink.
Elsewhere, the article says that the service will go to Roissy, which would be convenient for Charles de Gaulle Airport.
I do wonder, if someone has their eye on a couple of Eurostar’s retired Class 373 trains.
In 2011, I posted about an idea for a Trans Manche Metro.
The Anonymous Widower 