Should Crossrail be open to long distance services?

[BerkshireRails]

Isn't the intention that the Paddington terminators will extend to OOC when that opens?

Only 18tph will run to OOC of which 14tph will run to Reading & Maidenhead and Heathrow with the other 2-10tph using Westbourne Park Sidings depending on if they are running at 20-28tph in the core.

 

[Bald Rick]

Could a similar argument be made for the EMR Corby services be extended through the Thameslink core to release platforms at St Pancras for EMR Intercity services?

No paths on the MML for additional EMR services.

Back to the original post, could the Elizabeth line allow freight through at night?

Signalling, gauging, gradients, tunnel ventilation and overnight maintenance are all issues.

 

[BerkshireRails]

If you want to run anything overnight through Elizabeth Line core it would be a passenger service. You would probably want to take over the night GWR Reading to Paddington stoppers which run Mondays to Fridays. You probably would want to extend them to Abbey Wood, with a Paddington to Abbey Wood Saturday service leaving Sunday night for maintenance on the core.

 

[Harpo]

There are two bay platforms at Wickford, that could be extended.

I’m tempted to shout ‘Mornington Crescent’ but fear I’m in the wrong thread? Or am I?

 

[dk1]

Isn't the intention that the Paddington terminators will extend to OOC when that opens?

Oh yes but that’s within the current route perimeters and reliant on the additionally procured rolling stock. Nothing more exciting than that.

 

[d70g]

This thread was pre-empted here back in 2018, when @Non Multi had this splendid idea for a long-distance Crossrail OAO

 

[Uncle Buck]

Absolutely not, for two reasons.

1. Do we really want to destroy its punctuality like has happened with the silly and misguided "direct trains from everywhere to everywhere" thing that has ruined Thameslink, turning it into a super-Castlefield?

2. London is in the bottom right hand corner of England. Therefore the demand is skewed to the other side of London. The demand for stuff like Bristol to Kent is minimal and so this is not worth doing. It's the reason why there are arguments for a through HS2/NPR station at Manchester Piccadilly (though due to cost it is unlikely) and there is no real argument, outside of the UK joining Schengen*, for one in London.

* But even so, what would you do with about twenty five trains per hour approaching London from the north and west? There would never be demand to continue more than a tenth of that across to Kent and mainland Europe.

Without wanting to go too off-topic: if HS2 was linked to HS2, and assuming that no HS2 services ran into the Continent (a subject done to death here), the answer is surely the least interesting one: that most HS2 services would terminate in London but a number would continue into Kent.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Without wanting to go too off-topic: if HS2 was linked to HS2, and assuming that no HS2 services ran into the Continent (a subject done to death here), the answer is surely the least interesting one: that most HS2 services would terminate in London but a number would continue into Kent.

A very small number. HS1 domestics are only 3tph off peak.

 

[Uncle Buck]

A very small number. HS1 domestics are only 3tph off peak.

I wonder whether construction of a terminal platform in the Ashfield area and having some HS2 trains run Old Oak-Central London-Stratford International-Ebbseet-Ashford might be the most realistic solution?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wonder whether construction of a terminal platform in the Ashfield area and having some HS2 trains run Old Oak-Central London-Stratford International-Ebbseet-Ashford might be the most realistic solution?

The most realistic solution is not doing it because it would disrupt Crossrail for little benefit and be a spectacular waste of money. People want mostly to go to London, not across it.

 

[Uncle Buck]

The most realistic solution is not doing it because it would disrupt Crossrail for little benefit and be a spectacular waste of money. People want mostly to go to London, not across it.

I meant that trains running HS2-HS1 should run to Ashford only. I do not agree with having long-distance trains running through Crossrail.

 

[Farnborough]

With the stumbling blocks on east west rail route from Cambridge to Bedford. IMO the crossrail route should have a couple of paths for long distance trains/freights. This would produce the connection for services between Norwich/Ipswich to Reading and beyond without requiring the building of the Cambridge to Bedford route if that will cause to many problems. I do think east west rail should go ahead tho

Why? The purpose of Crossrail (now the Elizabeth Line) was to improve the service between Paddington and Liverpool Street - with some services off each end being a natural extension.

Better long distance services are already available from Paddington to the west, and from Liverpool Street to the east - while connections at Farringdon provide north/south.

We should focus on better connections, rather than further extending Lizzie... Heathrow to Woking (and maybe Reading) being the exception.