So Near And Yet So Far!
This Google Map shows the geographical relationship between Northfleet station on the North Kent Line and Ebbsfleet International station on the High Speed 1 Rail Link.
Northfleet And Ebbsfleet International Stations
Note Swancombe station at the top left, which is also on the North Kent Line.
In my view the designers of High Speed 1, lost sight of the ball here, just as they did at Stratford International station.
To many people and especially to a lot of rail commentators and builders, connectivity is very important, as it often gives passengers the ability to do difficult journeys easily with a simple cross-platform interchange.
If you look at the positions of Northfleet and Ebbsfleet International stations, as the crow flies it is about four hundred metres. But to walk it along the A226, Thames Way and a loop into Ebbsfleet International station took me thirty-eight minutes.
I took these pictures as I walked.
I am left with the following conclusions.
- Northfleet station appears to only stand up because the woodworm keep holding hands.
- Northfleet station is very welcoming to visitors to the town!
- The current route is a badly-signposted disgrace.
- I didn’t see any signposts pointing the other way.
- It would be a nightmare in bad weather.
- It is a step-free route.
It would not be the most difficult feat of engineering to build a walkway from Northfleet station to the Car Park C on the Northfleet side of Ebbsfleet International station.
Incidentally, the Ebbsfleet International station web site says this about getting to the station by rail.
If you can’t reach us direct then we’re just a 10 minute walk from Northfleet domestic station which is serviced by the North Kent Line.
For my age and health, I can walk reasonably fast, but it took me over three times as long. Did they hire Mo Farah to do the time test?
I think someone measured it on a map as four hundred metres and said that he or she could walk it in ten minutes.
If they did, it is downright incompetence.
I challenge Eurostar to find anybody over sixty-five, who doesn’t have form as an athlete, to walk the signposted route in ten minutes!
If they find someone, who can do it, I’ll give fifty pounds to Railway Children!
Crossrail Extension To Gravesend
A possible Crossrail Extension to Gravesend has been safeguarded, although because Crossrail doesn’t call at St. Pancras for Eurostar, I feel that extending Crossrail to Ebbsfleet International station to catch Continental trains there, would be part of any extension to Gravesend.
This Google Map shows both Ebbsfleet International and Gravesend stations.
Ebbsfleet International And Gravesend Stations
Ebbsfleet International is to the West and Gravesend is to the East.
There would have to be some major construction work, but it would probably be feasible.
However this Google Map of Gravesend Station shows a serious problem.
Gravesend Station
As can be seen, it is a very cramped site. These pictures show the station.
I doubt any extension to Gravesend will terminate at Gravesend station.
There is a page on the Crossrail web site, which is entitled Safeguarding. This is said.
An additional extension from Abbey Wood to Gravesend and Hoo Junction, has been safeguarded however there are no current plans to extend the railway beyond the route currently identified.
This is a Google Map of the Hoo Junction area to the East of Gravesend.
Hoo Junction
Currently, it is occupied by a freight yard. It certainly could be used as the terminus, but it is about ten kilometres East of Ebbsfleet International station.
So could a train on the North Kent Line that runs from the current Crossrail terminus at Abbey Wood to Gravesend, do a detour to Ebbsfleet International?
This Google Map shows the lines in the Ebbsfleet International area.
Lines Around Ebbsfleet
The North Kent Line starts in the top left at Swanscombe station, crosses over the lines into Ebbsfleet International. It then goes through Northfleet station, before going off in a South-Easterly direction to Gravesend.
A connection could surely be built so that after passing Swanscombe station, the trains on the North Kent Line could pass through Ebbsfleet International, rather than through Northfleet station.
An alternative would be to provide a proper connection perhaps using a travelator between Northfleet and Ebbsfleet International stations.
One problem to sort out would be the level of services through Abbey Wood, that continue on to Ebbsfleet International and Gravesend.
The Anonymous Widower 