West Drayton Station – 22nd July 2021
West Drayton station is now substantially complete, as these pictures show.
There is obviously work to do including.
- Finishing the station frontage.
- Completion of the building on Platform 4 and 5.
The map from carto metro shows the lines through the station.
Thorney Mill is an aggregates depot on the former Staines and West Drayton Railway. There is also an aviation fuel terminal for Heathrow Airport at Colnbrook, which is further to the South.
I do wonder, if the former Staines and West Drayton Railway can be repurposed to improve the operation of Heathrow Airport.
A Trip To Stansted Airport In A Class 745/1 Train
This lunchtime a friend was passing through Stansted Airport on the way to Glasgow. As we hadn’t seen each other for a couple of years, we had decided to have a coffee at the Airport.
I took these pictures on the trip.
Property Development At Tottenham Hale
There is a lot of development going on around Tottenham Hale station.
There will be a lot more to come.
The New Class 745/1 Train
I travelled in a new Class 745/1 train, which are replacing the Class 379 trains.
Note.
- The trains have twelve articulated sections.
- The trains are 236.5 metres long.
- Only 11-car Class 390 trains or a pair of five-car Class 80x trains are longer.
- The train has767 seats at a density of 3.24 seats/metre
This picture through the train emphasises the train’s length.
Note.
- There are some light slops, but no steps.
- A coffee and snack trolley would be possible.
- The overhead racks are generously-sized.
- Some seats are higher and you step up into them, as they are over the wheels.
The ride was also excellent.
Class 745/1 Train Performance
I made these observations.
- My train stopped at Tottenham Hale, Harlow Town, Bishops Stortford and Stansted Mountfitchet.
- The train was at 80 mph most of the time on the West Anglia Main Line.
- The maximum speed if a Class 745 train is 100 mph.
- The operating speed of the West Anglia Main Line is given on Wikipedia as 100 mph maximum.
- The train was didn’t exceed 70 mph on the Stansted Branch.
- Between Stansted Airport and Stansted Mountfitchet, the train accelerated to 70 mph and then braked at the right time to stop precisely in the following station.
At all times, I felt the train was running very easily. But then there are 125 mph members of the Flirt family running in Norway.
I can see these trains cutting the current 49 minutes between Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport.
Other times to London’s airports are as follows.
- London Bridge – Gatwick – Thameslink – 48 minutes.
- Victoria – Gatwick – Gatwick Express – 30 minutes.
- Victoria – Gatwick – Southern – 32 minutes.
- Paddington – Heathrow Central – Heathrow Express – 15 minutes
- Paddington – Heathrow Central – Crossrail – 28 minutes
With the exception of Heathrow Express, the new Stansted Express doesn’t stand up too badly.
Rye House Gas-Fired Power Station
One of the landmarks you pass on the West Anglia Main Line is Rye House power station.
The weather wasn’t good, but the pictures give an impression of the 715 MW gas-fired power station.
This Google Map shows the power station.
Note.
- The West Anglia Main Line running SW-NE across the map.
- Sainsbury’s distribution centre to the North of the railway.
- The power station to the South of the railway.
- The grid-like structure is an air-cooled condenser.
But where is the station’s carbon capture equipment?
The Lea Valley is London’s greenhouse, as this second Google Map shows.
Note all the nurseries and salad producers on the map, which is a mile or so to the South East of the power station.
Drax Group used to pipe carbon dioxide to salad producers from Drax power station, so why aren’t they doing it here?
Changing At Tottenham Hale Station
This set of pictures show my change at Tottenham Hale station, when I returned to London.
Note.
- The step-free entry to the Class 745 train.
- The Stansted Express used Platform 3.
- It was then followed in Platform 3, by a train to Liverpool Street via Hackney Downs station.
- At the same time, a train arrived in Platform 4, which went to Stratford via Lea Bridge station.
- I took the Stratford train to Lea Bridge station.
- The train was a Class 379 train, which has been replaced by the Class 745 train.
It looks like all Stansted Expresses have an interchange to trains to Hackney Downs and Stratford after a few minutes.
This sums up, what travellers can do at Tottenham Hale station, after arriving on a Stansted Express.
- Stay on the Stansted Express for Liverpool Street.
- Wait for the next train to Hackney Downs and Liverpool Street, on the same platform.
- Wait for the train to Stratford, on the other side of the same platform.
- Catch the Victoria Line, as passengers have done for decades.
- There are also lots of buses and taxis.
When Crossrail opens, there will be connections at Stratford and Liverpool Street.
Lea Bridge Station
I took these pictures at Lea Bridge station.
Note, that not all trains on this route are Class 379 trains.
Property Development At Lea Bridge Station
There is a lot of development going on around Lea Bridge station.
As at Tottenham Hale and Stratford, there will probably be more to come.
Lea Bridge Road In Mid Afternoon
As I just mixed a 56 bus home, I walk about half-a-mile to the next bus stop.
It was not a pleasant walk!
Drax, Velocys Help Launch Coalition For Negative Emissions
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Biomass Magazine.
This is the introductory paragraph.
U.K.-based companies Drax Group and Velocys are among 11 organizations that have launched the Coalition for Negative Emissions, which aims to achieve a sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID-19 by developing pioneering projects that can remove carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the atmosphere.
This paragraph details the companies and organisations involved.
In addition to Drax and Velocys, members of the coalition include Carbon Engineering, Carbon Removal Centre, CBI, Carbon Capture and Storage Association, Climeworks, Energy U.K., Heathrow, International Airlines Group, and the U.K. National Farmers Union.
They have sent a letter to the Government, which can be downloaded from the Drax website.
Conclusion
I have an open mind about biomass and products such as aviation biofuel and techniques such as carbon capture.
Keeping the wheels of commerce turning, needs a sustainable way to fly and ideas such as producing aviation biofuel from household and industrial waste, could enable sustainable transport in the short term.
Carbon capture is very difficult in a lot of processes, but I feel that in some, such as a modern gas-turbine powered station, if they are designed in an innovative manner, they an be made to deliver a pure stream of the gas. A pure gas must be easier to handle, than one contaminated with all sorts of unknowns, as you might get from burning some sources of coal.
I am pleased that the National Farmers Union is involved as using pure carbon dioxide, as a growth promoter for greenhouse crops is a proven use for carbon dioxide.
Overall, I am optimistic about the formation of the Coalition for Negative Emissions.
Long Train Runnin’
I went to Heathrow today, in a nine car Class 345 train.
Note.
- This service is the replacement for Heathrow Connect.
- My trains left from and returned to Platform 11 in Paddington station. But although perhaps eighty percent of Heathrow Terminal 5 services appear to use this platform, not all do!
At least something is at last going right for Crossrail!
Heathrow Congestion Charge Is Expected To Raise £1.2bn A Year
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the first paragraph.
Heathrow airport could make £1.2 billion a year from a congestion charge levied on drivers arriving at the airport by car, according to analysis.
The article also says.
- The charge will start when the third runway opens.
- The charge will be levied on all cars, even the cleanest.
It is designed to encourage drivers to use public transport, like buses, coaches and trains.
I don’t believe that you can force a lot of passengers to give up their cars, when going to the Airport,. But then for the sake of the planet, they must give up their diesel 4x4s and large cars.
As a non-driver and almost a non-flyer, I’m not affected!
Fire Up The Quattro: My Other Car Is An Energy Supplier
An article with this title is on Page 3 of the Business Section in today’s Sunday Times.
This is the first paragraph.
Car companies could be encouraged to become electricity suppliers under an overhaul of the energy market being explored by the government and the regulator.
This is an excellent idea.
These are a few of my ideas.
All-In-One Deals
It would open up the scope for all-in-one deals for the purchase of electric cars.
The cost of the car, servicing and electricity would all be included.
A cost per mile could be guaranteed, which might rise with distance.
Most importantly, he car company would handle all the hassle and give the customers appropriate training.
It Could Be A Range Anxiety Solution
Some articles in the media, are saying that range anxiety is holding back sales of electric cars, as no-one wants to get stuck in remote locations with flat batteries.
Up market brands already have their own rescue service and I can envisage a network of electric trucks, which can rescue stranded vehicles, by giving them sufficient charge to get to the nearest charger.
These trucks could even be in a common fleet with video screens informing everybody they were a particular car company’s Electric Vehicle Rescue Truck. So when rescuing an Audi, they would say Audi’s El;ectric Vehicle Rescue Truck.
If a prospective punter, saw a rescue truck, with their favourite make on the side, it might persuade them to pop in to a showroom.
Free Or Reduced Cost Parking In Electric-Only Car Parks
In Airport Plans World’s Biggest Car Parks For 50,000 Cars, I outlined how a massive car park like this could hold electric cars with a total battery capacity of 1.35 GWh.
This storage capacity could be used to store surplus energy, whilst cars were parked.
I can see a consortium being put together to provide electric-only car parks.
- National Grid to provide and distribute the electricity.
- The car companies to provide the customers.
- Airports and rail stations, local authorities to provide the land.
But not all car parks would be large!
I can imagine new housing developments bringing in an electric vehicle-only rule.
I wouldn’t mind living in one of that type of development.
There would be various charges in these electric vehicle-only car parks.
- An hourly or contract charge for the actual parking.
- A charge for the electricity used to charge the vehicle.
There would also be a payment from Nation Grid based on the amount of energy stored in the vehicle’s battery.
Billing would be automatic, based on when you were connected to the charger and the various energy flows.
\suppose you were flying away from Heathrow for a week, National Grid would have use of your vehicle’s battery to store electricity for seven days.
The car companies would be in a unique position to enable this deal.
- They have the customers.
- They can make their cars compatible with the car parks.
- They can handle the complex billing, as part of an All-In-One deal.
- \drivers would probably prefer to deal with BMW, Jaguar etc., than an energy company.
I would expect this model of car-parking to multiply.
- Many drivers would only use public transport on pain of death, so buying an electric car is the lesser of two evils.
- It would cut emissions in the centre of towns and cities.
- It would appeal to High Streets and Town Centres, as it could attract shoppers and visitors.
- For those with home chargers, it must surely reduce range anxiety
The only disadvantage, is that it might increase the use of cars for short journeys and increase traffic congestion.
But at least the extra vehicles would be non-polluting electric ones.
Conclusion
Used creatively, the proposal of allowing car companies to be energy suppliers, would appear to have possibilities.
.
What Will Boris Do About The Proposed Third Runway At Heathrow?
I have tackled this before in October 2016 in a post called Changing Sides.
This was how I started that post.
There is an interesting article in The Sunday Times today, entitled Boris Retreats In Fight Against Third Runway.
Boris is apparently saying he won’t oppose a third runway at Heathrow, so if anything he’s being consistent in changing horses, just as he did with Michael Gove.
But perhaps more surprisingly, Willie Walsh, the Chief Executive of IAG, who own BA, is quoted as calling Heathrow a fantasy project, which has been gold-plated and inflated by the owners to maximise their returns, at the expense of the airlines.
The paper also says that Gatwick will build a new runway anyway.
Remember, it was written before Theresa May’s government decided to allow Heathrow’s Third Runway.
Since the decision to allow Heathrow to build a Third Runway was made nearly three years ago in October 2016, there have been a lot of changes.
Notably, Boris has gone from Foreign Secretary and an MP in a Heathrow Expansion-opposing constituency to Prime Minister.
As Prime Minister he is supposed to look at the bigger picture.
Unless he’s totally stupid he must have noted the following.
Brexit Has Changed From A Simple Quick Exit Into A Slow And Very Tortuous Process
I would expect an opinion poll would show that the UK population thinks that sorting out Brexit is a much more important problem, than the decision on a new runway in the South East of England.
So will Boris put Heathrow’s Third Runway on the back burner, given the following factors
Gatwick Will Build A Second Runway Anyway
In the Wikipedia entry for Gatwick Airport, there is a section entitled Expansion Proposals, where this is the first paragraph.
Gatwick has been included in a number of reviews of airport capacity in southeastern England. Expansion options have included a third terminal and a second runway, although a 40-year agreement not to build a second runway was made in 1979 with West Sussex County Council. Expanded operations would allow Gatwick to handle more passengers than Heathrow does today, with a new terminal between two wide-spaced runways. This would complement or replace the South Terminal, depending on expected future traffic.
My project management knowledge tells me, that Gatwick could add a second runway and upgrade the terminals in a shorter time, than Heathrow can build a third runway.
But more importantly, Gatwick Airport could build the extra runway and terminal without disruption to airport passengers, aircraft and road traffic on the nearby M23.
Boris’s only problem with Gatwick expansion, is the amount of post he’ll get from Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells.
Disruption Must Be Avoided
Recent timetabling and construction fiascoes on Thameslink and Northern Rail should have sent a message to politicians, that large infrastructure projects must be created without disrupting train or air passengers and road traffic.
Can Heathrow Be Built Without Disrupting Traffic On The M25?
It is interesting to look back at the basic facts at the construction of Heathrow Terminal 5.
- A public enquiry into the project lasted 525 days.
- The terminal sits on a 260 hectare site.
- Construction started in 2002.
- The terminal opened in 2008.
- Construction finisged in 2011.
- The terminal cost £4.2billion.
The construction of Terminal 5, also needed the M25 to be widened and linked to the terminal.
This Google Map shows Heathrow Terminal 5 and its relationship to Heathrow’s current two runways and the M25.
I remember the construction of Terminal 5 well, if only because, I was stuck in or moving slowly along that section of the M25 so many times.
As this immense construction project, is probably in living memory of much of the population of West London, how will they react to the thought of all the disruption, that building the third runway will cause.
Would Uxbridge, throw Boris out, if he approved the building of a third runway at Heathrow?
Heathrow Is A Pollution Blackspot
Various factors mean, that the surroundings of Heathrow are a pollution blackspot, mainly caused by the large number of diesel vehicles on the M4 and M25 motorways and others bringing passengers and goods to the airport.
I believe that any Planning Permission for the third runway, will require Heathrow to do something about the pollution. This could be easier than anybody thinks, as more of us will be using electric vehicles by the time the runway opens.
Heathrow are already proposing their ULEZ or Ulta Low Emission Zone.
Heathrow Rail Access Will Improve
Crossrail will eventually serve Heathrow in a year or so and this will improve rail access to the Airport significantly.
Other rail links are also in prospect.
- The Western Rail Approach to Heathrow could be open by 2024.
- Heathrow Southern Railway could be built.
- The West London Orbital could be built.
The first two would be privately financed.
This better rail access may reduce the traffic and pollution around the airport, but it will make it easier, for passengers to use the airport and traffic will grow.
High Speed Rail
Increasingly, Heathrow and the other London airports, will come under competition from High Speed Rail.
Eurostar has upwards of seventy percent of the London-Paris and London-Brussels passenger markets.
I have travelled a few times from London to Amsterdam on Eurostar and feel that four hours is my limit for comfortable train travel.
I estimate the following journeys would be possible on Eurostar.
- London and Cologne via Brussels in four hours
- London and Bordeaux via Paris in four and a half hours.
- London and Frankfurt in Five hours.
Another competitor to air services out of London will be London and Edinburgh services on the East Coast Main Line, which are being updated with new faster trains and journey times under four hours.
Air Cargo And Heathrow
I looked up air cargo in Wikipedia and these points are there.
- Fifty-percent of all air frieght is belly-cargo on airlines.
- An industry expert estimates that 15-20 tonnes of air cargo is worth 30-40 economy passenger seats, when both are on passenger planes.
- In 2017, the IATA observed a 9% rise in freight tonne kilometres
- Boeing is doubling its 767F production since 2016 to three per month in 2020.
Heathrow dominates the air cargo traffic into and out of the UK and last year it handled 1,788,815 tonnes of cargo, which was a 5.3% increase in tonnage on 2017.
However, it does appear that the second largest cargo airport in the UK; East Midlands, handled about the same amount of freight as Heathrow in April 2018.
There is also the East Midlands Gateway close to that airport, which will be a massive logistics park., with a rail connection.
Perhaps the pressures of the congested Heathrow, with some nudging from the Government could remove the cargo aircraft from the airport to more suitable airports like East Midlands and Doncaster Sheffield.
Manchester Airport Is The Most Important Airport North Of London
Manchester Airport is the busiest Airport after Heathrow and Gatwick and over the next few years it will catch up to a certain extent.
In Changes Signalled For HS2 Route In North, I said this about Manchester Airport’s rail connectivity if High Speed Two and Northern Powerhouse Rail are combined across the Pennines.
If High Speed Two and Northern Powerhouse Rail are developed as laid out in the Transport for the North report, the following cities will be connected to Manchester Airport.
- Birmingham – High Speed Two
- Blackpool – Northern Powerhouse Rail/West Coast Main Line
- Bradford – High Speed Two/Northern Powerhouse Rail
- Carlisle – Northern Powerhouse Rail/West Coast Main Line
- Edinburgh – Northern Powerhouse Rail/East Coast Main Line
- Glasgow – Northern Powerhouse Rail/West Coast Main Line
- Hull – High Speed Two/Northern Powerhouse Rail
- Leeds – High Speed Two/Northern Powerhouse Rail
- London – High Speed Two
- Newcastle -High Speed Two/Northern Powerhouse Rail
- Preston – Northern Powerhouse Rail/West Coast Main Line
- Sheffield – Northern Powerhouse Rail
- Sunderland – Northern Powerhouse Rail
- York – High Speed Two/Northern Powerhouse Rail
Manchester Airport will probably become the most important station in the North with High Speed connections to a large part of England and Scotland.
Heathrow and Gatwick will find they have a very big and well-connected Northern competitor.
Extinction Rebellion And Other Environmental Protesters
Most of the environmental protesters like Extinction Rebellion seem to have focused their attention on Heathrow, where airports are concerned.
They will fight tooth and nail to stop Heathrow’s third runway.
Will Heathrow Get The Planning Permission They Need?
I think that this is the sort of planning decision, that will end up with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Theresa Villiers.
Her Wikipedia entry says this.
Villiers favours construction of a high-speed rail link from London to Birmingham and Manchester, arguing that flyers could use capacity at airports such as Birmingham International and Manchester International Airport.
She is also quoted as being against a third runway at Heathrow, when she was a member of Davisd Cameron’s cabinet.
Grant Schapps, who is the current Secretary of State for Transport, could be more supportive to Heathrow’s application.
The Mood Of The UK About The Environment
The view of the average UK voter on the environment has changed markedly in the last few years, driven by documentaries, events and politics from around the world.
Boris’s father; Stanley Johnson has written books on the environment and received the Greenpeace Award for Outstanding Services to the Environment, so this could fit with his opposition to a third runway at Heathrow, when he was Mayor of London.
Do Heathrow Airport Have A Plan B?
In Heathrow Plans Runway Over M25 In 30-Year Expansion, I outlined how I thought the runway would be built.
The Times says this about the construction program.
Only the runway would be built by the opening date of early 2026.
Other facilities such as new terminals, car parks, hotels and transit systems would open from 2030, with an expansion of Terminal 5 the priority
This means that the extra runway capacity can be used initially to better accommodate the same number of flights.
Perhaps Plan B would mean changing the order of construction, leaving a space for the third runway and getting Planning Permission to build it in perhaps starting in 2028.
Conclusion
This is a tough one to call and I know what I would do. I would just let it fester until the decision was forced by another factor.
But Boris is the Prime Minister and will have to make a decision!
D
Left In A Siding: The Rail Link That Could Make Heathrow Greener
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the Guardian.
The article makes a powerful case forvthe building of the Heathrow Southern Railway.
It is a must read.
I can never understand, why the government hasn’t backed this scheme.
- It creates a four trains per hour service between Heathrow and Waterloo via Staines and Clapham Junction
- It creates an extension of Heathrow Express to Basingstoke, Guildford and Woking.
- The extended Hethrow Express creates a much needed commuter route into Paddington.
- Few properties would be affected by the new railway.
But above all, it will be built with private money.
Heathrow Plans Runway Over M25 In 30-Year Expansion
The title of this post, is the same as that of an article in Saturday’s copy of The Times.
This picture, which I downloaded from this page on the Heathrow web site, shows the proposed expansion.
For comparison this Google Map shows the Airport recently.
These are some of my thoughts.
The Position Of The Third Runway
As can be seen, the new third runway is to the North-West of the North Runway.
- It will extend all the way to the M25.
- The M25 will be lowered and the new runway and two parallel taxiways will cross the road on a series of bridges.
This enlargement from the first image shows the crossing of the M25 and two other roads.
Note.
- The runway is on the left, which increases the spacing with the North Runway
- How openings between the runway and the taxiways will allow natural light onto the motorway.
- In the picture you can see five angled taxiways joining the runway from the two taxiways. Does this design mean that aircraft spend a minimum of time queuing for take-off? Similar but not so extreme layouts can also be seen on the two existing runways.
What intrigues me, is what looks to be a hole in front of the ends of the taxiways.
Could it be rail or road access to the airport?
This map from Network Rail shows the route of the proposed Western Rail Approach To Heathrow.
It looks like the dark holes could be the railway, between Langley and Terminal 5.
This section of the rail link is supposed to be in tunnel, but I wonder if costs could be saved if it is in a buttressed cutting, designed in cooperation between Heathrow and Network Rail.
Obviously, it will need to be in tunnel to cross under the M25.
I think that rather cleverly, the runway has been slotted in with the best use of the limited land available.
A Phased Construction Program
The Times says this about the construction program.
Only the runway would be built by the opening date of early 2026.
Other facilities such as new terminals, car parks, hotels and transit systems would open from 2030, with an expansion of Terminal 5 the priority
This means that the extra runway capacity can be used initially to better accommodate the same number of flights.
If Heathrow get it right passengers. should see the following.
- They would suffer less from construction.
- Fewer taxi delays on the ground.
- Less long fuel-burning taxiing between gate and runway.
- More flights leaving on time.
It might also enable air traffic controllers to allocate aircraft noise in a fairer manner.
Car Psrking
Two huge new car parks are to be built North and South of the Airport, which in conjunction with new hotels would be connected to the terminals by an underground transit system.
This article on International Airport Review is entitled Heathrow To Launch First Airport Ultra Low Emission Zone.
So doesn’t the building of large car parks contradict this policy.
It would unless, the car parks are designed for the future.
- Electric cars only.
- Intelligent chargers for every parking space.
- Whilst the cars are parked and connected, they would be a massive energy storage battery for the National Grid.
When you arrived back to your car after a week in Greece, there would be enough power in the battery for your next journey.
By 2030, there will be a substantial need for parking for electric cars at railway stations and airports. Parking solutions like this will help reduce the carbon footprint of airports.
Conclusion
2030 is ten years away and Heathrow will have to work hard to build an airport fit for those times.
The Anonymous Widower 