Could The Northern Section Of The Bakerloo Line And The Watford DC Line Be Combined?
The Bakerloo and Watford DC Lines to the North of Queen’s Park station annoy me.
There are two very different classes of trains.
- The 1972 Stock of the Bakerloo Line
- The Class 710 trains of the Watford DC Line
Which are different sizes and ideally need different platform heights for step-free access between train and platform.
Often, you need to step up and down into the trains.
The pictures show a typical steps on Bakerloo Line and Class 710 trains.
They give a new meaning to Mind The Gap.
It would be so much easier, for passengers in wheelchairs or those pushing buggies or trailing heavy cases for there to be no step between train and platform.
I once remarked to a station guy, not in the first flush of youth, as he manhandled a ramp into place, that what he was doing must be the worst part of his job. He smiled and agreed.
Surely in this day and age, we can create a railway, where everything is as efficient as possible.
These are a few of my thoughts.
Could The Two Lines Be Run By A Unified Fleet Of Trains?
If the two lines were to be run using the same trains, this would give advantages.
- All trains could be maintained together.
- Platform-to-train access would be much easier to make step-free.
- Staff would only deal with one type of train.
- A certain amount of automatic train control could be used to increase frequencies.
Obviously, a National Rail-size train couldn’t use the Bakerloo Line tunnels, but a train built for the Underground could use the current Watford DC Line into Euston.
Siemens are designing a New Tube For London and this will be used on the Bakerloo Line.
I suspect, that they could design a train that would easily run into Euston.
Would An Underground Train Provide Enough Capacity Into Euston?
The current trains on both lines have the following capacity and length.
- The 1972 Stock on the Bakerloo Line are 113 metres long and have a capacity of 851 passengers
- The Class 710 trains on the Watford DC Line are 82 metres long and have a capacity of 678 passengers.
Now there’s a surprise! The smaller Underground trains hold more passengers.
This picture shows the spare platform length at Euston, after a Class 710 train has just arrived.
I don’t think capacity or platform length will be a problem!
What Would Be The Frequency Into Euston?
Consider.
- The current Watford DC Line service into Euston uses a double-track line terminating in Platform 9 at Euston station.
- The service frequency on this route, has recently been increased from three trains per hour (tph) to four tph.
- The Overground is soon to start to run six tph on routes with a similar track layout.
I believe that a six tph service could be run between Euston and Watford Junction stations.
What Would Be The Frequency In The Bakerloo Line Tunnel To Elephant & Castle And Lewisham?
Note that I’m assuming an extended Bakerloo Line runs to Lewisham, although, it could run to Hayes station.
Dear Old Vicky (aka the Victoria Line) handles a train every hundred seconds or thirty-six tph.
I can’t see any reason, why all parts of the Watford Junction to Lewisham route can’t be designed to handle this frequency.
If six tph went to Euston, then this would mean the service South of Queen’s Park station would be as follows.
- Up to thirty tph or a train every two minutes between Queen’s Park and Lewisham stations.
- It would connect the National Rail stations of Paddington, Marylebone, Charing Cross, Waterloo, Elephant & Castle, New Cross Gate and Lewisham.
- A high capacity pedestrian link to Crossrail at Paddington, will be ready to open with Crossrail.
- Connections to the Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria Lines of the Underground.
- Oxford Circus would have a high-capacity cross-platform interchange between the Bakerloo and Victoria Lines, both running in excess of thirty tph.
It would be a much needed capacity upgrade to the Underground.
Would Stations On The Combined Line Be Made Step-Free?
The combined route will have a total of 34 existing stations and four new stations.
I suspect the new stations will be step-free.
Of the existing stations, the following are fully or partially step-free.
- Watford Junction
- Bushey
- Carpenders Park
- Harrow & Wealdstone
- Wembley Central
- Willesden Junction
- Queen’s Park – Scheduled to be made step-free.
- Paddington – Will be step-free, when Crossrail opens.
The Bakerloo Line must be one of the worst lines for step-free access on the London Underground.
But then it has some of the oldest and least-capable trains and has been neglected for decades.
The station most in need of step-free access is probably Oxford Circus, where the Bakerloo and Victoria Lines have a cross-platform step-free interchange.
I lay out ideas for this station in Thoughts On Step-Free Access At Oxford Circus Station.
Upgrading The Lines
I think that Transport for London have a unique opportunity with the upgrading of the Bakerloo Line to Extension From upgrade the line as a series of separate projects, phased to be delivered in a continuous stream, rather than as one big launch, which was tried and failed with Crossrail.
Extension From Elephant & Castle To Lewisham Or Hayes
This project can be built independently, just like the Battersea Power Station Extension of The Northern Line. I detailed the latest thinking on this extension in TfL Moots Bakerloo Line To Hayes.
- It is the only project that needs substantial tunnelling.
- It probably needs a depot to be relocated.
- Lewisham station would need some rebuilding.
- It would need more trains to be delivered before it opens.
It could even be the last project to be delivered, which would allow time for the trains.
Hertfordshire County Council’s Aspiration For A Watford Junction And Aylesbury Service
This article on Ian Visits is entitled Watford Junction Station Could Become A “Super-Hub”.
This is the introductory paragraph.
A new Watford Junction to Aylesbury rail service, along with a new link between Stevenage and Luton are two of the proposals being put forward by Hertfordshire Council.
The proposals are contained in this document on the Hertfordshire County Council web site, which is entitled Rail Strategy.
In TfL Seeks New Procurement Plan For Metropolitan Line Extension, I proposed a service run by Chiltern Railways between Watford Junction and Amersham stations.
The rest of this article is a rewrite of part of that linked post, which explores the possibilities of a service between Watford Junction and Aylesbury stations.
This Was My Original Simple Proposal
I think it would be possible to design a simpler link with the following characteristics.
- Watford station would remain open.
- A four trains per hour (tph) link would run all day between Watford Junction and Amersham stations.
- Stops would be at Watford High Street, Vicarage Road, Cassiobridge, Croxley, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood and Chalfont & Latimer.
No-one would get a worse service than currently and the new stations of Cassiobridge and Vicarage Road, would make rail an alternative for many travellers.
The cross-Watford service would give access to these London services.
- Chiltern at all stations between Croxley and Amersham.
- London Midland at Watford Junction.
- Metropolitan Line at Croxley, Rickmansworth and Amersham.
- Virgin Trains at Watford Junction,
- Watford DC Line at Watford High Street and Watford Junction
The Bakerloo Line at Watford Junction and Watford High Street, could possibly be added, if the line is extended. Which I doubt, it will be!
Hertfordshire is proposing the terminal is Aylesbury, which seems to be a good idea. But I’ll examine that later.
The next few sections, will cover various issues with the route.
New Track
There would need to be new track between Croxley and Watford High Street stations.
Will The New Stations Have Two Platforms?
All proposals have shown new stations on the new track at Cassiobridge and Vicarage Road.
I believe that money can be saved by creating two much simpler stations.
- Only one platform, but probably an island platform with two faces like Watford High Street station.
- No expensive footbridge if possible.
- Only one lift.
Cassiobridge would be more complicated because of the viaduct connecting the line towards Croxley station.
This visualisation shows the viaduct and the location of Cassiobridge station.
Cassiobridge station will be behind the trees towards the top-right of the image.
Would The New Track Be Single Or Double-Track?
There is space for double-track and the two ends of the route are already electrified double-track.
But surely the viaduct shown above would be much more affordable, if it were to be built for only one track!
Trains would need to pass at places East of Croxley station, but then if the line was double-track through and to the East of Cassiobridge station, trains could pass with impunity.
Consider.
- The Borders Railway looks to have too much single-track
- The Barking Riverside Extension is being built with a double track.
Too much single-track is often regretted.
Why Four Trains Per Hour?
Four trains per hour (tph) is becoming a standard, as it encourages Turn-Up-And-Go behaviour from travellers.
It also fits well with keeping the four tph Metropolitan Line service to Watford station, as this could give a same platform interchange at Croxley station.
Would The New Track Be Electrified?
The only part of the route that is not electrified is the about three miles of new track between the Watford Branch and the Watford DC Line.
All current electrification is either third-rail or to the London Underground standard. and any future electrification would probably be to the London Underground standard, so that S Stock can work the route.
I believe that the Class 710 trains will have a limited onboard energy storage capability, which could enable the trains to bridge the cap in the electrification between Watford High Street and Croxley stations.
How much would not electrifying the new track save?
How Long Will A Journey Take From Amersham Or Aylesbury To Watford Junction?
Consider.
- Amersham to Croxley takes about 30 minutes, but it does involve a change to a bus.
- The Overground takes three minutes between Watford Junction and Watford High Street stations.
- Chiltern Railways achieve a twelve minute time between Amersham and Rickmansworth.
I suspect that a modern train like one of London Overground’s Class 378 trains could do the journey in a few minutes under half-an-hour.
As Amersham to Aylesbury takes about sixteen minutes, that looks like a trip between Aylesbury and Watford Junction would take about forty-five minutes.
Amersham Or Aylesbury?
My original plan used Amersham, as it has a turnback facility.
But Aylesbury looks to have space as this Google Map shows.
It should also be noted that the forty-five minute journey time between Aylesbury and Watford Junction stations, would give a two hour round trip, with relaxed fifteen minute turnround times.
This would allow time to top-up the batteries.
What Class Of Train Could Be Used?
Four-car Class 378 trains or the new Class 710 trains would be ideal. As the Class 378 train is out of production, it would have to be Class 710 trains or something similar from Bombardier. But other manufacturers might have a suitable train.
Battery power would be required, but that is becoming a standard option on metro trains like these.
How Many Trains Would Be Needed?
If the trains could do an Out-and-Back journey in an hour, then four trains would be needed to provide a four tph service.
A two-hour time would need eight trains.
Will The Link Have Any Other Services?
I have seen to plans to use the line for any other passenger or freight services.
Will There Be Infrastructure Issues At Existing Stations?
As all of the trains, I’ve mentioned and the London Underground S Stock trains, share platforms all over North West London, the answer is probably no, with the exception of a few minor adjustments to signs and platforms.
Croxley Station
Croxley station would be unchanged.
But in addition to the 4 tph between Baker Street and Watford, there would be 4 tph between Watford Junction and Amersham.
Platform 1 would handle.
- Baker Street to Watford
- Amersham to Watford Junction
Platform 2 would handle.
- Watford to Baker Street
- Watford Junction to Amersham
This would mean that if the trains alternated, the maximum wait for a connection would be about 7.5 minutes.
What I feel would be the two most common connections, would just involve a wait on the same platform.
I suspect that those, who timetable trains, would come up with a very passenger-friendly solution.
Watford Station
A property developer once told me, that the most profitable developments, are those where a railway station is involved.
So would the development of the extension involve a rebuild of Watford station to provide the following?
- A modern future-proofed station, with all the capacity that might be needed in the next forty years or so.
- Appropriate housing or commercial development on top of the new station.
- Sensible amounts of parking for travellers.
With four tph to and from London in the basement, it would surely be a profitable development.
Watford Junction Station
Watford Junction station has four bay platforms 1-4, that handle the three tph service on the Watford DC Line.
At stations like Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace, Dalston Junction, Highbury and Islington and New Cross, single platforms handle four tph with ease for London Overground services.
This means that handling four tph to Amersham in addition to current services would not be difficult.
The only work, that I think should be done, is make sure that these platforms are long enough to take two of the future Class 710 trains working as an eight-car train.
There could even be two platforms left for Bakerloo Line services, if it were to be decided, that these services would go to Watford Junction.
Elton John Plays Vicarage Road Stadium
This or some football matches at Vicarage Road Stadium, would be the biggest test of the Link.
Note the following.
- Some stations like Watford High Street can already handle longer trains than the hundred metre long, five-car Class 378 trains they currently do.
- Some stations like Croxley can handle the 133 metre long S Stock trains used on the Metropolitan Line.
So to future-proof the Link for massive one-off events would it be sensible to make the platforms long enough for eight-car trains or two Class 710 trains working as a pair?
Benefits
The benefits of this approach are as follows.
- Watford station keeps its current service to London.
- Watford gets a four tph link across the South of the town, serving the Shopping Centre, the Hospital and the Stadium.
- Amersham or Aylesbury to Croxley stations get a link to the West Coast Main Line.
- It could be built as a single track line without electrification.
- Trains to run the services could be more easily available.
- Simple island platform-based stations could be built at Cassiobridge and Vicarage Road.
In addition, Chiltern Railways, London Midland, London Overground and Underground, all gain a feeder railway bringing travellers to their services to and from London.
Cost Savings
Note.
- Transport for London needs cost savings on this project.
- Redevelopment of Watford station as a station with oversite development could raise a lot of money.
- The Croxley Link could be built as a single-track link without electrification and run initially using battery-electric trains.
I also feel, that building the line this way would deliver it earlier, thus improving cash-flow.
The simple link would need at the minimum.
- A single- or double-track railway without electrification between Croxley and Watford High Street stations.
- Two stations with island platforms at Cassiobridge and Vicarage Road
- A viaduct to connect Cassiobridge station to the Watford Branch.
- Some Class 710 trains or similar.
If skates were worn, the link could probably open in 2025.
The London Overground Is Still Running Four-Car Class 378 Trains
This picture shows the three spare cars, that were taken from three five-car Class 378 trains to make them short enough to work the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
I would have thought that the trains would have returned to their full length, but they have been put into service on the Watford DC Line.
Perhaps, London Overground want to keep them at four-cars, as a precaution against a serious bug in the Class 710 train’s computer system.
Only when the Class 710 trains are behaving impeccably will the full length be restored.
Trains On The Watford DC Line
As it is, the services on the Watford DC Line are being changed from three x five-car trains per hour to four x four-car trains per hour.
This is roughly the same number of cars per hour, but at a higher frequency.
According to Wikipedia seven Class 710 trains are needed for the full service.
A London Overground Replacement For Southern’s East Croydon And Milton Keynes Service
In July 2017, I discussed this suggestion by Chris Gibb in Gibb Report – East Croydon – Milton Keynes Route Should Be Transferred To London Overground.
In an article, in the July 2019 Edition of Modern Railways, , which was entitled ‘710s’ Debut On Goblin, this was this last paragraph.
On the West London Line, TfL is curremtly working with the Department for Transport on options for the devolution of services originally suggested in Chris Gibb’s report on the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise, which could lead to ‘710s’ being deployed here.
It made me think, that further investigation was called for.
An Apology
I apologise, if you think I’m repeating myself.
What The Gibb Report Says
The Gibb Report, says this about the current service between East Croydon and Milton Keynes Central stations.
I believe there is an option to transfer the East Croydon – Milton Keynes operation to TfL and it’s London Overground concession in 2018.
TfL may decide to change the service, for example by not running it north of Watford Junction, or running it to an alternative southern destination other than East Croydon. They could also develop the combined West London line service to better match available capacity to demand.
They would have a number of crewing and rolling stock options, but should be able to operate the service more efficiently than GTR in the longer term, without the involvement of Selhurst.
Selhurst TMD is the depot in South London, where the current Class 377 trains are based.
A few of my thoughts.
The Trains
Using Class 710 trains as suggested in the Modern Railways article, would surely offer a suitable crewing and rolling stock option for the route, if they were based at the convenient Willesden TMD, where the fleet of up to twenty-five dual-voltage Class 710/2 trains are stabled.
The Northern Terminus
Chris Gibb suggested the service might not go past Watford Junction.
I think that could be difficult.
- The longitudinal seating of the Class 710 train, is probably not suitable for outer suburban services North of Watford.
- East Croydon to Watford Junction takes 69 minutes, which is not a good journey time to create an efficient service.
It would also appear to be tricky for a train to transfer between the West London Line and the Watford DC Line.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the complicated track layout in the Willesden Junction area.
Note.
- The two Willesden Junction stations, labelled High Level and Low Level.
- The Watford DC Line, which is shown in black and orange, passing to the North of Willesden TMD. and through the Low Level station.
- The four tracks shown in black are the West Coast Main Line, with Watford to the West and Euston to the East.
- The North London Line to Richmond and the West London Line to Clapham Junction splitting at Wilesden High Level Junction.
The current service between East Croydon and Milton Keynes, is only one train per hour (tph) and uses a succession of flat junctions to take the slow lines to and from Watford.
This is not a good operational procedure and I suspect Network Rail and various train operators, would like to see it discontinued.
So if trains in a new London Overground version of the service, don’t go up the Watford DC Line or the West Coast Main Line, where do they turn back?
Note the siding to the East of the High Level platforms, which is labelled Willesden Junction Turnout.
This is regularly used to turnback London Overground services on the West London Line.
I feel that London Overground will be turning their replacement service in Willesden Junction High Level station.
Current train services at the station include.
- For passengers, who want to go further North, there is a good connection to the Watford DC Line for Wembley Central, Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction stations.
- The Watford DC Line can also take you to Euston.
- The Bakerloo Line between Stonebridge Park and Elephant & Castle via Central London.
- Frequent North London Line services between Stratford and Richmond.
The station has kiosks, coffee stalls, toilets and waiting rooms.
There are certainly worse places to change trains.
The Southern Terminus
Obviously, existing travellers on the route would like to see as few changes as possible.
East Croydon station must be a possibility for the Southern terminus, as it is the currently used.
But East Croydon is a busy station and perhaps it is not a convenient station for trains to wait in the platform.
On the other hand, West Croydon station offers some advantages.
- The station has a long bay platform, which might be long enough for nine or ten cars.
- There is a separate turnback siding.
- It has space to add another bay platform, but this may have been sold to a developer.
- It already has a four tph London Overground service to Highbury & Islington station.
- Using West Croydon avoids the crowded lines to the North of East Croydon station.
It is also managed by London Overground, so the landlord would be co-operative.
How Many Trains Would Be Needed For A West Croydon And Willesden Junction Service?
West Croydon station has two possible routes, that trains could take to Willesden Junction.
- Via Norwood Junction and Clapham Junction in 55 minutes.
- Via Selhust and Clapham Junction in 45 minutes.
These times mean that a two-hour round trip between West Croydon and Willesden Junction should be possible.
Trains required for various frequencies would be as follows.
- One tph – Two trains.
- Two tph = Four trains.
- Four tph – Eight trains.
They would need to be dual voltage Class 710/2 trains, as are now running on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
Compare the figures with those for the current East Croydon and Milton Keynes service, which needs four pairs of four-car trains for an hourly service.
What Would Be The Frequency?
I think one, two and four tph are all possibilities!
One tph
One tph would be a direct replacement for the current service. But is it enough?
Services at West Croydon could probably share the bay platform with the existing Highbury & Islington station service.
Two tph
Two tph could be a compromise frequency.
Two tph could probably still share the current bay platform with the Highbury & Islington service.
Four tph
Four tph would be a full Turn-Up-And-Go service,
- It would probably be London Overground’s preference.
- It would give a very passenger-friendly eight tph between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction stations.
- The two services would call at opposite sides of Clapham Junction station.
- It would give a four tph link between Croydon and High Speed Two.
- Westfield wouldn’t mind all the extra shoppers at Shepherds Bush!
But there could be downsides.
- The service could need an extra bay platform at West Croydon.
- Would it be possible to turn four tph at Willesden Junction?
- Will the train paths be available through South London.
But four tph would probably would be London Overground’s preference.
It will be interesting to see the reasons, why Transport for London choose a particular frequency.
A Trip Between Imperial Wharf And East Croydon Stations
Today, I took a trip between Imperial Wharf and East Croydon stations at around 11:30.
- The train was two four-car Class 377 trains working as an eight-car train.
- After Clapham Junction it wasn’t very busy.
- I was in the last car, which was empty, except for myself.
I came to the conclusion, that an eight-car train was too much capacity for the Southern section of the journey.
I suspect that Transport for London have detailed passenger estimates for this route, so they should be able to determine the frequency and length of replacement trains required.
The Upgraded Norwood Junction Station
In Major Upgrade Planned For Norwood Junction Railway Station, I talked about a plan to upgrade Norwood Junction station.
The idea behind the upgrade is to improve connectivity and capacity in the crowded Croydon area.
If the West Croydon and Willesden Junction service, was routed via Norwood Junction station, the upgraded station would give easy access to both East and West Croydon stations.
Conclusion
I’ve always liked Chris Gibb’s suggestion of the transfer of the service between East Croydon and Milton Keynes stations to the London Overground and I can now start to see flesh on the bones!
At the present time and until better data is available, I think the replacement service should be as follows.
- The Northern terminus should be Willesden Junction.
- The Southern terminus should be West Croydon station, where there are good tram and train connections.
- The route would be via Shepherds Bush, Kensington Olympia, West Brompton, Imperial Wharf, Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Common, Balham, Streatham Hill, West Norwood, Gipsy Hill, Crystal Palace and Norwood Junction.
- Going via Gipsy Hill, rather than the current route via Selhurst, would give access to the connectivity at Norwood Junction.
- The frequency should be four tph.
- Trains will be four- or five-car Class 710 trains.
The benefits would be as follows.
- The rail hubs of Clapham Junction, Norwood Junction, West Croydon and Willesden Junction would be connected together by a Turn-Up-And-Go service.
- The proposed four tph service would need eight Class 710 trains, whereas the current one tph service needs eight Class 377 trains. Would this be better value?
In the future with a connection to High Speed Two in the Old Oak Common area, the benefits would increase.
- There would be a simple interchange with High Speed Two.
- South London from Clapham to Croydon, would get a direct service to High Speed Two.
- There would also be a better connection to Heathrow Airport and other rail services through Old Oak Common.
I think that the connection to High Speed Two trumps everything else.
‘710s’ Debut On Goblin
The title of this post is the same as an article in the July 2019 Edition of Modern Railways.
The article is mainly about the introduction of the Class 710 trains on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
But the last sentence of the article is worth more investigation.
On the West London Line, TfL is curremtly working with the Department for Transport on options for the devolution of services originally suggested in Chris Gibb’s report on the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise, which could lead to ‘710s’ being deployed here.
I investigate it fully in A London Overground Replacement For Southern’s East Croydon And Milton Keynes Service.
This was my conclusion.
At the present time and until better data is available, I think the replacement service should be as follows.
- The Northern terminus should be Willesden Junction.
- The Southern terminus should be West Croydon station, where there are good tram and train connections.
- The route would be via Shepherds Bush, Kensington Olympia, West Brompton, Imperial Wharf, Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Common, Balham, Streatham Hill, West Norwood, Gipsy Hill, Crystal Palace and Norwood Junction.
- Going via Gipsy Hill, rather than the current route via Selhurst, would give access to the connectivity at Norwood Junction.
- The frequency should be four tph.
- Trains will be four- or five-car Class 710 trains.
The benefits would be as follows.
- The rail hubs of Clapham Junction, Norwood Junction, West Croydon and Willesden Junction would be connected together by a Turn-Up-And-Go service.
- The proposed four tph service would need eight Class 710 trains, whereas the current one tph service needs eight Class 377 trains. Would this be better value?
In the future with a connection to High Speed Two in the Old Oak Common area, the benefits would increase.
- There would be a simple interchange with High Speed Two.
- South London from Clapham to Croydon, would get a direct service to High Speed Two.
- There would also be a better connection to Heathrow Airport and other rail services through Old Oak Common.
I think that the connection to High Speed Two trumps everything else.
I will keep returning to this vital link down thw West London Line.
London Overground Timetable Changes After Delay In New Trains
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Watford Observer.
This is the first paragraph.
Passengers could face some difficult journeys to work over the next few months after a delay in delivering new electric trains.
The late delivery of Class 710 trains have struck again.
Instead of four trains per hour from May 19th, the service will stay as three trains per hour on an unusual 15, 15, 30 time interval.
Probably more annoying than a disaster.
A Class 313 Train In Not Bad Condition
On Friday, I took a train between Moorgate and Essex Road stations.
It was not in bad condition.
These trains are three-car trains and run in pairs as six-cars.
These trains used to run on the Watford DC Line, so I wonder if when they get to be released by the new Class 717 trains, some could be put back on that line to release some more Class 378 trains for the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
Anybody like a game of Musical Trains?
Gospel Oak-Barking Fleet Plan Remains Unclear
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.
In the article, there is a picture of 378232 at Barking station.
According to the Wikipedia entry for Class 378 trains, this unit is listed as being four-cars and TBA (To Be Allocated?)
So is it a spare train, that is used for driver and staff training and route proving?
It was certainly doing the latter at Barking.
The Situation On The Gospel Oak To Barking Line Is Critical
This page on the Barking-Gospel Oak Rail User Group web site is their latest newsletter, which was issued on the 14th of January.
These are the headlines on the newsletter.
- Train Service On Brink Of Collapse
- Not Enough Trains For Viable Service
- TfL Has No Idea When New Trains Will Be Fit For Service
- Rail Users Demand Mayor Takes Action To Restore Reliable Train Service Now
- Rail Users Demand Compensation After Years Of Misery
It’s all strong stuff.
Trains that work are urgently needed to replace the diesel Class 172 trains, which will all leave by the end of April or even March.
Possible Replacement Trains
These types of trains have been touted as replacement trains.
Class 315 trains
TfL has started to send some Class 315 trains, made redundant by TfL Rail, for scrapping.
Could some of these be held back for use on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line?
- They should fit the route.
- London Overground already runs these trains to Cheshunt, Chingford and Enfield Town.
- The expertise and driving experience must be there to run a service.
But, as there have been no reports of any Class 315 trains on the route, I suspect that there’s a reason, why these trains can’t fill the gap.
Could it be the disability regulations, which kick in at the end of 2019?
The proposed Class 710 rains ordered for both Gospel Oak to Barking Line and the Watford DC Line are dual voltage.
As the Willesden TMD was built to handle trains with the ability to use third-rail electrification, is this ability needed to access the depot?
But Class 315 trains are 25 KVAC only, so this could mean they are unsuitable.
Class 365 Trains
Class 365 trains got ScotRail out of trouble, but like the Class 315 trains, they are 25 KVAC only, so may have the same stabling issues.
They would also be a new train class for London Overground.
Class 319 Trains
Class 319 trains are dual-voltage and could probably be used on both routes, but they would need a refurbishment and would also be a new train class for London Overground.
Class 378 Trains
Class 378 trains already work the Watford DC Line and after the test of a four-car unit to Barking, London Overground probably know how difficult, it would be for four-car trains to work the route.
The trains are dual-voltage and London Overground’s strategy of basing trains for both routes at Willesden TMD would probably be possible.
Drivers and other staff know them very well, as do the passengers.
I am drawn to the conclusion, that of the trains available in the event of non-delivery of Class 710 trains, the Class 378 trains are the best choice.
How Many Trains Are Needed For The Gospel Oak To Barking Line?
The full service was run by a fleet of eight Class 172 service.
As the same number of Class 710 trains have been pencilled in for the route, I must assume that this is the number of trains required. I think six trains are needed for the service, with two in reserve or maintenance.
How Many Class 378 Trains Are Needed For A Full Overground Service?
If I go through the routes of the original Overground, I find the following.
Dalston Junction And Clapham Junction
Trains take 46 minutes to go South and 44 minutes to come North and a round trip would take two hours.
This means thatthe current four trains per hour (tph) service would need eight trains.
Dalston Junction And New Cross
Trains take 22 minutes both ways and a round trip would take an hour.
This means that the current four tph service would need four trains.
Highbury & Islington And Crystal Palace
Trains take 44 minutes to go South and 43 minutes to come North and a round trip would take two hours.
This means that the current four tph service would need eight trains.
Highbury & Islington And West Croydon
Trains take 52 minutes both ways and a round trip would take two hours.
This means that the current four tph service would need eight trains.
Euston And Watford Junction
Trains take 47 minutes to go South and 50 minutes to come North and a round trip would take two hours.
This means that the current three tph service would need six trains.
Stratford And Richmond/Clapham Junction
Between Stratford and Richmond, trains take 59-64 minutes to go West and 62 minutes to come East.
Between Stratford and Clapham Junction, trains take 62 minutes to go West and 64 minutes to come East.
The round trip times are very similar and are around two and a half hours.
This means that the current eight tph service would need twenty trains.
Summarising, these services gives.
- Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction – 8 trains
- Dalston Junction and New Cross – 4 trains
- Highbury & Islington and Crystal Palace – 8 trains
- Highbury & Islington and West Croydon – 8 trains
- Euston and Watford Junction – 6 trains
- Stratford and Richmond/Clapham Junction – 20 trains
This gives a total of 54 trains. As there are fifty-seven Class 378 trains, this means there are three spares to cope for maintenance and breakdowns.
London Overground have plans to increase frequencies and they are detailed in this table.
Note that four extra services are planned for the East London, North London and Watford DC Lines.
- Two extra tph between Stratford and Clapham Junction, which has already been implemented.
- Two extra tph between Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction. This would mean that twelve trains would be needed for this service.
- Two extra tph between Dalston Junction and Crystal Palace. This would mean that twelve trains would be needed for this service.
- One extra tph between Euston and Watford Junction. This would mean that eight trains would be needed for this service.
Summarising again gives.
- Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction – 12 trains
- Dalston Junction and New Cross – 4 trains
- Highbury & Islington and Crystal Palace – 12 trains
- Highbury & Islington and West Croydon – 8 trains
- Euston and Watford Junction – 8 trains
- Stratford and Richmond/Clapham Junction – 20 trains
This gives a total of 64 trains.
As London Overground only has 57 Class 378 trains, this proposed timetable is impossible without some new Class 710 trains.
London Overground plan to use some of the Class 710 trains to release Class 378 trains from the Watford DC Line, to reinforce East London Line services.
So it looks like the late delivery of the Class 710 trains has also scuppered London Overground’s plans to increase services on the East London Line.
How Many Class 378 Trains Could Be Scraped Together?
This table shows the number of Class 378 trains needed for the current service.
- Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction – 8 trains
- Dalston Junction and New Cross – 4 trains
- Highbury & Islington and Crystal Palace – 8 trains
- Highbury & Islington and West Croydon – 8 trains
- Euston and Watford Junction – 6 trains
- Stratford and Richmond/Clapham Junction – 20 trains
This gives a total of 54 trains. With just three trains spare.
As the Gospel Oak to Barking Line needs eight trains to run a full service, this is not enough.
What strategies can be applied to increase the number of trains available?
Reduce The Stratford And Clapham Junction Service To Two tph
The Stratford and Clapham Junction service was two tph until recently, when it was raised to four tph.
Reducing it back to two tph, would reduce the number of trains required on Stratford and Clapham/Richmond services by five.
This would give eight spare trains, which would be almost enough to run a full service on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
Provided of course, that there was a hundred percent availability, which is rather an impossible dream.
Introduce The Class 710 Trains On The Watford DC Line
The Class 710 trains for the Gospel Oak to Barking Line are dual-voltage trains, which will also run on the Watford DC Line. So would it be a sensible idea to introduce these trains first on the Watford DC Line?
- The third-rail electrification on the line is at least fifty years old, so must be fully tested.
- The drivers have extensive route knowledge of running electric trains on the route.
- Willesden TMD, where the Class 710 trains are stabled, is on the Watford DC Line.
- The route is only shared with the Bakerloo Line.
- The route is to be equipped with six Class 710 trains anyway.
Every Class 710 train introduced will release a Class 378 train.
But if the Class 710 trains don’t work, this is no help!
Introduce The Class 710 Trains On The North London Line
Running on the North London Line is more complicated than the Watford DC Line, but five-car Class 710 trains, are planned for this route.
They could be introduced to release Class 378 trains.
The Four-Car Train Problem
Every four-car train created means that a trailer car is removed from a five-car Class 378 train.
I would assume that it is most likely, these spare cars will be put into store until the, the new Class 710 trains finally enter service.
Or would they be added to other Class 378 trains to create six-car trains, which would then be run on the North or West London Lines, where the platforms could be almost long enough? Selective door opening on the trains could also be used at short platforms.
Conclusion
I feel if the London Overground swap trains around and perhaps reduce the Stratford and Clapham Junction service to its old level of 2 tph, then enough Class 378 trains would be available to run a full four-car service on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
