Stations that deserve a direct rail service to Heathrow

[PTR 444]

We all know how poorly connected Heathrow Airport is to the rest of the UK rail network, and even though the western rail access is in the planning process, it won’t be ready for passengers anytime soon.


In the meantime, congestion and pollution on the M25 is only going to get worse so it would make sense to suggest some stations that you think should have a direct rail service to Heathrow, in preparation for when the links get built.

Please feel free to post suggestions in thread if any of your preferred stations are not listed in the poll. I would have added more but the poll only let me list 25.

 

[Aictos]

Pardon me for asking but Old Oak Common to Heathrow?

 

[swt_passenger]

Even southern access isn’t intended to go as far as the main South Coast cities, more like Guildford or Woking. I can only find 2 probables so far; Reading and less likely Basingstoke.

 

[PTR 444]

Obviously this is a speculative forum so you are welcome to suggest stations that you would like to be able to travel direct to Heathrow from, even if it is unfeasible to actually provide such a service from them.

I’d personally like to be able to travel by train from my hometown on the SWML in Dorset direct to Heathrow, OOC and London Paddington. I doubt a lot of other people would though.

 

[option]

Pardon me for asking but Old Oak Common to Heathrow?

That's already planned as a Crossrail stop, when it's built by HS2.

 

[option]

Nowhere

An airport service needs to be ultra-reliable, frequent, & have plenty of space for luggage. It may also need longer at stations.
It's easier to do that with short-distance services using purpose-built layouts, & few station stops.
People will change trains, if it's easy & the service is reliable.

So a service like HEX is what you want.

(pity that Crossrail doesn't go via Euston & Kings Cross as well as Paddington/Liverpool St, as airport only express services could have been ran)

 

[paul1609]

Obviously this is a speculative forum so you are welcome to suggest stations that you would like to be able to travel direct to Heathrow from, even if it is unfeasible to actually provide such a service from them.

I’d personally like to be able to travel by train from my hometown on the SWML in Dorset direct to Heathrow, OOC and London Paddington. I doubt a lot of other people would though.

Dorset has a main line? I thought it was the Weymouth branch after St Denys?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I voted for stations that are close by, would relieve Motorway congestion etc. I did NOT vote for Man Piccadilly because Manchester Airport is so close if that makes sense?

 

[Horizon22]

Reading as a hub for the South of England and with its connectivity to the north, as well as being technically feasible. Possibly New Street as an extension of that as some sort of XC service (New Street - Heathrow)

 

[Dr Day]

I’d vote for ‘None of the above’ if it was on there.

Rename Old Oak Common as Heathrow Hub or Heathrow Junction or Heathrow Road in GWR tradition and ticks many boxes without diverting capacity away from Central London, which will always have a far greater demand for direct services.

It is only a speculative idea, but suggest Woking, Watford and Croydon may be more useful places to have direct links to Heathrow than some places on the list.

 

[PTR 444]

I’d vote for ‘None of the above’ if it was on there.

Rename Old Oak Common as Heathrow Hub or Heathrow Junction or Heathrow Road in GWR tradition and ticks many boxes without diverting capacity away from Central London, which will always have a far greater demand for direct services.

It is only a speculative idea, but suggest Woking, Watford and Croydon may be more useful places to have direct links to Heathrow than some places on the list.

I’ve started a second poll for London/Surrey/Berkshire commuter belt stations so get voting!

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...irect-rail-service-to-heathrow-part-2.196236/

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

The obvious ones are cities in south Wales and the west of England, since the local airports offer very limited long-haul services.

The Heathrow western link is crucial for the connectivity of the two regions, either via direct services or via an express shuttle service between Reading and Heathrow. Having one or the other is far more important than which one it is.

 

[bluenoxid]

It will be interesting to see if EWR facilitates Oxford and beyond.