Thoughts On Extending The Northern Line To Clapham Junction
As I wrote in Northern Line Could Be Extended To Clapham Junction In Regeneration Plans, the extension of the newly-built extension to Battersea Power Station station could be further extended to Clapham Junction station.
Railways Between Battersea And Clapham
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks that run between the two stations.
Note.
- Battersea Power Station station is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The orange and yellow lines going North from that corner go to Victoria station.
- The orange and yellow lines going North-East from that corner go to Waterloo station.
- The yellow line going West is the West London Line to Shepherds Bush and Willesden Junction stations.
- Clapham Junction station is in the South-West corner of the map.
I estimate that the distance between Battersea Power Station and Clapham Junction stations is about three kilometres.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows an enlargement of the tracks around Battersea.
Note.
- The tracks going North over the River to Victoria station.
- The tracks going East to Waterloo station.
- The tracks going South West to Clapham Junction station.
- The tracks from Victoria pass over and then join the tracks from Waterloo to continue to Clapham Junction station.
Battersea Power Station station can be seen to the North-East of the junction.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows an enlargement of the tracks around Battersea Power Station station.
Note how the tracks go through Battersea Power Station station and terminate just before the lines into Victoria station.
It should also be noted that the platforms at Battersea Power Station station are reached using two sets of escalators, so they could be over forty metres below the surface. This would surely make the construction of tower blocks with deep foundations easier over the Northern Line.
But the depth would also enable an extended Northern Line to be below any existing or future construction.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the approaches to Clapham Junction station.
There are certainly a lot of tracks through Clapham Junction station.
Reasons For The Extension Of The Northern Line To Clapham Junction
These reasons come to mind.
To Enable Development In The Area
This is always a good reason.
In Network Rail To Outline Business Case For Clapham Junction Redevelopment, I said this.
The Rail Technology Magazine article talks of decking over the whole station and putting two million square feet of development on top. But it also cautions, it would be very expensive.
With that amount of development, there would be a need for as many transport links as possible.
To Improve Access To The Elizabeth Line For Passengers On Trains To And From Victoria
Victoria station does not have an Underground Line, that connects to easily the Elizabeth Line.
The best route to use is described in The Lizzie Line And Circle/District Line Interchange At Paddington – 1st July 2022, where you use the Circle to Paddington.
- To go to the West on the Elizabeth Line, take the Circle/District Line to Paddington.
- To go to the East on the Elizabeth Line, take the District Line to Whitechapel.
- To go to Liverpool Street take the Circle Line all the way.
Getting to the stations between Paddington and Liverpool Street means a change at either of those stations.
At Waterloo, you can use the Northern Line, which has a direct connection to Tottenham Court Road on the Elizabeth Line.
Connecting to the Northern Line at Clapham Junction will give Victoria-bound passengers, the advantages of those going to Waterloo.
An Alternative Way Of Connecting Victoria To The Elizabeth Line
The lack of an easy connection between the Victoria and the Elizabeth Line is a pain and I believe that it was a major omission in the design of the Elizabeth Line.
- Dear Old Vicky has a frequency of upwards of thirty trains per hour (tph)
- With some improvements at stations like Oxford Circus, Highbury & Islington and Walthamstow Central, the line could handle some more passengers.
- More step-free access would also help increase capacity.
- Engineers are a competitive bunch and I could see the day, when Vicky is running at 40 tph.
If Vicky was running at forty full tph, it would be moving 45120 passengers per hour.
This would mean that to match the passenger capacity of the older line, the Elizabeth Line would have to be running at a frequency of thirty tph.
As passengers at the ends of the line have difficulty getting to places like Paddington and Heathrow, a connection between the two Queens would really help.
Vicky was universe-class in the 1960s and now she needs updating to the 21st Century.
This map from cartometro shows the Lines through Bond Street and Oxford Circus stations.
Note.
- The Bakerloo Line is shown in brown.
- The Central Line is shown in red.
- The Elizabeth Line is shown in purple.
- The Victoria Line is shown in light blue.
- The Elizabeth Line is the deepest line.
In addition, consider.
The Eastern exit of the Elizabeth Line at Bond Street station has three escalators and lifts. It also opens onto Hanover Square, so it won’t suffer from overcrowding problems outside.
- Hanover Square is just a garden, with no car park underneath, so pedestrian tunnels could pass under it
- I also suspect there are no existing or planned buildings between the two stations with deep foundations that would block a pedestrian tunnel.
- With the capability and ingenuity of three-D design software, I can see wide tunnels being created that would link Oxford Circus and the two Bond Street stations.
- The new wide tunnels at Bank station have opened up the station’s capacity and all the tunnels were dug traditionally.
- If it was felt to be needed, moving walkways could be added, just as they have been at Bank station.
I am absolutely sure, that by using the ideas and methods, that have worked so well in the upgrade of Bank station, that Oxford Circus and Bond Street stations could be turned into a London Superhub Station, that connects all the Underground lines together and has entrances all over the area.
The benefits of such a station would be.
- It would provide a high-capacity link between London’s two highest-capacity Underground Lines; Elizabeth and Victoria.
- It would provide a high-capacity link between the Elizabeth Line and Euston, St. Pancras and King’s Cross.
- It would provide a high-capacity link between the Elizabeth Line and Victoria.
- It would provide a high-capacity link between the Elizabeth Line and High Speed Two.
- Areas like Brixton, Haringey and Walthamstow would gain a much needed link to the Elizabeth Line for Heathrow and Paddington.
Wikipedia says this about the building of the Bank Station Upgrade.
As part of the development of the scheme, TfL worked with potential bidders to improve the design of the station from TfL’s original design. The design proposed in the winning bid by Dragados was 9.7% cheaper than the original design (saving TfL £60m), took 10 months less time to construct than the original design (the proposed closure of the Northern line was also 5 weeks shorter), and the layout of the station was more efficient. This substantially improved the benefit–cost ratio by 45% to 3.5:1.
The Mayor should be knocking on the door of Dragados and asking them for a price for a design and build for a West End Superhub station.
A Possible Route For The Extension Of The Northern Line To Clapham Junction
I suspect that the simplest route for the extension of the Northern Line would be to bore or dig a twin-track railway underneath the numerous other railways in the area.
It could terminate in two underground platforms at Clapham Junction station.
This is the first map of this post and it shows the tracks that run between the two stations.
Note.
- Battersea Power Station station is in the North-East corner of the map.
- Clapham Junction station is in the South-West corner of the map.
The Western of the pair of orange Lines going off the map in the North-East corner of the map is the Brighton Main Line.
It passes through Battersea Park station.
It passes over the South Western Main Line out of Waterloo.
It then loops to the West and joins the lines to Clapham Junction on the Southern side.
It serves four platforms at Clapham Junction; 12 and 14 are up platforms and 13 and 15 are down platforms.
This Google Map shows an overview of Clapham Junction station.
Note.
- Platforms 1 and 2 at the top of the map, handle London Overground services.
- Platforms 3 to 11 handle South Western Train services.
- Platforms 12 to 17 handle Southern services.
- Platforms 9 and 10 have a Delice de France cafe.
- Platforms 11 and 12 have a Cuppacino cafe.
- Platforms 13 and 14 have the logos.
- All platforms have full step-free access with lifts to the wide footbridge that connects all platforms.
The platforms don’t seem to be very wide and putting stairs and escalators down to underground platforms could be a difficult proposition.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows shows the platforms at Clapham Junction station and the track layout to the West of the footbridge.
Note.
- The tracks through the platforms are shown in orange.
- The blue dots are platform numbers.
- The bridge connecting all the platforms is shown shaded in the middle of the map.
- To the West of the bridge are Clapham Junction Sidings and Clapham Traincare Depot.
These pictures were taken from the bridge.
Note.
- The top row of pictures were taken looking West.
- The bottom row of pictures were taken looking East.
- Many of the tracks are electrified.
- There is a lot of space to park trains.
Will all the space be needed now, that a new depot has been built at Feltham.
Could Two New Surface Platforms Be Built For The Extension Of The Northern Line To Clapham Junction?
Consider.
- The step-free bridge across all the platforms at Clapham Junction station works well.
- It is connected to the streets around the station at both ends.
- Clapham Junction station will be redeveloped and surplus depot land could be used for housing.
- As the maps show, there is a large gap in the platforms between the South Western Railway and the Southern sides of the station.
- As Battersea Power Station station can turn services on the Northern Line with only two platforms, there would only need to be the same number of Northern Line platforms at Clapham Junction.
So could an extra pair of platforms be built under the bridge, with stairs and a lift similar to the existing platforms?
- The platform would have full step-free access.
- The platforms could be long enough for any future trains.
- There could be sidings for a few trains.
- The tunnels from Battersea Power Station would surface just outside the station.
- There would need to be a crossover or a turnback siding for operational reasons.
I also think, that once the depot and sidings at Clapham Junction have released the space, the new platforms and tracks could be installed without interrupting main line services through the station.
Would The Extension Of The Northern Line Be Electrified?
Consider.
- Merseyrail were not allowed to use third-rail electrification to Headbolt Lane station and had to use batteries.
- The Northern Line was extended to Battersea Power Station station using London’s four-rail electrified system.
- Clapham Junction station has third-rail electrification everywhere.
I think that the authorities would be very churlish not to allow electrification to Clapham Junction.
Conclusion
I believe it is possible to extend the Northern Line to two new surface platforms at Clapham Junction station.
But I also believe that using similar methods to those used in the Bank Station Upgrade, that a full interchange between the Elizabeth and Victoria Lines can be built at Oxford Circus and Bond Street.
.
Northern Line Could Be Extended To Clapham Junction In Regeneration Plans
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the South London Press.
These three paragraphs outline the story.
Clapham Junction could be set for a huge overhaul as a council is set to investigate whether the Northern line should be extended to the busy railway station.
Wandsworth council has revealed a masterplan for Clapham Junction and the surrounding areas, including the Winstanley and York Road estate.
The overhaul hopes to create new homes, offices and shops for the area, and also promises a probe into whether extending the Northern line to Clapham Junction would make sense.
This has always been in the plans for the Northern Line and the route is safeguarded.
Could The Giant Station At Bank, Liverpool Street, Monument And Moorgate Be Considered A Superhub?
In Is The City Of London Moving Towards One Giant Station?, I showed how the four stations were being drawn together and developed as one large station that served the heart of the City of London.
London is also developing other large interchange stations that could claim because of their connectivity could be classed as London superhub stations.
- Canary Wharf stations, which connect the Elizabeth and Jubilee Lines, and the Docklands Light Railway.
- Old Oak Common station, which could bring together the Central, Chiltern and Elizabeth Lines, the London Overground and High Speed Two.
- Stratford station, which connects the Central, Elizabeth and Jubilee Lines, the Docklands Light Railway, the London Overground, High Speed One and the Great Eastern Main Line.
- Whitechapel station, which connects the Circle, District, Elizabeth and Hammersmith & City Lines, and the London Overground.
But what are the characteristics of a superhub station?
A Lot Of Lines And Services
Obviously, it must have a lot of lines and services, so perhaps Clapham Junction station is the original superhub station.
All Lines Should Have Step-Free Access
This surely, goes without saying.
There Should Be Lots of Information
If the station is large it needs a lot of information and there’s probably the space to put it.
Helpful Staff
Should we have a fully-staffed kiosk at superhub stations, as there are at some main line stations?
Good Bus Connections
Bus connections at a superhub station must be comprehensive and probably connect to other superhubs.
There Should Be A Selection Of Shops For Travellers
I do my daily food and other shopping, as I travel around London. I’ll often use a station like Paddington with a good selection of shops.
Toilets
There are not enough public toilets in London.
Cash Machines
I know we’re using less cash, but a large station is a secure place to put a cash-machine.
Works Of Art
I also believe that railway stations are a secure place to put some of those large bronze sculptures and other works of art, that are currently locked away in the storerooms of galleries.
Clapham Junction Station – Platform 0 – 11th May 2022
These pictures show the current progress at Clapham Junction, where platform 0 used to be.
Note.
- The rails have been painted and are now a brighter red colour.
- Two bug houses have been added alongside the planters.
I still can’t find anything on the Internet about this project.
Barriers And Planters On The London Overground Platforms At Clapham Junction Station
To get home from Feltham station, after my visit this morning to see the new bridge, which I wrote about in The Completed Bridge At Feltham Station, I changed trains at Clapham Junction station.
I noticed that a barrier has been put up between the current two Overground platforms; 1 and 2.
.I suspect it is for safety reasons, as it will certainly stop passengers falling off the platform.
I also noticed that planters had been placed where I suspect that the new Platform 0 will be built.
Note.
- If the track is to placed between the planters and the platform, the space could be a bit small.
- Or is the platform going to be rebuilt a bit narrower?
- It also looks like the platform won’t be long enough for the planned eight-car train.
I also took these pictures of what looks to be a Fire Exit.
Could it be a temporary entrance, that will be used if there is a lot of work going on about the Grant Road entrance to create the new platform?
I also took these pictures of the Eastern end of the platform.
Considering, that the Class 378 train is five cars and an eight-car train would be sixty percent longer, it looks to me, that they will have to extend the platform, behind the temporary entrance or perhaps further towards the East.
Or could Network Rail have called up Baldrick, and asked him for one of his cunning plans?
Consider.
- Currently, there is a one train per hour (tph) between Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction stations, run by Southern.
- The service used to run between Milton Keynes and South Croydon stations.
- There surely is a need for a high-frequency service between the High Speed Two station at Old Oak Common and Clapham Junction station.
- Currently, there is no planned link between Crossrail and the West London Line.
Hythe Road station is planned to be on the West London Line and will serve the High Speed Two station at Old Oak Common.
This Transport for London map, shows the position of the proposed Hythe Road station with respect to High Speed Two and Crossrail.
Note.
- The West London Line to and from Clapham Junction goes down the East of the map.
- The North London Line to and from Richmond goes down the West of the map.
- The current Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction service doesn’t go through the site of Hythe Road station, but somehow sneaks round on the freight line in the map.
Wikipedia describes the proposal for Hythe Road station like this.
Hythe Road railway station would be situated about 700 metres (770 yards) from the mainline Old Oak Common station. Construction work would involve re-aligning the track along a new railway embankment (built slightly to the north of the existing line) and demolishing industrial units along Salter Street, on land currently owned by a vehicle sales company (‘Car Giant’). The station structure will sit on a viaduct, with a bus interchange underneath. The station will incorporate 3 platforms, allowing through services between Stratford and Clapham Junction with an additional bay platform to accommodate terminating services from Clapham Junction.
I can envisage an eight tph service between Clapham Junction and Hythe Road stations, made up something like this.
- Four tph between Stratford and Clapham Junction stations
- One tph between Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction stations
- Three tph between Hythe Road and Clapham Junction stations
Note.
- Services would stop at Shepherd’s Bush, Kensington (Olympia), West Brompton and Imperial Wharf.
- Two platforms at Clapham Junction station could easily handle eight tph.
- The London Overground’s five car Class 378 trains would probably be long enough for the shuttle.
- There is even the possibility of running the Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction service with five car trains, to void the expense of creating an eight-car platform at Clapham Junction station.
It would be better if the Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction service could go through Hythe Road station. But this might be difficult to arrange.
Conclusion
An eight tph service through Old Oak Common could be a nice little add-on for both High Speed Two and Crossrail.
Longhedge Junction Speed Increases
London has a rail capacity problem, for both freight and passenger trains.
This report from Network Rail is entitled The London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
One of the secondary recommendations of the report is to increase speed through Longhedge junction.
The report explains it like this.
There is an opportunity to enhance Longhedge Junction, a key location for freight passing through the Battersea area, to enable higher speeds and provide faster transit between the South London Line and West London Line or Clapham Junction (for the Brighton Main Line or Windsor lines).
This would benefit the numerous freight flows through this important part of the network, where two orbital routes connect to each other and to radial routes in and out of London to the south and south-west.
London Overground SLL services running to and from Clapham Junction would also benefit from an increase to the existing 25mph line speed through Longhedge Junction.
This map from cartometro shows the location of Longhedge junction.
Note.
- The orange and black tracks are London Overground routes.
- The Overground route going East is the Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction service that goes via the South London Line (SLL).
- The Overground route going West is the Stratford and Clapham Junction service that goes via the West London Line (WLL).
- The two Overground routes combine to run into the Overground platforms at Clapham Junction.
- There is a double-track route, that links Latchmere 1 junction on the West London Line with Longhedge junction on the South London Line.
- Longhedge junction is in the East of the map.
It is an area congested with train tracks and junctions.
Traffic Through Longhedge Junction
Longhedge junction is busy, with the following trains in a typical hour.
- Four tph between Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction stations.
- Up to six assorted freight tph.
Note that services run in both directions.
But this Google Map of the are gives hope.
Longhedge junction is to the West of the West of the tracks running North South and it looks like there could be plenty of space to realign the tracks and improve the junction.
As with Nunhead Junction, which I wrote about in Nunhead Junction Improvement, it could be that the use of electric haulage on freight trains through the junction with their more nimble acceleration might help.
Conclusion
This appears to be a serious problem.
What it needs now is a well-designed scheme to speed freight and passenger trains through the junction.
Related Posts
These are related posts about the London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
Decarbonisation Of London’s Freight Routes
East Coast Main Line South Bi-Directional Capability
Gauge Improvements Across London
Headway Reductions On The Gospel Oak To Barking, North London and West London Lines
Heavy Axle Weight Restrictions
Kensal Green Junction Improvement
Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Kensington Olympia
Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Shepherd’s Bush
Stratford Regulating Point Extension
Will Camden Road Station Get A Third Platform?
Will Clapham Junction Station Get A Platform 0?
Could London Overground Services To Stratford Be Extended To Meridian Water?
My arrival In Platform 11 at Stratford station has got me thinking!
And others too! Judging by the comments I’ve received.
Yesterday, I took a train from Dalston Kingsland station to Stratford station.
- The train was the 0934 from Clapham Junction, which was timed to arrive in Stratford at 1038.
- It arrived in Platform 11 at 1036.
In A London Overground Class 378 Train In Platform 11 At Stratford Station, I show pictures of the train in Platform 11 at Stratford station.
I suspected this was just a one-off occurrence, caused by a malfunction in a train or the signalling, which prevented my train from using the normal Platforms 1 or 2, that services to Stratford would use.
Although, looking at Real Time Trains, the 0938 train this morning, terminated in Platform 11. As it did on Monday and Tuesday this week.
- This train was the only train from Clapham Junction station not to use Platform 2.
- Checking days last week, it appears that this train always terminated in Platform 2.
So why did the service terminate in Platform 11?
Driver training is one possibility, so they can use the Platform 11, if there is a malfunction that stops them using Platform 2.
But is there a clue in the first picture, I took, when I arrived in Stratford?
The train in Platform 12 is the 1046 to Meridian Water, which arrived from Bishops Stortford at 1040.
Could it mean that there is to be a reorganisation of platforms at Stratford?
- Platform 12 will be exclusively used by Greater Anglia for their West Anglia Main Line services.
- Platform 11 will be used by London Overground.
In Using Platform 12 At Stratford Station, I described ending up on Platform 12, so I know it is possible, but when it happened information was bad for passengers, who didn’t know here they needed to go to continue on their way.
But why would London Overground need the extra platform?
These are my thoughts.
Do London Overground Need An Extra Platform At Stratford?
Currently London Overground services to Stratford are as follows.
- Four tph – Stratford and Richmond
- Four tph – Stratford and Clapham Junction
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- Both Class 378 and Class 710 trains can work the routes to Stratford.
- Eight tph can easily be handled by two platforms.
To handle more trains may need a third platform at Stratford for the London Overground.
Extra Trains Between Stratford And Canonbury
This report from Network Rail is entitled The London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
It says this about creating a third platform at Camden Road station.
This proposal would reinstate a third track and platform on the northern side of Camden Road station, utilising part of the former 4-track formation through the station.
The additional capacity provided would facilitate much greater flexibility in pathing options for trains on this busy central section of the NLL, opening up new options for future service provision and bolstering performance resilience.
Reinstatement of a third platform would enable platform 2 to be used as a central turnback, with platform 3 becoming the eastbound line for through London Overground services and the majority of freight.
Transport for London modelling suggests that the eastern end of the NLL, from Canonbury to Stratford, will see some of the strongest long-term demand growth on the Overground network.
A turnback platform will allow this to be addressed with peak capacity boosting services between Stratford and Camden Road and there would also be the option to operate these through the off-peak, which could offer a means of providing additional passenger capacity where it is most needed.
The availability of an additional platform would also aid performance recovery during perturbation on
the orbital routes.
Note.
- The strongest passenger growth on the North London Line (NLL), will be between Canonbury and Stratford.
- Extra services are proposed between Stratford and Camden Road stations.
- If you travelled between Highbury & Islington and Stratford before the pandemic, the trains only had space for a few extra very small people in the Peak.
I use this section of the North London Line regularly and suspect the route needs at least twelve tph.
Twelve tph into Stratford would probably mean that the London Overground would need a third platform at Stratford.
More Trains Serving Meridian Water
In the Wikipedia entry for Meridian Water station, this is said.
In August 2019, it was announced that funding had been approved for construction of a fourth platform and a new section of track between Tottenham Hale and Meridian Water to enable up to 8 trains per hour to serve the station at peak times.
This must be the earliest upgrade in history, after a new station has opened.
I got the impression, when the station was announced that it would have four tph to Stratford. Currently, there are just two tph.
Two tph between Stratford and Bishops Stortford also pass through without stopping.
If these called at Meridian Water in the Peak, then there would still be four tph to find.
An easy way to create four tph between Stratford and Meridian Water would be to extend four London Overground services from Stratford.
- Services would call at Lea Bridge, Tottenham Hale and Northumberland Park stations.
- Trains would pass through Platform 11 at Stratford.
- Platform 11 at Stratford would be bi-directional.
- The service could be run all day, at a frequency of four tph.
- As these trains have their own track, they won’t delay the Cambridge and Stansted trains on the West Anglia Main Line.
- A cross-London service between Meridian Water and Clapham Junction or Richmond, would be possible.
Note.
- London Overground would be responsible for the bulk of the Meridian Water service.
- London Overground’s four- or five-car trains would probably have sufficient capacity for the service.
- The main new infrastructure needed would be the fourth platform and a new section of track at Meridian Water station.
- Some improvements as specified in the London Rail Freight Strategy will be useful, as they will increase capacity on the North and West London Lines.
- My only worry would be, that can modern signalling handle four tph in both directions through Platform 11 at Stratford station.
What Will Be The Track Layout And Method of Operation?
The current track layout is simple.
A bi-directional third track has been laid between Lea Bridge junction, just to the North of Lea Bridge station and Meridian Water station.
- It is to the East of the double-track West Anglia Main Line.
- There are bi-directional platforms at Tottenham Hale and Northumberland Park stations.
- There is a single terminating Platform 2 at Meridian Water station.
A train going between Stratford and Meridian Water stations does the following.
- Leaves from Platform 11 or 12 at Stratford station.
- Calls in Platform 2 at Lea Bridge station.
- Switches at Lea Bridge junction to the bi-directional third-track.
- Calls in Platform 2 at Tottenham Hale station.
- Calls in Platform 2 at Northumberland Park station.
- Terminates in Platform 2 at Meridian Water station.
A train going between Meridian Water and Stratford stations does the following.
- Leaves from Platform 2 at Meridian Water station
- Calls in Platform 2 at Northumberland Park station.
- Calls in Platform 2 at Tottenham Hale station.
- Switches at Lea Bridge junction to the Up line of the West Anglia Main Line.
- Calls in Platform 1 at Lea Bridge station.
- Terminates in Platform 11 or 12 at Stratford station.
The track layout can probably handle a maximum of two tph.
I suspect the upgrade will build on this layout to allow a frequency of at least four tph.
The following works will be done.
- A fourth track to the East of the bi-directional third track will be built.
- The fourth track will run between Tottenham Hale and Meridian Water stations.
- I suspect the fourth track will split from the third track at a junction to the North of Tottenham Hale station. Could this be called Tottenham Hale North Junction? I will use that name, to make things simple!
- A new Platform 1 will be built in Meridian Water station.
- Trains going North between Tottenham Hale and Meridian Water will use the current bi-directional third track and will be able to terminate in either Platform 1 or 2 at Meridian Water station.
- Trains going South between Meridian Water and Tottenham Hale will use the new fourth track and will be able to start from either Platform 1 or 2 at Meridian Water station.
- I suspect, Northumberland Park station will need a new Platform 1 for Southbound trains. But the station was designed with that in mind.
A train going between Stratford and Meridian Water stations will do the following.
- Leave from Platform 11 or 12 at Stratford station.
- Call in Platform 2 at Lea Bridge station.
- Switch at Lea Bridge junction to the bi-directional third-track.
- Call in Platform 2 at Tottenham Hale station.
- Call in Platform 2 at Northumberland Park station.
- Terminate in Platform 1 or 2 at Meridian Water station.
A train going between Meridian Water and Stratford stations will do the following.
- Leave from Platform 1 or 2 at Meridian Water station.
- Use the new fourth track to come South.
- Call in Platform 1 at Northumberland Park station.
- Continue on the bi-directional third-track at Tottenham Hale North Junction.
- Call in Platform 2 at Tottenham Hale station.
- Switch at Lea Bridge junction to the Up line of the West Anglia Main Line.
- Call in Platform 1 at Lea Bridge station.
- Terminate in Platform 11 or 12 at Stratford station.
The track layout is effectively two double-track sections linked by a bi-directional single track between Lea Bridge Junction and Tottenham Hale North Junction.
- On the double-track sections of the route trains can pass each other, as they are on different tracks.
- Lea Bridge and Tottenham Hale stations are 1.9 miles apart.
- Trains take three or four minutes between Lea Bridge and Tottenham Hale stations. Including the stop at Tottenham Hale on the single track section.
If trains could alternate through the single-track section, this would give a capacity of well over four tph in both directions.
- A train going North would wait in Platform 2 at Lea Bridge station until the previous Southbound train had cleared Lea Bridge junction, before proceeding North.
- A train going South would wait at Tottenham Hale North Junction until the previous Northbound had safely passed, before proceeded South.
I suspect that the trains need full digital signalling with a degree of Automatic Train Control.
But I suspect we could see six tph in both directions.
- This would fit nicely, with London Overground’s ambition of six tph on all routes.
- It could be increased to eight tph in the Peak, by arranging for an appropriate number of Greater Anglia services to and from Liverpool Street at Meridian Water.
I feel that a service that meets all objectives will be possible.
Proposals From The London Rail Freight Strategy That Might Help
These proposals from the London Rail Freight Strategy might help.
- NLL, GOB And WLL Headway Reductions – See Headway Reductions On The Gospel Oak To Barking, North London and West London Lines
- Kensal Green Junction Improvement
- Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Kensington Olympia
- Stratford Regulating Point Extension
- Camden Road Platform 3 – See Will Camden Road Station Get A Third Platform?
- Clapham Junction Platform 0 – See Will Clapham Junction Station Get A Platform 0?
It does look to me, that the London Rail Freight Strategy was designed with one eye on improving the passenger train service between North-East and South-West London.
Taking The Pressure Off The Victoria Line
Consider.
- If you’re going between Walthamstow and the West End or the major stations of Euston, Kings Cross, St. Pancras and Victoria, you will use the Victoria Line.
- If you live in the new housing, being built at Meridian Water, currently you will be likely to hop to Tottenham Hale station and take the Victoria Line.
Consequently, Northern end of the line can get busy! And not just in the Peak!
But a four tph service between Meridian Water and Stratford, will encourage passengers to go to Stratford to take advantage of the Central and Jubilee Lines and Crossrail.
Hence there will be less passengers, who need to use the Victoria Line.
A Better Interchange Between Camden Road And Camden Town Stations
The essential upgrade of Camden Town station has been put on indefinite hold due to TfL’s financial position.
This is a big mistake.
- Camden Town station gets dangerously full!
- It would allow the splitting of the Northern Line into two independent lines, which would increase capacity of the current system.
- Camden Town station is not step-free but Camden Road station has lifts.
Hopefully, it would result, in a better route between the two stations, rather than the polluted route on a narrow pavement.
I very much believe that the rebuilding of Camden Town station is the most important project to improve London’s Underground and Overground network.
But it won’t get built with the current Mayor, as he’s a South Londoner.
Could A Meridian Water and Clapham Junction Service Be An Affordable Crossrail 2?
Consider.
- Crossrail 2 will link Clapham Junction and Meridian Water via Central London and Dalston.
- A Meridian Water and Clapham Junction service would link the two stations via Shepherd’s Bush, Old Oak Common, West Hampstead, Camden Road, Dalston and Stratford.
Each route has their connectivity advantages.
- Both have good connections to Crossrail, Thameslink and the Bakerloo, Central and Jubilee Lines.
- The London Overground route has good connections to the Victoria Line and High Speed Two at Old Oak Common.
- Crossrail 2 serves important stations in Central London.
A Meridian Water and Clapham Junction service could be a valuable addition to London’s rail infrastructure without too much new expensive infrastructure.
Conclusion
An extension of some London Overground services from Stratford to Meridian Water would be worthwhile.
Implementation of this is made easier by the recommendations of the London Rail Freight Strategy.
I
Will Clapham Junction Station Get A Platform 0?
London has a rail capacity problem, for both freight and passenger trains.
This report from Network Rail is entitled The London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
One of the recommendations of the report is to build a Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station. It says this about that that platform.
Creation of additional bay platform capacity at the northern end of Clapham Junction station, for the use
of London Overground WLL services.
This map from cartometro.com shows the track layout as the orange tentacles of the London Overground approach Clapham Junction station.
Note.
- The West London Line approaches Clapham Junction station through Imperial Wharf station.
- The South London Line approaches Clapham Junction station through Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road stations.
This second map from cartometro.com shows the track layout of the current two Overground platforms at Clapham Junction station and how the third one will fit in.
Note.
- It appears that there are crossovers to allow trains from either South or West London Lines to enter any of Platforms 0, 1 or 2.
- A typical bay platform can turn four trains per hour (tph) or possibly six tph, if the signalling is tip-top.
These pictures show the current state of Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station.
And these show Platforms 1 and 2 at Clapham Junction station.
The current two-platform system seems to work well.
Clapham Junction Station Is A Super-Interchange
Clapham Junction is already a super-interchange on the London Overground with lots of services to Central and Outer London and the wider South of England.
The London Overground probably needs more super-interchanges on its circular route around London.
- Whitechapel and Stratford, which are one stop apart on Crossrail, could develop into one in East London.
- As it grows, Old Oak Common, will develop into one in West London.
Other super-interchanges could develop at Croydon, Hackney (Central/Downs) and West Hampstead.
Network Rail’s Reasons For The New Platform
I’ll start with some information.
Current Overground Services
Current Overground services are as follows.
- 4 tph – Stratford via Willesden Junction
- 4 tph – Dalston Junction via Surrey Quays
The total of 8 tph, is generally easily handled by two platforms, unless something goes wrong.
Future Overground Services
It is expected that in the future services could be as follows.
- 6 tph – Stratford via Willesden Junction
- 6 tph – Dalston Junction via Surrey Quays
As I regularly use the service between Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction to get a connection to places like Portsmouth and Southampton, I know at least one regular traveller, who is looking forward to the increase in frequency.
But there could be another London Overground in the future.
In Gibb Report – East Croydon – Milton Keynes Route Should Be Transferred To London Overground, I wrote how in his report, Chris Gibb recommended that this hourly service should be transferred to the London Overground.
This is said in the Network Rail document about Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station.
The longstanding proposal for the creation of additional bay platform capacity at the northern end of Clapham Junction station, for the use of London Overground West London Line services, is supported by this strategy.
The scheme would reinstate the disused former platform 1 to create a newly designated ‘Platform 0’, adjacent to the present platforms 1 and 2.
This intervention has been recognised as key to long-term growth on the West London Line by several previous pieces of work for both Network Rail and Transport for London, which have consistently concluded that additional platform capacity at Clapham Junction is needed, if TfL’s aspiration to increase the WLL Overground service to 6 trains per hour is to be met.
Capacity analysis for the LRFS has reaffirmed that the desire to operate this level of service throughout the day cannot be achieved with a single bay platform.
Although this scheme would clearly be of direct benefit to the London Overground passenger service, the positive impact it would have on the capacity and performance of the WLL overall means that it is also very much in the interest of freight that Platform 0 be delivered. Without a new bay platform, the main alternative means to increase Overground train frequencies involves the use of platform 17 at the far end of the station, where freight and GTR trains pass through towards the BML. This is a sub-optimal solution for both freight and passenger operations.
Note.
- Platform 0 will share an island platform with Platforms 1 and 2, so there will be short level walks between trains.
- Platform 1 and 2 are already fully accessible, so Platform 0 will be as well.
The report feels that increasing passenger and freight services are often two sides of the same coin.
Questions
I have some questions.
Would Three Platforms Be Enough To Handle Twelve tph?
As two platforms seem to handle eight tph, at most times in the present, I suspect the answer is in the affirmative.
Would Three Platforms Be Enough To Handle Thirteen tph?
This would be needed, if the Milton Keynes service were to be transferred to the Overground and it used Clapham Junction station as a Southern terminus.
If it still went through Clapham Junction station to Croydon, then it would probably use Platform 17, as it tends to do now!
I do suspect that three platforms will be enough, as otherwise the LRFS would be proposing something else.
What Will Be The Length Of The New Platform 0?
Under Future Proposals in the Wikipedia entry for Clapham Junction station, this is said.
In a Network Rail study in 2015, it was proposed that platform 0 could reopen for 8-car operations of the West London Line.
An eight-car platform would allow the current eight-car Class 377 trains, that work the Milton Keynes service to use the platform.
Note that as an eight-car Class 377 train is 163.2 metres long, a platform that will accomodate this train, will be long enough to accomodate a five-car Class 378 train, which is only 102.5 metres long.
But should the platform be built long enough to handle two Class 378 trains working as a pair?
This Google Map shows Platform 1 and the current state of the future Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station.
Note.
- a five-car Class 378 train is standing in Platform 1.
- There are some minor obstructions along Platform 0.
I don’t think it would be impossible to create an eight-car Platform 0. Although, Platforms 0 and 1 might need to be extended by perhaps ten or twenty minutes towards London.
Does The Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction Service Need 110 mph Trains?
I have talked to several drivers, who drive trains on the four 125 mph lines out of London and some have complained about slower 100 mph trains, that get in their way and slow them down.
If the drivers get miffed, I suspect the train operating companies are more annoyed.
But over the last few years, the following has happened.
- Heathrow Express have replaced 100 Class 360 trains with 110 mph Class 387 trains on the Great Western Main Line.
- East Midlands Railway will be running 110 mph Class 360 trains to Corby on the Midland Main Line.
- West Midlands Trains will be replacing 110 mph Class 350 trains with 110 mph Class 730 trains on the West Coast Main Line.
- Great Northern run 110 mph Class 387 trains to Cambridge and Kings Lynn on the East Coast Main Line.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see 110 mph trains running between Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction, as they would just be following a sensible practice to increase capacity.
Conclusion
I have no problems with creating a new Platform 0 at Clapham Junction, but suspect that faster trains would be needed for the Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction, that would use it.
Work Appears To Have Already Started On Platform 0
With the installation of the all-important site hut and the fact that there were several engineers around with laser-measurement tools, I suspect that work is already underway to prepare everything for the construction of Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station.
Related Posts
These are related posts about the London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
Decarbonisation Of London’s Freight Routes
East Coast Main Line South Bi-Directional Capability
Gauge Improvements Across London
Headway Reductions On The Gospel Oak To Barking, North London and West London Lines
Heavy Axle Weight Restrictions
Kensal Green Junction Improvement
Longhedge Junction Speed Increases
Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Kensington Olympia
Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Shepherd’s Bush
Stratford Regulating Point Extension
Will Camden Road Station Get A Third Platform?
Network Rail To Outline Business Case For Clapham Junction Redevelopment
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Network Rail have timetabled their plans to publish a strategy outline business case (SOBC) for the redevelopment of Clapham Junction station.
The public body told delegates at a rail conference in London that it intends to lay out the strategy by the end of the year.
To get a better idea of Clapham Junction station, this Google Map shows the station.
And this map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the track layout.
Note.
- The track layout is extremely complicated.
- A large amount of the area of the station is used for stabling of trains.
- The large number of platforms connected by a pedestrian bridge in the middle.
- There are a lot of stairs and lifts between the bridge and the platforms.
This description of the amount of traffic through the station is from Wikipedia.
Routes from London’s south and south-west termini, Victoria and Waterloo, funnel through the station, making it the busiest in Europe by number of trains using it: between 100 and 180 per hour except for the five hours after midnight. The station is also the busiest UK station for interchanges between services.
All of this adds up to a challenging problem, that if it can be solved, will fulfil these objectives.
- Greatly improve the passenger experience.
- Increase the train and passenger capacity of the station.
- Create more and longer platforms.
- Create or release lots of space for housing and other developments.
- Make the station ready for the Northern Line Extension from Battersea and Crossrail 2.
All of the development must be carried out with as little disruption to trains and passengers.
I’m no architect, but neither are Network Rail or were their predecessor British Rail, but they are good at creating well-thought out track layouts.
I suspect somewhere in a drawer or on a computer, is a British Rail plan for how the station could be laid out.
Such a plan probably existed for London Bridge station and with the design from good architects and structural engineers on top, one of the best terminal stations in the World has been built.
The Rail Technology Magazine article talks of decking over the whole station and putting two million square feet of development on top. But it also cautions, it would be very expensive.
- Could an imaginative architect create a unique development?
- Clapham Junction station, is the best-connected railway station in the South of London.
- Could the development be built with very little provision for car parking?
- Is the land strong enough for a cluster of high tower blocks?
- Could green space be provided?
I’ve lived in the Barbican with a young family and that estate works. But it should be remembered that the City of London had a completely cleared site at the Barbican, due to Nazi bombing.
So would decking over the station, be the way to create a cleared site to create a high-quality eco-friendly development for all?
I think it would and I think it could allow the development to be built at an affordable price.
I also feel that the important objective of building the development without disrupting trains and passengers can be met, by arranging construction in the right order.
Conclusion
Clapham Junction station is a unique site on which to build and like the Barbican, if we build it right, it will be admired fifty years later.
A London Overground Replacement For Southern’s East Croydon And Milton Keynes Service
In July 2017, I discussed this suggestion by Chris Gibb in Gibb Report – East Croydon – Milton Keynes Route Should Be Transferred To London Overground.
In an article, in the July 2019 Edition of Modern Railways, , which was entitled ‘710s’ Debut On Goblin, this was this last paragraph.
On the West London Line, TfL is curremtly working with the Department for Transport on options for the devolution of services originally suggested in Chris Gibb’s report on the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise, which could lead to ‘710s’ being deployed here.
It made me think, that further investigation was called for.
An Apology
I apologise, if you think I’m repeating myself.
What The Gibb Report Says
The Gibb Report, says this about the current service between East Croydon and Milton Keynes Central stations.
I believe there is an option to transfer the East Croydon – Milton Keynes operation to TfL and it’s London Overground concession in 2018.
TfL may decide to change the service, for example by not running it north of Watford Junction, or running it to an alternative southern destination other than East Croydon. They could also develop the combined West London line service to better match available capacity to demand.
They would have a number of crewing and rolling stock options, but should be able to operate the service more efficiently than GTR in the longer term, without the involvement of Selhurst.
Selhurst TMD is the depot in South London, where the current Class 377 trains are based.
A few of my thoughts.
The Trains
Using Class 710 trains as suggested in the Modern Railways article, would surely offer a suitable crewing and rolling stock option for the route, if they were based at the convenient Willesden TMD, where the fleet of up to twenty-five dual-voltage Class 710/2 trains are stabled.
The Northern Terminus
Chris Gibb suggested the service might not go past Watford Junction.
I think that could be difficult.
- The longitudinal seating of the Class 710 train, is probably not suitable for outer suburban services North of Watford.
- East Croydon to Watford Junction takes 69 minutes, which is not a good journey time to create an efficient service.
It would also appear to be tricky for a train to transfer between the West London Line and the Watford DC Line.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the complicated track layout in the Willesden Junction area.
Note.
- The two Willesden Junction stations, labelled High Level and Low Level.
- The Watford DC Line, which is shown in black and orange, passing to the North of Willesden TMD. and through the Low Level station.
- The four tracks shown in black are the West Coast Main Line, with Watford to the West and Euston to the East.
- The North London Line to Richmond and the West London Line to Clapham Junction splitting at Wilesden High Level Junction.
The current service between East Croydon and Milton Keynes, is only one train per hour (tph) and uses a succession of flat junctions to take the slow lines to and from Watford.
This is not a good operational procedure and I suspect Network Rail and various train operators, would like to see it discontinued.
So if trains in a new London Overground version of the service, don’t go up the Watford DC Line or the West Coast Main Line, where do they turn back?
Note the siding to the East of the High Level platforms, which is labelled Willesden Junction Turnout.
This is regularly used to turnback London Overground services on the West London Line.
I feel that London Overground will be turning their replacement service in Willesden Junction High Level station.
Current train services at the station include.
- For passengers, who want to go further North, there is a good connection to the Watford DC Line for Wembley Central, Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction stations.
- The Watford DC Line can also take you to Euston.
- The Bakerloo Line between Stonebridge Park and Elephant & Castle via Central London.
- Frequent North London Line services between Stratford and Richmond.
The station has kiosks, coffee stalls, toilets and waiting rooms.
There are certainly worse places to change trains.
The Southern Terminus
Obviously, existing travellers on the route would like to see as few changes as possible.
East Croydon station must be a possibility for the Southern terminus, as it is the currently used.
But East Croydon is a busy station and perhaps it is not a convenient station for trains to wait in the platform.
On the other hand, West Croydon station offers some advantages.
- The station has a long bay platform, which might be long enough for nine or ten cars.
- There is a separate turnback siding.
- It has space to add another bay platform, but this may have been sold to a developer.
- It already has a four tph London Overground service to Highbury & Islington station.
- Using West Croydon avoids the crowded lines to the North of East Croydon station.
It is also managed by London Overground, so the landlord would be co-operative.
How Many Trains Would Be Needed For A West Croydon And Willesden Junction Service?
West Croydon station has two possible routes, that trains could take to Willesden Junction.
- Via Norwood Junction and Clapham Junction in 55 minutes.
- Via Selhust and Clapham Junction in 45 minutes.
These times mean that a two-hour round trip between West Croydon and Willesden Junction should be possible.
Trains required for various frequencies would be as follows.
- One tph – Two trains.
- Two tph = Four trains.
- Four tph – Eight trains.
They would need to be dual voltage Class 710/2 trains, as are now running on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
Compare the figures with those for the current East Croydon and Milton Keynes service, which needs four pairs of four-car trains for an hourly service.
What Would Be The Frequency?
I think one, two and four tph are all possibilities!
One tph
One tph would be a direct replacement for the current service. But is it enough?
Services at West Croydon could probably share the bay platform with the existing Highbury & Islington station service.
Two tph
Two tph could be a compromise frequency.
Two tph could probably still share the current bay platform with the Highbury & Islington service.
Four tph
Four tph would be a full Turn-Up-And-Go service,
- It would probably be London Overground’s preference.
- It would give a very passenger-friendly eight tph between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction stations.
- The two services would call at opposite sides of Clapham Junction station.
- It would give a four tph link between Croydon and High Speed Two.
- Westfield wouldn’t mind all the extra shoppers at Shepherds Bush!
But there could be downsides.
- The service could need an extra bay platform at West Croydon.
- Would it be possible to turn four tph at Willesden Junction?
- Will the train paths be available through South London.
But four tph would probably would be London Overground’s preference.
It will be interesting to see the reasons, why Transport for London choose a particular frequency.
A Trip Between Imperial Wharf And East Croydon Stations
Today, I took a trip between Imperial Wharf and East Croydon stations at around 11:30.
- The train was two four-car Class 377 trains working as an eight-car train.
- After Clapham Junction it wasn’t very busy.
- I was in the last car, which was empty, except for myself.
I came to the conclusion, that an eight-car train was too much capacity for the Southern section of the journey.
I suspect that Transport for London have detailed passenger estimates for this route, so they should be able to determine the frequency and length of replacement trains required.
The Upgraded Norwood Junction Station
In Major Upgrade Planned For Norwood Junction Railway Station, I talked about a plan to upgrade Norwood Junction station.
The idea behind the upgrade is to improve connectivity and capacity in the crowded Croydon area.
If the West Croydon and Willesden Junction service, was routed via Norwood Junction station, the upgraded station would give easy access to both East and West Croydon stations.
Conclusion
I’ve always liked Chris Gibb’s suggestion of the transfer of the service between East Croydon and Milton Keynes stations to the London Overground and I can now start to see flesh on the bones!
At the present time and until better data is available, I think the replacement service should be as follows.
- The Northern terminus should be Willesden Junction.
- The Southern terminus should be West Croydon station, where there are good tram and train connections.
- The route would be via Shepherds Bush, Kensington Olympia, West Brompton, Imperial Wharf, Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Common, Balham, Streatham Hill, West Norwood, Gipsy Hill, Crystal Palace and Norwood Junction.
- Going via Gipsy Hill, rather than the current route via Selhurst, would give access to the connectivity at Norwood Junction.
- The frequency should be four tph.
- Trains will be four- or five-car Class 710 trains.
The benefits would be as follows.
- The rail hubs of Clapham Junction, Norwood Junction, West Croydon and Willesden Junction would be connected together by a Turn-Up-And-Go service.
- The proposed four tph service would need eight Class 710 trains, whereas the current one tph service needs eight Class 377 trains. Would this be better value?
In the future with a connection to High Speed Two in the Old Oak Common area, the benefits would increase.
- There would be a simple interchange with High Speed Two.
- South London from Clapham to Croydon, would get a direct service to High Speed Two.
- There would also be a better connection to Heathrow Airport and other rail services through Old Oak Common.
I think that the connection to High Speed Two trumps everything else.
The Anonymous Widower 