Callum Marius Visit To South Greenford

[whole diary]

[Lee]

grahame's favourite journalist gives his own unique take on South Greenford and its rail service - https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/i-visited-londons-least-busy-21581255

[RichardB]

Surprised to see the Greenford branch is hourly off peak.   I would imagine it'll be worth a go a boosting the frequency to half hourly through the day when Crossrail fully opens.     

[grahame]

Surprised to see the Greenford branch is hourly off peak.   I would imagine it'll be worth a go a boosting the frequency to half hourly through the day when Crossrail fully opens.     

Ouch -  thought it was every 30 minutes - is that a Covid drop not restored, or to leave room for freight with the direct line that passes Greenford into Paddington closed at present?  I can't help wondering on a line like that if running it just once an hour is going to loose much of the custom that would be there on a 30 minute service.

[stuving]

Surprised to see the Greenford branch is hourly off peak.   I would imagine it'll be worth a go a boosting the frequency to half hourly through the day when Crossrail fully opens.     

Ouch -  thought it was every 30 minutes - is that a Covid drop not restored, or to leave room for freight with the direct line that passes Greenford into Paddington closed at present?  I can't help wondering on a line like that if running it just once an hour is going to loose much of the custom that would be there on a 30 minute service.

It was indeed part of the first Covid reduction package, introduced from March 23 last year. (Original GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) announcement page now a 404.) As to long-term plans, are there any?

[IndustryInsider]

Crossrail will offer a small boost in terms of attractiveness for Drayton Green and Castle Bar Park passengers, but I can't ever see it getting any serious boost, given the Central Line at Greenford and Hanwell/West Ealing stations are not too far away.  Back to a 30-minute frequency (eventually) is probably the best I can foresee.

[grahame]

Crossrail will offer a small boost in terms of attractiveness for Drayton Green and Castle Bar Park passengers, but I can't ever see it getting any serious boost, given the Central Line at Greenford and Hanwell/West Ealing stations are not too far away.  Back to a 30-minute frequency (eventually) is probably the best I can foresee.

I seem to remember a proposal for Crossrail to High Wycombe ... far more attractive for commuters for some of the 'burbs on that line headed to The City and Docklands than via Marylebone?

[stuving]

Crossrail will offer a small boost in terms of attractiveness for Drayton Green and Castle Bar Park passengers, but I can't ever see it getting any serious boost, given the Central Line at Greenford and Hanwell/West Ealing stations are not too far away.  Back to a 30-minute frequency (eventually) is probably the best I can foresee.

I seem to remember a proposal for Crossrail to High Wycombe ... far more attractive for commuters for some of the 'burbs on that line headed to The City and Docklands than via Marylebone?

That was western corrideor B, of six considered. It was subjected to the government's NATA process, using the GOMMS criteria, but the result (before 2007, I think) was -

The Aylesbury Line (corridor B) performed strongly against the sub-objectives of transport economic efficiency and reliability, however, this corridor was not selected for inclusion in the preferred scheme. This reflects the very significant adverse contractual impacts that Crossrail would impose on the current Chiltern Line franchise and the Metronet (Sub-Surface Lines) Public-Private Partnership concession for the Metropolitan line.

[eightf48544]

The Greenford Branch is a bit of an anonmoly. In steam days it ran push pull from a laybe siding between Doown Relief and Up Main East of Ealing Broadway, not sure what the frequency was.

In diesel days it ran to and from Paddington. With electrification it is still diesel but cut back to a new bay platform at West Ealing.

The branch and West Ealing are definitely the poor realtions. West Ealing is served only by Crossrail with its Hayes and Heathrow Central stoppers. Whereas the branch is GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Turbos.

Good connections from the West the Greenford departs 57 Heathrow stopper arriives 58! Hayes stopper gives 14 minute connection.

Down to Greenford from Padd is 13 minutes.


Up to Padd from Greenford  seems to be about 8 minutes

Down from Greenford from West Ealing is 8 minutes

Not very good particularly with an hourly service.

A look on Real Time suggests the Chiltern ghost Train is not running or I couldn't find it.

[grahame]

A look on Real Time suggests the Chiltern ghost Train is not running or I couldn't find it.

It is there after the December timetable change ...

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:WEA/2021-12-16/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=CH

[paul7575]

Crossrail will offer a small boost in terms of attractiveness for Drayton Green and Castle Bar Park passengers, but I can't ever see it getting any serious boost, given the Central Line at Greenford and Hanwell/West Ealing stations are not too far away.  Back to a 30-minute frequency (eventually) is probably the best I can foresee.

The usual route strategies etc come to the same conclusion, a 2 tph service is all that can be justified in the foreseeable future, out to 2035 or later.