The Long-Awaited Walthamstow Link Is Nearly Here
It should have been a simple job, but it has grown into an eighteen year saga.
Walthamstow Central and Queen’s Road stations are not far apart and a pedestrian link has been needed for years to make interchange possible. Finally, it will be opening next month, as is reported here in ThisisLocalLondon. In the end despite an agreement the Council had to take the developers to the High Court.
How many other simple links should be created to make travelling by public transport easier?
The Walthamstow Reservoirs
I knew there were reservoirs at Walthamstow, but I didn’t know they were so extensive, until I read an article in last night’s Standard.
Thames Water are getting together with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to develop this area as an area of wetlands.
There’s a lot about the site here. The reservoirs are a Site of Special ScientificIinterest.
The Paper First With The News
I have an Internet trawl looking for stories about the Overground and particularly its expansion by taking over the Lea Valley lines. It found this story from the Docklands and East London Advertiser this morning. Here’s the first two paragraphs.
Part of the Liverpool Street suburban rail network in east London is being incorporated into the London Overground.
The Chingford and Enfield lines through Bethnal Green and Hackney will appear on the Underground map for the first time from 2015, it has been revealed in Transport for London’s latest business plan.
So it would seem that something at last is moving on London’s newest train line. How long it will be before yesterday’s nightmare trip is easier, I do not know.
Lea Bridge Station
Lea Bridge Station is going to be reopened at the end of next year. As I was passing, I took a few pictures of the station as it is today.
It would appear that a certain amount of clearing up has been done.
What surprised me was the landscaping around the line at this point.
It is also close to a couple of attractions in the Lea Valley Park, is well seved by buses and there were quite a few pedestrians and cyclists about. I had actually been to the nearby Lea Valley Riding Centre, to see about getting back on a horse.
So I am not be surprised that the figures showed the station is a good one to reopen. Although this article says that it might close.
I have a feeling that the figures will be nowhere like they are predicted. But whether they are higher or lower, I will not guess.
A lot depends on the service levels through the station, which currently sees two trains every hour in each direction. If that were to be doubled, it would make a lot of difference.
There is a good article and discussion on Lea Bridge station here on London Reconnections.
On a personal basis, I might use the station to go north, as it is one 56 bus to the station. So if I was going to Broxbourne or one of the other stations up the Lea Valley line, it would be a simple alternative. Especially, if the trains were four an hour.
GreaterAnglia’s Awful Colour Scheme
I took this picture last night on the way to Walthamstow.
GreaterAnglia’s Awful Colour Scheme
The pink just clashes with everything. But then they also make the mistake of having red doors on their trains.
As with many trains on the Lea Valley Lines, it looks like the windows need a clean.
I think it can probably be said that when these lines come under the control of Transport for London in 2015, the colour scheme will be better. Especially, as these Class 317 trains, will be given a refurbishment, so that they can last another twenty years.
The Anonymous Widower 