The future of Nine Elms Flyover

[ic250]

Now that it has been 8 years since Eurostar services ceased, does anyone know what is planned for the old flyover that was built to connect the SWML to the Chatham Main Line at Nine Elms?

It looks unused at the moment, and demolishing it would surely open up some much-needed capacity on the lines into Waterloo. Is it going to be demolished along with the redevelopment of Waterloo International?

 

[NSE]

It seems a shame to demolish it completely. People on here have discussed it before. I seem to recall someone asked about the possibility of sending some SE services to Waterloo during the London Bridge works but was lots of hassle.

It does seem a shame to demolish railway infrastructure, but I'm looking at it from an interesting operations point of view. In the real world, extra capacity to Waterloo would be far more beneficial.

 

[30907]

It looks unused at the moment, and demolishing it would surely open up some much-needed capacity on the lines into Waterloo.

Putting in the flyover meant removing one of the Up Windsor lines for about half a mile. It wouldn't be worth reinstating it unless you extended it through Queenstown Road which could give you 8 running lines throughout (for the first time ever). Unfortunately that would leave the only Up platform on the Fast line (it would need lengthening too).
I'm not sure it would be worth the expense, as the capacity is really needed via Wimbledon.

 

[swt_passenger]

Although details are not yet public, the sketchy info in the CP5 'Waterloo' capacity project already mentions infrastructure changes at Queenstown Rd.

 

[NSEFAN]

Full 8 tracking from Waterloo - Clapham is going to have to happen sooner or later. It's silly to keep that flyover there and not use it for regular trains whilst the mainlines are nearing capacity.

As I understand it, it's the Wimbledon fast lines that are in particular need of relief, and that 5 tracking of the Wimbledons has been proposed. The installation of 8 tracks through Queenstown could include adjusting the signalling as part of these works.

 

[hwl]

Only the actual down ramp would need demolition the rest could be left in place. The alignment is 10 tracks wide at Stewarts Road with 3 unused bridge decks. With Battersea Power Station Northern Line Station opening it might be easier to close Queenstown Road in the future. Isn't there a bit of gap between the P1 and P2 tracks at Queenstown Road so you could reinstate a track through there? (It would have to become a down only service station unless P1 was brought back to life and the fast and slows swapped on the Up lines.
See these photos (not mine) I just dug up on flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/black...Pyd-o3pHEh-kLeRF6-5adCrY-duZXbD-qjKFWw-ernmi/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-...rc-refV4L-qjFAjX-buFNss-rgJjo4-r3KV2o-qpd7Wq/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47384...K5Hj-eo8Ywy-qKhyXT-ekEfBq-o47kdG-6fXuG-kseNz2

https://www.flickr.com/photos/deepg...TCK-hrqeL6-hrqmUf-qZhwax-re7VTC-rij6gD-qjzrR7

Something might also have to be done about the paired by direction issue at Waterloo on the Windsor lines if services are increased.

 

[swt_passenger]

The evidence in various publications over the last few years is that if/when a full eight track layout can be achieved between Clapham Junction and Waterloo it would operate on a 3+3+2 layout over nearly the full length, i.e. 3 Windsor, 3 Main fast and 3 Main suburban.

Providing a four track 'Windsor side' through Queenstown Rd and Vauxhall is not part of the plans AFAICT.

I've attached a copy of the London and SE RUS proposal for the area, the lower half of figure 7.5, you'll see that Queenstown Rd has a single resited island platform: