West London Orbital Consultation

[norbitonflyer]

I think West Hampstead has been de-scoped to promote the achievability of the proposal.

Better to have a more frequent service to one station on Thameslink than less frequent services to two different ones, as then you have to guess which one to change trains at -

 

[Ian Hardy]

Well TfL obviously think there is. It won't be a bay platform, but a siding to the west of the station.

The plan is for the UP & DN Hounslow to be moved apart between Hounslow station and Hounslow Junction onto the alignments of the 2 stabling sidings that were either side of the line until the 1970s?. 2 turnback loops will be built between the two running lines with access from both ends.

This a recording of the PWI London Section meeting about the project from Mar 2025 which has a lot of detail about the plans.

Here is a link to the slides with the proposed layout at Hounslow on page 26:
https://www.thepwi.org/wp-content/u...y_D-Mansfield.pdf?ref=londonreconnections.com

 

[mr_jrt]

I conversely think that it is good to spread the interchanges on the route to not overload any single place and to placemake some outer focal minor ‘hubs’ (ie somewhere with two lines!)

Neasden has a ton of housing potential, much as has been done at Wembley. But you wouldn’t call Met services there. Harlesden might see the same.

And as for West Hampstead - in another lifetime yes ideal but not remotely possible in the footprint today. But Finchley Road is already a major focal point and interchange (esp w buses, coaches) and bridges into Hampstead, Frognal etc - quite a wide catchment)

You know, I read this the other day, and largely agreed, I think it would be nice, but won't happen. But you know what, this is a forum of intelligent reasonably-informed people, so why not ask the questions and have a discussion?

...but for once in my life, I'll be good and do so in the correct place:

West London Orbital - Future Interchange Aspirations

From: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/west-london-orbital-consultation.307477/post-7960948 I conversely think that it is good to spread the interchanges on the route to not overload any single place and to placemake some outer focal minor ‘hubs’ (ie somewhere with two lines!) Neasden has...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[contractador]

The plan is for the UP & DN Hounslow to be moved apart between Hounslow station and Hounslow Junction onto the alignments of the 2 stabling sidings that were either side of the line until the 1970s?. 2 turnback loops will be built between the two running lines with access from both ends.

This a recording of the PWI London Section meeting about the project from Mar 2025 which has a lot of detail about the plans.

Here is a link to the slides with the proposed layout at Hounslow on page 26:
https://www.thepwi.org/wp-content/u...y_D-Mansfield.pdf?ref=londonreconnections.com

Thanks for this. I tried looking again for it in the consultation documents that TFL shared last week but couldn't see anything mentioned.

Did anyone else find it? It seems strange it would be detailed in this earlier video but not the consultation documents...

(Obviously I fully accept my own ineptitude may come into play!)

 

[Posa]

I guess it’ll be possible, but I don’t think they’ll want to do that - I think Alstom will offer the Adessia Stream UK, which is basically a low-floor-entrance’d version of the Aventra, similar to what they’ll be making for the new TransPennine Express award but with more doors, like the mock-up shown when Andy Burnham visited Derby some weeks ago, so there’ll probably still be some spare parts commonality with the Class 710s.
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Ahh yes that would make sense, I just wondered as Alstom just produced some more 345's.

I can't see any other manufacturer being selected as all their existing stock is Alstom plus they run the r&m for the fleet.

Hopefully will be 5 car from the outset.

 

[zero]

Sorry if this was already addressed - it seems that there are two parts to this project: implementing a new passenger service on the relevant lines, and building 4 new stations.

Can the new service commence before the new stations are built, and if so how soon could that happen? Or do they think that it won't be that useful until the new stations are all open?

 

[SynthD]

Sorry if this was already addressed - it seems that there are two parts to this project: implementing a new passenger service on the relevant lines, and building 4 new stations.

Can the new service commence before the new stations are built, and if so how soon could that happen? Or do they think that it won't be that useful until the new stations are all open?

Direct from Brent Cross West to Acton? No, they will wait for the stations to open.

 

[greatkingrat]

Sorry if this was already addressed - it seems that there are two parts to this project: implementing a new passenger service on the relevant lines, and building 4 new stations.

Can the new service commence before the new stations are built, and if so how soon could that happen? Or do they think that it won't be that useful until the new stations are all open?

It's not just the new stations, they need to build the new platforms at Hendon and Brent Cross West, plus the line needs to be resignalled before any passenger service could run.

 

[RUK]

Ahh yes that would make sense, I just wondered as Alstom just produced some more 345's.

I can't see any other manufacturer being selected as all their existing stock is Alstom plus they run the r&m for the fleet.

Hopefully will be 5 car from the outset.

The PWI presentation said rolling stock similar to specifically the Class 710/2s, which are 4-car units, as opposed to the 5-car Class 710/3s. They mention the possibility of low-floor boarding, giving the Class 755 FLIRTs as an example, but the low-floor Adessia as a development of the Aventra also exists now.

 

[Posa]

The PWI presentation said rolling stock similar to specifically the Class 710/2s, which are 4-car units, as opposed to the 5-car Class 710/3s. They mention the possibility of low-floor boarding, giving the Class 755 FLIRTs as an example, but the low-floor Adessia as a development of the Aventra also exists now.

Disappointing they are not learning from the past and future proofing from the beginning.