Crossrail’s Park-And-Ride Facilities
Crossrail is costing upwards of around fifteen billion pounds, but when it comes to providing Park-and-Ride facilities for passengers, it probably scores a massive zero-out-of-ten.
Consider.
- Parking at Shenfield station is no more than adequate for current customers.
- Abbey Wood station‘s restricted site, may well be getting a flagship station, but where will passengers park?
- Crossrail’s South-Eastern branch doesn’t serve Ebbsfleet International stastion, which has masses of parking.
- Of the three branches, only Reading station can probably increase its parking to cope.
- Where are the Park-and-Ride sites , where Crossrail and the M25 intersect?
It is certainly not good enough.
A Park-and-Ride At Brentwood
This Google Map shows where Crossrail crosses the M25, just South of the junction between the M25 and the A12.
Crossrail And The M25 And A12 At Brentwood
I feel that this would be a logical site for a station with large and efficient Park-and-Ride facilities.
- It would be about thirty minutes from Liverpool Street station and seventy minutes from Heathrow.
- There would be over a dozen trains per hour (tph) to and from Central London.
- Long-distance trains to and from Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and Southend could call and have cross-platform interchange with Crossrail.
I suspect that there would be massive opposition to building the station.
A Park-and-Ride At Iver
This Google Map shows Iver station and the M25 as it goes South from the M40 to the M4.
Crossrail And The M25 At Iver
I feel that this would be another logical site for a station with Park-and-Ride facilities.
In Network Rail Plans Another Tunnel Into Heathrow, I talked about plans to create a Western Rail Approach to Heathrow.
- The route starts between Langley and Iver stations, goes South roughly parallel with the M25 and then goes into Terminal 5 from the West.
- Much of the route is in tunnel.
Surely, if a Park-and-Ride site was to be built in the West of London, then these two projects should be combined.
Since I wrote about the PRT System in A Visit To Heathrow Terminal 5, I’ve met someone, who’s had a ride. Their view was totally positive on this new technology.
So I think there could be possibilities for a very futuristic transport system to Heathrow linked to Crossrail at Iver, in addition to the full rail option.
A Park-and-Ride At Abbey Wood
Abbey Wood Station
This Google Map shows the area of South East London around Crossrail’s terminus at Abbey Wood station..
There doesn’t appear to be much space around the station for a Park-and-Ride site.
This Google Map shows the roads in the area.
Roads Around Abbey Wood Station
Abbey Road station is on Harrow Manor Way, which links two East-West routes; the A2016 and the A206.
As Abbey Wood is the only surface station on the South-Eastern branch, I don’t think that there is a great probability, that a large Park-and-Ride site can be built on the South-astern branch of Crossrail.
A Park-and-Ride On An Extended South-Eastern Branch
Crossrail have safeguarded an extension Gravesend, which is described in this section in Wikipedia.
The route to Gravesend has been safeguarded by the Department for Transport, although it was made clear that as at February 2008 there was no plan to extend Crossrail beyond the then-current scheme. The following stations are on the protected route extension to Gravesend: Belvedere, Erith, Slade Green, Dartford, Stone Crossing, Greenhithe for Bluewater, Swanscombe, Northfleet, and Gravesend
So does this route give possibilities for a large Park-and-Ride?
This Google Map shows how the proposed extended route of Crossrail, runs under the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.
Crossrail, And The QE2 Bridge
Slade Green station is to the West of the bridge and the M25, in the top-left corner of the map, whilst Stone Crossing station is to the East, in the bottom right corner of the map.
This Google Map shows the route between Slade Green station and the Southern end of the bridge using the A206.
Slade Green Station To The QE2 Bridge
Slade Green station is in the top-left corner of the map and the Southern approach of the bridge in the bottom-right.
This Google Map shows between the bridge and Stone Crossing station.
The QE2 Bridge To Stone Crossing Station
The Southern approach to the bridge is in the bottom-left with Stone Crossing station in the bottom-right.
After a brief look at both stations, using Wikipedia and Google Maps, the following can be said.
- Both stations are on the A206 road.
- The links to the M25 and M2 could probably be improved.
- There would appear to be space at both stations to build substantial parking.
- Both have at least two tph to and from Abbey Wood at the present time.
- From 2018, Thameslink will be running two tph will run from Rainham to Luton stopping at Stone Crossing, Slade Green and Abbey Wood stations.
- Nearly all the trains on the line will be 12-car trains.
Could the Park-and-Ride needs on the Abbey Wood branch be solved by increasing the parking at stations like Stone Crossing and Slade Green, with passengers using local trains and Thameslink to access Crossrail?
- There should be sufficient capacity in the 12-car trains to fit in a few short-distance travellers.
- The frequency between Abbey Wood and Rochester should be at least four tph.
- These trains will call at Slade Green, Dartford, Stone Crossing, Greenhithe, and Gravesend.
- The Crossrail frequency at Abbey Wood will be at least eight tph.
- Because of these frequencies, there shouldn’t be too much time wasted, waiting for a train at Abbey Wood.
I think that this shows that if the connecting trains to Abbey Wood have a medium to high frequency and there is plenty of parking along the line, then loyts of parking doesn’t need to be provided at Abbey Wood.
The more that I look at the lines and services in North Kent, it does appear that running Thameslink between Rainham and Luton via Greenwich, Abbey Wood and Dartford was a piece of very high-class thinking.
Extending Crossrail To Gravesend
When I started to write Along The North Kent Line, I didn’t think that my conclusions would involve Crossrail.
I was wrong, so I’ve decided to write about extending Crossrail to Gravesend as a separate post.
Crossrail to Gravesend
Under Future in the Wikipedia entry for Gravesend station, this is said.
In December 2008, the local authority for Gravesend (Gravesham Council), was formally requested by Crossrail and the Department for Transport, to sanction the revised Crossrail Safeguarding. This safeguarding provides for a potential service extension, from the current south of Thames terminus at Abbey Wood, to continue via the North Kent Line to Gravesend station. The Crossrail route extension from Abbey Wood to Gravesend and Hoo Junction, remains on statute. With current services from Gravesend to London Bridge, Waterloo East and London Charing Cross being supplemented by highspeed trains from the end of 2009 to St Pancras, the potential in having Crossrail services from central London, London Heathrow, Maidenhead and/or Reading, terminating at Gravesend, would not only raise the station to hub status but greatly contribute towards the town’s regeneration.
So it would appear that the route is safeguarded to Gravesend and Hoo Junction and it remains on statute.
Current Services At Gravesend
At present, Gravesend station has the following typical Off Peak service.
- 2 trains per hour (tph) Highspeed services in each direction between London St. Pancras, Ebbsfleet International and Faversham and the East.
- 2 tph Southeastern services between London Charing Cross and Gillingham.
- 4 tph Southeastern services between London Charing Cross and Gravesend.
From 2019, Thameslink are saying that they will be running two tph between Rainham and Luton via Dartford and Greenwich.
This will mean that eight tph in each direction will go between Gravesend and Dartford, with another two tph going between Gravesend and Ebbsfleet International.
Because of the new Thameslink service, the train frequency between Gravesend and Gillingham will increase from the current four tph to six tph.
Gravesend As A Crossrail Terminal
I think that although Gravesend will be the nominated terninal for Crossrail, the trains will actually reverse direction at Hoo Junction, so there will be no need to use any platform space at Gravesend to prepare the train for its return journey.
Gravesend and Hoo Junction, will work very much like London Bridge and Cannon Street, where trains call at the first station and are reversed at the latter. Hoo Junction would just be a depot and a set of sidings.
I also think that the facilities at Hoo Junction could be built with minimal electrification, as the Crossrail Class 345 trains may have enough onboard energy storage to handle movement in depots and remote wake-up, which I discussed in Do Bombardier Aventras Have Remote Wake-Up?.
Class 345 trains have an auto-reverse ability which I talked about in Crossrail Trains Will Have Auto-Reverse. Will this be used to turn the trains at Hoo?
Crossrail’s Service To Abbey Wood
At present, Wikipedia is saying this will be the Morning Peak Crossrail service from Abbey Wood station.
- 4 tph to Heathrow Terminal 4
- 6 tph to Paddington
- 2 tph to West Drayton
With this Off Peak service.
- 4 tph to Heathrow Terminal 4
- 4 tph to Paddington
This gives totals of 12 tph in the Peak and 8 tph in the Off Peak.
Crossrail Frequency To Gravesend
What the current North Kent Line can handle would probably determine how many Crossrail trains travel to Gravesend and Hoo Junction.
But Crossrail won’t be short of seats to really provide a superb service to and from the Gravesend.
I think that 4 tph could probably be fitted into the timetables between Abbey Wood and Gravesend. This would give.
- 10 tph between Abbey Wood and Dartford
- 12 tph between Dartford and Gravesend.
Six of the trains between Abbey Wood and Gravesend would be the two hundred metro long trains of Crossrail and Thameslink.
As the signalling is all new, I suspect that the line could cope.
The service level does generate some questions.
- Would Thameslink need to run a twelve-car train on the Rainham to Luton service?
- Dartford is a big winner, so will the other services from Dartford be re-routed?
- How many services would stop at Greenhithe for Bluewater?
- How would Crossrail’s Western destinations be allocated between Abbey Wood and Gravesend?
Connecting To Ebbsfleet International
I think it is essential that Crossrail connects to Continental train services and as the cross-London line goes nowhere near to St. Pancras, the connection must be made at either the draughty Stratford International or the truly dreadful Ebbsfleet International.
Talk about choosing the lesser of two evils, one of which; Stratford, should but doesn’t have Continental services!
So the connection between the Crossrail, Thameslink and the North Kent Line and Ebbsfleet International must be improved.
Possible connections could be.
- A shuttle bus from Northfleet station.
- A decent people mover or travellator from Northfleet station
- A shuttle bus from Gravesend.
- More train services from Gravesend.
There is of course the option of creating a proper rail link. But that would be expensive.
I think that as the number of trains stopping at Northfleet station will be somewhere around ten tph in each direction, a frequent shuttle bus might be a good option to start with.
The problem with the trains, is that there is only two tph between Gravesend and Ebbsfleet International.
Building The Crossrail Extension
I have a feeling that once Crossrail is running successfully, the traffic will define, if, when and how any extension to Gravesend is built.
But the creation of the extension to Gravesend and Hoo Junction will not be a massive undertaking.
- The depot and other facilities at Hoo Junction will have to be built.
- Could the depot at Hoo Junction be without electrification? If the Class 345 trains have sufficient onboard energy storage, which I believe could be the case and I wrote about in Bombardier’s Plug-and-Play Train, then this is a serious possibility, which would save money and time in building the depot.
- All platforms are probably long enough for the Class 345 trains.
- The Crossrail train specification says that trains must have the potential to be converted for third rail operation. The similar Class 710 trains will have this capability.
- Judging by my observations in Between Abbey Wood And Belvedere Stations, I feel that Abbey Wood station is probably capable of handling the same number of trains as it is planned on opening, even if some go further down the line.
- The signalling would have to be adjusted for the new service pattern. But thre signalling has been upgraded!
But there would be no tunnelling and no major electrification on the North Kent Line.
Perhaps, the only major expenses would be.
- Building the depot/reversing sidings and facilities at Hoo Junction.
- Any extra trains needed.
- The cost of any rail link into Ebbsfleet International station.
So I doubt, we’ll be talking large numbers of billions.
Related Posts
A Design Crime – Ebbsfleet International Station
Between Abbey Wood And Belvedere Stations
Connecting North Kent And The Medway Towns To Ebbsfleet International Station
Along The North Kent Line
The North Kent Line has seen some changes in the last few years and could see some more in the next few.
Starting from the terminal in London Bridge, which itself is going through a massive upgrade, these improvements have been done or will happen.
Woolwich Arsenal
Woolwich Arsenal station has from 2009 provided a direct link to the Docklands Light Railway, giving a direct connection to London City Airport and Bank.
In 2019, Woolwich station on Crossrail will open, which will be two hundred metres away from Woolwich Arsenal station. This will probably not have a direct effect on Woolwich Arsenal station, but two stations will certainly stimulate development in the area.
I doubt many will use this station to interchange between the North Kent Line and Crossrail, as it looks like the connection at Abbey Wood station could be easier.
Abbey Wood
Abbey Wood station is being rebuilt and in December 2018, Crossrail will start services at the station to Paddington via Canary Wharf and the central tunnel.
Wikipedia says this about Crossrail services at Abbey Wood station.
Abbey Wood is the terminus of one of two eastern branches of Crossrail and will offer cross-platform interchange between terminating Crossrail services (at 12 trains per hour on new line) and existing Southeastern services (along existing tracks)
Plans are always being talked about to link Abbey Wood station to the North Bank of the Thames at either Gallions Reach or Barking Riverside.
I doubt it will happen in the next ten years.
Dartford
Dartford station has from the beginning of this year been one of London’s contactless ticketing stations, as is reported in Oyster and Contactless Bank Cards, under the station’s Wikipedia entry.
Don’t be surprised if this creeps outwards from London.
Greenhithe
Greenhithe station was rebuilt in 2008 and is the station for Bluewater.
Because of the Shopping Centre, Greenhithe will probably be a station that could benefit from contactless ticketing.
Northfleet
Northfleet station is the closest to Ebbsfleet International and we could see an improved link between the two stations.
As Northfleet could have upwards of four trains per hour (tph) stopping in both directions, a frequent shuttle bus, could be an affordable option.
Smaller Stations
There are several smaller stations between London Bridge and Gravesend.
I’m obviously not sure, but on a quick look all of them seem ready to accept the long trains, that will be used by both Thameslink and Crossrail.
Gravesend
Gravesend station was remodelled in 2013 and now has two long through platforms and a bay platform.
Crossrail to Gravesend
Under Future in the Wikipedia for Gravesend station, this is said.
In December 2008, the local authority for Gravesend (Gravesham Council), was formally requested by Crossrail and the Department for Transport, to sanction the revised Crossrail Safeguarding. This safeguarding provides for a potential service extension, from the current south of Thames terminus at Abbey Wood, to continue via the North Kent Line to Gravesend station. The Crossrail route extension from Abbey Wood to Gravesend and Hoo Junction, remains on statute. With current services from Gravesend to London Bridge, Waterloo East and London Charing Cross being supplemented by highspeed trains from the end of 2009 to St Pancras, the potential in having Crossrail services from central London, London Heathrow, Maidenhead and/or Reading, terminating at Gravesend, would not only raise the station to hub status but greatly contribute towards the town’s regeneration.
At present, Gravesend station has the following services.
Typical off-peak services are:
- 2 tph Highspeed services in each direction between London St. Pancras, Ebbsfleet intewrnation and Faversham and the East.
- 2 tph Southeastern services between London Charing Cross and Gillingham.
- 4 tph Southeastern services between London Charing Cross and Gravesend.
From 2019, Thameslink are saying that they will be running two tph between Rainham and Luton via Dartford and Greenwich.
This will mean that eight tph in each direction will go between Gravesend and Dartford, with another two tph going between Gravesend and Ebbsfleet International.
Because of the new Thameslink service, the train frequency between Gravesend and Gillingham will increase from the current four tph to six tph.
I think that although Gravesend will be the nominated terninal for Crossrail, the trains will actually reverse direction at Hoo Junction, so there will no need to use any platform space at Gravesend to prepare the train for its return journey.
At present, Wikipedia is saying this will be the Morning Peak service from Abbey Wood station.
- 4 tph to Heathrow Terminal 4
- 6 tph to Paddington
- 2 tph to West Drayton
With this Off Peak service.
- 4 tph to Heathrow Terminal 4
- 4 tph to Paddington
What the current North Kent Line can handle would probably determine how many Croosrail trains went to Gravesend and Hoo Junction.
But Crossrail won’t be short of seats to really provide a superb service to and from the Medway Towns.
I have a feeling that once Crossrail is running successfully, the traffic will define, if, when and how any extension to Gravesend is built.
But the creation of the extension to Gravesend and Hoo Junction will not be a massive undertaking.
- The depot and other facilities at Hoo Junction will have to be built.
- Could the depot at Hoo Junction be without electrification? If the Class 345 trains have sufficient onboard energy storage, which I believe could be the case and I wrote about in Bombardier’s Plug-and-Play Train, then this is a serious possibility, which would save money and time in building the depot.
- All platforms are probably long enough for the Class 345 trains.
- The Crossrail train specification says that trains must have the potential to be converted for third rail operation. The similar Class 710 trains will have this capability.
- Judging by my observations in Between Abbey Wood And Belvedere Stations, I feel that Abbey Wood station is probably capable of handling the same number of trains going further down the line.
- The signalling would have to be adjusted for the new service pattern.
But there would be no tunnelling and no major electrification on the North Kent Line.
Perhaps, the only major expenses would be.
- Building the depot/reversing sidings and facilities at Hoo Junction.
- Any extra trains needed.
- The cost of any rail link into Ebbsfleet International station.
So I doubt, we’ll be talking large numbers of billions.
Class 395 Trains
The Class 395 trains are normally six-car trains, but they can work in pairs as twelve-cars.
This probably means that any station, where the Highspeed service calls can handle a twelve-car train.
Strood
Strood station was updated in 2009 for the Highspeed service. Ready for Crossrail/Thameslink.
Rochester
Rochester station was rebuilt in 2016. Ready for Crossrail/Thameslink.
Chatham
Chatham station accepts twelve-car trains. Ready for Crossrail/Thameslink.
Gillingham
Ready for Crossrail/Thameslink.
Gillingham station is an interchange with two long platforms and a bay platform.
Five tph including two Highspeed services pass through the station and two tph go to and from London Charing Cross.
From 2019, there will be another two Thameslink tph between Luton and Rainham stopping at the station.
All this adds up to comprehensive service which stretches out to several London termini and the Kent Coast.
London Bridge, Abbey Wood and Gravesend all have at least four tph from Gillingham.
Rainham
Ready for Crossrail/Thameslink.
Rainham station has been updated in the last couple of years. An Update section in the Wikipedia entry, says this.
As part of the rebuild of Rochester Station, a new Up Bay Platform has been added.
Trains are now able to use this new platform as the East Kent Resignalling Project has been completed. At present, only a couple of trains use it in the evening rush hour.
The East Kent Resignalling Project is described on this page of the Southeastern web site.
These improvements are noted.
- New £26 million station at Rochester
- 250 new signals to replace old signalling equipment
- Disabled access at Strood station
- New bay platform at Rainham
- Safer level crossings fitted with obstacle detection technology at Aylesford, Yalding, Beltring, Wateringbury, East Farleigh, Cuxton and Snodland
- Centralisation of signalling control to Gillingham and the decommissioning of several signal boxes.
It would appear that a updated railway and a short series of good stations through the Medway Towns has been created, that can handle the increased frequencies.
Thameslink To Rainham
Modern Railways in August 2016, said that Thameslink would be running a two tph service between Luton and Rainham via Greenwich and Dartford.
The new bay platform at Rainham would be ideal for this service.
Onward From Rainham
There doesn’t seem to be many changes to what services are run now.
Conclusions
Everything seems to fit together rather well.
- Twelve-car platforms seem universal or at least where needed.
- The signalling is up to scratch.
- The new bay platform at Rainham makes the new two tph Thameslink service to Luton deliverable.
- To extend Crossrail to Gravesend probably just needs the new depot at Hoo Junction.
- Dartford to Rainham gets at least a four tph service with six car or longer trains.
The only area, where nothing has been published, is how to incorporate Ebbsfleet International station into the network.
I think it could suffer from London Overground Syndrome. This is my definition of the disease.
This disease, which is probably a modern version of the Victorian railway mania, was first identified in East London in 2011, when it was found that the newly-refurbished East London Line and North London Line were inadequate due to high passenger satisfaction and much increased usage. It has now spread across other parts of the capital and across the UK, despite various eradication programs.
It is usually solved by adding more capacity.
Related Posts
A Design Crime – Ebbsfleet International Station
Between Abbey Wood And Belvedere Stations
Connecting North Kent And The Medway Towns To Ebbsfleet International Station
Extending Crossrail To Gravesend
What Do You Do With A Problem Like Sheppey?
A Walk Around Abbey Wood Station
I took these pictures as I walked in a circle around Abbey Wood station.
I walked along Harrow Manorway, crossed to the Sainsburys before walking along Felixstowe Road, where I walked for a couple of hundred yards towards Plumstead.
I used the new footbridge to cross the railway and then walked back through the side-streets to the station.
Not a country walk, but it does give some good views of the station and the Crossrail lines in the area.
Incidentally, the new footbridge has some clear panels to allow photographs.
Between Abbey Wood And Belvedere Stations
A couple of days ago I went to Abbey Wood station to see how the new Crossrail station was progressing. My pictures are here in Abbey Wood Station – 29th August 2016.
Those pictures made me wonder how Crossrail continued past the station and what the track was like to Belvedere station.
So I took a train to Belvedere and back and took these pictures.
Note.
It looks like two more tracks or sidings are being created on the North side of the Southeastern tracks.
There would appear to be a concrete track-bed being built.
Belvedere station is extremely tight for space and putting another two tracks through would look to be very difficult.
I still haven’t got any definite view as to whether Abbey Wood station, will have either of these layouts.
- Platforms 1/2 is Southeastern and Platforms 3/4 are Crossrail.
- Platforms 1/2 are towards London and Platform 3/4 are away from London, with cross-platform interchange between Southerneastern and Crossrail in both directions.
One thing that surprised me, as I waited to come home, was that a Southeastern train ran through on Platform 1 without stopping.
So perhaps we may see Crossrail in the middle and Southeastern on the two outside platforms.
It would certainly allow the valuable cross-platform interchange between services.
A reversing siding or sidings for Crossrail would be to the East of Abbey Wood station, between the two Southeastern tracks.
Would the two Crossrail lines be bi-directional to platforms 2 and 3?
The only problem would be that the down Southeastern track would have to cross over the Crossrail tracks. Would it do this just to the West of the tunnel portal, so that the lines are lined up in this order from South to North?
- Up Southeastern calling at Platform 1 at Abbey Wood
- Up Crossrail calling at Platform 2 at Abbey Wood
- Down Crossrail calling at Platform 3 at Abbey Wood
- Down Southeastern calling at Platform 4 at Abbey Wood
This Google Map shows Plumstead station and the various sidings in the area.
Plumstead Station And Crossrail
Plumstead station is in the South-West corner with the line to Abbey Wood station going to the East.
The Crossrail portal lies to the North of the line with the under construction Plumstead Stabling further to the North and pointing North-Easterly.
Having been through the area many times on a train, I feel that there is plenty of space around the tunnel portal and I suspect that my proposed line arrangement could be made to work.
- There is cross-platform interchange between Crossrail and Southeastern services at Abbey Wood station.
- Crossrail trains can reverse easily at Abbey Wood station.
- There are no flat junctions, where tracks cross.
- The only crossing is the down Southeastern line, which crosses over the Crossrail tracks whilst they are in the tunnel.
- Southeastern trains not stopping at Abbey Wood stations can pass straight through.
- If Crossrail is extended from Abbey Wood station, the down and up pair of lines can join and split to the East of Abbey Wood station.
If this layout is correct, it is much simpler for passengers than the interchange at Shenfield.
I will watch what happens with interest in the next few months.
Related Posts
A Design Crime – Ebbsfleet International Station
Connecting North Kent And The Medway Towns To Ebbsfleet International Station
Abbey Wood Station – 29th August 2016
Abbey Wood Station, now appears to have two completed Southeastern platforms.
Note.
- The two Southeastern platforms form a wide island platform, which is numbered 1 and 2
- It would appear that there will be a second island platform for Crossrail. Could they be numbered 3 and 4?
- I also think, that both island platforms will be connected to the station building on the overbridge, by escalators and lifts
- It does seem to me that the space is a bit limited for the two Crossrail platforms and their overhead wires.
All pictures seem to show that the Southeastern lines are on the Southern pair of tracks and the Crossrail ones are on the Northern pair.
But under Future in the Wikipedia entry for Abbey Wood station, this is said.
Abbey Wood is being rebuilt in preparation for Crossrail, due to commence operation in 2018. Abbey Wood is the terminus of one of two eastern branches of Crossrail and will offer cross-platform interchange between terminating Crossrail services (at 12 trains per hour on new line) and existing Southeastern services (along existing tracks). This is instead of continuing services to Ebbsfleet International along existing tracks as those lines are congested and may delay Crossrail services.
Does cross-platform interchange mean that one Crossrail and one Southeastern track will share each platform?
This visualisation of the station doesn’t give any definite clues.
Abbey Wood Station
If we look at the morning peak and Southeastern trains turn up in Platform 1, with lots of passengers for Crossrail, surely if they’ve all got to go up one escalator and down another to get to Crossrail on the other island platform, it is a inefficient passenger flow, compared to a simple cross-platform interchange.
The reverse would happen in the evening.
So it must just be possible, that each island platform will have one Southeastern line and one Crossrail line.
Those Frenchmen at carto.metro.free.fr have this view of the lines between Plumstead and Abbey Wood stations.
Crossrail Between Plumstead And Abbey Wood Stations
The map would appear to show the following.
- Platform 4 is a bay platform used by Crossrail and it is directly connected to the down (from London) Crossrail line.
- Platform 3 is directly connected to the up (towards London) Crossrail Line.
- There is no Crossrail lines shown to the East of Abbey Wood station.
- There is only one crossover between the two Crossrail lines, to allow trains from London to call at Platform 3 at Abbey Wood.
- The next crossovers on Crossrail, are at Custom House station.
- How do trains arriving in Platform 4 at Abbey Wood, get onto the up line through the tunnels?
- There would appear to have to be changes to the tracks, if Crossrail services are to be extended beyond Abbey Wood station.
I wonder if service levels give us any clues.
- At present there are eight Southeastern services per hour (tph) running through the station in the Off Peak.
- Six services go to and from Cannon Street and two terminate at Charing Cross.
- Wikipedia says Crossrail will run 12 tph in the Peak and 8 tph in the Off Peak.
Surely in an ideal world, if both services have an 8 tph frequency, it should be arranged that they the two services have a cross-platform interchange.
It should all be as clear as mud, in a few months.
Abbey Wood Station – 9th June 2016
I took these pictures at Abbey Wood station.
If you look at the various pictures I have taken over the past months of this station, the station is progressing and the builders seem to be managing to always have a working station amongst all the construction work.
Certain factors have helped in this important aim.
- The previous station was unloved by everyone and had absolutely no architectural merit.
- There are no heritage issues.
- Good design of a temporary step-free pedestrian bridge, that appears to be morphing into a permanent one, has aided passengers.
- There always seems to be cheery staff on hand for lost and puzzled passengers.
- Traffic is heavy in the area, but not unmanageably so.
But I think most importantly, the Crossrail portal is some distance away from the station, keeping the two projects effectively separate.
Compared to some station rebuilds, I’ve encountered in the past, so far it has been a textbook example of good project management.
A Walk From Plumstead To Abbey Wood
I went to look at the Crossrail program at the short length of surface line, that connects London’s new railway to Abbey Wood.
I was able to cross the railway three times and it will soon be four, when the new footbridge close to the station is completed. This Google Map shows the are of the walk.
Plumstead Abbey Wood
Plumstead station is to the left (West) and Abbey Wood is to the right (East)
New Tracks And Platforms At Abbey Wood Station
These pictures show construction work going on, mainly on the Southern side of the North Kent Line at Abbey Wood station.
The current southern platform, which is numbered 1, will become an island platform for the North Kent Line between the two tracks., The current Up line will become the Down line , with the new Up line being created to the South side of the platform. As the pictures show work is progressing well on creating a concrete channel for the track.
Crossrail Works Between Plumstead And Abbey Wood Stations
Work seemed to be in full flow between Plumstead and Abbey Road stations, as I went to Abbey Wood.
There will be depot at Plumstead for Crossrail, but most of the work shown is for the two new tracks that will be on the northern side of the North Kent Line
The Anonymous Widower 