HS2 Northern ‘Forks’ - Implications for XC?

[Bald Rick]

It's not clear whether fast GWR trains will stop at OOC

There's no guarantee that the West of England services would need to stop at OOC

I can guarantee it. With 20tph+ on the main lines, either everything stops at OOC, or nothing does.

 

[Envoy]

Why would anybody entering London from the land of GWR want to get off at Old Oak Common to transfer to HS2 to head to the Midlands & beyond? Surely, they would travel to Birmingham and the north via Cheltenham or Banbury? I can only understand people using OOC to transfer between HS2 & the trains to Heathrow and the immediate Thames valley. Surely, nobody would go all the way from say Bristol or Cardiff to OOC to transfer to HS2 for Birmingham & the north?

 

[johnmoly]

There was an article in the Daily Telegraph recently where a Government minister, I think, also quoted that HS2 won't go beyond Birmingham.

 

[JamesRowden]

Why would anybody entering London from the land of GWR want to get off at Old Oak Common to transfer to HS2 to head to the Midlands & beyond? Surely, they would travel to Birmingham and the north via Cheltenham or Banbury? I can only understand people using OOC to transfer between HS2 & the trains to Heathrow and the immediate Thames valley. Surely, nobody would go all the way from say Bristol or Cardiff to OOC to transfer to HS2 for Birmingham & the north?

Exeter St Davids to Paddington is just over 2 hours. Exeter St Davids to Birmingham New Street is just over 2.5 hours. Searching online revealed that Birmingham-Manchester on HS2 should only be 19 minutes shorter than London-Manchester. So via Old Oak Common might be the fastest route between the South West and the HS2 northern branches.

People will also be able to change to Crossrail at Old Oak Common, plus the London Overground connections to the WCML and Clapham Junction. Old Oak Common will be like Stratford but on the GWML/HS2 rather than the GEML/HS1.

 

[VT 390]

So not only will people from the south west have slower London trains owing to having to stop at old oak common , but we will likely lose many direct xc services too. Time to stop HS2 in my view!

But stopping at Old Oak Common will only add a few minutes to the overall journey time and provide useful connections in to central London and the Overground.

 

[MarkyT]

But stopping at Old Oak Common will only add a few minutes to the overall journey time and provide useful connections in to central London and the Overground.

And those new electrics don't half accelerate quickly compared to the old HSts and Turbos, so an additional stop is not such a problem for journey time. Another factor in OOCs favour is it can act as a major west London 'parkway' railhead for GWR long distance services as well as an alternativr public transport interchange for that part of the city. London is the size of a small country. Having a second station on a major radial route entering it makes a lot of sense IMHO.

 

[Bald Rick]

And those new electrics don't half accelerate quickly compared to the old HSts and Turbos, so an additional stop is not such a problem for journey time.

Agreed, but, the new timetable this December takes full advantage of that acceleration. It will still add 4 minutes to the journebof the long distance services. But I agree, for the connections it provides across London, it will be worthwhile.

 

[adrock1976]

Exeter St Davids to Paddington is just over 2 hours. Exeter St Davids to Birmingham New Street is just over 2.5 hours. Searching online revealed that Birmingham-Manchester on HS2 should only be 19 minutes shorter than London-Manchester. So via Old Oak Common might be the fastest route between the South West and the HS2 northern branches.

People will also be able to change to Crossrail at Old Oak Common, plus the London Overground connections to the WCML and Clapham Junction. Old Oak Common will be like Stratford but on the GWML/HS2 rather than the GEML/HS1.

Being as I am originally from the West Midlands, the post you have quoted refers to Birmingham and points north.

Forgive me if I sound pedantic, but I had never realised that London Crossrail and London Overground have ventured into the West Midlands Region. Also, the last time I looked on a map, Clapham Junction station is south of the mighty Thames.

 

[JamesRowden]

Being as I am originally from the West Midlands, the post you have quoted refers to Birmingham and points north.

Forgive me if I sound pedantic, but I had never realised that London Crossrail and London Overground have ventured into the West Midlands Region. Also, the last time I looked on a map, Clapham Junction station is south of the mighty Thames.

The post I quoted actually refers to people entering London from 'the land of GWR'. This is because the question implied was whether having trains call at Oak Oak Common for connections (including journeys involving HS2 that are presently served by Crosscountry) was worth it considering the extended journey times to/from London Paddington.