Olympia Partners With TfL To Boost Peak-Time Mildmay Line Services
The title of this post, is the same as that as this press release from Transport for London.
These two bullet points act as sub-headings.
- Olympia, London’s newest entertainment destination, is funding 16 extra peak‑time services per weekday, providing increased capacity to support rising demand on this part of the Mildmay line as well as reducing customer journey times
- The additional shuttle services will depart from Clapham Junction Platform 17, with three services in the morning peak and five in the evening peak
These two paragraphs add more details.
Customers will benefit from easier access to the transformed Olympia, set to become London’s newest destination for entertainment, culture and hospitality, as well as Westfield London and improved links to other TfL services
Customers will benefit from more frequent services between Clapham Junction and Shepherd’s Bush from Monday 18 May, as Transport for London (TfL) introduces additional peak weekday shuttle services on the Mildmay line.
This map from CartoMetro shows how trains will get to Platform 17 at Clapham Junction.
Note.
- Mildmay services from Stratford on the North and West London Lines are shown in blue and terminate in Platform 1.
- Windrush services from Dalston Junction on the South London Line are shown in red and terminate in Platform 2.
- Platform 17 is the Southernmost of the platforms at Clapham Junction.
The new services will take the same route as Southern’s Watford Junction and East Croydon service through Clapham Junction.
- Trains will go through Imperial Wharf station and Latchmere 2 Junction.
- They will then take Latchmere 1 Junction and pass under the lines to get to Platform 17.
- There is a crossover between the two tracks, so that trains can get on the left-hand track.
This second CartoMetro map shows Platforms 16 and 17 to a larger scale.
Note.
- Platform 17 doesn’t look very long, but it is 172 metres.
- Five-car Class 378 trains are 101.35 metres, so should fit.
- The crossover, that will be used by returning shuttle trains is clearly visible in the top-right corner.
It does appear though that there will need to be no major trackwork needed for the new service.
I do have one thought.
Will Clapham Junction Station Get A Platform 0?
This was proposed in Will Clapham Junction Station Get A Platform 0?, but there is no mention of it in the press release, although Michael Volkert, who is CEO of Olympia estates does say this.
The new train services will depart from platform 17 at Clapham Junction. Existing services to Stratford will continue to operate from Platform 1. For the latest travel information customer should check TfL Go, Journey Planner on the TfL website or station departure screens.
Commuters will have to hone their ducking and diving skills.
Kensington (Olympia) Station Full Tube Service Restoration Petition Signed By More Than 10,000
The title of this post is the same as the title of this article on getwestLondon.
The article states that advantages of restoring a full Tube service include.
- Better Tube service for local residents and business.
- Ease congestion.
- Improve air quality.
- Provide a step-free station for everybody.
But this paragraph is surely the most relevant.
Footfall at Olympia London has risen from 700,000 to 1.6m since 2011 (when the full Tube service was removed), and is likely to increase over the coming years. Only by having a full Tube service can local transport options meet this increasing demand.
The more the footfall increases, the greater the need for a full Tube service.
Service on the District Line
The Wikipedia entry for Kensington(Olympia) station, has a section detailing the District Line Service.
This is said.
The District line shuttle to Earl’s Court and High Street Kensington runs at weekends and a very limited service also operates during the early morning and evening each weekday. There is no service New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day when these days fall on or partly on a weekend.
Prior to 2011, it was much more frequent.
Service On The West London Line
The Wikipedia entry for Kensington (Olympia) station, has a section detailing the West London Line Service.
This is said.
The London Overground services in trains per hour are:
- 4 northbound to Willesden Junction, of which 2 continue to Stratford during the off-peak and all 4 during the peak.
- 4 southbound to Clapham Junction.
Southern operate between Milton Keynes Central and East Croydon, typically once an hour.
London Overground have plans to increase their service by two trains per hour, starting in 2018.
Kensington ( Olympia ) Station Is Not Fully Step-Free
This Google Map shows the track and platform layout at Kensington (Olympia) station.
Platforms are as follows from West to East.
- 1 – Terminus for District Line
- 2 – Northbound West London Line
- 3 – Southbound West London Line
Note the footbridge linking the island platform 1 and 2, with the other platform 3.
It is not step-free, which means that platforms 1 and 2 have step-free access to Olympia, but platform 3 does not.
Surely, whatever happens to the train service, this bridge must be replaced with one that is step-free.
Getting To And From Kensington (Olympia) Station
It’s easy for me to get to Kensington (Olympia) station, as I just walk to Dalston Kingsland station and get a direct train.
But what fastest routes do you use from these major Underground stations?
- Bank – Change at Shepherd’s Bush
- Canary Wharf – Change at Bond Street and Shepherd’s Bush
- Euston – Change at Willesden Junction
- Finsbury Park – Change at Oxford Circus and Shepherd’s Bush
- Kings Cross St. Pancras – Change at Oxford Circus and Shepherd’s Bush
- Liverpool Street – Change at Shepherd’s Bush
- Paddington – Change at High Street Kensington to a bus.
- Waterloo – Change at Clapham Junction
These routes all used Transport for London’s journey planner.
For some less important stations, you can get some complicated routes.
Marylebone is a classic, which involves two walks, two buses and the Circle Line.
For those, who went to Olympia before 2011, when there was a shuttle from Earl’s Court, will find they will need to change at West Brompton to get from Earl’s Court to Kensington (Olympia).
Wikipedia describes the pre-2011 service like this.
For a period before December 2011 the District line had an irregular short shuttle service of two or three trains per hour to High Street Kensington via Earl’s Court. One late evening train ran daily to Upminster.
To be charitable, you would say it is not a passenger-friendly system for most going to Olympia.
Conclusion
The petitioners would appear to have a very valid point.
The Anonymous Widower 