Heathrow Southern Railway And West London Orbital Railway
West London waits umpteen years for more rail lines and then two come along at the same time.
Both do substantially, what their names imply.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the tracks between Feltham, Hounslow and Whitton stations.
Note.
- Heathrow Southern Railway’s proposed Heathrow – Clapham Junction – Waterloo service will probably go via Whitton, rather than the Hounslow, as Whitton is the faster route.
- Hounslow is the proposed terminus of the route of the West London Orbital Railway from West Hampstead Thameslink station.
- Hounslow will have a new East-facing bay platform, to handle the trains from West Hampstead.
- Heathrow Southern Railway have said their service between Heathrow and Waterloo will be four trains per hour (tph)
I suspect that the West London Orbital Railway will have a typical Overground frequency of four tph.
Unfortunately, the two railways don’t meet up, as it would probably be worthwhile to give more stations a simple route to Heathrow with perhaps a change at Feltham station.
This Google Map shows Feltham station.
Would there be space to squeeze in an East-facing bay platform on the North side of the station?
- It could be the terminus of the West Hampstead service of the West London Orbital Railway
- It could be useful if there were operational problems to turn trains.
- There is the advantage that Feltham is a step-free station and Hounslow isn’t.
I went to Feltham station and took these pictures.
By the side of the track on the other side of the road bridge to the station, is the Feltham Signalling Centre and a Network Rail yard.
I think it could be possible to fit a platform into the space, behind Platform 1.
- A five-car platform looks possible.
- It would be an island platform with the current Platform 1.
- I doubt overhead electrification could be used.
- Slab track might be needed to squeeze the train under the bridge.
Ideally, it should be able to take a ten-car train, which might be possible, by extending the platform to the other side of the bridge.
Currently, there are six tph each-way through the station. The following new services will be added if both the Heathrow Southern and West London Orbital Railways are built.
- 4 tph – Heathrow Southern Railway’s proposed service between Heathrow Terminal 5 and Waterloo via Staines, Feltham, Twickenham, Richmond and Clapham Junction.
- 4 tph – West London Orbital’s proposed service from Feltham to West Hampstead
Would modern trains and signalling, coupled with good driving, be able to handle this level of trains?
Looking at the tracks and the space on either side, it might be possible to thread a third track between Feltham Station and Feltham Junction.
This Google Map shows Feltham Junction
There would appear to be more space on the South side of the tracks, so perhaps an extra track could go on this side.
But I suspect Network Rail could find a solution from their library of cunning plans.
There could be advantages.
- West London Orbital Railway could terminate in a step-free station.
- Travellers between South Acton and Hounslow get a step-free route to Heathrow.
- The bay platform at Feltham, could help when the service is disrupted.
- An extra track to the East of Feltham, might help capacity between Clapham Junction and Staines.
I’m certain that be a simple connection between the two systems can be built.
Conclusion
There are possibilities to connect the West London Orbital Railway to the Heathrow Southern Railway, which could be beneficial for all parties.
Between Heathrow And Gatwick Airports Using Heathrow Southern Railway
I have received a few messages asking how the Heathrow Southern Railway would help travellers get between Heathrow and Gatwick Airports.
How Many Passengers Would Actually Transfer Between The Two Airports?
This question would definitely be filed under pieces of string.
The direct route using Crossrail and Thameslink will take under two hours, with a change at Farringdon.
- There are several major tourist attractions close the the Crossrail/Thameslink route; Oxford Street, British Museum, St. Paul’s, River Thames, Tate Modern, Tower of London and Tower Bridge, for those unencumbered by baggage.
- Will Farrington develop into a joint terminal for both airports?
- How many passengers, will want to have a day of rest and recuperation in the best city in the world?
- How many travellers to and from Europe, the North and Scotland will switch to the long distance trains at Kings Cross and St. Pancras stations?
Passengers wanting to avoid London could use the Waterloo – Heathrow service proposed by Heathrow Southern Railway and change at Clapham Junction.
- The proposed Waterloo – Heathrow service will be four trains per hour (tph)
- It would probably run at an appropriate frequency at night, just like Gatwick Express and Thameslink.
- Passengers would change at Clapham Junction between Gatwick and Heathrow services.
- I estimate, that the Clapham Junction route, could be quicker than the Crossrail/Thameslink route, at perhaps an hour and twenty minutes.
- Clapham Junction station is step-free, but the bridge could be made more passenger-friendly.
Until, I get firm evidence to the contrary, I have a strong feeling that not many passengers will want to a faster service thanthe one, these two routes offer.
What About The Workers?
There must be people in the aviation industry, who need to go regularly to both airports for the purposes of work.
If you were in that class of worker, you might choose to live, somewhere that was convenient for both airports.
I suspect that this valuable group will be well-served by services from Clapham Junction.
- Clapham Junction to Heathrow – 30 minutes
- Clapham Junction to Gatwick – 25 minutes
Feeder times to Clapham Junction using direct trains include.
- Balham – 6 minutes
- Canada Water – 29 minutes
- East Croydon – 11 minutes
- Epsom – 28 minutes
- Peckham Rye – 19 minutes
With four tph, the maximum wait at Clapham Junction would be fifteen minutes.
Clapham Junction Will Become An Even Bigger Hub
Heathrow Southern Railway will make Clapham Junction station, an even more important hub.
- It is about thirty minutes away from both Heathrow and Gatwick Airports.
- Large numbers of stations have direct connections to Clapham Junction in under thirty minutes.
- The Northern Line could be extended from Battersea to Clapham Junction.
- Clapham Junction station is proposed to be on Crossrail 2.
- Clapham Junction is at the centre of an extensive bus network.
It would certainly be very convenient to live close to Clapham Junction station, if you needed to go to both airports regularly.
But improvements are needed at the station.
Changing Trains
The Wikipedia entry for Clapham Junction station says this.
The station is also the busiest UK station for interchanges between services.
I use Clapham Junction regularly as an interchange, if say I’m going from Dalston Junction to Gatwick, Reading or Windsor. It can be a sprint up the stairs, and a rush across the bridge, before a careful decent to the platform.
A typical change from Platform 1/2 to 5/6 took me two and a half minutes, in the middle of the morning.
Changing trains could be improved.
These pictures show the step-free bridge at Clapham Junction
Note.
- Lighting is not of a high quality.
- It is quite wide, but not as wide as the new bridge at Reading.
- There are lifts to most platforms, but they could be bigger.
- Reading has an up and down escalator for each platform. Surely the busiest station in the UK, deserves the same.
- It is cluttered with retail outlets, which could be reduced in number or placed on the platforms.
If I was the CEO of Heathrow Southern Railway, I’d rebuild this bridge, as doing that might attrack more passengers for Heathrow to use the proposed new service.
Information
Clapham Junction is well organised, with trains for a particular destination generally leaving from the same platform or pair of platforms.
They even have a board that gives this information in detail..
But it’s now 2018 and we can do much better.
There would also need to be large, clear signs everywhere to Gatwick, Heathrow, Victoria and Waterloo!
Timetable Improvements
I took a train from Clapham Junction to Feltham and although there are six tph, I had to wait sixteen minutes for a train.
It’s just that in an hour, there are four short intervals and two long ones.
Improvements need to be made, so that the timetable is more passenger friendly.
Some Platform Reorganisation
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the track layout at Clapham Junction station.
It looks to me, that that terrible engineer; Topsy had a big hand in the design.
Note.
- Tracks and platforms in orange are the London Overground.
- Trains to Heathrow will probably use Plstforms 5 or 6, as do the Reading and Windsor services.
- Trains from Heathrow will probably use Plstforms 3 or 4, as do the Reading and Windsor services.
- Heathrow, Reading and Windsor are to the West.
- Platforms 3 to 11 are for services to and from Waterloo.
- Platforms 12 to 15 are for services to and from Victoria.
- Services to and from Gatwick will use these platforms.
- Platforms 16 and 17 are for West London Line services.
It looks to me, that it might be possible to reorganise the platforms so that Heathrow and Gatwick services weren’t at opposite end of the bridge.
Or should the bridge be made wide enough for a travelator?
West London Line Services
The West London Line has two main passenger services.
- 4 tph – London Overground between Clapham Junction and Stratford, which uses Platform 1
- 1 tph – Southern between Milton Keynes Central and East Croydon, which have virtually sole use of Platforms 16 and 17.
If possible, an increase in frequency on this line would surely help many travellers get to and from London’s two main airports.
- London Overground are planning to add two extra tph between Clapham Junction and Stratford in 2018.
- London Overground will match this in 2019, with another two tph between Clapham Junction and Dalston Junction via the South London Line.
This is going to make Southern’s one tph service between Milton Keynes Central and and East Croydon pathetic, especially as the route will eventually serve Old Oak Common with connections to Crossrail and HS2.
Chris Gibb recommended that this service , should be transferred to the London Overground in the Gibb Report. I wrote about it in Gibb Report – East Croydon – Milton Keynes Route Should Be Transferred To London Overground.
If nothing else the current service which uses two platforms at Clapham Junction for a one tph service, which doesn’t run on Sundays, is a waste of resources at Clapham Junction.
.Conclusions
I have come to the following conclusions.
- If Clapham Junction station is improved, Heathrow Southern Railway will create a faster route to Gatwick.
- Clapham Junction station will become a major hub station feeding London’s two major airports.
It gives very large numbers of passengers a quicker route to the airports.
I also think it could be advantageous for Heathrow Southern Railway to contribute to the upgrading of Clapham Junction station.
Heathrow Southern Railway’s Proposed Service Between Weybridge And Heathrow 5
In an article in the December 2016 Edition of Modern Railways about the Heathrow Southern Railway, Chris Stokes proposes a service between Weybridge and Heathrow Terminal 5 stations.
With the addition of a chord at Staines, it would also be potentially possible to operate a half-hourly Weybridge – Virginia Water – Egham – Terminal 5 service, providing a further attractive local link to Heathrow.
In this post, I will look at the various issues associated with this proposal.
Weybridge Station
Currently, Weybridge station is serviced by the following trains on the South Western Main Line.
- Four trains per hour (tph) to London Waterloo.
- Two tph to Woking.
- Two tph to Basingstoke via Woking.
In addition two tph use the Chertsey Branch Line to go to London Waterloo via Virginia Water, Staines and Hounslow.
This Google Map shows the staion on the South Western Main Line.
Note the train that will use the Chertsey Branch Line in Platform 1, which shares an island with the London-bound Platform 2.
This would have been convenient for me, as I arrived from Woking, with the intention of taking the branch line to Staines and Feltham.
But as there are only two tph on the Chertsey Branch, I had to wait twenty-five minutes. Luckily, the train has a long turnround at Weybridge, so I was able to sit in a comfortable seat for much of the wait.
These are a few pictures of the station.
The bridge is an interesting structure, which has a set of new lifts.
Wikipedia says this about the use of the station.
Up and Down platforms serve the slow lines; there is a bay platform on the up side, from which trains operate on the Chertsey or Weybridge Branch of the Waterloo to Reading Line. Stops on this line include the main towns and villages of Runnymede and it gives Weybridge’s longer route to Waterloo via Staines. This service can also be used to provide a cheaper and quicker route to the Great Western Main Line, by changing at Virginia Water for the service to Reading, Berkshire from Waterloo, for passengers on or by the South West Main Line but not near the North Downs Line.
In the middle of a wet Thursday, there weren’t many people waiting for a train for the Chertsey Branch.
Trains On The Chertsey Branch Line
This Google Map shows the station and the triangular junction between the South Western Main Line and the Chertsey Branch.
Note, the historic motor-racing circuit of Brooklands to the South of the South Western Main Line and the triangular junction.
The connection between the Chertsey Vranch Line and the South Western Main Line is a flying junction, so I don’t think there’ll be any issues with Heathrow Express trains using Heathrow Southern Railway’s new railway to Woking.
Going towards Weybridge and London, there appears to be a single track connecting the Chertsey Branch to Platform 1 in Weybridge station.
There may be need for small changes to the track, but this simple layout should be able to easily handle four tph.
Looking at Real Time Trains, shows that in the hour I travelled, only four passenger services passed, through Addlestone station on the branch, with three other freight and stock movements.
So it is not a busy line.
If Heathrow Southern Railway is built and Heathrow Express runs to Working, passenger trains in each direction will become.
- 2 tph – London Waterloo to Weybridge – Calling at Addlestone, Chertsey, Virginia Water, Egham and Staines.
- 4 tph – Heathrow Express – Non-stop between Terminal 5 and Woking, joining the Chertsey Branch Line, just to the North of Chertsey station.
- 2-4 tph – Freight trains and stock movements.
There would appear to be enough paths to squeeze in two extra trains between Terminal 5 and Weybridge, which call at Addlestone, Chertsey, Virginia Water and Egham, and use the new chord at Staines, that I talked about in Heathrow Southern Railway’s Proposed Chord At Staines.
Should Services Between Weybridge and Terminal 5 Stop At Staines?
This would need a platform or platforms on the chord.
This Google Map shows the area of the chord.
Note.
- There is a vehicle ramp to gain access to a multi-story car park.
- Much of the space to the East of the ramp is surface car parking and in my view, wasted space.
- There appears to be a bus station.
I think there is sufficient space to create an innovative transport interchange.
It could even be very simple.
- Single platform long enough for one of South Western Railway’s five car Class 701 trains, which are possibly around 120 metres.
- Bi-directional working.
- Walking routes to the bus station and the main station.
The most complicated piece could be a step-free bridge to the rest of the station.
Terminal 5 Station
Heathrow Terminal 5 station was built with two Westward-facing terminal platforms.
As each has a capacity of probably four to six tph, there shouldn’t be any problems of capacity.
Conclusion
A Weybridge to Terminal 5 service seems a serious possibility.
But I can’t help wondering, if it should be four tph and the direct service to Waterloo via Chertsey should be discontinued.
But a platform at Staines to interchange should be provided.
I’ll be interested to see the final proposals.
Heathrow Southern Railway’s Proposed Chord At Staines
In an article in the December 2016 Edition of Modern Railways about the Heathrow Southern Railway, Chris Stokes proposes a new chord at Staines to connect the lines to Reading and Windsor.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the chord.
Note.
- London trains take the lines to the East.
- Windsor and Heathrow trains take or will take the lines to the North-West.
- Reading trains take the lines to the South-West.
The chord is shown as a pair of dotted lines between the Windsor and Reading Lines.
These pictures taken from a train from Egham to London, show how the chord has been developed.
In the article this is said about how the chord could be used.
With the addition of a chord at Staines, it would also be potentially possible to operate a half-hourly Weybridge – Virginia Water – Egham – Terminal 5 service, providing a further attractive local link to Heathrow.
If this service were to be added, that raised the problem of putting the chord through the development.
GWR Announces Plans To Replace Class 332s As It Takes Over Heathrow Express Service
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Global Rail News.
In some ways, I was surprised that Heathrow Airport are handing over the running of Heathrow Express to Great Western Railway (GWR).
But.
- It seems, that the main problem, in that HS2 want their depot for construction of their new line.
- GWR will use twelve Class 387 trains to run the service as opposed to the the current fourteen Class 332 trains.
- The new trains will be updated with First Class, high speed wi-fi and more luggage space.
- The deal seems to run to 2028.
I do think, that the main reason could be, that this gives FirstGroup or MTR Corporation a say in all the railways, serving or going near Heathrow Airport.
- GWR is owned by FirstGroup.
- Crossrail is operated by MTR on begalf of Transport for London.
- South Western Railway is a joint venture between FirstGroup and MTR.
The operation of Heathrow Express by GWR completes the set.
My post; MTR Vying To Join Heathrow Southern Rail Bid, could link MTR to the proposed Heathrow Southern Railway, who are hoping to create a link into Heathrow Airport from the South.
One of the plans of Heathrow Southern Railway is to create a new Basingstoke/Guildford – Woking – Heathrow – Paddington service.
- This would have a frequency of two trains per hour (tph) between Paddington and both Basingstoke and Guildford.
- This would mean there would be a four tph Frequency between Paddington and Woking via Heathrow Terminal 5, Heathrow Terminal 2/3 and Old Oak Common.
- Creating the new service by extending Heathrow Express, means that the new service can take-over the paths used by Heathrow Express, to and from Paddington.
- It is also worth noting that the Class 387 trains, that GWR are proposing to use on Heathrow Express are dual-voltage and can run on tracks with third-rail electrification.
Heathrow Express will become a double-ended service, in much the same way that Gatwick Express takes passengers from both London and Brighton to the airport.
GWR taking over Heathrow Express must make the operation of trains to and from Heathrow Airport easier.
Why Change The Trains?
I think there are various reasons.
Operation And Maintenance
Obviously, if GWR uses only Class 387 trains on their shorter electrified routes from Paddington, this gives advantages in terms of operation, maintenance and staff utilisation and training.
I suspect too, that GWR have the depot space and sidings, to accommodate all the Class 387 trains they need.
Increasing Fleet Size
There are two published plans y to increase rail services to Heathrow.
- Heathrow Southern Railway would like to extend Heathrow Express to Woking and ultimately to Basingstoke and Guildford.
- Western access to Heathrow could also be a route for Heathrow Express to perhaps Reading and Oxford.
In the future there could be other services.
- Developments could mean that a Heathrow-Gatwick service could be possible and worthwhile.
- There is speculation in the media, about a direct service between Heathrow and Southampton.
Any expansion of services would probably need more trains.
If they need more Class 387 trains in the future, there are two operators, who have small fleets of Class 387 trains.
- Great Northern have twenty-nine trains.
- c2c have six trains.
Some of these might become available, as the operators consolidate and update their fleets.
Acquiring more Class 332 trains could be problematical.
The Class 387 trains route, means that Heathrow Express will remain a fleet of identical trains.
Operation On Routes With Third Rail Electrification
Any expansion of Heathrow Express to the Western side of Terminal 5 could connect to the extensive network of third-rail electrification.
For this reason, a Heathrow Express fleet without the capability to use third-rail electrification, would be limited in its market.
The Class 387 trains have been designed as dual voltage units and could work on third-rail networks by adding third-rail shoes.
Can Class 332 trains work on third-rail routes?
Operating Speed
The Class 387 trains are also 110 mph trains, whereas the operating speed of the Class 332 trains is 100 mph.
The faster operating speed must help operation on the busy fast lines to and from Paddington, where the Class 800 trains are 125 mph capable.
Train Length Issues
Consider.
- The current Class 332 trains, run as nine-car trains, consisting of one four-car and one five-car trainset.
- Class 387 trains are basically a four-car trainset, which can run as four, eight or twelve-car trains.
- To complicate matters, Crossrail, which will use the same platforms at Heathrow are planning to nine-car Class 345 trains, but these could be lengthened to ten or even eleven cars.
These probably cause no problems with the current service, as running eight-car Class 387 trains would probably provide enough capacity.
Would a twelve-car Class 387 train need some platforms to be lengthened?
A four-car Class 387 unit is 80.77 metres long, so a twelve-car train would be 243 metres long.
This compares with the following.
- Heathrow Express Class 332 – Nine cars – 206 metres.
- Crossrail Class 345 – Nine cars – 205 metres
- High Speed Train running with eight carriages – 220 metres
- Inter-City 225 running with nine carriages – 246 metres
- Two five-car Class 444 trains running togeyther – 230 metres
- Two five-car Class 800 trains running together – 260 metres
A twelve-car Class 387 train is long, but not wildly out of line.
As the pairs of Class 800 trains work into Paddington,, I suspect twelve-car Class 387 trains can do the same.
If there is a problem, it will be in the Hathrow stations.
Alternatively, could some extra cars be built by Bombardier to create five-car trains, that would work as ten-car units, which would be around two hundred metres long?
Joining And Splitting Of Trains
Could Heathrow Express benefit from trains with the ability to split and join?
When there are more than one route to the West from Terminal 5, there may be advantages for trains to split and join in Terminal 5 station, to serve more than one destination to the West of the airport.
This picture was taken, as I watched two Class 387 trains joining together.
Note the driver in the cab on the right, controlling the process.
There is also a gangway between the two Class 387 trains, which the Class 332 trains don’t have.
Updating The Trains
The production of Class 387 trains has only just finished at Derby, but the Class 332 trains were built twenty years ago.
So could it be, that creating a modern fleet with all the features needed is easier with the later trains?
Suitability For Use With Heathrow Southern Railway Proposal
There are various issues here.
These concern fleet size and capacity
- Any extensions to the South and West will need more trains.
- If express services between Basingstoke, Guildford and Woking, and Paddington via Heathrow are successful, this could lead to calls for more services and other destinations, which could need more trains.
- If five-car units were needed, then Bombardier could probably oblige.
- There may be a need to lengthen platforms at the Heathrow stations.
Expanding a Class 387 train fleet would be easier.
There are also line speed issues.
- What would be the design operating speed of Heathrow Southern Railway’s tracks alongside the M25? – 90, 100 or even 125 mph!
- Could the operating speed of the Chertsey Branch Line be increased to the same speed, as there are only two stations; Chertsey and Addlestone?
The 110 mph maximum speed of a Class 387 could be a serious advantage, as speed sells!
How Many Trains Would Need To Be Converted?
Currently, there are fourteen Class 332 trains working Heathrow Express services.
They usually work in pairs, so there are seven trains.
If these are replaced by twelve-car Class 387 formations, that means up to twenty-one trains will be needed for the airport services from their current fleet of forty-five trains.
Eight-car formations would need fourteen trains.
Conclusion
It appears to me, that it is good decision to change the fleet for Class 387 trains.
Overall Conclusion
It’s all coming together for Heathrow Southern Railway.
Will Heathrow Southern Railway Make Heathrow’s Cargo More Efficient?
This page on the Heathrow web site talks about the future for cargo at the Airport.
It starts with this paragraph.
Heathrow is the largest UK port by value and our ambition is to become one of Europe’s best airports for cargo. We have listened to our customers and developed a cargo strategy that will take us there.
The airport sums up its plan for cargo with these bullet points.
- Halve current throughput times to be more efficient
- Make cargo throughput times predictable to reduce costs
- Grow cargo capacity at the airport to generate additional cargo volumes for our airline partners
- Work with the cargo community, including through engagement and discussion
- Be 100% e-freight compliant to reduce waste, costs and delays
- Be a great airport of choice for cargo
- Provide a safe working environment.
Nothing is said about being more energy efficient and emitting less carbon dioxide.
This document on Heathrow’s web site is entitled Heathrow’s Blueprint For Reducing Emissions.
They list ten things they are doing.
- Bring in the newest and cleanest aircraft.
- Continue to drive down emissions from aircraft at the gate.
- Improve taxying efficiency.
- Charge forward with electric cars and buses.
- Heathrow cycles.
- Drive sustainable freight operations.
- Plug in more electric airside vehicles.
- Provide a pool of low emission vehicles.
- Efficient driver training and education.
- Host an air quality conference.
This list was from a couple of years ago and there is a certain amount of PR, but there is some thinking in the right way.
To return to cargo, which is on Heathrow’s list of ten things they are improving, the following can be said.
- Heathrow handles a lot of cargo by value.
- Most air cargo from Heathrow goes in the holds of passenger aircraft.
- Very little if any comes into the airport by rail.
This Google Map shows the central part of Heathrow Airport.
Note Heathrow Cargo Handling towards the South West corner of the Airport.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the rail lines under Heathrow.
Consider.
- I actually think, that some lines go under the cargo area.
- There must be scope for consolidating cargo outside the airport and bringing in the containers in special trains.
- There would be plenty of capacity on the link into Terminal 5 station.
- Replacing trucks with electric trains would reduce the airport’s carbon footprint.
I am led to the conclusion, that there may be possibilities to bring cargo into and out of Heathrow Airport by train, using the link created by the Heathrow Southern Railway.
MTR Vying To Join Heathrow Southern Rail Bid
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in New Civil Engineer.
The title gives you all you need, but consider these facts about MTR.
- MTR is a Hong Kong company with a revene of about £4 billion per year, which is about the same size as the Stagecoach Group.
- MTR will be running Crossrail for Transport for London.
- MTR in partnership with First Group, are running South Western Railway.
In addition, FirstGroup are running Great Western Railway.
So it could seem logical for MTR to be included in the consortium behind Heathrow Southern Railway, as they could have a lot of influence on the consortium’s policies.
In an argument about train paths or stations, MTR or their partner; First Group, will be involved on both sides.
The problem is Heathrow Airport and their ownership of Heathrow Express, especially if it is extended deep into South Western Railway territory at Basingstoke, Guildford or Working.
This is said on the Heathrow Southern Railway web site.
Whether or not a third runway is built, many more passengers and airport workers need to be accessing Heathrow by train. The Government’s recent M25 South West Quadrant Study ruled out widening the motorway. HSR provides the alternative, switching traffic from the roads and contributing to improving local air quality. We estimate that HSR will reduce use of this section of the M25 by over three million car trips a year.
Heathrow might be a greedy bully, but they probably need a superb rail service more, than they need to own Heathrow Express.
MTR and AECOM, who is a large partner in Heathrow Southern Railway partner, are big enough to stand up to anybody.
Traffic Between Windsor And Staines After The Building Of Heathrow Southern Railway
Currently, Windsor and Eton Riverside station has a two train per hour (tph) service to Waterloo, which calls at Staines.
These are also the only trains on the Staines-Windsor Line.
So if, there are four tph on a Crossrail service from Heathrow to Staines, as I talked about in Heathrow Southern Railway’s Plans For Staines, then that only raises the frequency of the trains on the Southern part of the Staines-Windsor Line to six tph.
In his article about the Heathrow Southern Railway in the December 2016 Edition of Modern Railways, Chris Stokes says this.
With the addition of a chord at Staines, it would also be potentially possible to operate a half-hourly Weybridge – Virginia Water – Egham – Terminal 5 service, providing a further attractive local link to Heathrow.
If this service were to be added, that only raises the frequency to eight tph.
I suspect that if modern signalling techniques were applied, that the capacity of this route would be above this frequency.
Heathrow Terminal 5 Station
I doubt there will be any problems of capacity at Heathrow Terminal 5 station.
The station has been built with two Piccadilly Line and four heavy rail platforms.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr, shows the platform layout.
Note.
- It would appear there are only two heavy rail platforms in use.
- Through trains would use these currently in use platforms.
- The two spare platforms could be arranged, so that they could handle a terminating train from either direction.
- The terminating platforms can probably handle four tph or even six tph.
- The through platforms can handle well over ten tph, with the right signalling.
Someone seems to have got the design right.
The Future Of Heathrow Express
In his Modern Railways article, Chris Stokes says this about services from Woking to Heathrow.
We have assumed half-hourly services from Basingstoke and Guildford to Heathrow and Paddington, providing a 15-minute frequency from Woking, with stops at Farnborough Main (Basingstoke services), Working, Terminal 5, Terminal 2 and 3 and Old Oak Common.
He also says that this service could take over the Heathrow Express paths and it would use the through platforms at Heathrow Terminal 5 station.
This arrangement has several advantages.
- Heathrow Express doesn’t terminate in the tunnels under Terminal 5.
- No new train paths between Heathrow and Paddington are required
- Heathrow Express gets new destinations without any expensive new infrastructure.
But it would appear that Heathrow Express may have a future.
Heathrow Southern Railway’s Plans For Staines
In an article in the December 2016 Edition of Modern Railways about the Heathrow Southern Railway, Chris Stokes outlines how railway will serve Staines.
The addition of a bay platform at Staines, deliverable within the existing railway boundary, would assist service resilience and potentially allow extension of Crossrail services from T5 to Staines, providing a highly attractive alternative route from Staines to central London, together with enhanced interchange with South Western services. Journey times from Staines to Paddington would be as fast as to Waterloo, with excellent central London distribution provided by Crossrail. We would expect the majority of Staines to central London passengers to transfer to Crossrail, with significant interchange to Crossrail from intermediate stations between Staines and Reading, relieving overcrowding between Staines and Waterloo.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the rail lines at Staines station.
Note.
- London trains take the lines to the East.
- Windsor and Heathrow trains take or will take the lines to the North-West.
- Reading trains take the lines to the South-West.
Heathrow Southern Railway plan to add a bay platform in the North West corner of the station.
- It will be built on current railway land. (Chris Stokes)
- It will help with the resilience of the train service. (Chris Stokes)
- It could possibly be the terminus of an extended Crossrail service from Heathrow Terminal 5. (Chris Stokes)
I shall now look at various features, benefits and possible problems in detail.
Could A 205 Metre Long Platform Be Built?
The Google Map shows Staines station.
Note.
- The five-car blue train in the station.
- The train is probably a Class 458 train, which is just over a hundred metres long.
- Crossrail’s Class 345 trains are up to 205 metres long.
- The two footbridges over the tracks.
- The junction, where the tracks split to the West of the station.
These pictures show the area, where the new bay platform would go.
The Station Path and the green space are clearly shown on the Google Map.
Using the train in the station as a hundred metre ruler, I feel that with good design a platform, that was long enough for a Class 345 train could be built.
- The path would be landscaped.
- The platform would connect to the London-bound Platform 1.
- There is probably space for some shelters and other facilities.
- There might be a new entrance to the station at the West end.
Platforms have been built in much more difficult locations than this.
What Frequency Of Trains Could The Platform Handle?
Many terminal platforms in the UK handle four trains per hour (tph).
Crossrail will actually handle 12 tph using three terminal platforms at Shenfield station, when the station gets the full service in May 2019.
I don’t think it would be outrageous to say, that the single bay platform at Staines station would be able to handle four tph.
Would Crossrail Want To Serve Staines?
Crossrail’s current service plans are lop-sided, with more trains going to the East than to the West. This means that 12 tph turnback at Paddington station.
I’m sure they would welcome extra termini in the West!
Heathrow Southern Railway’s plan is that trains will pass through Heathrow Terminal 5 station and then take the new rail link to Staines.
Crossrail’s current plan envisages two tph terminating in Heathrow Terminal 5 station, but I don’t think with the right signalling and timetable, that running four tph through the airport to the bay platform at Staines, would be impossible.
But this will only happen if there are the passengers to use the service.
Who Might Use Crossrail To And From Staines?
Chris Stokes said this.
We would expect the majority of Staines to central London passengers to transfer to Crossrail
As there is research behind the proposal, this will be right.
But there is one group of passengers, who will welcome Crossrail with open arms.
That is those people, who live in Staines or the surrounding area and work or want to work at Heathrow.
As Chris Grayling announced that Southern access to Heathrow was a priority, I discussed it with one of South Western’s station staff.
They put me right about getting from Staines to Heathrow for an early shift.
Crossrail’s Plans for Heathrow at 6th January 2019
Om the 9th January 2019, Wikipdia said that following Crossrail trains will run to Heathrow.
- Terminal 4 – Four trains per hour (tph)
- Terminal 5 – two tph
In addition it looks like Heathrow Express will run four tph to Terminal 5.
Heathrow Southern Railway plan to run the Heathrow Express services through to Basingstoke, Guildford and Woking.
If Crossrail were to run four tph to Staines in addition the extended Heathrow Express at four tph, that would only be one train every seven and a half minutes. Compare this with the time it takes of ten minutes to turn trains in the platform at Heathrow Terminal 5 station.
I would suspect it could be possible to run four tph through Terminal 5 to a bay platform at Staines.
Conclusion
It’s amazing what can happen, when you add a simple bay platform!
New Heathrow Rail Link To Lead The Way For Future Transport Funding Schemes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this Press Release on the Department of Transport web site.
This is the opening two paragraphs.
Private companies have been asked to come forward with ideas to deliver a new southern rail link to Heathrow Airport.
The link will be one of the first projects under government plans to invite third parties – such as local authorities and private sector companies – to invest in the rail network, over and above the £47 billion the government is already planning for the next 5 years.
In the past, I have talked about two privately-funded schemes for access from the South to Heathrow.
The Times is saying today, that it could be the second scheme.
But Heathrow can be such a money-earner, you do wonder if other schemes to serve the airport will be put forward.
How Would A Scheme Work In Practice?
A consortium consisting of engineering, financial and railway interests would put forward a scheme.
They would do the following.
- Design the scheme and ensure it was acceptable to all stakeholders, including Network Rail, the Office of Rail and Road, local authorities, train operating companies, passengers, residents and in the case of Heathrow, the airport itself.
- Raise the finance to build the scheme from appropriate institutions like insurance companies, banks and pension funds.
- Build the scheme and get it approved by the appropriate companies, authorities and regulators.
- Once the scheme is commissioned, trains using the scheme would pay appropriate track access charges, in the same way, that they do now, when they use Network Rail’s tracks.
- Maintenance would be the responsibility of the consortium, that built the scheme.
In some ways the consortium functions like a mini-Network Rail, as it obeys all the same standards with regards to engineering and safety.
But.
- The finance is not provided by taxpayers.
- Any profits go to those, who conceived, built or financed the project.
- Risks associated with the project are not borne by the Government or taxpayers.
If say in ten years time, the consortium goes bust, then I suspect that the assets would be bought on the cheap, by either Network Rail or another investor, who would learn from the original consortium’s mistakes.
Not that I think that will happen!
Has Anything Similar Been Done Before In The UK?
I think it is true to say, that various innovative ways have been found to fund railways in the UK.
The article from the Independent, which was written in 1992 is entitled Canary Wharf Banks Agree Funding For Jubilee Line.
This is a paragraph from the article.
The Government has always insisted that the scheme will not go ahead without private funding. In return for the financing, the banks are believed to be insisting that the Government chooses Canary Wharf as the site for the relocation of about 3,000 civil servants from the Department of Environment and the Department of Transport. It is also considering three other sites in the area.
So it looks like relocating three thousand civil servants got the Jubilee Line built!
Chiltern Railways have expanded by leaps and bounds over the years and some of their methods have been professional and innovative.
Project Evergreen with three phases has expanded and improved their passenger services.
This is an extract from the section of Wikipedia, that talks about the project.
Chiltern Railways former chairman Adrian Shooter said, “This is the biggest passenger rail project for several generations not to call on the taxpayer for support. Working closely with Network Rail, we are going to create a new main-line railway for the people of Oxfordshire and the Midlands. This deal demonstrates that real improvements to rail services can be paid for without public subsidy by attracting people out of their cars and on to trains.”
I don’t know whether this relates to all of Project Evergreen or just one part.
This is also said.
Network Rail provided the capital for the upgrade and will recover this through a facility charge over the subsequent 30 years, initially payable by Chiltern until its franchise expires, and then by the next franchisee. The infrastructure upgrade was carried out by main contractor BAM Nuttall, in partnership with Jarvis and WS Atkins.
It may all sound complicated, but Chiltern Railways is a train operating company that commuters don’t seem to complain about.
Could Any Other Schemes Be Funded Using The Department for Transport’s New Model?
Building the southern access into Heathrow Airport will be a large project costing more than a billion pounds.
But that doesn’t that all projects need to be that size!
I suspect, that the DfT’s model will be applied to some projects, as small as a hundred million pounds.
These are my thoughts on future projects, which I have split into various sections.
Airports
If a scheme like the Heathrow scheme gets the go-ahead, then I think this could lead to other airport links being designed, funded and built using a similar model.
At present, Aberdeen, Bristol, Doncaster-Sheffield, East Midlands, Glasgow, Leeds and Liverpool airports are looking to improve rail access and the DfT’s model may be a way to build some, if the demand is there.
Network Extensions
The proposed Heathrow Southern Railway is effectively a well-thought out extension to three networks; Crossrail, Heathrow Express and South Western Railway to all of their mutual benefit.
I doubt there’ll be such big extensions, but there are some useful ones being planned.
- Bramley Line -The track-bed of this route is still there and connecting March to Wisbech could create a new commuter route for Cambridge.
- Fawley Branch Line – This would provide a passenger service and serve new housing developmemts in Hythe and Fawley.
- Ivanhoe Line – Proposals to improve this service in Leicestershire with new stations.
- Merseyrail Northern Line Extensions – The £300 million extension to Skelmersdale is being planned and another from Ormskirk to Preston is proposed using battery trains.
- North Downs Line – This line could be updated to provide an improbred Reading- Gatwick. Would it make a freight route for Minis from Oxford to the Channel Tunnel?
- Skipton To Colne Reinstatement – This project of just a dozen miles is high profile amongst Conservative politicians and would provide another route across the Pennines.
- West London Orbital – This £264 million extension to the London Overground would create two new lines in North West London.
This is by no means a complete list, but it shows how many routes could benefit with reinstatement or improvement.
Electrification
Why shouldn’t electrification be privately funded, with the builders and investors getting their returns, through an electrification access charge, which would be similar to a track access charge.
I discuss possible electrification schemes in Charting An Electric Freight Future.
The linked article is mainly about freight, but I suspect there are examples, where some shortish stretches of electrification could be privately-funded.
If electrification experts identified the problems of the past few years and how to solve them, there must be a case to formulate a business that merged engineering, finance and construction, that was able to install electrification on time and on budget.
Depots
Greater Anglia has commissioned a new depot at Brampton on a design, finance and build basis and it’s not the only depot built this way.
But that is more traditional financing.
Stations
The financing of some stations has been extraordinarily innovative.
I suspect that that some deals will get even more so.
Some will even charge for passengers per day.
Conclusion
One of the reasons, I like the DfT’s proposal of mixing design, finance and build with a good helping of innovation, is that this closely follows the model that we used with Metier Management Systems, when we started the company in the 1970s, to develop our Project Management system called Artemis.
- We designed the systems.
- We financed the systems.
- We installed the systems
- We maintained the systems.
- The customers wanted the systems.
- Customers paid so much a month.
The cream on top was the lashings of innovation.
There might be a lot of extra finance flowing into UK railways!
,
The Anonymous Widower 