Consultation: Western Rail Link to Heathrow (11/5/2018 - 22/6/2018)

[whole diary]

[didcotdean]

Public consultation on the route opened today.



"Consultation hub" here.

The proposed rail link would:
• Deliver a new, faster, frequent, more reliable direct train service to Heathrow with four trains per hour in each direction. All trains would call at Reading and Slough and alternate trains at Twyford and Maidenhead. Journey times could be as short as 26 minutes from Reading and 6 to7 minutes from Slough.
• Significantly improve rail connectivity to Heathrow from the Thames Valley, South Coast, South West, South Wales and West Midlands
• Provide an alternative form of transport for passengers and the airport workforce currently travelling by road
• Ease congestion on roads, including the M4, M3 and M25 resulting in lower CO2 emissions equivalent to approximately 30 million road miles per year
• Generate economic growth and new jobs across the Thames Valley and surrounding areas
• Reduce passenger congestion at London Paddington

[ellendune]

Not having the Heathrow Express Depot at the former Langley Oil Terminal Site takes away one problem with this.  Could that have been part of the thinking in  integrating the Heathrow Express fleet with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)?

[paul7575]

Could that have been part of the thinking in  integrating the Heathrow Express fleet with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)?

I think it can definitely be assumed it was, especially given how the cancellation of the Hex depot was mentioned in the original announcement about the transfer to 387 operation.

It was in the second paragraph of the bit Ollie posted here back in March:  http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=19559.msg234616#msg234616

Paul

[Red Squirrel]

Intrigued to know what an 'intersection bridge' is. Would it be the thing that in the olden days we used to refer to as a 'bridge'?

[Electric train]

Intrigued to know what an 'intersection bridge' is. Would it be the thing that in the olden days we used to refer to as a 'bridge'?

Probably the same style as Stockley Park

[SandTEngineer]

What in them 'olden days' we used to call a flyover.....

[stuving]

What in them 'olden days' we used to call a flyover.....

I think the term is older than flyover ... it is in the title, presumably the original one, of "View of the Intersection Bridge on the line of the St Helens & Runcorn Gap Railway, crossing the Liverpool and Manchester Railway near the foot of the Sutton inclined plane" dated 1832.

So, not necessarily at a railway junction, but also not a road bridge (over- or under-). It would be confusing to say railway bridge except as over- or under- when seen from one line alone.

[Red Squirrel]

I am in awe, stuving, I really am!

[ellendune]

Intrigued to know what an 'intersection bridge' is. Would it be the thing that in the olden days we used to refer to as a 'bridge'?

Probably the same style as Stockley Park

What in them 'olden days' we used to call a flyover.....

Looking at the plan, given the proximity to the tunnel entrance, fact that the main line is on an embankment at this point and the proposed closure of Hollow Hill Lane, I would suggest it would be a dive under rather than a flyover!

[SandTEngineer]

Ahem.  Having now looked at the linked consultation document.....

Detailed plans

We are proposing to build a new railway link that would leave the Great Western Main Line between Langley and Iver. It would then descend underneath the main railway line into a cutting before entering a 5km tunnel.

[Electric train]

Ahem.  Having now looked at the linked consultation document.....

Detailed plans

We are proposing to build a new railway link that would leave the Great Western Main Line between Langley and Iver. It would then descend underneath the main railway line into a cutting before entering a 5km tunnel.

Ah an inverted Stockley Park then    Southeast of London Bridge its called its BDU (Bermondsey Dive Under) or at East Ealing ADU (Acton Dive Under)  (note East Ealing is the posh name for West Acton  )

[paul7575]

Ah an inverted Stockley Park then    Southeast of London Bridge its called its BDU (Bermondsey Dive Under) or at East Ealing ADU (Acton Dive Under)  (note East Ealing is the posh name for West Acton  )

To my eye the Bermondsey construction is a 'bit of both'.  It's certainly more dive under than flyover, but the Thameslink lines do rise above the local level (the Cannon St lines) as well.   Possibly about 30% flyover (for the Thameslnk route - Sussex fasts) and 70% dive under (for the Southeastern route - Kent fasts), IYSWIM...

I wonder if there is anywhere on the network where there is an even 50/50 grade separation between two routes?

Paul

[grahame]

"Ping"ing topic ... consultation closes on Friday ... https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-railway-upgrade-plan/key-projects/heathrow-rail-link/

[martyjon]

Latest at -;

http://networkrail.cmail20.com/t/d-e-nijljhy-wkhtduhjj-r/

[eightonedee]

....only at least 10 years to go!