The Anonymous Widower

Chesham Station – 26th August 2023

This Google Map shows Chesham station.

Note.

  1. The station only has one platform.
  2. An eight-car train is in the platform.
  3. There used to be a four-car bay platform, to the West of the island platform.

The Chesham branch is only single track.

These pictures show the station.

The station is a Grade II Listed Building.

August 26, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

Chiltern Sets Out New Fleet Ambitions

The title of this post is the same as that of an article in the September 2023 Edition of Modern Railways.

These are the first three paragraphs.

Chiltern Railways deserves to be the next operator to order new trains, its Managing Director Richard Allan has told Modern Railways.

On 7 August the operator published a tender notice seeking proposals for the supply of between 20 and 70 new or converted low-emission trains. This followed the unveiling on 19 July of its ‘RightRoute’ vision setting out the case for investment in new trains, which was presented to stakeholders and parliamentarians in Westminster.

Chiltern is prioritising replacement of its Class 165 DMU fleet, which comprises 89 vehicles. It carried out a pre-market engagement exercise last Autumn, and Mr. Allan said the view is that a battery train would be suitable for the Marylebone to Aylesbury route, either operating solely on battery power or additionally picking up power from the London Underground four-rail system South of Amersham.

These are my thoughts.

Electrification At Amersham

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification at Amersham station.

Note.

  1. Tracks shown in pink are electrified with the London Underground four-rail system.
  2. Tracks shown in black are not electrified.
  3. All three platforms are electrified.

The track layout allows both Chiltern and London Underground trains to pass through Amersham station on electrified lines.

Electrification Between Amersham And Harrow-on-the-Hill

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification at Northwood station.

Note.

  1. Tracks shown in pink are electrified with the London Underground four-rail system.
  2. All four platforms are electrified.
  3. Some sections are only double-track.

All tracks between Amersham And Harrow-on-the-Hill stations are electrified.

Electrification At Harrow-on-the-Hill

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification at Harrow-on-the-Hill station.

Note.

  1. Tracks shown in pink are electrified with the London Underground four-rail system.
  2. Tracks shown in black are not electrified.
  3. All six platforms are electrified.

The track layout allows both Chiltern and London Underground trains to pass through Harrow-on-the-Hill station on electrified lines.

Electrification Between Harrow-on-the-Hill And Finchley Road

Willesden Green station is typical of the stations on this section

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification at Willesden Green station

Note.

  1. Tracks shown in pink are electrified with the London Underground four-rail system.
  2. Tracks shown in black are not electrified.
  3. The two tracks South of the station are the Chiltern tracks.
  4. All Chiltern Trains along this route use these two separate tracks, that are not electrified.

Stations with this layout include Northwick Park, Preston Road, Wembley Park, Neasden, Dollis Hill, Willesden Green, Kilburn and West Hampstead.

The Chiltern Tracks Alongside The Metropolitan Line

I took these pictures as I journeyed from West Hampstead to Harrow-on-the-Hill.

Note.

  1. The Chiltern Tracks are those farthest from the train without electrification.
  2. There also seemed a lot of graffiti, where the tracks weren’t electrified.
  3. Platforms 1 and 2 at Harrow-on-the-Hill station are electrified and used by Chiltern’s diesel trains.

Finding a Jubilee or Metropolitan Line train with clean enough windows for photography was difficult.

Distances Between Stations

These are the distances, times and electrification, between selected stations, between Marylebone and Aylesbury Vale Parkway.

  • Marylebone and Harrow-on-the-Hill – 9.2 miles – 13 minutes – Not Electrified
  • Harrow-on-the-Hill  and Amersham – 14.3 miles – 24 minutes – Electrified
  • Amersham and Aylesbury – 15.3 miles – 23 minutes – Not Electrified
  • Aylesbury and Aylesbury Vale Parkway – 2.3 miles – 7 minutes – Not Electrified

Note.

  1. The 24 minutes between Harrow-on-the-Hill  and Amersham, should be enough to fully-charge the batteries.
  2. Harrow-on-the-Hill to Marylebone and return is 18.5 miles.
  3. Amersham to Aylesbury Vale Parkway and return is 35.2 miles.

As Merseyrail’s Class 777 trains  have achieved 83.9 miles on battery power, I am fairly sure that Marylebone and Aylesbury Vale Parkway could be achieved by a battery electric multiple unit, that has been designed for the route.

Rolling Stock

Bombardier built the Class 378 Electrostar train, so that it would run on the London Underground four-rail system to Richmond. so I’m sure that Alstom could build Aventras, that could use the Underground electrification.

I’m also sure that other UK trains manufacturers and suppliers like CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler have the expertise.

The article mentions between twenty and seventy trains. The number probably depends on the train length.

I think we’ll see some interesting bids.

Train Charging Issues

The main charging will be done between Harrow-on-the-Hill  and Amersham using the London Underground four-rail system already installed for the Metropolitan trains between London and Amersham and Chesham.

As the electrification will be powering six trains per hour in both directions between Harrow-on-the-Hill  and Amersham and charging the batteries on the Chiltern trains, I wouldn’t be surprised to find, that the power system will be uprated.

I also suspect, that the trains could have the ability to use 25 KVAC overhead electrification, as this could allow short lengths of electrification to be used to charge the trains at terminal stations.

Speed Issues

If you look at the speeds and times, you get the following.

  • Current Chiltern Class 165 trains are 75 mph trains.
  • Current Underground S Stock trains are 62 mph trains.
  • Chiltern take 33 minutes between Amersham and Marylebone.
  • Trains in both services run every half hour.
  • There is also an every half hour service between Chesham and Aldgate, which means there are six trains per hour between Chalfont & Latimer and Harrow-on-the-Hill.
  • I suspect Chiltern set the timetable, by going through first with the slower Amersham and Chesham services following.
  • This means that if the new Chiltern trains are 100 mph trains, it shouldn’t make much difference to the operation of the trains.

But the faster Chiltern trains could knock eight minutes off the time between Amersham and Harrow-on-the-Hill stations.

In an ideal world, where TfL had more money, faster Underground trains would allow more services to the area.

Leamington Spa Services

Chiltern Railways run two local services from Leamington Spa station.

  • One service goes to Stratford-on-Avon, which is a distance of 15.3 miles.
  • The other service goes to Birmingham Moor Street, which is a distance of 22.7 miles.
  • Both services are run by Class 165 diesel trains.
  • Both services have a frequency of one train per two hours.

I suspect that these services could be run using battery-electric trains with charging at Leamington Spa.

Timescale

This is said about timescale.

Under the plans set out in its ‘RightRoute’ prospectus, Chiltern wants to agree scope and funding for new trains this year and launch the first new trains by 2027 between London and Aylesbury, and upgrade infrastructure and trains on the West Midlands route between 2028 and 2035.

West Midlands Route

This is said about the West Midlands route.

Mr Allan said that after ‘165’ replacement consideration would be given to the best solution for the main line between London and the West Midlands, including whether this would involve partial or full electrification, with a rolling stock solution to succeed the Class 168 DMUs and loco-hauled sets to be devised accordingly. Chiltern’s Interim Engineering & Safety Director Tim Sayer told Modern Railways one potential option the Government and Network Rail are keen on is third party funding of electrification, which could be built into a manufacturer’s contract for new stock.

Note.

  1. I must admit that I like the idea of bundling rolling stock and electrification in one contract.
  2. After all, rolling stock and maintenance have been bundled together for some years and it seems to work.
  3. I disclose some of Hitachi’s thinking in Solving The Electrification Conundrum, which is based on an article in Modern Railways.

I wonder if Hitachi will come up with a solution something like this.

  • A number of five-car battery-electric trains.
  • High quality interiors.
  • They would serve Birmingham Moor Street, Oxford and Stratford-on-Avon.
  • Short lengths of electrification in terminals and perhaps at strategic locations in the middle. Banbury?
  • Automation as needed.

It could be a service that’s a viable alternative to High Speed Two for some passengers.

Charging At London Marylebone Station

I recently took these pictures at Marylebone station.

Note.

  1. It is a surprisingly spacious station and I feel that Furrer+Frey or some other specialist company could add some form of charging to the platforms.
  2. In its simplest form it would be a short length of 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  3. Charging would be performed using the train’s pantograph.

It appears that the turnround time in Marylebone is typically twelve minutes or more, which should be adequate to fully charge a train.

Charging At Oxford Station

These pictures show the bay platforms at Oxford station, where Chiltern services terminate.

I wouldn’t be surprised, if these two platforms were designed for future 25 KVAC overhead electrification.

Marylebone And Oxford Services

Marylebone and Oxford are only 66.7 miles apart and I believe that a battery electric train would be able to shuttle between the two terminals, charging as required after each journey.

Charging At Birmingham

These pictures show the bay platforms at Birmingham Moor Street station, where some Chiltern services terminate.

Note.

  1. Currently, Birmingham Moor Street station has two through platforms and two bay platforms.
  2. None of the platforms are electrified.
  3. Some plans include adding two more bay platforms to the station.
  4. Electrifying the bay platforms 3 and 4, would allow the charging battery electric trains from London.

The two through platforms could also be electrified to help Birmingham’s local trains decarbonise and allow London services to reach Birmingham Snow Hill station.

Marylebone And Birmingham Services

Consider.

  • Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street are only 111.7 miles apart.
  • Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham Snow Hill stations are only 0.6 miles apart.
  • Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham Snow Hill stations could be easily connected by an electrified line.
  • Stadler are talking of battery-electric trains having a range of over 125 miles.
  • It might be sensible to electrify Banbury to give the batteries a top up.

I believe that a battery electric train would be able to shuttle between Marylebone and Birmingham, charging as required after each journey.

 

Conclusion

It seems a sound plan!

 

August 21, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Could High Speed Two Have An Underground Station In London?

The Achievement Of The Bank Station Upgrade

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the lines through Bank and Monument stations.

Note.

  1. All the pink lines are the lines of the London Underground.
  2. The line running alongside London Bridge is the Northern Line, which is deep under the Thames.
  3. The mauve lines are those with the slightly higher voltage of the UK National Rail network going into Cannon Street station.

In part of the Bank Station Upgrade, a new Southbound tunnel for the Northern Line was dug, so that the Northern Line platforms at Bank station could be farther apart.

This visualisation shows the station.

The project was an amazing demonstration of what is possible to be achieved in underground construction.

  • There is a moving walkway to move passengers between the Central and Northern Lines.
  • There are escalators and lifts everywhere.

It was also dug out from London’s helpful soils under scores of important buildings, many of which are listed.

These pictures give a flavour of the underground section of the completed upgrade.

These pictures show the buildings on top of the complex.

Note.

  1. There is no building of any great height above the station complex.
  2. There are a lot of quality buildings.
  3. During all the work underground, I didn’t see any reports of any problems with the buildings on top.
  4. In How Many Entrances And Exits Does A Station Need?, I counted that the complex now has twenty entries.

It is probably a project that could be repeated elsewhere.

Camden Town, Holborn and Bond Street/Oxford Circus are probably suitable cases for treatment.

Weston Williamson’s Plan For Manchester Piccadilly Station

In The Rival Plans For Piccadilly Station, That Architects Say Will ‘Save Millions’, I wrote about Weston Williamson’s plan for Manchester Piccadilly station.

This was their visualisation.

Note.

  1. In the visualisation, you are observing the station from the East.
  2. The existing railway lines into Piccadilly station are shown in red.
  3. Stockport and Manchester Airport are to the left, which is to the South.
  4. Note the dreaded Castlefield Corridor in red going off into the distance to Oxford Road and Deansgate stations.
  5. The new high speed lines are shown in blue.
  6. To the left they go to Manchester Airport and then on to London, Birmingham and the South, Warrington and Liverpool and Wigan, Preston, Blackpool, Barrow-in-Furness, the North and Scotland.
  7. To the right, they go to Huddersfield, Bradford, Leeds, Hull and the North East, and Sheffield, Doncaster and the East.
  8. Between it looks like  a low-level High Speed station with at least four tracks and six platforms.
  9. The Manchester Metrolink is shown in yellow.

The potential for over-site development is immense. If the Station Square Tower was residential, the penthouses would be some of the most desirable places to live in the North.

Londoners Are The Tunnel Kings

Bring On The Robots

Could High Speed Two Have An Underground Station In London?

Look at this map from OpenRailwayMap.

Note.

  1. Euston station is in the North-West corner of the map.
  2. St. Pancras and King’s Cross stations can just be seen at the top of the map.
  3. All lines shown in red have 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  4. All lines shown in pink are the London Overground.
  5. The double track electrified railway meandering across the map from West to East is the Elizabeth Line.
  6. The pink line going down the middle of the map is the Piccadilly Line.
  7. The pink line going down the left of the map is the Charing Cross branch of the Northern Line.

There is a large square area to the South of Euston that doesn’t have any railways crossing it.

It is shown in this map from OpenRailwayMap.

Note.

  1. As before, red lines have 25 KVAC overhead electrification and pink lines are the Underground.
  2. The Western boundary of the area is the Charing Cross branch of the Northern Line, which runs between Euston in the North and Tottenham Court Road in the South.
  3. The Eastern boundary of the area is the Piccadilly Line, which runs between King’s Cross in the North and Holborn in the South.
  4. The Northern boundary of the area is the sub-surface Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines, which runs between Warren Street in the West and King’s Cross in the East.
  5. The Northern and Victoria Lines also run East-West to the North of the sub-surface lines.
  6. The Southern boundary of the area is the Central and Elizabeth Lines, which run between Tottenham Court Road in the West and Holborn in the East.

It is a substantial area.

So could it be hollowed out to create a below-ground London terminal for High Speed Two?

I got a bus from Tottenham Court Road to Euston station and then walked to Holborn, taking these pictures.

Note.

  1. There are only two buildings in the area with more than about six floors; University College Hospital and Senate House.
  2. There a lot of green spaces.
  3. Bloomsbury Square does have a car park beneath it.

I wonder if a terminal station could be build under the area?

  • I suspect if you went fifty metres down there could be plenty of space, that could be excavated.
  • Tunnels with moving walkway and escalators could link the station to the Central, Circle, Elizabeth, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, Northern and Piccadilly Lines.
  • There would be space to have 400 metre long platforms.
  • As all trains would be electric, there would be no fume problems.
  • There could be lifts and escalators to the green spaces on the top.

I have a feeling that most of people living or working inside the North and South Circular Roads could get to the station by public transport with at most a single change.

April 21, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Riding The 182 Bus Between Harrow Bus Station And Brent Cross

I did this journey, which could be part of the Superloop, in good weather, and was able to take these pictures.

Note.

  1. The roads were not bad and were partly two lanes each way, with large roundabouts at junctions.
  2. I suspect the bus was going at between 30 and 40 mph most of the way.
  3. There was still quite a lot of traffic.
  4. It is a distance of about 7 miles.
  5. The timetable says that buses run every 10-13 minutes.
  6. Harrow-On-The-Hill station is next to Harrow Bus station.
  7. Harrow-On-The-Hill connects to the Metropolitan Line and Chiltern
  8. Northwick Park Hospital is on the route.
  9. Sudbury and Harrow Road station connects to Chiltern.
  10. South Harrow station connects to the Piccadilly Line.
  11. Wembley Central station connects to the Bakerloo and Watford DC Lines and National Rail.
  12. Wembley Stadium station connects to Chiltern.
  13. Wembley Park station connects to the Metropolitan and Jubilee Lines.

The journey took about 70 minutes, mainly because of the traffic at the road works.

I have a few thoughts.

The Route Of The Bus 182 Could Be Part Of The Superloop

I feel my journey today, proved that this would be part of a feasible Superloop leg between Harrow and North Finchley bus stations.

A Chiltern Metro

Wikipedia says this about a  proposed metro service between Marylebone and West Ruislip stations.

  • The Metro would have a frequency of four tph.
  • It would call at Wembley Stadium, Sudbury & Harrow Road, Sudbury Hill Harrow, Northolt Park and South Ruislip.
  • The service would require a reversing facility at West Ruislip.
  • There would need to be passing loops at Sudbury Hill Harrow, and  Wembley Stadium.

Given that the Chiltern Metro was first proposed over a decade ago, perhaps the concept could be increased in scope.

  • Housing and other developments along the route may suggest that a station further out like High Wycombe might be a better terminal.
  • ERTMS in-cab digital signalling is likely to be installed at some time, which would decrease headways between trains and allow more services.
  • Electrification is likely in some form before 2040 and this will improve train performance.
  • If Neasden station were to be rebuilt, as a comprehensive transport and residential development, I believe that this Metro service should also call at Neasden, as it would complement the West London Orbital Railway.

I believe that a review of the Chiltern Metro may mean, that an improved version is worth creating.

March 30, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Riding The X140 Bus Between Heathrow Airport And Harrow Bus Station

I did this journey, which will be part of the Superloop, in better weather than yesterday, and was able to take these better pictures.

Note.

  1. The roads were much better than yesterday’s trip and were mostly two lanes each way, with large roundabouts at junctions.
  2. I suspect the bus was going at between 30 and 40 mph most of the way.
  3. There was still quite a lot of traffic.
  4. It is a distance of about 15 miles.
  5. The timetable says that buses run every 10-13 minutes.
  6. The X26 buses run between about six in the morning at midnight.
  7. There are twelve intermediate stops.
  8. Harrow-On-The-Hill station is next to Harrow Bus station.
  9. Heathrow Central connects to Heathrow Express, the Elizabeth and Piccadilly Lines.
  10. Hayes and Harlington connects to the Elizabeth Line and GWR’s local services.
  11. Northolt station connects to the Central Line.
  12. Northolt Park station connects to Chiltern.
  13. South Harrow station connects to the Piccadilly Line.
  14. Harrow-On-The-Hill connects to the Metropolitan Line and Chiltern

The journey took 49 minutes, which is only a minute longer than the timetable.

I have a few thoughts.

Passenger Numbers

These were my observations on my journey that started at about 11:30 on a dry day.

  • Few got on at Heathrow Central, but I suspect we had just missed a bus.
  • By Hayes & Harrington station, the bus was about a quarter full.
  • At South Harrow station it must have been about three-quarters full.
  • At Harrow bus station all the lower-deck seats were taken.

I would expect that the loading I saw fits with TfL’s expectations.

The Bus

The bus was one of the latest ADL battery-electric buses.

  • It had a strong performance.
  • It had wi-fi and phone charging.
  • It was probably less than a year old.
  • It was a lot better than yesterday’s bus!

At present not all buses on the route are battery-electric, as some are still older hybrids.

Travelling To Heathrow From The Northern Reaches Of The Metropolitan Line

Many people travel to and from Heathrow either for work or because they are flying.

  • But it is not an easy journey from the Northern reaches of the Metropolitan Line.
  • I believe the X26 bus could be a viable way to get to the airport for many.
  • There would be a change at Harrow-on-the-Hill, but the station is at least step-free.
  • It would avoid parking fees.
  • Fares could be less than fuel costs.

The only big drawback, is that the X26 bus is not twenty-four hours.

More And More Frequent Buses Would Help

I believe that the Superloop should be a 24-hour service, as a lot of things go on at airports in the middle of the night.

I’ve just found out that there is an N140 bus that covers the route.

I also think, that as with the Overground, services should be at least four buses per hour.

 

 

March 29, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ducking And Diving Between Moorgate And Liberty

Liberty is one of my favourite shops. That probably dates from the times in the 1970s, when C and I didn’t have large amounts of money and three kids, so if she needed a new summer dress, I’d make it and we’d usually choose the fabric at Liberty.

I was doing some Christmas shopping today, so after breakfast at Leon on Moorgate, I jumped into the Lizzie Line to the Hanover Square entrance at Bond Street station, where it was a short walk to Liberty.

These pictures document the route.

Note.

  1. I took one stop on the Metropolitan Line from Moorgate to Barbican.
  2. I positioned myself, at the front of the train.
  3. This enabled me to take the lift at Barbican station to the Lizzie Line passenger interchange level at Farringdon station.
  4. I then got the escalator down to the platforms.
  5. I was able to get into the back of the Westbound train, which I needed to avoid a long walk at Bond Street station.

The Lizzie Line will bring out the best ducking and diving in us all.

But with my manoeuvres, I avoided a two hundred metre walk from one end of the train to another!

This Google Map shows my walking route from Bond Street station to Liberty.

Note.

  1. Hanover Square is the green space to the left of the map.
  2. The Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station is in the North-West corner of the square.
  3. Liberty is at the far right of the map.

Advantages of this route include.

  • The Western end is in one of London’s best squares.
  • All major road crossings have zebras or light controlled crossings.
  • There are a few smaller useful shops like itsu, a Pret and a Ryman on Hanover Street.
  • The route wasn’t too busy with pedestrians.

I would recommend using the Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station for places like Bond Street, Carnaby Street, John Lewis, Regent Street and The Palladium.

After I’d done my shopping at Liberty, I walked along Great Marlborough Street to the back entrance of Marks and Spencer’s flagship store, thus avoiding the crowds on Oxford Street.

What If I Want To Go To John Lewis On Oxford Street?

As for Liberty, you would take the Lizzie Line to Bond Street station and use the Hanover Square or Eastern exit, then follow these pictures.

Note the Leon, which will probably opening soon.

What If I Want To Go To Bond Street?

You take the Medici Courtyard by the side of the station.

Note.

  1. There is an upmarket hotel in the courtyard.
  2. The courtyard has some artwork.
  3. The floral entrance on Bond Street.

It will be interesting to see how the Medici Courtyard develops.

December 16, 2022 Posted by | Food, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Where Should You Travel On An Elizabeth Line Train?

The Lizzie Line has one very annoying problem.

When you catch a train, how do you know which is the best place to board the train, so that you get off at the right place to continue your journey?

I regularly go between the Moorgate entrance at Liverpool Street station to the Barbican entrance at Farringdon station.

  • Liverpool Street station is a double-ended station with an Eastern entrance at Liverpool Street station and a Western entrance at Moorgate station.
  • At Moorgate the Western end of the train is closest to the Moorgate Lizzie Line entrance and it is about a hundred metres walk on the level and two escalators between platform and street level.
  • Farringdon station is a double-ended station with an Eastern entrance near to the Barbican and a Western entrance at Farringdon station.
  • At Farringdon the Eastern end of the train is closest to the Barbican Lizzie Line entrance and it is about a hundred metres walk on the level and two escalators between platform and street level.

Ideally between the Moorgate entrance at Liverpool Street station to the Barbican entrance at Farringdon station, you would want to travel in the Eastern end of the train, as this would mean you had a quick getaway.

So you have to do one of these three things.

  • Walk two hundred metres to the Eastern end of the platforms at Liverpool Street station and board the train at its Eastern end.
  • Board the train at its Western end and walk back two hundred metres or so to the Eastern end of the platforms on arrival at Farringdon station to exit the station at the Barbican entrance.
  • Board the train at its Western end and walk back two hundred metres or so inside the train to the Eastern end before alighting at the Barbican end of Farringdon station to exit the station. Be warned, that Heathrow trains can be blocked by cases, as I said in So Many Cases On A Train!.

I take a different route.

  • I use the lift at the Moorgate Lizzie Line entrance to drop to the Westbound Circle/Hammersmith & City/Metropolitan Line platform.
  • I get the first Underground train that arrives.
  • Whilst it is running to Barbican station, I walk as far forward as I can get.
  • I alight at Barbican station and walk to the Western end of the platform.
  • From there, I take the lift and an escalator to street level.

It is a route which is step-free with less walking and two lifts and an escalator.

I suspect many regular Lizzie Line passengers will have their own regular short cuts.

Station Alighting Positions

These are in my view, the best place to be in a train, when travelling to these stations.

  • Abbey Wood – Eastern end
  • Acton Main Line – Eastern half
  • Bond Street – Hanover Square – Eastern end
  • Bond Street – Davies Street – Western end
  • Bond Street – Central Line – Western end
  • Bond Street – Jubilee Line – Western end
  • Brentwood – Western end
  • Burnham – Middle
  • Canary Wharf – Escalators both ends and lifts in the middle
  • Chadwell Heath – Eastern end
  • Custom House – Middle and lift at Western end
  • Ealing Broadway – Western end
  • Ealing Broadway – Central Line – Western end
  • Ealing Broadway – District Line – Western end
  • Farringdon – Barbican – Eastern end
  • Farringdon – Circle Line – Western end
  • Farringdon – Farringdon – Western end
  • Farringdon – Hammersmith & City Line – Western end
  • Farringdon – Thameslink – Western end
  • Forest Gate – Eastern end
  • Gidea Park – Western half
  • Goodmayes – Western end
  • Hanwell – Eastern half
  • Harold Wood – Western end
  • Hayes and Harlington – Western end
  • Heathrow Central – Eastern end
  • Heathrow Terminal 4 – Western end
  • Heathrow Terminal 5 – Eastern end
  • Ilford – Eastern end
  • Iver – Eastern half
  • Langley – Middle
  • Liverpool Street – Central Line – Eastern end
  • Liverpool Street – Circle Line – Either end
  • Liverpool Street – Hammersmith & City Line – Either end
  • Liverpool Street – Liverpool Street – Eastern end
  • Liverpool Street – Liverpool Street – National Rail – Eastern end
  • Liverpool Street – Metropolitan Line – Either end
  • Liverpool Street – Moorgate – Western end
  • Liverpool Street – Moorgate – National Rail – Western end
  • Liverpool Street – Northern Line – Western end
  • Maidenhead – Middle
  • Manor Park – Eastern end
  • Maryland – Middle
  • Paddington – Escalators both ends and lifts in the middle
  • Reading – Middle
  • Romford – Eastern end
  • Seven Kings – Eastern end
  • Shenfield – Eastern end
  • Slough – Eastern half
  • Southall – Middle
  • Stratford – Middle
  • Taplow – Western half
  • Tottenham Court Road – Central Line – Eastern end
  • Tottenham Court Road – Dean Street – Western end
  • Tottenham Court Road – Northern Line – Eastern end
  • Tottenham Court Road – Tottenham Court Road – Eastern end
  • Twyford – Western half
  • West Drayton – Western end
  • West Ealing – Eastern end
  • Whitechapel – District Line – Western end
  • Whitechapel – Hammersmith & City Line – Western end
  • Whitechapel – Overground – Western end
  • Whitechapel – Western end
  • Woolwich – Western end
  • Woolwich – Docklands Light Railway – Western end
  • Woolwich – National Rail – Western end

Note.

  1. Where another line is indicated, the position is for the interchange.
  2. By end, I mean the two end cars.
  3. By half, I mean the end four cars.

All of the routes have lifts.

November 30, 2022 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

So Many Cases On A Train!

This afternoon about three, I went to West Ealing station to see what it was like to transfer between the Elizabeth Line Central Tunnel and the Western Branch at Paddington.

Coming back, I took an Elizabeth Line service that had started from Heathrow Airport and it was one of the busiest Lizzies, I’d ever ridden!

To get on the train at West Ealing station, I got in to probably coach 4 of 9, as that was in the dry and the back end of the train I needed for Moorgate station was certainly in the wet.

I then had to walk half the length of the train to get to the back of the train.

It was not easy, as the train was full of scores of passengers with large wheelie cases.

This got me thinking.

Are Passengers Transferring To The Lizzie Line?

And especially those with large cases. that are the sort you could use for bringing in a pair of folded-up contortionists.

  • These cases don’t fit well on the Piccadilly Line, which has only a few step-free stations.
  • From what I’ve seen cases are easily wheeled to Elizabeth Line platforms at Heathrow.
  • Many of these cases won’t fit in the average family car.
  • All parking is expensive at Heathrow, whether it is short, medium or long.
  • Valet parking at Heathrow has been devalued by all the scam artists.
  • Taxis are the province of those that own oil wells, hedge funds or belong to the highest wunch of bankers.
  • Pick-up and drop-off is now very expensive.
  • There were a good proportion of couples, who were both dragging or pushing a massive case.
  • The Elizabeth Line is cheaper than the Heathrow Express.
  • The Elizabeth Line like the Piccadilly Line allows the use of a bank card as a ticket.
  • Only the Elizabeth and Piccadilly Lines take you direct to dozens of stations with only same-platform interchanges.
  • The Elizabeth Line has step-free interchanges with the Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee, and Metropolitan Lines, the Docklands Light Railway and the London Overground.
  • Whitechapel has been turned into a major transport hub for the Easternmost part of London.

There seems to be quite a few reasons why a traveller going to or from Heathrow might at least try the Elizabeth Line.

And travellers seemed to be doing it in droves today!

Were Upmarket Passengers Using The Lizzie Line?

Take the couple next to me on the train from West Ealing.

  • Around sixty.
  • Very well-dressed.
  • Possibly Mediterranean or South American.
  • Matching medium-size wheelie-cases.
  • She was wearing expensive glasses.

A couple of years ago, they would have probably used the Heathrow Express.

They certainly weren’t the only passengers, who looked like archetypal Heathrow Express passengers.

Will The Lizzie Line Take Passengers From The Piccadilly Line?

As the cost will be the same, I suspect the answer will be yes.

Although, there will be groups of travellers, who will probably remain loyal to the Piccadilly Line.

  • If you were going to or from the step-free Cockfosters or Oakwood, with a heavy case, all the way on the Piccadilly Line could be a simple sensible option. I used to live near Oakwood station and remember several long trips on the Piccadilly Line, but not too Heathrow.
  • The step-free Kings Cross St. Pancras, Green Park, Knightsbridge and Earls Court may well have reasons to keep their regular passengers.
  • Those only travelling a few stops to or from Heathrow will probably stay with the Piccadilly Line for convenience.
  • Transport for London have been adding step-free access to the Heathrow Branch and this will surely promote use.

The Piccadilly Line is also getting new trains in a few years.

In Extending The Elizabeth Line – Piccadilly Line To Ealing Broadway, I talked about a proposal to turnback some Piccadilly Line trains at Ealing Broadway station.

I think it is a good idea, as it could make it simpler for Piccadilly Line passengers to access Heathrow and reduce congestion on the Piccadilly Line.

Will The Lizzie Line Take Passengers From The Heathrow Express?

This is an extract from Extending The Elizabeth Line – Piccadilly Line To Ealing Broadway

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?

Will The Lizzie Line Attract Passengers Who Usually Drive?

Large swathes of the country already have single-change step-free access to the Elizabeth Line.

  • All services out of Liverpool Street and/or Stratford.
  • All services out of Moorgate.
  • All Thameslink services through Farringdon.
  • All services out of Paddington.
  • All services through Abbey Wood.
  • When Crossrail to Ebbsfleet (C2E) opens, this will add all services through Gravesend and Ebbsfleet.
  • When High Speed Two opens, this will add all services through Old Oak Common.
  • When the Western Rail Approach To Heathrow is completed, this will add all services through Reading.

If you can get a train direct to the Elizabeth Line network and then a train direct to your terminal, would you seriously want all the hassle of parking after a two hour drive?

I can see parking at Heathrow suffering a severe lack of demand.

Conclusion

Lizzie will start a revolution in travel to and from Heathrow.

November 7, 2022 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

HS2 Completes First Tunnel Cross Passages

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from High Speed Two.

This is the first paragraph.

As the tunnelling machines under the Chilterns approach the four-mile mark, HS2 completes the first of thirty-eight underground connections between the northbound and southbound tunnels.

This video from High Speed Two, shows the construction of the cross tunnels.

There appears to have been a resurgence of traditional tunneling methods, albeit it with the assistance of modern mechanised tools.

In London recently, these tunnels have been dug without the use of expensive tunnel boring machines.

  • The running and station tunnels for the Bank Station Upgrade.
  • The tunnel for the Paddington Bakerloo Line Link.

I suspect there will a lot more dug traditionally in the future.

Bank And Moorgate

The map from cartometro.com shows the plethora of lines at Moorgate and Bank stations.

Note.

  1. Moorgate station is served by the Circle, Elizabeth, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern and Northern City Lines.
  2. Bank station is served by the Central, Circle, District, Northern and Waterloo & City Lines.
  3. Bank station is also one terminus of the DLR.

I believe it would be possible to dig a long pedestrian tunnel with a travelator, between Moorgate and Bank stations under Moorgate, which connects the two stations.

City Thameslink Station And St. Paul’s

I discussed this in A Pedestrian Connection Between City Thameslink Station And St. Paul’s Tube Station.

August 30, 2022 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Moorgate Station’s Facade At The New Entrance – 17th June 2022

These pictures show, the  new facade of the Moorgate station’s new entrance.

 

This entrance is in addition to the original entrance on Moorgate and it has stairs and lifts to the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines and a giant escalator and a lift to the Elizabeth Line.

It does look as though, the construction of the offices on top of the entrance is coming to a completion. Two escalators will be fitted in the space guarded by the green hoarding to give access to the offices and the walkways, that will lead to the Barbican.

 

 

June 17, 2022 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , | 4 Comments

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