Chiltern Railways major improvement proposal

[adrock1976]

No, Electric spine is dead. Leamington to Coventry is only planned for partial re-doubling as it stands.

Is it intended for there to be either a passing loop or total double track through Kenilworth station ?

I seem to recall that there seems to be sufficient space for a second track when the station was reopened.

 

[Energy]

Is it intended for there to be either a passing loop or total double track through Kenilworth station ?

I seem to recall that there seems to be sufficient space for a second track when the station was reopened.

There is, some CGI images of the station feature 2 platforms, such as the one below.

 

[The Planner]

Is it intended for there to be either a passing loop or total double track through Kenilworth station ?

I seem to recall that there seems to be sufficient space for a second track when the station was reopened.

Double track, the single line left would be from the north end of the loop to Gibbets Hill.

 

[cle]

You'll have to keep West Ruislip open as that's where fast Up trains pass the stopping trains. Similarly, South Ruislip is where stopping trains are passed on the down. As a new service to Old Oak is not yet dead in the water, the two stations at Ruislip should be retained for the foreseeable future.

The Sudburys could go, but I'm not sure how much capacity that would really add, service is minimal already. Wembley Stadium has through roads they should reinstate. Northolt Park is a problem, as it's not badly used...but 0.25m in London isn't that great.

I posted this before, but I think it's a great network. Two big cities on either end, with commuter and regional between them. Oxford is now potential for a third hub - and Chiltern should do more out of there, including Stratford/Birmingham services (GWR do not need to run north of Oxford, only to Cotswolds) - plus Cowley.

Anything to Swindon would need to be able to run at 125mph, I'd expect, given frequencies now, and electric timings.

 

[The Planner]

People need to realise the loops on the Chilterns weren't exactly long, and if reinstated as was wouldn't necessarily solve much. Factor in a slow speed diverging loop with a red aspect at the end and the time you put into a service to be able to follow the overtaking one out starts becoming detrimental.

 

[cle]

I think they are a precursor to sections of quad track. Obviously that doesn't apply to Wembley, being the first stop and then a stretch of

But between the Ruislips and Gerrards Cross, and Beaconsfield through Wycombe - those should become more than 'dynamic loops', proper quadding with station calls. After GC and HW, frequency drops anyway, so more might not be needed. And Princes Risborough has some flexibility.

 

[London Trains]

But between the Ruislips and Gerrards Cross, and Beaconsfield through Wycombe - those should become more than 'dynamic loops', proper quadding with station calls. After GC and HW, frequency drops anyway, so more might not be needed. And Princes Risborough has some flexibility.

The only problem being the stupid Tesco before Gerrards Cross station meaning quadding cannot be done here.

 

[JonathanH]

The only problem being the stupid Tesco before Gerrards Cross station meaning quadding cannot be done here.

I doubt that the Tesco Tunnel makes any difference to the likelihood of worthwhile quadding happening at Gerrards Cross.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

The only problem being the stupid Tesco before Gerrards Cross station meaning quadding cannot be done here.

I believe it was built wide enough to allow for four tracks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrards_Cross_Tunnel has some pictures.

 

[London Trains]

I believe it was built wide enough to allow for four tracks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrards_Cross_Tunnel has some pictures.

Ah, that's good to know. Looks like the Londonbound platform would have to be rebuilt further back if the line was quadrupled.

 

[Bald Rick]

I believe it was built wide enough to allow for four tracks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrards_Cross_Tunnel has some pictures.

Yes it was, that was specifically in the contract.

Of course when it collapsed, it was very quickly tagged “Tesco, you shop we drop”

 

[t_star2001uk]

Ah, that's good to know. Looks like the Londonbound platform would have to be rebuilt further back if the line was quadrupled.

Along with West Ruislip Down platform and South Ruislip up platform. The loops that were at Wembley have been taken up by Wembley depot at their south end and the north end is currently occupied by the turnback siding..

 

[SynthD]

Yes they did but that didn’t stifle the schemes, On Chiltern with a maximum linespeed speed of 100/125, (will never be 140) the stuff used on Northwest electrification would be perfectly acceptable.

Where is the line speed greater than 100?

 

[Speed43125]

Where is the line speed greater than 100?

There isn't any 100+ running. None of their stock can exceed 100 either. Though I suspect that was rhetorical...

 

[SynthD]

There isn't any 100+ running. None of their stock can exceed 100 either. Though I suspect that was rhetorical...

Is there any part of the line where a train could be timetabled for over 100? Is that what running means?

 

[The Planner]

Is there any part of the line where a train could be timetabled for over 100? Is that what running means?

Yes a train could be timetabled for over 100 mph, but only due to rounding on running times and even then it would only just be over 100 mph for a short-ish distance.