North Pole Eurostar depot

[jca]

Anyone know what the plans are for this?

The un-builders seem to have moved in over the last week, and one of the train sheds is now largely gone. Seems something of a waste when it's so much newer than OOC on tother side of line...

 

[Manchester77]

I assume you mean North Pole:')

Last I heard was that the builders of the new IEP trains will be built and maintained there

 

[swt_passenger]

Nothing to do with building. It will simply be one of the GW maintenance and stabling depots.

 

[mr_moo]

It's being changed into the new depot for IEP. It's going to have connections to the GW line added and will be redeveloped for this. The work at present ties in with other Crossrail works in the area to remodel the tracks for Crossrail and IEP. Note that the Crossrail depot is at Old Oak common too, and the HEx and FGW depots will be changing to accomodate Crossrail and IEP introduction.

 

[Kali]

Does anything these days go south to west ( or vice versa ) that'd benefit from putting the curve back in through the depot site? you can still go the circuituous way via Willesden anyway, but I'm wondering if there'd be any use in Thames Corridor->more southerly part of London services or similar.

 

[Eagle]

Does anything these days go south to west ( or vice versa ) that'd benefit from putting the curve back in through the depot site?

Do you mean the curve that connects the GWML to the WLL? Because that's still there, and was used right up until December 2008 by Crosscountry.

 

[Waddon]

Do you mean the curve that connects the GWML to the WLL? Because that's still there, and was used right up until December 2008 by Crosscountry.

Not quite accurate I'm afraid, that curve that you linked to is just access to the old Eurostar depot, although it may have been built on top of the alignment of the old curve that used to link the two... it can't be used to access the GWML from the WLL. The former cross country services from Kensington Olympia took a different route between the two

 

[swt_passenger]

... The former cross country services from Kensington Olympia took a different route between the two

That's right and (just to flesh this out a bit) they stayed on the main route at Mitre Bridge Jn, getting to within touching distance of the WCML whilst alongside it at 'West London Junction', and then back down in a sort of SW direction towards the GWML via Acton Wells and Acton East Jns.

Or for a different explanation, staying at ground level and crossing under the approach tracks to Willesden Jn...

 

[Eagle]

Ah right didn't know they went round that way. Would the bit between the GWML and WCML be the same way that Virgin trains go when they're diverted via the Chilterns?

 

[swt_passenger]

Yes it is.

 

[Kali]

If you check google maps you can see the loop from Acton round the top of OOC via the underside of Willesden Jct & on to the WLL. I'm not sure of the speed limits around there but I bet they're pretty low, but given it's all freight ( I think? ) that isn't currently a big problem. Would be a bit slow for anything passenger related other than a sleeper... and with the lack of motorail there's no need for them to go to Olympia. I can't really think of any reason you'd need a commuter flow from the Thames Valley to Clapham Jct and onwards but I hardly went south of the Thames when I was a Londoner, so maybe there's something I missed.

 

[transmanche]

I can't really think of any reason you'd need a commuter flow from the Thames Valley to Clapham Jct and onwards but I hardly went south of the Thames when I was a Londoner, so maybe there's something I missed.

Of course there are alternative routes available from the Thames Valley to Clapham Junction (Reading and Windsor & Eton routes on SWT), but never say never. It's only a few years ago that some people would have said the same thing about a Watford (and points north) service to Clapham Junction.

And some of us remember when the only service on the WLL was only a rush-hour Olympia-Clapham Junction shuttle!

 

[Kali]

There's Heathrow too, but that has to be fairly close to capacity already... Gatwick station it certainly isn't.

 

[Darren R]

And some of us remember when the only service on the WLL was only a rush-hour Olympia-Clapham Junction shuttle!

Ah yes - I remember the days of the Kenny Belle! Waiting and wondering what weird and wonderful traction would turn up that day!

 

[Tibbs]

Of course there are alternative routes available from the Thames Valley to Clapham Junction (Reading and Windsor & Eton routes on SWT), but never say never. It's only a few years ago that some people would have said the same thing about a Watford (and points north) service to Clapham Junction.

And some of us remember when the only service on the WLL was only a rush-hour Olympia-Clapham Junction shuttle!

I travel on the Watford - Clapham route most weeks and it's certainly busy in the mornings. The 7:38 that comes from Milton Keynes (and goes to Croydon) is absolutely pretty much full by the time it leaves Watford and it's a real squeeze to get anyone on at Wembly (2 stops later).

It's proven so popular that they put on a Watford - Clapham train at 7:24. It's quieter (no standees) but I've been using it since it started in Jan and it's getting busier by the week.

Based on that, a west to south train could work, especially since the train from W&E Riverside is so slow...