Extending Crossrail to Reading - ongoing discussion, merged topic

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

There won't be - but yes, as I understand it, Reading would need adding to the zonal structure - Maidenhead surely is....

But I hate to think how much everyone will need to keep on their Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card - the maximum fare deduction will go up enormously.

[paul7575]

If (AIUI^▸ (as I understand it)) two XRail services per hour will terminate at Reading, does that imply that Reading will be included in the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) fare zoning?

No, it doesn't really imply that.    There is a clear precedent set by Watford Junction, which although it has Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go) fares charged by TfL's back office system it is not in the TfL fare zones, it uses the fares set by London Midland.   

Paul

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I presume that the residual FGW^▸ (First Great Western) 2 tph Padd - Ealing - Slough - Maidenhead - Twyford - Rdg service will form the Rdg - Oxford stoppers.  It would be nice however if the Rdg - Oxford stoppers ran fast Rdg - Padd as we've been promised at various times in the past.  Or maybe every other one fast, with the other Padd - Rdg stopper service going on to form the stopper to Bedwyn. So the intermediate stations Bedwyn - Rdg and Oxford - Rdg could each have an hourly fast and hourly stopper service between Rdg and Padd (assuming Bedwyn gets 2 tph after electrification).

Just want to speak up for us Tilehurst - Cholsey passengers, there aren't many of us in the Coffee Shop!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Just want to speak up for us Tilehurst - Cholsey passengers, there aren't many of us in the Coffee Shop!

Then please do encourage more of them to join us, Gordon the Blue Engine! 

Signing up is free and easy to do - just one simple question to answer (purely to weed out the automata from real live people) - and valid applications are usually approved within a very few hours. 

[ChrisB]

I can't see the paths being available for 90mph stock frankly....

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

If the EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit)'s are indeed 90 mph, then I agree you can't have them on the ML's.  But I didn't think that was necessarily the case.  What will do the fast Oxfords - not IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.)'s surely?

[ChrisB]

319s initially

[John R]

So 100mph then.

[ChrisB]

Still to slow....

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I just checked and the Class 700 EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit)'s coming (eventually) to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) as an add-on to the FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) order are 100 mph for FCC, but maybe they can be upped to 110 mph for the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) like the Class 350/1's on the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) have been "to make better use of train paths" (according to Wikipedia).

As mentioned several times before by others, pathing between Padd - Rdg is going to be a headache with the number of services and the very wide range of train max speeds, acceleration characteristics, train lengths, stopping patterns etc on this section of route.  

[tom m]

110mph would help but we are back to the same differences we currently have with the turbos and 125's if the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) class 800 is increased to 140mph although this is only possible with a completely new signaling system and this would also help with the pathing.

[onthecushions]

Still to slow....

Not necessarily. A 125 takes 10 miles to get to its service speed. You can check this in the Volo equipped carriage by following the map. A 319 non-stop to Reading could probably run at 100mph for 30 out of 36 miles, i.e. 18 minutes. Allowing only 7 minutes for acceleration and braking gives a start to stop time of 25 minutes, better than many 125 runs. The IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) should be more nimble, of course.

I remember in NSE^▸ (Network South East) days, the 0935 from Newbury leaving Reading at 1000, double headed (50 + 47/4!) with 7 non-a/c Mark 2's, stopping in Paddington at 1026....

OTC

[JayMac]

I remember in NSE^▸ (Network South East) days, the 0935 from Newbury leaving Reading at 1000, double headed (50 + 47/4!) with 7 non-a/c Mark 2's, stopping in Paddington at 1026....

OTC

Whilst in no way representative of real life, I have done likewise using a similar consist in RailWorks/Train Simulator. Fully obeying line speeds. Have to admit though I was full anchors on to hit the 50mph board past OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)). Only just scrubbed off speed in time.

[ChrisB]

Still to slow....

Not necessarily. A 125 takes 10 miles to get to its service speed. You can check this in the Volo equipped carriage by following the map. A 319 non-stop to Reading could probably run at 100mph for 30 out of 36 miles, i.e. 18 minutes. Allowing only 7 minutes for acceleration and braking gives a start to stop time of 25 minutes, better than many 125 runs. The IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) should be more nimble, of course.

Quite....and we will be talking IEP v 319  very soon....I still think the difference will be too large. The Class 700s when they arrive, might be more nimble

[Btline]

All non 125 stock should be BANNED from the fast lines.
At the very least, it should be 110 mph with high acceleration (and NO stops enroute).

Oxford slows and Bedwyns could be run using stock similar to the Hitachi Javelin trains (commuter layout - 140 mph top speed).

I doubt Reading to London will ever be upgraded to 140 mph as the route is too congested.