GWR DMUs calling at Hanwell all day, Saturday 25 November 2017

[whole diary]

[hassaanhc]

Since at least September there has only been one GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)-operated service per week booked to call at Hanwell, the Fridays-only 2R93 2349 London Paddington to Reading (which also happens to be literally all stations to Reading, something I really want to do on a 165 ). The other GWR service that calls at Hanwell (0847 to Maidenhead Mon-Fri) has been booked for a 387 EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) for a few months now.

However, on Saturday 25 November there is no Heathrow Connect service* . As a result, Hanwell instead has the hourly stopping services to/from Oxford calling all day, giving what may be the last chance to photograph or travel on a DMU at Hanwell in daylight, before the new timetable in January 2018 brings in the mass EMU conversion of stopping services east of Didcot Parkway.

While I will really miss the DMUs from an enthusiast point of view , when wearing my "normal passenger hat" there is no doubt that the 387s are an improvement in every single way.

( * Ok, there is the 2T08 0442 London Paddington to Heathrow Airport Terminal 4, but that doesn't call at Hanwell)

[IndustryInsider]

I wonder if Hanwell's service will increase from 2tph to 4tph when TfL Rail services start next May?

[Ollie]

Crossrail website says it will be 4 trains an hour: http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/western-section/hanwell-station

[stuving]

Crossrail website says it will be 4 trains an hour: http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/western-section/hanwell-station

Crossrail don't take over until 2019, so in May 2018 it's the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) plans that matter. Their September update said:

5.5 Stage 2 planned for May 2018 will provide four trains per hour between Paddington and Heathrow replacing the current two trains per hour Heathrow Connect service, operating to Terminals 2/3 and Terminal 4.   

That doesn't say whether the stopping pattern will include Hanwell on all of those - and they may not have decided yet. Also the May 2018 date is the start of a phased introduction of the new trains, but it does look as if the replacement of Heathrow Connext is planned to happen all at once and on that date.

[ellendune]

Crossrail don't take over until 2019, so in May 2018 it's the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) plans that matter.

Crossrail is building the line and TfL are the client who will then get the London Overground operator to run it.

[stuving]

Crossrail don't take over until 2019, so in May 2018 it's the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) plans that matter.

Crossrail is building the line and TfL are the client who will then get the London Overground operator to run it.

Better than my shorthand, but still not quite right.

The new trains are all operated by MTR Crossrail, currently out of Liverpool Street as TfL Rail.
The Paddington services, progressively from May 2018, will also be operated by MTR Crossrail as TfL Rail.
The Elizabeth Line name comes in when the tunnel opens, initially in December 2018 only to Abbey Wood.

[SandTEngineer]

...thats all dependent on getting the new on-board signalling systems and its trackside interfaces installed and approved in time....

[TaplowGreen]

...thats all dependent on getting the new on-board signalling systems and its trackside interfaces installed and approved in time....

.........surely you're not suggesting a rail project might overrun? 😂

[stuving]

...thats all dependent on getting the new on-board signalling systems and its trackside interfaces installed and approved in time....

.........surely you're not suggesting a rail project might overrun? 😂

Well, it's not just digging holes, you know. It's largely - er - software.

[Ollie]

Crossrail website says it will be 4 trains an hour: http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/western-section/hanwell-station

Crossrail don't take over until 2019, so in May 2018 it's the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) plans that matter. Their September update said:

5.5 Stage 2 planned for May 2018 will provide four trains per hour between Paddington and Heathrow replacing the current two trains per hour Heathrow Connect service, operating to Terminals 2/3 and Terminal 4.   

That doesn't say whether the stopping pattern will include Hanwell on all of those - and they may not have decided yet. Also the May 2018 date is the start of a phased introduction of the new trains, but it does look as if the replacement of Heathrow Connext is planned to happen all at once and on that date.

Yeah it's not particularly clear, would like to think this stage of the service introduction would fit in with the ultimate plan for 4 trains an hour, but not found anything to confirm either way whether that would indeed be the case.

[IndustryInsider]

The quicker a 4tph service can be introduced the better as there is a clear need for it.

[hassaanhc]

Hanwell station is in dire need of TLC^▸ (three letter code ). A significant amount of the lights on the platform don't work, even some of the temporary fluorescent tubes don't work. Really don't know how the drivers cope with the lack of lighting, especially in the down direction where at best there is a mirror. Actually, DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) equipment in the down direction is crap pretty much everywhere, at least Hanwell actually has a mirror, as the much busier Southall + Hayes & Harlington don't have anything these days . And the another thing that Hanwell needs is a repaint, ok that also applies to many stations but I think Hanwell is the worst.

[ChrisB]

If TfL^» (Transport for London - about)/Crossrail are taking the station over come Crossrail, they'll be doing it up

[Surrey 455]

Hanwell station is in dire need of TLC^▸ (three letter code ). A significant amount of the lights on the platform don't work, even some of the temporary fluorescent tubes don't work. Really don't know how the drivers cope with the lack of lighting, especially in the down direction where at best there is a mirror. Actually, DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) equipment in the down direction is crap pretty much everywhere, at least Hanwell actually has a mirror, as the much busier Southall + Hayes & Harlington don't have anything these days . And the another thing that Hanwell needs is a repaint, ok that also applies to many stations but I think Hanwell is the worst.

It's a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) managed station isn't it?, with only one daily GWR train and approx 75 Heathrow Connects. I doubt GWR will be in any hurry to get their paintbrushes out.

[IndustryInsider]

It is until the end of the year, after which it (and the rest of the inner Thames Valley stations) transfer over to TfL^» (Transport for London - about) Rail.