Feasibility of Elizabeth Line to Staines

[Bald Rick]

There is already a service between Virginia Water and Weybridge/Woking

Weybridge isn’t Guildford, Basingstoke or Woking.

Woking has one train a day each way to Staines, departing Woking at 0527, and Staines at 0016. This is for crew route knowledge purposes.

There is not capacity at Woking nor Guildford nor Basingstoke nor between Addlestone and Staines (Level Crossings) for additional services from Woking to Staines. At least, not without significant expenditure.

 

[cle]

Feed would be limited - from the Reading line and probably limited to stations like Bracknell. Maybe if the Ascot/Aldershot services were back in the peaks - or 1tph ran through to Staines at least, it might have more use.

I tend to think journey times would be quite long, as T5 services make a fair few stops. But perhaps not so bad. It’ll be 35 mins from T5 to Bond St/TCR once the waits are eliminated. If 43 say, from Staines, is that so competitive vs Vauxhall? Into the City though, yes I suppose so, and easier.

 

[kwrail]

Not without substantial work at Woking to build a grade separated Junction. The demand for travel towards London would continue to be dominant, not Staines.

Agreed. Not sure that there is much demand south of Woking to travel to Staines. What there is, however, is demand to travel from the South West to Heathrow. I used to drive regularly up the M3 to Heathrow. I would much rather have been able to get a train home than getting in my car. But public transport from Heathrow to anywhere other than central London is abject. I have flown into Zurich a number of times. Was able to wheel my trolley to the station and get a train to any major Swiss city. Would love to have been able to do the same at Heathrow

 

[JonathanH]

What there is, however, is demand to travel from the South West to Heathrow. I used to drive regularly up the M3 to Heathrow. I would much rather have been able to get a train home than getting in my car.

Indeed, very true but changing at Staines to take a somewhat circuitous route back to Woking, Guildford or anywhere else isn't going to capture the imagination of all those people who currently drive.

Some sort of solution to the Surrey to Heathrow problem would be great but a link to Staines and slow connections from there isn't it. Neither is anything else remotely on the near term agenda with railway spending for large projects pretty much defined already for the next 30 years.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Not without substantial work at Woking to build a grade separated Junction. The demand for travel towards London would continue to be dominant, not Staines.

Perhaps I worded my post misleadingly. I meant passengers would head for Staines in order to use the Elizabeth Line to Heathrow and London.

Weybridge isn’t Guildford, Basingstoke or Woking.

Woking has one train a day each way to Staines, departing Woking at 0527, and Staines at 0016. This is for crew route knowledge purposes.

There is not capacity at Woking nor Guildford nor Basingstoke nor between Addlestone and Staines (Level Crossings) for additional services from Woking to Staines. At least, not without significant expenditure.

At some stage in the distant future, the U. K. economy and tax revenues will have recovered from the ruins of today. It will then be possible to assess which infrastructure projects merit substantial investment. I'm confident that facilitating an hourly service between Woking and Staines using existing train paths will not be beyond either the management skills of railway professionals or the national budget.

 

[JonathanH]

Perhaps I worded my post misleadingly. I meant passengers would head for Staines in order to use the Elizabeth Line to Heathrow and London.

Heathrow maybe. Elizabeth Line no chance. It is just too much of a long way round.