Strood platforms on the Chatham Mainline

[brad465]

Has this idea ever been investigated for feasibility? Such platforms could be placed on the Chatham mainline roughly next to the Aldi, with connecting walkways direct to the main existing station, and potentially an exit either into the Aldi and/or into what currently looks like a traveller's site (that would be vacated on such a proposal).

If this existed it would provide Strood residents more direct train options, including Victoria and Bromley South, plus increasing frequency towards the Kent coast (if these trains called), while being an improved interchange compared to going out to Rochester, particularly for Medway valley line users. They could also relieve pressure on the HS1 services if some of these passengers would go beyond St Pancras on the Underground anyway.

Among drawbacks I can think of, besides cost and land permissions, it would slow down mainline services and may also overload services. This could be countered if some services skip it and instead it is serviced by an enhanced Victoria-Gillingham service (frequency improved to 2tph all day), along with one of the 2tph to Faversham onwards, but is skipped by some peak expresses and the other 1tph long distance service.

 

[Mgameing123]

It could be. But maybe they might build it as its own station for itself.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I would think this would be welcomed by many. However, before you start adding in complexity within the Medway towns, I should think residents of Dover and destinations towards London on that route might like to see their second train now back, especially if it was fast.
There is also a much easier capacity relief scheme that could be realised if the DFT were willing but of course they are not and that is getting rid of Thames link and restoring the semi-fast charowing cross service

 

[Dr Hoo]

As someone who lived and worked for BR in and around North Kent, albeit 40 years ago, I don’t think that this is a good idea. Passage of the Medway Towns is painfully slow with practically all trains calling at Rainham, Gillingham, Chatham and Rochester nowadays.
Back in my time prime commuter services would be fast between Chatham and Cannon Street or Chatham and Victoria (with one call at Bromley South). Passengers from further out would yearn for the early days of the Kent Coast electrification when there were even trains that were fast from Whitstable to Cannon Street!
Obviously much has changed over the years with the M2 and HS1, both serving Strood. The commuter coaches that pressed BR very hard in the slam door and Network Southeast era have largely gone.
We did look at a possible Medway Parkway, just out of Strood, to siphon off some M2 traffic but couldn’t make a case for it. Operationally a stop just at the foot of a long bank is not attractive, especially with leaves on the line and/or ice on the conductor rail.

 

[Trainlog]

As suggested by others in this thread, its probably not wise to cause any more stops of trains than necessary on this corridor, especially if there is a steep gradient involved.

To be honest, whilst Strood and the Medway valley line connections isn't perfect, it has gotten a lot better in the past 2 years since the timetable change in December 2022. The half hourly service has made the line more of a competitive route to the 101 bus from Maidstone to Medway especially as its only 15p more with a railcard to go via train with the £3 bus cap now in place. Prior to the timetable change, missing the hourly service wasn't a fun experience especially as it is an convoluted route to the highstreet from the station so its not exactly like you could have done something in the meantime whilst waiting for the next train.

For what services Strood does get today, it's not terrible in all fairness. The time gaps are typically 20mins apart which is about the same as a lot of stretches of the Southeastern network, such as the SEML it just feels a lot longer compared to nearby Rochester station as its only one mainline and not two. However, I do agree its tough that the choices of these London bound services that do turn up at Strood are busy high speed services or a Thameslink that takes a very slow route into London.