London Overground Applies To Build A New Station In South London
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Ian Visits.
Ever since the South London Line of the London Overground opened, there has been talk about opening this station, for which provision was made during the construction of the line.
Ian details the saga and now it looks like it will open in 2025.
At last!!!
Longhedge Junction Speed Increases
London has a rail capacity problem, for both freight and passenger trains.
This report from Network Rail is entitled The London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
One of the secondary recommendations of the report is to increase speed through Longhedge junction.
The report explains it like this.
There is an opportunity to enhance Longhedge Junction, a key location for freight passing through the Battersea area, to enable higher speeds and provide faster transit between the South London Line and West London Line or Clapham Junction (for the Brighton Main Line or Windsor lines).
This would benefit the numerous freight flows through this important part of the network, where two orbital routes connect to each other and to radial routes in and out of London to the south and south-west.
London Overground SLL services running to and from Clapham Junction would also benefit from an increase to the existing 25mph line speed through Longhedge Junction.
This map from cartometro shows the location of Longhedge junction.
Note.
- The orange and black tracks are London Overground routes.
- The Overground route going East is the Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction service that goes via the South London Line (SLL).
- The Overground route going West is the Stratford and Clapham Junction service that goes via the West London Line (WLL).
- The two Overground routes combine to run into the Overground platforms at Clapham Junction.
- There is a double-track route, that links Latchmere 1 junction on the West London Line with Longhedge junction on the South London Line.
- Longhedge junction is in the East of the map.
It is an area congested with train tracks and junctions.
Traffic Through Longhedge Junction
Longhedge junction is busy, with the following trains in a typical hour.
- Four tph between Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction stations.
- Up to six assorted freight tph.
Note that services run in both directions.
But this Google Map of the are gives hope.
Longhedge junction is to the West of the West of the tracks running North South and it looks like there could be plenty of space to realign the tracks and improve the junction.
As with Nunhead Junction, which I wrote about in Nunhead Junction Improvement, it could be that the use of electric haulage on freight trains through the junction with their more nimble acceleration might help.
Conclusion
This appears to be a serious problem.
What it needs now is a well-designed scheme to speed freight and passenger trains through the junction.
Related Posts
These are related posts about the London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
Decarbonisation Of London’s Freight Routes
East Coast Main Line South Bi-Directional Capability
Gauge Improvements Across London
Headway Reductions On The Gospel Oak To Barking, North London and West London Lines
Heavy Axle Weight Restrictions
Kensal Green Junction Improvement
Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Kensington Olympia
Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Shepherd’s Bush
Stratford Regulating Point Extension
Will Camden Road Station Get A Third Platform?
Will Clapham Junction Station Get A Platform 0?
Will Clapham Junction Station Get A Platform 0?
London has a rail capacity problem, for both freight and passenger trains.
This report from Network Rail is entitled The London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
One of the recommendations of the report is to build a Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station. It says this about that that platform.
Creation of additional bay platform capacity at the northern end of Clapham Junction station, for the use
of London Overground WLL services.
This map from cartometro.com shows the track layout as the orange tentacles of the London Overground approach Clapham Junction station.
Note.
- The West London Line approaches Clapham Junction station through Imperial Wharf station.
- The South London Line approaches Clapham Junction station through Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road stations.
This second map from cartometro.com shows the track layout of the current two Overground platforms at Clapham Junction station and how the third one will fit in.
Note.
- It appears that there are crossovers to allow trains from either South or West London Lines to enter any of Platforms 0, 1 or 2.
- A typical bay platform can turn four trains per hour (tph) or possibly six tph, if the signalling is tip-top.
These pictures show the current state of Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station.
And these show Platforms 1 and 2 at Clapham Junction station.
The current two-platform system seems to work well.
Clapham Junction Station Is A Super-Interchange
Clapham Junction is already a super-interchange on the London Overground with lots of services to Central and Outer London and the wider South of England.
The London Overground probably needs more super-interchanges on its circular route around London.
- Whitechapel and Stratford, which are one stop apart on Crossrail, could develop into one in East London.
- As it grows, Old Oak Common, will develop into one in West London.
Other super-interchanges could develop at Croydon, Hackney (Central/Downs) and West Hampstead.
Network Rail’s Reasons For The New Platform
I’ll start with some information.
Current Overground Services
Current Overground services are as follows.
- 4 tph – Stratford via Willesden Junction
- 4 tph – Dalston Junction via Surrey Quays
The total of 8 tph, is generally easily handled by two platforms, unless something goes wrong.
Future Overground Services
It is expected that in the future services could be as follows.
- 6 tph – Stratford via Willesden Junction
- 6 tph – Dalston Junction via Surrey Quays
As I regularly use the service between Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction to get a connection to places like Portsmouth and Southampton, I know at least one regular traveller, who is looking forward to the increase in frequency.
But there could be another London Overground in the future.
In Gibb Report – East Croydon – Milton Keynes Route Should Be Transferred To London Overground, I wrote how in his report, Chris Gibb recommended that this hourly service should be transferred to the London Overground.
This is said in the Network Rail document about Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station.
The longstanding proposal for the creation of additional bay platform capacity at the northern end of Clapham Junction station, for the use of London Overground West London Line services, is supported by this strategy.
The scheme would reinstate the disused former platform 1 to create a newly designated ‘Platform 0’, adjacent to the present platforms 1 and 2.
This intervention has been recognised as key to long-term growth on the West London Line by several previous pieces of work for both Network Rail and Transport for London, which have consistently concluded that additional platform capacity at Clapham Junction is needed, if TfL’s aspiration to increase the WLL Overground service to 6 trains per hour is to be met.
Capacity analysis for the LRFS has reaffirmed that the desire to operate this level of service throughout the day cannot be achieved with a single bay platform.
Although this scheme would clearly be of direct benefit to the London Overground passenger service, the positive impact it would have on the capacity and performance of the WLL overall means that it is also very much in the interest of freight that Platform 0 be delivered. Without a new bay platform, the main alternative means to increase Overground train frequencies involves the use of platform 17 at the far end of the station, where freight and GTR trains pass through towards the BML. This is a sub-optimal solution for both freight and passenger operations.
Note.
- Platform 0 will share an island platform with Platforms 1 and 2, so there will be short level walks between trains.
- Platform 1 and 2 are already fully accessible, so Platform 0 will be as well.
The report feels that increasing passenger and freight services are often two sides of the same coin.
Questions
I have some questions.
Would Three Platforms Be Enough To Handle Twelve tph?
As two platforms seem to handle eight tph, at most times in the present, I suspect the answer is in the affirmative.
Would Three Platforms Be Enough To Handle Thirteen tph?
This would be needed, if the Milton Keynes service were to be transferred to the Overground and it used Clapham Junction station as a Southern terminus.
If it still went through Clapham Junction station to Croydon, then it would probably use Platform 17, as it tends to do now!
I do suspect that three platforms will be enough, as otherwise the LRFS would be proposing something else.
What Will Be The Length Of The New Platform 0?
Under Future Proposals in the Wikipedia entry for Clapham Junction station, this is said.
In a Network Rail study in 2015, it was proposed that platform 0 could reopen for 8-car operations of the West London Line.
An eight-car platform would allow the current eight-car Class 377 trains, that work the Milton Keynes service to use the platform.
Note that as an eight-car Class 377 train is 163.2 metres long, a platform that will accomodate this train, will be long enough to accomodate a five-car Class 378 train, which is only 102.5 metres long.
But should the platform be built long enough to handle two Class 378 trains working as a pair?
This Google Map shows Platform 1 and the current state of the future Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station.
Note.
- a five-car Class 378 train is standing in Platform 1.
- There are some minor obstructions along Platform 0.
I don’t think it would be impossible to create an eight-car Platform 0. Although, Platforms 0 and 1 might need to be extended by perhaps ten or twenty minutes towards London.
Does The Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction Service Need 110 mph Trains?
I have talked to several drivers, who drive trains on the four 125 mph lines out of London and some have complained about slower 100 mph trains, that get in their way and slow them down.
If the drivers get miffed, I suspect the train operating companies are more annoyed.
But over the last few years, the following has happened.
- Heathrow Express have replaced 100 Class 360 trains with 110 mph Class 387 trains on the Great Western Main Line.
- East Midlands Railway will be running 110 mph Class 360 trains to Corby on the Midland Main Line.
- West Midlands Trains will be replacing 110 mph Class 350 trains with 110 mph Class 730 trains on the West Coast Main Line.
- Great Northern run 110 mph Class 387 trains to Cambridge and Kings Lynn on the East Coast Main Line.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see 110 mph trains running between Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction, as they would just be following a sensible practice to increase capacity.
Conclusion
I have no problems with creating a new Platform 0 at Clapham Junction, but suspect that faster trains would be needed for the Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction, that would use it.
Work Appears To Have Already Started On Platform 0
With the installation of the all-important site hut and the fact that there were several engineers around with laser-measurement tools, I suspect that work is already underway to prepare everything for the construction of Platform 0 at Clapham Junction station.
Related Posts
These are related posts about the London Rail Freight Strategy (LRFS).
Decarbonisation Of London’s Freight Routes
East Coast Main Line South Bi-Directional Capability
Gauge Improvements Across London
Headway Reductions On The Gospel Oak To Barking, North London and West London Lines
Heavy Axle Weight Restrictions
Kensal Green Junction Improvement
Longhedge Junction Speed Increases
Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Kensington Olympia
Moving The West London Line AC/DC Switchover To Shepherd’s Bush
Stratford Regulating Point Extension
Will Camden Road Station Get A Third Platform?
Improvements To Clapham High Street And Wandsworth Road Stations
In the June 2016 Edition of Modern Railways, there was an article entitled Turning South London Orange.
The report suggests putting platforms at Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road stations on the Southeastern tracks to enable a direct service to Victoria to be reinstated.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the lines through the two stations.
Lines Through Wandsworth Road And Clapham High Street Stations
If the proposed Brixton Tunnel were to be built, that would mean that only local stopping services and the London Overground trains would call at these two stations.
So would only two platforms be needed to handle all the trains? The frequency would probably be something in the region of twelve trains per hour, with possibly six on the Overground and six going to and from Victoria.
I know of many places in London and the rest of the UK, where a train every five minutes would be considered easy to handle. Crossrail and Thameslink will be handling a train at twice this frequency.
The great advantage of all trains in one direction being handled on a single platform face, is that if say you wanted to go from Dalston Junction to Victoria, you could get off one train at either of these stations and then get the next to your appropriate destination.
You could even use a wide island platform, which would allow changes where direction is reversed without leaving the platform. It would also only require one lift, so could the money be used for an escalator?
Because of the problems of providing platforms and a step-free connection at Brixton, undoubtedly, the platforms there would be built on the Northern pair of tracks. So I suspect that they would on these two stations.
This would have various knock-on effects.
- Freight, empty stock movements and other non-stopping services would use the Southern pair of tracks.
- There would probably need to be some reorganising of the junctions to the West of Wandsworth Road station, as part of the tunnel works.
- There would need to be some sorting out of the junctions East of Brixton to make sure all of the trains got to and from the correct places.
- Clapham High Street station could be properly integrated into Clapham North station with an escalator connection.
In some ways, it all shows how a tunnel under Brixton could be a masterstroke.
An Improved South London Line Is Proposed
In the June 2016 Edition of Modern Railways in an article entitled Turning South London Orange.
One of the proposals is to create an improved South London Line from Victoria and Clapham Junction via Brixton and Denmark Hill to Peckham Rye.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the lines from Battersea to Peckham.
An Improved South London Line
You have to remember that when the current South London Line was created, there was criticism from various groups.
- Some objected to the loss of a direct service to Victoria.
- Some felt the line should call at Brixton.
- Some felt there should be an interchange at Loughborough Junction station.
Hopefully, the proposal for an improved South London Line will address some of these issues.
Between Wandsworth Road and Peckham Rye stations, the line is effectively two pairs of tracks, with the Overground using the Southern pair.
The Northern pair of tracks that are currently used by the Southeastern lines into Victoria only have platforms at Denmark Hill and Peckham Rye.
The Centre for London is proposing a redesign of the South London Line that could include.
- New Platforms at Wandsworth Road, Clapham High Street and Brixton.
- I would assume that the new Battersea station is part of the proposal, as this would connect the line to the Northern Line.
- Renaming of Clapham High Street to Clapham North to indicate its close relationship with the Underground station.
- Perhaps even putting the Overground on the Northern pair of tracks, as this would simplify the rebuild of Brixton station.
- An increase in frequency on both pairs of lines to six trains per hour.
I think as a start it is a good plan, but I do feel that something much better could emerge to improve the connectivity across South and South East London.
There are some questions that need to be answered.
- Where would the trains go past Peckham Rye?
- What would be the frequency of the Victoria to Orpington service?
- Would the restoration of a shuttle between London Bridge and v’ictoria be a good idea?
- Could Victoria be a terminus for the London Overground?
- Should the South London Line be connected to Thameslink at Loughborough Junction?
I suspect a lot of the answers are in the passenger statistics.
Changing At Clapham Junction Station
The one thing that worked well on my trip today, was changing at Clapham Junction station to go south.
If you use the bridge over the tracks, it is fully served with lifts, so if you are wheeling a heavy case to Gatwick Airport, it is probably easier than say getting it off the Underground at Victoria station. There’s also a couple of coffee shops on the bridge and even in the rush hour today, there was somewhere to sit.
I think we should congratulate Network Rail on doing a good design job in bringing an old bridge up to the standard that travellers expect these days.
I would also recommend you buy your tickets before travelling, unless you are prepared to go through the barriers and buy the tickets at the station.
One good thing about changing at Clapham Junction, is that if you use the bridge it is fairly eas to find your ongoing platform. Coming north, it is very easy as you always go to Platform 2.
Hopefully, this will improve as more and more people use Clapham Junction station to change to and from the south. Today, the trains to and from the station on the South London line weren’t very full. But then that was the case when the rest of the Overground opened.
I don’t think it will stay as quiet for long!
Is The New South London Line What Passengers Want?
I ask this question after the report of the demonstration last night and this piece on the South London Line’s opening today. Both reports give the impression, that most South Londoners think the routing is wrong.
I’m not from South London and therefore I have no idea what is best for Peckham and Clapham. But I do know that opening the East London Line to Crystal Palace prompted me to visit, as exploring the electric trains south of the Great Sewer, is something that North Londoners are genetically programmed not to be able to do. They always feel happy on anything that is on Harry Beck‘s iconic Underground map.
The opposition to the routing of the South London Line seems also to be led by a group of anti-Boris politicians, who tend to believe that anything Boris backs is thoroughly bad and driven by his ego, rather than common sense.
What seems to have been forgotten here, is that the new South London Line routing was proposed before Boris became Mayor and that something had to be done for a few years to create extra paths into London Bridge station, whilst it is being rebuilt. Just as I complain about buses being disrupted by Crossrail, in part the South London Line problems are a victim of the London Bridge improvements. I think it is true to say, that Transport for London has an extensive database of journeys by public transport in London, because of the Oyster Card and Freedom Pass information. So they probably know a lot more about where customers actually go, than the customers themselves.
Incidentally, I travelled part of the way this morning to Clapham Junction station with a doctor, who was going on shift at Kings College Hospital by Denmark Hill station from his home in Hoxton. It was certainly an easier journey for him than before the new line opened. So although, there will be some losers because of the changes, there will also be winners. How many other people have moved house or changed job in the last couple of years, in anticipation of the changes? We don’t know, but Transport for London will in a few months, when they analyse the journeys.
Coffee And Pretzels At Clapham Junction
Not for me the pretzels, but the coffee was good in my pit-stop at Knot Pretzels at Clapham Junction station.
I do love their innovative use of an old trunk for the sugar and stirrers.
Closing A Chapter – The New South London Line Opens
In some ways today, I closed a chapter in my life, that started when I moved back to London. Soon after, the rebuilt East London Line of the London Overground opened. I wrote about it here.
Today they opened the last section to Clapham Junction station and I was on the first train there from Highbury and Islington station.
The pictures could have been better, but it was just after seven this morning.
Not Everybody Is In Favour Of The New South London Line
This article on the BBC, shows that at the moment not everybody is in favour of the new South London Line as some of the inner suburban services will be dropped. But politicians will jump on any bandwagon however rickety to try to get one over on their rivals.
However, I think this will blow over, as partly the changes are caused by the rebuilding of London Bridge station.
I have used the inner South London line a few times to get to Victoria, by taking a bus to London Bridge station and then meandering through Peckham. The pictures of Battersea Power Station were taken on such a trip.
I’m just off to catch the first train from Highbury and Islington to Clapham Junction. It’ll take me longer to get round than this video.
The Anonymous Widower 