Crossrail and High Speed 1

[Train777]

Why didn't they provide a junction between Crossrail and HS1 at Stratford? Just about every junction imaginable (including DLR slinging underneath the shopping centre) already exists at Stratford. If you look at an aerial map, pretty much anything goes at Stratford! I'm sure space could have been found.

This would have provided the whole of Kent with Crossrail services, reduced congestion at London Bridge, Cannon St, Charing Cross and Victoria (for those going to Liverpool St, Oxford Circus etc via these stations) and eliminated the need for people to alight at Stratford and walk 10 mins through one of the most unpleasant shopping centres in the UK (walking for 10 mins between Stratford Int. and Stratford kinda defeats the point of having a high speed service and negates any benefits).

For domestic services HS1 is very inefficient, it doesn't really go anywhere useful- most people work in Canary Wharf or the City, not Stratford or St Pancras. It's quicker (and less interchanging) for me to get a Cannon St service to the city, than High Speed.

 

[rebmcr]

Just because track exists, doesn't mean the trains are suitable for both lines (and they're not in this case).

Connecting them up would have cost money for no good reason.

Kent's need for wide-ranging services through the centre of London and out the other side is on the cusp of being provided with Thameslink.

 

[Railsigns]

Crossrail and HS1 each use different forms of cab signalling (CBTC vs. TVM430). To my knowledge there are no trains currently fitted with both CBTC and TVM430 equipment on board.

 

[Kingsbury Jn.]

I believe that the OP was suggesting an interchange, rather than sharing tracks. The cost of such an interchange would have blown the budget somewhat! The DLR will suitably accomplish the task for those averse to walking or unable to.

 

[NotATrainspott]

Why didn't they provide a junction between Crossrail and HS1 at Stratford? Just about every junction imaginable (including DLR slinging underneath the shopping centre) already exists at Stratford. If you look at an aerial map, pretty much anything goes at Stratford! I'm sure space could have been found.

This would have provided the whole of Kent with Crossrail services, reduced congestion at London Bridge, Cannon St, Charing Cross and Victoria (for those going to Liverpool St, Oxford Circus etc via these stations) and eliminated the need for people to alight at Stratford and walk 10 mins through one of the most unpleasant shopping centres in the UK (walking for 10 mins between Stratford Int. and Stratford kinda defeats the point of having a high speed service and negates any benefits).

For domestic services HS1 is very inefficient, it doesn't really go anywhere useful- most people work in Canary Wharf or the City, not Stratford or St Pancras. It's quicker (and less interchanging) for me to get a Cannon St service to the city, than High Speed.

Abbey Wood station exists for the reason you describe. Instead of needing to head into London and then back out to Canary Wharf, people will get off at Abbey Wood and switch onto an Elizabeth Line train for a direct run into the city.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The difference in levels at Stratford between the GE and HS1 are significant - and even when Crossrail 1 was being planned there was a tight land boundary thee - even worse now that the area is being hugely redeveloped from what was a quite run down area , refinding itself from a 19thC legacy.

The domestic services on HS1 have done rather well , especially in from Ashford , and will soon need enhancement - Crosrail is a game changer as it is, and I expect it to be awash with traffic on the East side from day 1 or 2.

 

[IainG81]

Some of you may know that last weekend (10/11th December 2017) TFL took over management of eleven stations on the Great Western Railway route Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton, Iver, Langley, Burnham and Taplow. In preparation for Crossrail/Elizabeth Line being introduced next year and 2019. Slough is staying as a Great Western managed station.

 

[jopsuk]

There's a bit of me feels that they could have done better with rebuilding Stratford (Mainline) and locating the Stratford International platforms closer when it was all built, given how much was being developed at the time. Of course, a truly revolutionary redevelopment would likely have involved some disasteriously long station and even main line closures and part closures, as well as Central Line closures.

 

[Bald Rick]

There's a bit of me feels that they could have done better with rebuilding Stratford (Mainline) and locating the Stratford International platforms closer when it was all built, given how much was being developed at the time. Of course, a truly revolutionary redevelopment would likely have involved some disasteriously long station and even main line closures and part closures, as well as Central Line closures.

The tunnel portals at the east end of Stratford station are as close to the GEML as was possible. Ergo, Stratford International station is as close to the GEML as possible. And it really isn't that much of a walk, it's further from the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras to the Victoria line.

Back to the OP, assuming the question was actually 'why isn't there a junction' between HS1 and Crossrail; it's for the same reason there isn't a junction from the WCML to the Met (in 2 places), or the MML to the Met, or the GWML to the District or H&C. They are very very different types of railway.

 

[D365]

Some of you may know that last weekend (10/11th December 2017) TFL took over management of eleven stations on the Great Western Railway route Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton, Iver, Langley, Burnham and Taplow. In preparation for Crossrail/Elizabeth Line being introduced next year and 2019. Slough is staying as a Great Western managed station.

We have an ongoing discussion about this already.

 

[Malcolmffc]

Suburban trains with a 90mph speed limit on a 140mph main line?! Are you for real?