Was Baldrick An Essex Man?
I have been looking at Network Rail’s page for Beaulieu Park station.
This is the heading.
Network Rail and Essex County Council are working together to develop proposals for the first railway station to be built on the Great Eastern main line for over 100 years.
These two paragraphs outline the project and where the finance is being obtained.
The new station is part of a wider regeneration of the Beaulieu Park estate in Chelmsford with new road infrastructure and up to 14,000 homes.
Essex County Council, in partnership with Chelmsford City Council, successfully secured £218m of funding from the Government’s Housing and Infrastructure (HIF) fund together with £34m contributions from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and the developers of Beaulieu, Countryside and L&Q.
These features of Beaulieu Park station are listed on the page.
- Three platforms with a central loop line and new tracks to enable stopping services to call at the station while allowing fast trains to pass through unimpeded
- Step free access to all platforms via 2 lifts
- Accessible toilets, baby change facilities, waiting area and space for retail/catering
- Ticketing facilities, with ticket vending machines and a gate line
- Pedestrian and cycle access routes to the station
- 500 spaces for cycle parking and storage
- A bus interchange including bus stands for local services
- Pick up and drop off area with dedicated taxi bays
- Parking for over 700 cars, 5% of which to be designated Blue Badge bays, and motorcycle spaces, as well as dedicated parking for station staff, emergency services, and a dedicated space for service access.
Note.
- How many other parkway stations, other than Ebbsfleet International station have 700 parking spaces?
- The parking at Whittlesford Parkway can only hold 377 vehicles.
- How many other parkway stations have an overtaking loop for faster trains?
Beaulieu Park is not your average parkway station!
I have a few thoughts.
Which Of The Current Services Will Call?
The Network Rail page says this about services.
It will provide additional access to the railway with regular connections to the capital (only 40 minutes from London Liverpool Street station) and other destinations in the east of England. New tracks will enable stopping services to call at the station while allowing fast trains to pass through unimpeded.
Note.
- Trains between London and Hatfield Peverel station typically take under forty minutes.
- Two fast trains per hour (tph) between Liverpool Street and Norwich via Colchester, Ipswich and Stowmarket pass through.
- Only one of the fast trains stops at Chelmsford.
- Four stopping tph, one to each of Braintree, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester Town and Ipswich pass through.
If all the stopping trains stopped, Beaulieu Park would have the following services.
- Braintree – 1 tph
- Chelmsford – 4 tph
- Clacton-on-Sea – 1 tph
- Colchester – 3 tph
- Colchester Town – 1 tph
- Hatfield Peverel – 1 tph
- Ingatestone – 2 tph
- Ipswich – 1 tph
- Kelvedon – 2 tph
- London Liverpool Street – 4 tph
- Marks Tey – 2 tph
- Romford – 1 tph
- Shenfield – 3 tph
- Stratford – 4 tph
- Witham – 4 tph
All trains are new Class 720 electric trains.
I also feel, that Network Rail could be being cunning.
Suppose, the Liverpool Street and Norwich express, that doesn’t stop at Chelmsford, stopped instead at Beaulieu Park.
- This would give an hourly express service between Beaulieu Park and Norwich, which stopped at Colchester, Manningtree, Ipswich, Stowmarket and Diss.
- It would also enable two tph between Beaulieu Park and Ipswich.
The 700 parking spaces at Beaulieu Park now start to make sense.
- Both Ipswich and Norwich stations are within walking distance of the town centres and the football grounds.
- Ipswich station has a shuttle bus service to the town centre and the hospital.
- Both stations have several local train services.
Beaulieu Park station appears to have been designed as a Park-and-Ride station for the Great Eastern Main Line and all its branches.
Services To And From Lowestoft
In Making Sense Of The New East Anglia Franchise, I looked in detail at Greater Anglia’s promises.
In a section, which is entitled London – Lowestoft – Yarmouth Services, I said this.
There are going to be four direct services between London and Lowestoft each day. This probably initially means two trains to London in the morning peak and two trains back in the evening one.
When, I first moved back to Suffolk in the 1970s, I regularly caught a diesel-hauled train from Wickham Market to London for the day.
This is all motherhood and apple pie for those in Lowestoft wanting to go to London, but I suspect it isn’t the easiest service for a train operator to schedule efficiently and make money.
Would a train operator really want to start a full train at Lowestoft at say six in the morning and then have it wait around all day in London before returning in the evening?
The service hasn’t started.
Services To And From Cambridge Or Peterborough
At some time in the last decade, one of the predecessors of Greater Anglia, used to run a service to Peterborough via Colchester and Ipswich, so that travellers in Essex could catch trains to the North.
Given too that Cambridge has an employment problem, if a service was run, it might attract passengers.
The Class 755 trains Could Serve Bury St. Edmunds, Cambridge, Lowestoft, Newmarket, Peterborough And Yarmouth
Consider.
- A pair of Class 755 trains would leave Liverpool Street.
- They would use electric power to run to Ipswich.
- The trains would run in one of the paths of the current hourly Ipswich service.
- Like their all electric siblings; the Class 745 trains, they would probably run most of the journey at near 100 mph.
- At Ipswich the trains would split.
- One train would go to on to Lowestoft and Yarmouth and the other would go to Cambridge and Peterborough.
If passenger numbers felt it was a good idea, I’m certain, it could be timetabled.
The Chelmsford Avoiding Line
In Will The Chelmsford Avoiding Line Be Rebuilt?, I described the avoiding line, that used to be between the two tracks at Chelmsford station.
It probably saved a few minutes, by allowing fast expresses to pass stopping trains.
Effectively, a new avoiding line is being built at Beaulieu Park, a few miles from the original position at Chelmsford.
So will the fast expresses save a few minutes?
Could The Elizabeth Line Run To Beaulieu Park?
Consider
- The end sections of the Elizabeth Line seem to be busy, as I wrote in Very Busy Lizzie.
- The City of Chelmsford is between Shenfield and Beaulieu Park.
- Paddington and Reading is 35.9 miles.
- Liverpool Street and Hatfield Peverel is 35.9 miles.
So Beaulieu Park is actually closer to London than Reading.
Perhaps, at some time in a few years, passenger traffic between Beaulieu Park and Shenfield will be such, that the Elizabeth Line will be extended to Beaulieu Park.
The ideal service from Beaulieu Park would surely be two tph to Heathrow, as getting to Heathrow from East Anglia by train needs a change at Liverpool Street.
The only drawback is that to work effectively on the Great Eastern Main Line, a sub-variant of the Class 345 trains will be needed with a 100 mph operating speed. I wrote about these trains in Extending The Elizabeth Line – High Speed Trains On The Elizabeth Line.
But they may have the advantage of being able to take the fast lines between Shenfield and Stratford.
Conclusion
Beaulieu Park may just look like any other station to serve a housing development.
But it’s a lot more than that!
- It’s a Park-and-Ride for the whole Great Eastern Main Line and London.
- It should speed up expresses between London and Colchester, Ipswich or Norwich.
- It should improve local connectivity.
- It could take a lot of traffic off the nearby A12.
- It could give the City of Chelmsford its own local metro.
- It could give Heathrow a direct link to much of Essex.
- How much carbon will be saved by passengers?
We need many more well thought out Park-and-Ride stations.
Extending The Elizabeth Line – A Branch To The Isle Of Grain
In Elizabeth Line To Ebbsfleet Extension Could Cost £3.2 Billion, I talked about extending the Elizabeth Line to Ebbsfleet International and Gravesend stations.
In Gibb Report – Hoo Junction Depot, I talked about how Chris Gibb proposed using the former Hoo branch to create a depot for Thameslink trains.
I am a great believer in the idea, that modern railways are a great way of levelling up an area.
I have watched as Dalston and Hackney have risen as the London Overground has developed more and more frequent services through the area.
So when I wrote about the Ebbsfleet Extension to the Elizabeth Line, I asked this question.
Could The Elizabeth Line Be Extended To The Proposed Hoo Station?
The Hundred of Hoo Railway, leaves the North Kent Line about three miles to the East of Gravesend and runs across the Isle of Grain.
I wrote about the proposed reopening of the Hundred of Hoo Railway or the Hoo Branch as it is commonly known in Effort To Contain Costs For Hoo Reopening.
I then put various proposals and facts together.
It is proposed that the Elizabeth Line runs a four trains per hour (tph) service to Gravesend station.
- Gravesend station is a not very suitable station to turn nine-car Class 345 trains, that are over two hundred metres long, as it is on a cramped site.
- Government money has been pledged to build a station on the Isle of Grain to support the new housing on the island.
- According to Chris Gibb, there is space to build a depot.
So why not build a terminal station for the Elizabeth Line on the Isle of Grain?
I had these thoughts on the proposed Hoo station.
- It would be under ten kilometres from Hoo Junction, where the North Kent Line is electrified.
- A single platform could handle 4 tph, but provision for two platforms would be prudent.
- A couple of sidings could provide stabling.
- Services would join the North Kent Line at Hoo Junction.
- Services would use battery power between Hoo Junction and Hoo station.
- If charging were needed at Hoo station a short length of 25 KVAC overhead electrification would be needed.
- There is plenty of power available locally to power any electrification.
The only problem is that there would be a need for battery-electric Class 345 trains, but as Aventra trains were designed and built with battery operation in mind, this shouldn’t be too challenging.
I have a few other thoughts.
Housing By An Elizabeth Line Station
Woolwich station was built to serve a housing development and the developers even built the station box, which I wrote about in Exploring The Woolwich Station Box.
So I don’t think the developers of the housing on the Isle of Grain will be against the Elizabeth Line station.
What Would Be The Frequency To Hoo Station?
As I said, the proposed Hoo branch, could easily have a capacity of four tph.
But services to Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Terminal 5, Maidenhead and Reading are all two tph. Only Abbey Wood, Paddington and Shenfield have a higher frequency.
I suspect that two tph maximises the number of passengers, as they are prepared to wait thirty minutes.
Conclusion
I can see the branch to Hoo station on the Isle of Grain, being one of these options.
- A branch to turn trains running to Gravesend.
- A short branch to level-up the Isle of Grain.
- A short branch to provide transport for new housing.
Or perhaps a mixture of some or all options.
Could we see other branches like Hoo?
Extending The Elizabeth Line – Connecting West Anglia Main Line Services To The Central Tunnel
If say it was ever needed to run a train between Cambridge or Stansted stations and the Central Tunnel of the Elizabeth Line, three things must be possible.
Trains Would Have To Be Compatible With The Central Tunnel Of The Elizabeth Line
As any train would have to be compatible with the platform-edge doors in the central tunnel of the Elizabeth Line, the trains would have to be dimensionally identical to the current Class 345 trains.
- Nine cars
- Possibility of lengthening to ten cars.
- 204.73 metres long.
- 6 sets of doors per carriage
- Ability to run under full digital signalling.
I covered this in detail in Extending The Elizabeth Line – High Speed Trains On The Elizabeth Line.
Trains Would Need A 100 mph Capability To Travel On The Fast Lines Of The West Anglia Main Line
They would be designed for a higher speed of at least 100 mph, to enable running on the fast lines.
The faster running would ease scheduling of the trains.
Effectively, the train would be a Class 345 train with more features and considerably more grunt.
Trains Must Be Able To Connect Between The West Anglia Main Line And The Central Tunnel Of The Elizabeth Line At Stratford
This map from cartometro.com shows the track layout at Stratford.
Note.
- The Elizabeth Line is shown in black and purple.
- The Elizabeth Line enters and leaves the Central Tunnel at the Pudding Mill Lane Portal Eye.
- The West Anglia Main Line to and from Stansted and Cambridge goes through Platforms 11 and 12 at Stratford station, before crossing over Stratford International station and going through Olympic Park Junction.
I am fairly sure that the track layout at Stratford does not allow trains to go both ways between West Anglia Main Line and the Elizabeth Line Central Tunnel.
But I suspect with the addition of a couple of extra crossovers, that this could be arranged.
Extending The Elizabeth Line – Connection To Southeastern High Speed One Services
The Two Stratford Stations
In this post, Stratford station is the station handling Greater Anglia and London Overground, Underground and Docklands Light Railway services, with Stratford International station handles High Speed services.
The Elizabeth Line And The Great Western Railway Services
One of the most important stations on the Elizabeth Line is Paddington, where it connects to the London terminus of the Great Western Railway.
I would expect that quite a few passengers going to the West and Wales on the Great Western Railway, will be transported to Paddington by the Elizabeth Line.
The Elizabeth Line And Greater Anglia Services
Another of the important stations on the Elizabeth Line is Liverpool Street, where the station is the London terminus of the Greater Anglia.
I would expect that quite a few passengers going to East Anglia on the Greater Anglia, will be transported to Liverpool Street by the Elizabeth Line.
Southeastern High Speed One Services
Southeastern runs some High Speed services on High Speed One to provide Kent with an improved service to London.
Current services are
- London St Pancras International to Ramsgate via Faversham.
- London St Pancras International to Ramsgate via Dover Priory.
- London St Pancras International to Margate via Canterbury West.
Note
- All trains are one train per hour (tph).
- All trains stop at Stratford International and Ebbsfleet International.
- All trains are run by 140 mph Class 395 trains.
There has also been talk of running a fourth service to Hastings and Eastbourne via Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International.
St. Pancras Station
All of these trains terminate in three platforms; 11 to 13 at St. Pancras International station.
St. Pancras is not the ideal terminal for the Southeastern High Speed services.
- St. Pancras is not on the Elizabeth Line.
- St.Pancras doesn’t have good connections to Heathrow.
- All connections to the Underground are a long walk.
- Eurostar services are a longer walk.
- East Midland services are also a longer route, with stairs and escalators for good measure.
St. Pancras station was designed by a committee, as a museum to Victorian architecture, rather than as a working station.
Ebbsfleet International Station Must Be The Largest Parkway Station In The UK
It holds nearly five thousand cars and it is served by Southeastern High Speed Services.
Thanet Parkway Station Will Open This Year
Thanet Parkway station is under construction.
- It will have nearly three hundred parking spaces.
- It will be served by Southeastern High Speed Services.
- It should open in May 2023.
This station will need a good connection to London.
Could An Interchange Between The Elizabeth Line And Southeastern High Speed Services Be Provided At Stratford?
Such an alternative interchange would be popular with passengers.
- The Elizabeth Line from Stratford currently serves the West End, the Northern section of the City of London, East London, Liverpool Street, Paddington and the West End directly.
- The Elizabeth Line from Stratford currently serves Canary Wharf, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Euston, Heathrow, King’s Cross. Reading, St. Pancras and Victoria with a change at Whitechapel.
- The Central Line, which shares platforms with the Elizabeth Line serves Bank and the West End directly.
- The Overground is easily accessed for travel across North London to Richmond.
- The Jubilee Line is easily accessed for travel to London Bridge, Waterloo and Westminster.
It would be connected to two large parkway stations and lots of parking all over Kent.
I believe that Stratford must be promoted as an alternative terminus for Southeastern High Speed Services.
Today, I walked both ways between two Stratford stations.
These pictures show the route I took between Stratford and Stratford International stations, through the Eastfield Shopping Centre.
Note.
- I went through the Shopping Centre.
- I passed Marks & Spencer’s large food hall, excellent toilets and a Food Court.
- By the Food Court is an exit that leads to an entrance to Stratford International station.
- The walk took about 10 minutes.
- It was vaguely level.
- Lifts by-passed the escalators.
- One thing that makes the journey to London easier, is to travel in the Eastern end of the train, as the lifts and escalators at Stratford International station, are at that end.
It does need some better signage, but they were doing a bit of refurbishment, so that may already be underway.
It could be a very high quality interchange and it is already better than St. Pancras.
Coming back I took the longer route outside the Shopping Centre.
Note.
- I just turned left out of the entrance, walked along the road and turned right past the bus station.
- If the weather had been colder or wetter, I’d have gone back via the Shopping Centre.
- The walk took about 12 minutes.
I think normally, I’d go back through the Shopping Centre, as there’s a Marks and Spencer Food Hall on the route and it’s slightly quicker and often warmer.
Could Stratford Station Be A London Superhub Station?
When you consider the stations connected to Stratford in London, East Anglia and Kent, it has an excellent collection.
- Airports – Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Southend and Stansted
- Cities – Cambridge, Canterbury, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and Southend-on-Sea
- London Main and Terminal Stations – Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Clapham Junction, Euston, Farringdon, King’s Cross, London Bridge, Liverpool Street, Marylebone, Moorgate, Paddington, Victoria and Waterloo
- Major Areas – Canary Wharf, City of London, Hampstead, Olympic Park and West End
- Ports – Dover, Felixstowe, Folkestone and Harwich
You can even get a train to Slough, with a change at Whitechapel.
I would think it already is a London Superhub Station.
Extending The Elizabeth Line – Serving South-East London
The Inadequacies Of Abbey Wood Station
Abbey Wood station is the Elizabeth Line’s main terminus in South-East London.
The architecture is impressive, as the pictures taken before the station was finished show.
But other things are less than impressive.
- There is no station parking.
- Central London rail terminals served by Elizbeth Line services are only Liverpool Street/Moorgate and Paddington.
- Central London rail terminals served by National Rail services are Cannon Street, London Bridge, King’s Cross and St. Pancras.
In my view, Abbey Wood is a lost cause, as a commuter station, unless substantial parking is built at the station.
Parking At Stations In West Kent
This list shows the number of car parking spaces at stations in West Kent and South East London.
- Barnehurst – 162 *
- Belvedere – None *
- Bexleyheath – 83 *
- Chatham – 276 *
- Dartford – 186 *
- Ebbsfleet International – 4945 #
- Erith – None *
- Eynsford – 15
- Farningham Road – None
- Gillingham – 152 *
- Gravesend – 94 *
- Greenhithe – 8 *
- Longfield – 88
- Meopham – 167
- Northfleet – None *
- Plumstead – None *
- Rochester – None *
- St. Mary Cray – 31
- Slade Green – 25
- Sole Street – 61
- Stone Crossing – None *
- Strood – 112 *
- Swanley – 106
- Swanscombe – None *
- Welling – 117
Note.
- An asterisk (*) indicates direct trains to and from Abbey Wood station for the Elizabeth Line.
- An hash(#) indicates direct trains to and from Stratford International for the Elizabeth Line.
These figures are according to the National Rail web site.
It looks like unless you can walk to your nearest station and that has an easy connection to Abbey Wood, you’re probably better off going to Ebbsfleet and parking there.
Travelling Between Ebbsfleet International And The Elizabeth Line At Stratford International
Consider.
- Southeastern’s Highspeed service between Ebbsfleet International and Stratford International has a frequency of three trains per hour (tph)
- It takes less than twelve minutes between the two stations.
- It takes ten minutes to walk between Stratford International and Stratford Station for the Elizabeth Line and Greater Anglia services.
- There are eight Elizabeth Line tph to Paddington, calling at all stations. For Heathrow change at Whitechapel station.
Note.
- From these points, it should be possible to estimate the time you should park at Ebbsfleet to get to an event in London or East Anglia, if you live in Kent and are parking at Ebbsfleet International.
- I think four tph between Ebbsfleet International and Stratford International would make the route more attractive.
- If you’re going to Norwich or Ipswich be careful, as only one of the two tph stop at Stratford.
I catch the 12:30 from Liverpool Street for matches at Ipswich on Saturdays. This is the 12:38 from Stratford, so I suspect if you parked at parked at Ebbsfleet before 12:00, you’d make it.
Who’d have thought, that when they built the massive car parks at Ebbsfleet international, that they would be a Park-and-Ride for football at Ipswich. And Norwich too!
Changing Trains At Stratford
This map from Cartometro shows the two Stratford stations.
Note.
- The Elizabeth Line is shown in purple.
- The Central Line is shown in red.
- The Jubilee Line is shown in silver.
- The Overground is shown in orange.
- Lifts and escalators take passengers to and from the surface from between platforms 2 and 3 at Stratford International station.
Two pedestrian tunnels connect all the platforms in Stratford station.
- Elizabeth Line trains use platforms 5 and 8.
- Central Line trains use platforms 3, 3a and 6.
- Great Eastern Main Line trains use platforms 9, 9a and 10.
- Overground trains use platforms 1 and 2.
All platforms have lifts.
I suspect, that when you get to know the Stratford complex well, it’s easier than it looks.
But it does need better signage.
Full Step-Free Route Between Ebbsfleet And Heathrow Central
I have just used Transport for London’s Journey Planner, as if I was in a wheelchair and need full step-free access to go from Ebbsfleet to Heathrow Central.
This was the route.
- Southeastern to Stratford International station – 10 mins
- Walk to Stratford station – 21 mins
- Jubilee Line to Bond Street – 24 mins
- Bond Street to Heathrow Central – 32 mins
Note.
- The times are slower than say myself.
- I think it is possible to pick up the Elizabeth Line at Stratford.
But the route is certainly possible in a wheel-chair.
The Penge Interchange
This map from Cartometro shows where the East London Line of the London Overground and the Chatham Main Line between Victoria and Chatham cross in Penge.
Note.
- The East London Line runs North-South through Sydenham and Penge West stations.
- The Chatham Main Line runs through Penge East station.
There is a plan by Transport for London to create a Penge Interchange station on railway land, where the two lines cross.
- The station could replace Penge West and Penge East stations.
- It would be fully step-free.
- Interchange would be allowed between the East London Line and the Chatham Main Line.
This would increase connectivity for those travelling to and from South-East London and West Kent.
I brlieve that this one interchange could help level-up a large area of South-East London.
Extending The Elizabeth Line – Linking To The Chatham Main Line
Preamble
I believe that everybody in the South East of England needs the best access possible to the Elizabeth Line, by train from where they live.
- The Elizabeth Line serves the important places like Brick Lane, Canary Wharf, the City of London, Heathrow Airport, Liverpool Street station, the Olympic Park, Oxford Street and Paddington station directly.
- Because of its connection to Thameslink, the Elizabeth Line also serves important places like Bedford, Brighton, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport and Tate Modern with a single change at Farringdon station.
- Using the Elizabeth Line, Thameslink and perhaps a bus, it is possible to get to most important places in Central London.
- The more passengers that use the Elizabeth Line and Thameslink, the more London’s businesses will thrive creating employment and tax revenues.
- It should also be remembered, that using a train to visit central London, probably cuts your carbon footprint.
- The Elizabeth Line also cost a fortune, so perhaps by using it, you will be getting some of your portion of what it cost you back.
This post is one of several, where I discuss how to bring more passengers into the Elizabeth Line network.
The Chatham Main Line
This is the introduction to the Wikipedia entry for the Chatham Main Line.
The Chatham Main Line is a railway line in England that links London Victoria and Dover Priory / Ramsgate, travelling via Medway (of which the town of Chatham is part, hence the name).
Services to Cannon Street follow the route as far as St Mary Cray Junction where they diverge onto the South Eastern Main Line near Chislehurst.
Thameslink services to Luton run in parallel from Rainham to Rochester, diverging once across the River Medway at Rochester Bridge Junction onto the North Kent Line via Gravesend and Dartford.
A shuttle service operates on the Sheerness Line which starts at Sittingbourne.
Note.
- The main London terminals for trains to London on the Chatham Main Line are Cannon Street (Peak only), St. Pancras and Victoria.
- Services stop at Rainham station, so passengers can change to the two trains per hour (tph) Thameslink service to Luton.
- St. Pancras has one tph from Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne and Faversham stations.
- Victoria has two tph from Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne and Faversham stations.
- Rochester, Gillingham, Rainham and Faversham can turnback trains to London.
The only connections to the Elizabeth Line are.
- The HighSpeed service to St. Pancras calls at Stratford International, where the connection is tortuous.
- The Thameslink service calls at Farringdon, where the connection is easy.
As an example say you were going from Chatham to Heathrow Terminal 4.
The National Rail timetable suggests this route.
- Southeastern HighSpeed – Chatham to St. Pancras
- Thameslink – St. Pancras to Farringdon
- Elizabeth Line – Farringdon to Heathrow
Note that the change at St. Pancras is not the easiest.
Extending The Elizabeth Line To The Chatham Main Line
In Elizabeth Line To Ebbsfleet Extension Could Cost £3.2 Billion, I talk about this proposal as described in this article on Ian Visits.
One of the key features of Crossrail To Ebbsfleet (C2E) project is that instead of all trains terminating at Abbey Wood, trains will terminate as follows.
- Abbey Wood – 4 tph
- Northfleet – 4 tph
- Gravesend – 4 tph
This will mean that 8 tph would pass through Abbey Wood station.
Gravesend is not the best place to turn trains, so why not turn two tph at somewhere like Rochester, Gillingham, Rainham or Faversham?
If two tph to Rainham is good enough for Thameslink, surely two tph to Faversham could be good enough?
Extending The Elizabeth Line To A New Hoo Station
In Effort To Contain Costs For Hoo Reopening, I discussed opening the new Hoo station.
Consider.
- Hoo junction to Hoo station is no more than five or six miles.
- Aventras have been designed to run on battery power, so I suspect Lizzie’s Class 345 trains could be so fitted.
- Range would be sufficient for one return trip from Hoo junction to Hoo station
- Two tph at Hoo station could be handled by a single platform.
It looks to me, that of the four tph to Gravesend if C2E is built, two tph could go to both of Hoo and Faversham.
This assumes of course that digital signalling can fit all the trains on the North Kent Line between Abbey Wood and Faversham.
Chatham And London Main Line Stations
In these routes, I am assuming that there are two tph on the Lizzie Line between Faversham and Heathrow.
- Chatham and Cannon Street – Lizzie Line to Whitechapel and then District Line
- Chatham and Charing Cross – Lizzie Line to Whitechapel and then District Line
- Chatham and Euston – Lizzie Line to Whitechapel and then Hammersmith & City Line
- Chatham and Farringdon – Lizzie Line direct – Thameslink direct
- Chatham and Fenchurch Street – Lizzie Line to Whitechapel and then District Line
- Chatham and Liverpool Street – Lizzie Line direct
- Chatham and Marylebone – Lizzie Line to Paddington and then Bakerloo Line
- Chatham and Paddington – Lizzie Line direct
- Chatham and Kings Cross – Thameslink direct – Lizzie Line to Whitechapel and then Hammersmith & City Line
- Chatham and St. Pancras – Thameslink direct – Southeastern HighSpeed direct
- Chatham and Victoria – Southeastern direct – Lizzie Line to Whitechapel and then District Line
- Chatham and Waterloo – Lizzie Line to Paddington and then Bakerloo Line
Note how Whitechapel is an important interchange, as I said in Whitechapel Station Is The Preferred Interchange.
Conclusion
I do believe that the Elizabeth Line could be successfully extended to Kent.
Extending the Elizabeth Line – Stratford To Walthamstow and Chingford
A lot of people in Walthamstow and Chingford would like a direct rail connection to Stratford with its shopping, sporting, entertainment and employment opportunities.
The Hall Farm Curve used to provide this connection, but it was removed in 1968, despite having been electrified in 1960.
This map from cartometro.com shows the curve.
Note.
- The Chingford branch line is shown in orange.
- The triple-track Stratford branch of the West Anglia Main Line crosses the Chingford branch line at right angles.
- Lea Bridge station reopened in 2016.
It has been stated that the Hall Farm Curve would be reinstated as an electrified single track.
There would probably be a need for a crossover to the North of the former Hall Farm junction to enable trains from Lea Bridge to get to the Chingford-bound track.
The Hall Farm Curve would also give access to Elizabeth Line and Greater Anglia services at Stratford. But it may be that when the Elizabeth Line opens fully in November, travellers get used to going into Liverpool Street and changing there.
Services Between Stratford and Chingford Via Walthamstow
Providing this service might be difficult, but not impossible.
- Trains could use the High Meads Loop at Stratford.
- Digital signalling may allow more trains to be squeezed in.
- Chingford could certainly handle eight trains per hour (tph)
But there is always the problem of the level crossing at Highams Park station.
Changing Between The Elizabeth And Chingford Branch Lines At Liverpool Street Station
Consider.
- At present Liverpool Street station on the Lizzie Line has sixteen trains per hour (tph).
- Eight tph go to both Eastern termini at Abbey Wood and Shenfield.
- In the West two tph go to each of Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Terminal 5, Maidenhead and Reading, with the other eight tph reversing at Paddington.
- If you travel in the Eastern end of a Lizzie Line train, you should enter Liverpool Street station opposite to where all London Overground services including those to and from Chingford terminate in the station.
- The walking route between the Elizabeth And Chingford Branch Lines At Liverpool Street is step-free.
Some passengers will use this route to places like Walthamstow Central, but others moan, that there is no direct connection between the Victoria and Lizzie Lines.
Stations Without Step-Free Access On The Chingford Branch Line
These stations on the Chingford Branch Line do not have full step-free access between train and street.
- Bethnal Green
- Cambridge Heath
- London Fields
- Hackney Downs
- Clapton
- St. James Street
- Walthamstow Central
- Wood Street
Only Hackney Downs and Walthamstow Central have been mentioned with respect to installing some form of step-free access.
Increasing Capacity Between Liverpool Street And Chingford
The Chingford Branch Line can handle pairs of four-car trains and running these all day, would surely be the best way to increase capacity.
Conclusion
If money was no object, the Chingford Branch Line could be improved to make it a much better feeder line for the Elizabeth Line.
I also have a feeling, that a lot of people living in North-East London will switch their travelling from the Victoria Line to the Chingford Branch Line and the Lizzie Line.
Extending The Elizabeth Line – Piccadilly Line To Ealing Broadway
Transport for London have proposed a reorganisation of the Piccadilly and District Lines in the Ealing area.
I first wrote about this in Is There Going To Be More Change At Ealing Broadway Station?, but now the Elizabeth Line is on the verge of being connected across London, I feel that this post needs to be replaced.
A Possible Proposal
Ealing Broadway station is being upgraded for Crossrail.
In the November 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, there is a Capital Connection supplement, which discusses London’s railways.
On Page 7 in a section about the sub-surface lines, this is said.
One possibility being discussed is that the Piccadilly should take over the District’s Ealing Broadway service. This would free up space on the South side of the inner-London circle for more City trains off the Wimbledon branch, one of the sub-surface network’s most-crowded routes.
On Page 15 in a section about the Mayor’s plans, this is said.
It is suggested Piccadilly Line services run to Ealing Broadway instead of the District Line, enabling increased frequencies on the latter’s Richmond and Wimbledon branches.
As the plan is mentioned twice, certainly the proposal is being thought about.
The Lines At Ealing Broadway Station
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the lines at Ealing Broadway station.
Note how the Piccadilly and District Lines share tracks from Ealing Common station, which then split with District Line trains going to Ealing Broadway station and Piccadilly Line trains going to Rayners Lane and Uxbridge stations.
If the change happened and Ealing Broadway station was only served by the Piccadilly and Central Lines of the Underground, then there might be opportunities to improve the efficiency of the Underground side of the station.
Capacities And Lengths Of London Underground Trains Serving Ealing Broadway Station
I’ll express these as a table.
- Central Line – 1992 Stock – 930 passengers – 130 metres – 7.15 pass/m.
- District Line – S7 Stock – 1209 passengers – 117.45 metres – 10.29 pass/m.
- Piccadilly Line – 1973 Stock – 684 passengers – 106.8 metres – 6.40 pass/m.
- New Tube for London – 1076 passengers – 113.7 metres – 9.46 pass/m.
Note.
- The New Tube for London is the shortest train, with the second highest capacity and the highest passenger density.
- The New Tube for London will be replacing the Piccadilly Line trains first.
- The New Tube for London will be replacing the Central Line trains second.
It looks like there will be no platform-length problems running the New Tube for London to Ealing Broadway station.
The District Line Platforms At Ealing Broadway Station
These pictures show the District Line at Ealing Broadway station.
Note.
- There are three platforms for terminating District Line trains, which are numbered 7 to 9.
- The service frequency is six trains per hour (tph).
- The bridge to the far platform 9, is not step-free.
- It appears to be possible to walk between platforms 8 and 9 behind the buffer stops, but it wasn’t signed.
- As a comparison the Central Line runs 9 tph to East London from two platforms, that are numbered 5 and 6.
- There was also a 3 tph Night Tube service before the pandemic, which appears to be running again.
- Platforms 8 and 9 seem to be covered by a building of very little architectural merit.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the detailed platform layout.
Note.
- Platforms are numbered from 1 to 9 from the South.
- Underground tracks are shown in blue.
- Elizabeth Line tracks are shown in orange.
- Great Western ~Main Line tracks are shown in red.
I believe that the three District Line platforms could be upgraded into an excellent terminus for another branch of the Piccadilly Line.
Consider.
- Two platforms would probably be enough, but a third would be useful for service recovery.
- As the Piccadilly and Central Line trains are the same size, could Platform 7 be a platform be available to both Underground services when needed?
- The New Tubes for London are a few metres shorter than the current District Line trains, so would this help in creating a step-free level walkway between Platforms 8 and 9, behind the buffer stops?
- Platforms 8 and 9 may need to be lengthened.
- Is there any scope for any appropriate oversite development?
I certainly believe that a much better replacement could be created.
Changing Between The Underground Lines And The Elizabeth Line At Ealing Broadway Station
Ealing Broadway station is now step-free and changes between the Eastbound Elizabeth Line and the Underground are a walk on the level.
Only when changing to or from the Westbound Elizabeth Line do you need to use stairs and/or a lift.
Elizabeth Line Effects On Access To Heathrow
The Elizabeth Line will change the way a lot of passengers go to and from Heathrow Airport.
Elizabeth Line To Heathrow
At present, the service will be.
- 4 trains per hour (tph) between Paddington and Heathrow Central and Heathrow Terminal 4 or Heathrow Terminal 5 via Ealing Broadway.
After November 6th, 2022, the service will be.
- 4 tph between Abbey Wood and Heathrow Central and Heathrow Terminal 4
- 2 tph between Abbey Wood and Heathrow Central and Heathrow Terminal 5
In addition these services will serve all station including Canary Wharf, Liverpool Street, Bond Street, Paddington and Ealing Broadway.
Effect On Heathrow Express
It will be difficult to predict what will happen to Heathrow Express, but I suspect several groups of passengers will desert it.
- Passengers wanting to go anywhere East of Paddington without changing trains.
- Passengers wanting any Elizabeth Line station.
- Passengers, who don’t like the prices of Heathrow Express.
- Passengers using Oyster or contactless cards.
- Passengers who want to ride on London’s spectacular new Elizabeth Line.
- After Old Oak Common station is opened for High Speed Two, the numbers could further decrease.
Will Heathrow Express survive?
Effect On Piccadilly Line
The current Piccadilly Line route to the Airport will not be closed, as for many it will still be a convenient route to the Airport
- Passengers who live on the Piccadilly Line and don’t want to change trains. Think Southgate, Knightsbridge, Hammersmith and Osterley!
- Passengers to the West of Acton Town station.
- Passengers, workers and others needing to go to Hatton Cross station.
If the Elizabeth Line connected with the Piccadilly Line at say Holborn, it would be all so different.
Effect On District Line
When Crossrail opens, the District Line will become a loop from Crossrail, between Ealing Broadway and Whitechapel running along the North Bank of the Thames via Earls Court, Victoria, Charing Cross and Monument.
The step-free interchange at Ealing Broadway could become busy with passengers travelling to and from the Airport.
Effect On Piccadilly Line Overcrowding
Heathrow trains on the Piccadilly Line can get very overcrowded with so many passengers with heavy cases.
It must sometimes be very difficult to get on a Piccadilly Line train between Heathrow and South Kensington stations.
The Elizabeth Line should take the pressure from these trains, by allowing passengers to use the District Line with a change at Ealing Broadway.
The New Tube for London will also help to reduce the overcrowding.
Effect On My Personal Route
My personal route to the airport is to take a 141 bus to Manor House station and then get the Piccadilly Line. It takes 94 minutes.
After the Elizabeth Line fully opens, if I take the East London Line from Dalston Junction to Whitechapel and then used Crossrail, I’d take 57 minutes.
Conclusion
The Elizabeth Line will affect the way many get to and from Heathrow Airport.
But there are large areas of London, who still will need to change trains twice to get to the airport. But for many, one of those changes will be a step-free one at Ealing Broadway, Paddington or Whitechapel stations.
Piccadilly Line To Ealing Broadway Effects
Adding Ealing Broadway station as a fourth Western terminus to the Piccadilly Line will have effects, but not as important as the opening of the Elizabeth Line.
Some Improved Journey Times To Heathrow
Some Piccadilly Line stations will see improved journey times to Heathrow.
Hammersmith to Heathrow currently takes 37 minutes by the Piccadilly Line.
Taking a Piccadilly Line train to Ealing Broadway and then using the Elizabeth Line could save a dozen minutes.
The District Line Connection To The Elizabeth Line At Ealing Broadway Is Lost
Passengers along the District Line from Monument to Hammersmith will lose their direct access to the Elizabeth Line at Ealing Broadway.
Cross-platform access to the Piccadilly Line at Hammersmith and other stations will probably be provided or improved, but it will be a second change.
Note that until the Piccadilly Line gets upgraded and new trains arrive around 2023, the District Line with new trains and the soon to be installed new signalling may well be a better passenger experience.
More Trains To Richmond
This will certainly be possible, if some Ealing Broadway trains are diverted to Richmond.
But the Elizabeth Line has another delight in its cupboard for Richmond.
Old Oak Common station is scheduled to open in 2026 and will offer an interchange between the Elizabeth Line and the North London Line.
Richmond will certainly be getting a better train service to Central and East London.
More Trains To Wimbledon
This will certainly be possible, if some Ealing Broadway trains are diverted to Wimbledon.
The Ealing Common Problem
At Ealing Common station, the Piccadilly and District Line share the same tracks and platforms.
Some commentators have suggested that the new trains on the Piccadilly Line will be designed to work with platform-edge doors for improved safety and dwell times.
So if platform-edge doors were to be fitted to all stations on the Piccadilly Line as has been suggested, there would be no way the doors would fit the new S7 Stock of the District Line.
Swapping Ealing Broadway from the District to Piccadilly Lines would solve this problem and give more flexibility, but it might give London Underground other problems with regard to access for District Line trains to Ealing Common depot.
These pictures show Ealing Common station.
Note the difference in levels between the Piccadilly and District Line trains.
There would be no way to provide level access for both types of train using a Harrington Hump.
So is making a station that serves both deep-level and sub-surface lines, step-free, a problem that is still to be cracked?
This Google Map shows Ealing Common station.
It doesn’t look that it is a station, where two extra platforms could be squeezed in, so both lines could have their own platforms.
Could Ealing Common station be one of the main reasons to serve Ealing Broadway station with the Piccadilly Line?
Acton Town Station
These pictures show Acton Town station.
Note.
- The two central tracks appear to be Piccadilly Line trains only.
- The two outer tracks appear to be able to be used by both District and Piccadilly Line trains.
- There is quite a step-down to Piccadilly Line trains on some platforms.
Making Acton Town station, a Piccadilly Line-only station, would ease making the station step-free, as it would only be served by one type of train.
Chiswick Park And Ravenscourt Park
This section is shown in this map from cartmetro.com.
Note.
- The District Line is shown in green.
- The Piccadilly Line is shown in blue.
- The two Piccadilly Line tracks are in the middle and generally trains go straight through the four stations.
- The two District Line tracks are on the outside and trains stop at most stations.
It appears that the tracks have been laid out so that Piccadilly Line trains can get a real shift on between Acton Town and Hammersmith.
This could save a few minutes on some Piccadilly Line journeys.
But there is a problem!
- District Line trains serve all stations.
- Piccadilly Line trains serve none.
- How is Chiswick Park station going to be served, as there are no District Line trains passing?
- Passengers for intermediate stations, would need to get on the District Line trains before entering the Acton Town and Hammersmith section.
- Passengers may want to change between Ealing Broadway and Chiswick Park.
There will also be no trains running on the current District Line tracks between Acton Town and Turnham Green Junction. The only ones that do now, go to Ealing Broadway and they’re being changed to Piccadilly Line trains.
Serving Chiswick Park Station
Chiswick Park station only has platforms on the District Line, which will not see any passing trains if the District Line doesn’t go to Ealing Broadway.
One suggestion I found was to add two new District Line platforms to the Richmond branch.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note the Richmond branch passing South of the station.
This second Google Map shows the tracks between Chiswick Park station and Turnham Green junction.
Note.
- The four tracks between Acton Town and Hammersmith stations.
- The current District Line tracks are the outside two of the four tracks.
- The Piccadilly Line tracks are the middle two.
- The two tracks at the South-West corner go to Richmond station.
- The Eastbound track from Richmond goes under the four-track railway, before joining the current Eastbound District Line track.
- The Westbound track to Richmond runs along the South side of the four-track railway, before joining the current Westbound District Line track.
These pictures were taken from a train approaching Chiswick Park station from the East.
Note, that there is enough space for a platform along the single track.
These pictures are of Chiswick Park station.
Note.
- The distinctive architecture of London Transport stations of the period.
- The two fast lines in the middle, with Piccadilly Line trains speeding through.
- The two District Line trains on the outside with platforms.
- The Richmond Branch passing to the South of the station and between the station and Sainsburys.
I would suspect that a pair of platforms could be built on the two tracks of the Richmond branch.
- District Line trains to and from Richmond would stop at the new platforms at Chiswick Park stations and Turnham Green, Stamford Brook, Ravenscroft Park, Hammersmith, Baron’s Court and Earl’s Court stations.
- Passengers between Ealing Broadway and Victoria stations would change at Hammersmith, Baron’s Court or Earl’s Court stations.
- The car park at the bottom of the map is for a large Sainsbury’s. Perhaps, they would like a station entrance?
- Chiswick Park station is Grade II Listed.
I’m sure that a good architect can find a more than acceptable solution.
Turnham Green Station
As I passed through Turnham Green station, I got off and took a few pictures, before catching the next train to Ealing Broadway.
Note.
- Piccadilly Line trains don’t generally stop, although they do at times to provide a service when the District Line is not running.
- The station is not step-free, with stairs to the entrance.
- It has some nice features.
- Herbs are provided for passengers
If required a step-free interchange between District and Piccadilly Lines could be arranged.
Hammersmith Station
I arrived at Hammersmith station on a Piccadilly Line train and left on a District Line train, after taking these pictures.
Note.
- The change is on the same island platform.
- There is plenty of space on the platform.
- The District Line trains are level with the platform.
- The Piccadilly Line trains require a step-down from the platform.
- The District Line trains run at a frequency of 12 tph.
- The Piccadilly Line trains run at a frequency of 21 tph.
- Hammersmith is also a big bus interchange and shopping centre.
There should be no problem changing between Piccadilly and District Lines at Hammersmith, with a wait of no more than five minutes.
Baron’s Court Station
In a brief stop at Baron’s Court station, I took these pictures.
Note.
- The change is on the same island platform.
- There is less space on the platform, than at Hammersmith station.
- The District Line trains are a step-up from the platform.
- The Piccadilly Line trains require a step-up from the platform.
- The District Line trains run at a frequency of 12 tph.
- The Piccadilly Line trains run at a frequency of 21 tph.
There should be no problem changing between Piccadilly and District Lines at Baron’s Court, with a wait of no more than five minutes.
Earl’s Court Station
I arrived at Earl’s Court station on a Piccadilly Line train and left on a District Line train, after taking these pictures.
Note.
- The change means that platforms have to be changed
- The District Line trains are a step-up from the platform.
- The Piccadilly Line trains require a step-up from the platform.
- The District Line trains run at a frequency of 12 tph.
- The Piccadilly Line trains run at a frequency of 21 tph.
There should be no problem changing between Piccadilly and District Lines at Earl’s Court, but Hammersmith and Baron’Court don’t need a change of platform.
What Is The Best Station To Change Between Piccadilly And District Lines?
It appears that the best place to change would be Hammersmith, or failing that Baron’s Court.
- Earl’s Court requires a change of platform.
- Turnham Green requires a change of platform and two sets of steps.
- Hammersmith has a shopping centre and a lot of buses.
- I’ve used Hammersmith before to get home from Heathrow, with a change to a 141 bus at Monument station.
I would always for preference use Hammersmith.
Conclusion
It appears to me, there are two opposite forces on either side of a possible proposal to serve Ealing Broadway station with the Piccadilly Line, rather than the District Line.
- The District Line will form a loop South of Crossrail between Ealing Broadway and Whitechapel stations.
- Making a station step-free that handles both deep-level and sub-surface lines, is not an easy undertaking.
Running the Piccadilly Line to Ealing Broadway means that a change is required at Hammersmith or Barons Court stations to use the loop described in point 1.
But this change would enable the step-free access to be created in all stations in the area.
I think that the change of terminus will go ahead, with the following additions.
- Improved access to Ealing Common depot.
- Improved cross-platform access at Hammersmith or Barons Court stations.
- Possibly two extra platforms on the District Line at Chiswick Park station.
What started out as a simple change could end up as a substantial project.
But overall, because it sorts out step-free access in the area, I think it is a good proposal.
Extending The Elizabeth Line – Improving The Northern City Line
Some parts of North and North-East London, have less-than-good connections with the Elizabeth Line.
- The Piccadilly Line has no direct connection with the Elizabeth Line.
- The Victoria Line has no direct connection with the Elizabeth Line.
- The Bank branch of the Northern Line has only a poor connection with the Elizabeth Line at Moorgate station.
- The Northern City Line has only a poor connection with the Elizabeth Line at Moorgate station.
- The Charing Cross branch of the Northern Line has a good connection with the Elizabeth Line at Tottenham Court Road station.
- The Lea Valley Lines of the London Overground have good connections with the Elizabeth Line at Liverpool Street station.
- Thameslink has a good connection with the Elizabeth Line at Farringdon station.
It would appear that if you live near one of the Lea Valley Lines or Thameslink stations, you can access the Elizabeth Line fairly easily at Liverpool Street or Farringdon stations, but if you rely on a Northern, Northern City, Piccadilly or Victoria Line local station, you are not so lucky!
Could The Northern City Line Be Improved To Give Better Connections Between North London And The Elizabeth Line?
This map from cartometro.com shows the lines between Finsbury Park and Highbury & Islington stations.
Note.
- The dark blue tracks are the Piccadilly Line, which calls at M (Manor House), Finsbury Park, Arsenal, Holloway Road and Caledonian Road, before going South-West to King’s Cross St. Pancras.
- The lighter blue tracks are the Victoria Line, which calls at Finsbury Park and Highbury & Islington, before going South-West to King’s Cross St. Pancras.
- The black tracks on the Western side of the map are those of the East Coast Main Line into King’s Cross.
- The black tracks going South-East from Finsbury Park are the Northern City Line, which calls at Finsbury Park, Drayton Park, Highbury & Islington, E (Essex Road) and Old Street before terminating at Moorgate.
This second map shows the lines through Finsbury Park station.
Note.
- The dark blue tracks are the Piccadilly Line.
- The lighter blue tracks are the Victoria Line.
- The black tracks going through Drayton Park station are the Northern City Line.
- The platforms of the Piccadilly and Victoria Lines are paired at Finsbury Park station, so that passengers can change lines with a simple walk-across.
This third map shows the lines through Highbury & Islington station.
Note.
- The dark blue tracks are the Piccadilly Line.
- The lighter blue tracks are the Victoria Line.
- The orange tracks are the London Overground.
- The black tracks going through Drayton Park and Highbury & Islington stations are the Northern City Line, which terminates at Moorgate station.
- The platforms of the Northern City and Victoria Lines are paired at Highbury & Islington station, so that passengers can change lines with a simple walk-across.
The big problem with Highbury & Islington station is that is not step-free.
A Step-Free Route Between Wood Green And Moorgate Stations
Currently, it is possible to go between Wood Green and Moorgate stations by using three trains.
- Piccadilly Line – Wood Green to Finsbury Park – 6 mins
- Victoria Line – Finsbury Park to Highbury & Islington – 6 mins
- Northern City Line – Highbury & Islington to Moorgate – 10 mins
Note.
- These are actual times measured on my phone.
- The total time is twenty-two minutes.
- I had to wait a couple of minutes at both changes.
- Both changes are walk-across.
- The changes are not as perfect as they could be, although they would be easily managed with a buggy or a heavy case.
These pictures show the change at Highbury & Islington station.
These pictures show the change at Finsbury Park station.
This route works for all stations Between Manor House and Cockfosters.
- Cockfosters – Add 15 minutes
- Oakwood – Add 12 minutes
- Southgate – Add 9 minutes
- Arnos Grove – Add 6 minutes
- Bounds Green – Add 3 minutes
- Turnpike Lane – Subtract 2 minutes
- Manor House – Subtract 5 minutes
But look at the frequencies of the three sections in trains per hour (tph)
- Piccadilly Line – 21 tph
- Victoria Line – 33 tph
- Northern City Line – 4 tph
The Northern City Line frequency is not high enough, as you could have a fifteen minute wait for a train.
Improvements Needed To The Northern City Line
The Northern City Line now has new Class 717 trains, a terminal platform at Stevenage and full digital signalling is being installed.
- The major improvement needed would be to improve frequency to at least 12 tph.
- Six tph on both branches should be possible.
I would also install step-free access at more stations.
Moorgate Station’s Northern City Line Platforms
These pictures show the platforms of the Northern City Line at Moorgate station.
Note.
Improved Connections At Moorgate Station
I talked about the connections between the Northern and Elizabeth Lines at Moorgate station in Elizabeth Line To Northern Line At Moorgate Station.
This was my conclusion.
Routes between the Northern and Elizabeth Lines at Moorgate need to be improved.
I feel that some of the improvements could be fairly minor, but adding step-free access to the Northern City Line could be more difficult.
An Improved Connection Between Bank And Moorgate Stations
Currently, there are three ways between Bank and Moorgate stations.
- Use the Northern Line
- Use a 21, 43 or 141 bus routes
- Walk
I believe that it would also be possible to dig a pedestrian tunnel between the two stations and fit it out with a moving walkway.
This visualisation shows the updated Bank station.
Note.
- Moorgate station is to the left.
- The only more-or-less completed bits are the two Northern Line tunnels and platforms and parallel pedestrian tunnel.
- The four cross tunnels can be picked out towards the far end of the station.
- Three of the cross tunnels can now be used by passengers.
- The moving walkway can be accessed from the two cross tunnels nearest to the Central Line.
- The escalators from the yet-to-open Cannon Street entrance appear to lead directly into a cross tunnel and a parallel tunnel to the moving walkway.
I believe that the moving walkway to Moorgate station could connect with the Bank station complex, at the Moorgate end of the new moving walkway in Bank station.
Extending The Elizabeth Line – London Crosslink
In the Wikipedia entry for the London Crosslink, this is the introduction.
London Crosslink was a passenger train service operated by Anglia Railways between Norwich and Basingstoke, using the North London Line to bypass central London. Class 170 Turbostar diesel multiple units were used, and the service operated between 22 May 2000 and 28 September 2002, supported by funding from the Strategic Rail Authority through its Rail Passenger Partnership fund.
As it was discontinued and it doesn’t seem to be sadly missed, I’m not advocating its reinstatement, but just looking how it might be run after the full opening of the Elizabeth Line.
But surely, there were good reasons, why the service was run in the first place and there might be a need in the future.
These are some characteristics of the service.
- There were about half-a-dozen services in both directions every day.
- At its full length it ran between Norwich and Basingstoke.
- Stops included Diss, Stowmarket, Ipswich, Colchester, Witham, Chelmsford, Ingatestone, Romford, Stratford, Highbury & Islington, Camden Road, West Hampstead, Brentford, Feltham, Staines, Woking and Farnborough (Main).
- Each service seemed to have a different stopping pattern.
- The timetable wasn’t very regular.
- The route wasn’t fully electrified.
It appears that it may have been a difficult service to timetable.
A London Crosslink Based On The Elizabeth Line
Consider.
- The route between Norwich and Stratford is possible and is fully-electrified.
- Trains could use the Central Tunnel of the Elizabeth Line between Stratford and Paddington.
- There is no connection between the Central Tunnel and Brentford, Feltham, Staines, Woking and Farnborough (Main).
I suspect that the service would go to Basingstoke via Reading.
An alternative route might be serve Heathrow Terminal 5 and then connect to the Windsor and Staines Line.
Note.
- In Extending The Elizabeth Line – Connecting Great Eastern Main Line Services To The Central Tunnel, I showed that I thought it was possible for Great Eastern Main Line service to use the Central Tunnel of the Elizabeth Line.
- Reading and Basingstoke is not electrified.
Would it be worthwhile?
The Anonymous Widower 