CrossCountry 2?

[cr767055]

Hi all,

I had an idea a few weeks ago about the technicalities of creating new CrossCountry services to better connect London and Kent with the Midlands and North of England. One of these ideas was a route between Leicester and Folkestone Central, calling at Kettering, Luton, London St Pancras International, Chatham, Whitstable, Ramsgate, and Dover Priory. A lot of work would need to be done signalling and platform-wise, I'd expect, but surely it's possible, by utilising/doubling the through Thameslink platforms at STP?

 

[D365]

entirely fantasy I’m afraid. Connections between Kent and the Midlands will remain better served via a change at St Pancras.

 

[MarkyT]

entirely fantasy I’m afraid. Connections between Kent and the Midlands will remain better served via a change at St Pancras.

Which is an easy interchange at the same station from the MML and a fairly short walk from the WCML at Euston.

 

[CBlue]

Quite a lot of rebuilding work would be required to increase capacity through the Thameslink core - for very little benefit given that there's trains from both ends of the route into St Pancras!

 

[RobShipway]

entirely fantasy I’m afraid. Connections between Kent and the Midlands will remain better served via a change at St Pancras.

I would also state the same for those travelling from the likes of Brighton as well. As much as there should be trains to the Midlands from Brighton and Dover, there is not the paths for them and there would not be enough people utilising the services, even if they could be operated.

 

[D365]

I would also state the same for those travelling from the likes of Brighton as well. As much as there should be trains to the Midlands from Brighton and Dover, there is not the paths for them and there would not be enough people utilising the services, even if they could be operated.

No "should" about it. There's zero benefit in extending Thameslink north of Bedford.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

Hi all,

I had an idea a few weeks ago about the technicalities of creating new CrossCountry services to better connect London and Kent with the Midlands and North of England. One of these ideas was a route between Leicester and Folkestone Central, calling at Kettering, Luton, London St Pancras International, Chatham, Whitstable, Ramsgate, and Dover Priory. A lot of work would need to be done signalling and platform-wise, I'd expect, but surely it's possible, by utilising/doubling the through Thameslink platforms at STP?

Its a cool idea, but the all the spare paths on the TL core are taken for, and even with 2 new platforms at St Pancras there still wouldnt't be any spare paths in the Thameslink core. That's before you get to Herne Hill and other problomatic areas such as the absolute block sections between Ramsgate and Dover Priory. Also, isn't that a really long way around to get to Dover from London, passengers going to the Midlands are just going to get HS1 and change at St Pancras. Also, despite the issue with the fact you can't currently turn trains back at Folkestone Central, even if you did a big performance risk have a train turned back in Folkestone Central, would be better to turn them back at Dover Priory.

 

[zwk500]

See also this thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ink-core-to-brighton-good-or-bad-idea.217498/

Sending trains through thameslink comes up regularly, but it's effectively a metro that's plugged into the national network, rather than an actual component part of said network. Much like crossrail will be (although no doubt there'll be fantasy suggestions for Harwich-Bristol or whatever).
Also, to refer back to the OP: if you're trying to serve North Kent, terminate at Ramsgate. If you're trying to serve Dover, run via Ashford or Canterbuy East.

 

[swt_passenger]

Its a cool idea, but the all the spare paths on the TL core are taken for, and even with 2 new platforms at St Pancras there still wouldnt't be any spare paths in the Thameslink core...

2 additional platforms at St Pancras LL are impossible to build anyway, basically because there’s no room for the necessary junctions at the south end of the station box.