Heathrow third runway

[Kevin51]

What is this to do with railways you ask. Well it is the fact that the Colnbrook branch runs right across the third runway foot print. I am guessing a lot of excavated material will need to be removed and a lot of construction material brought in. Is the branch current used, a map shows a number of industrial units that will have to be moved, are they rail connected?
My guess is Heathrow wanting to promote being a good neighbour will use the branch, may be the only reason it still exists. Looking at a map I am guessing after coming under the M25/M4 junction the line could swing due west with a terminal parallel to the M4 and the new runway. Has anybody seen what is planned?

 

[MarkyT]

What is this to do with railways you ask. Well it is the fact that the Colnbrook branch runs right across the third runway foot print. I am guessing a lot of excavated material will need to be removed and a lot of construction material brought in. Is the branch current used, a map shows a number of industrial units that will have to be moved, are they rail connected?
My guess is Heathrow wanting to promote being a good neighbour will use the branch, may be the only reason it still exists. Looking at a map I am guessing after coming under the M25/M4 junction the line could swing due west with a terminal parallel to the M4 and the new runway. Has anybody seen what is planned?

There are an aggregates and an air fuel terminal at Colnbrook today. Both look active, and a quick look at a few random days over the last week suggests regular oil trains are running at the moment. I didn't see an aggregates run, though there are plenty of Q paths every day.

Material requirements for a new runway would be huge, and I'm sure rail would be involved for some of it. It may be a planning stipulation.

 

[Kevin51]

The only problem that I see is of course the current railway crosses the runway footprint so any terminal would have to be located between the M4 and the runway on and East to West alignment. There are some lakes or reservoirs there that I assume will have to be filled or bridged. There is also the issue of the Duke of Northumberland's River, the River Colne, the Wraysbury River and the Colne Brook

 

[MarkyT]

The only problem that I see is of course the current railway crosses the runway footprint so any terminal would have to be located between the M4 and the runway on and East to West alignment. There are some lakes or reservoirs there that I assume will have to be filled or bridged. There is also the issue of the Duke of Northumberland's River, the River Colne, the Wraysbury River and the Colne Brook

This from here: https://www.heathrow.com/expansion/our-proposal suggests the new runway is right on top of today's freight terminals, but J15, with the single track threaded through its lower levels, survives fairly unscathed. A curve south of that to an east-west alignment alongside the purple road north of the runway should work.

 

[Kevin51]

Yes that would work it is just there are lakes/Reservoirs there that would have to be dealt with but than they are in the way of the runway any way so have to be dealt with anyway. Not exactly connected to this is the link off the GW main line at Langley then down into T5. Obviously in a tunnel. I believe there was to be an access point in Colnbrook for construction work on the tunnel but no station in Colnbrook. I know people who lived in Colnbrook and what a pain in the rear place it is to commute to and from as it effectively means going to T5 for trains, As the people of Colngrook will have to put up with tunnel construction traffic and third runway why not build a station in Colnbrook as a way of compensation for disruption.