London Overground To Get New Aventra Trains
Several reports like this one on Global Rail News are showing that the new Overground trains will not be Class 378 trains, but Bombardier Aventras.
They will probably be very similar to the new Class 345 trains for Crossrail, which are also Aventras.
It probably doesn’t make much difference to London Overground, as there probably isn’t going to be any problems about running both trains on the same line, if they need to.
The bigger winners may well be Bombardier, who according to this article in the Derby Telegraph are investing in a new production, testing and office complex.
Bombardier might want to build a few of the trains for the Overground before those for Crossrail, so they can see how they perform in service
The Hackney Downs/Central Link Is Now Open
The Hackney Downs/Central Link opened at 11:00 this morning.
I’d thought something was finally happening, as there was a group of suits with clipboards about when I had passed through earlier. So after my trip to Surrey, I popped back to get my supper at the Hackney Marks and Spencer. As the link was now open, I took these pictures.
I shall certainly use the walkway regularly, as I often come from Walthamstow or on one the other Lea Valley Lines and either need to go West on the North London Line or like today, get some food at Marks. The walkway will of course be dry in the rain and some might feel safer at night!
I suspect that London Overground might get some ticketing issues with this link.
Take a little old lady with a Freedom Pass, who lives near the current Hackney Downs entrance to what is now a large double-station complex, who perhaps wants to go to the shops on Mare Street in the rain. Being as she’s from Hackney, she would be streetwise and would therefore use her Freedom Pass to work the barrier at the Hackney Downs entrance and then climb up the stairs to Platform 1. She’d then walk down the platform and take the walkway to Central, where she would exit into Mare Street using her Freedom Pass. In other words, she would have done the long walk substantially out of the rain, at no cost to herself.
So what do Transport for London do with someone, who uses an Oyster or contactless card to do the same trip? Will they be charged?
An engineer on Crossrail, who has walked some of the enormous stations, said to me, that in the rain, some of Crossrail stations are so comprehensive, she would use them to keep out of the rain. So we could have the same problem here?
If Transport for London charges, are we discriminating against those who pay for their transport?
Surely, if you come out of the same station complex within the time it takes to walk from one end to the other, you shouldn’t be charged!
What do you get charged now, if you enter a station through the barriers and then you realise you perhaps didn’t pick up your paper or coffee before you did and you return through the barriers virtually immediately?
Remember that if there’s a walking short-cut, Londoners and especially East Enders will find it!
Platform Action Has Finished At Willesden Junction
It looks like the low-level platforms at Willesden Junction station are now finished.
As you can see it’s just a simple bay platform between the two main platforms for the Watford DC and Bakerloo Lines.
North Wembley Station
When I missed the last train at Sudbury and Harrow Road station, I had no chance but get a bus. I got a 245 towards Golders Green, but decided to get off at North Wembley station, so I could get a train into London.
I’d never been to the station before and it is purely functional.
On my trip around the area and after my troubles on the Piccadilly Line earlier, it’s almost the area of London that has been forgotten.
Kensal Rise Station
Kensal Rise Station is being updated with a lift on the Eastbound platform.
If you compare the state of this station with that of Prittlewell, it illustrates how it was right for London Overground to takeover the Lea Valley Lines from Abellio Greater Anglia.
Bruce Grove Station – 11th July 2015
When I visited Bruce Grove station in September 2014, I wasn’t impressed and gave the station a score of 1/10.
These pictures were taken today.
It may be cleaner, but I don’t think it’s much better, although I’d now give it 2/10.
South Tottenham Station – 6th July 2015
The rebuilding of South Tottenham station with lifts is coming on.
I was changing to the Victoria Line by walking to Seven Sisters station.
Travelling In Style Between Liverpool Street And Hackney Downs Stations
There are some Class 317 trains, with First Class seats, that work the Lea Valley Lines into Liverpool Street.
Obviously, when the new Class 378 trains arrive, these will go somewhere more suited to this luxury.
The Site Of The Hall Farm Curve
I was travelling north on the Lea Valley Line and just before arrival at Tottenham Hale station, I took these pictures of the site of the Hall Farm Curve.
The Class 315 or 317 train in the last picture is a Chingford Branch train on its way to Hackney Downs and Liverpool Street stations.
This Google Map shows the Lea Valley Line from where the Chingford Branch crosses over the top to Lea Bridge station.
Hall Farm Curve And Lea Bridge Station
The scar of the old Hall Farm Curve connecting the two lines clearly shows.
Note the new Lea Bridge station will be built, where the Lea Valley Line crosses Lea Bridge Road.
The Next Phase Of The Overground
An article in City AM talks about the choosing the new operator of the London Overground.
Quite frankly, I don’t care who runs the Overground, provided they do a good job. I also know that if they don’t perform, they’ll feel the fullforce of the Mayor’s boot or stilettos.
But what is interesting is these paragraphs, which detail changes to the system in the next few years.
And Liverpool Street revellers will be pleased to hear the contract will include “options” to introduce all-night services at weekends from 2017.
TfL said frequency on the northern section of the line will be increased by 25 per cent next year, from eight to 10 trains.
For me, late night services on the Overground are to be welcomed, as for example, it will make getting home after a late evening arrival into London easier. An increase in frequency on trains through Dalston Kingsland and West Hampstead will benefit everybody.
Long may the Overground spread its orange tentacles through the city, to enrich and ease the lives of Londoners and visitors alike.
The Anonymous Widower 