On Jul 21, 10:31*pm, "Peter Masson" wrote:
"Paul Corfield" wrote

I am sure that the Vic Line did divert some traffic but travel demand
has grown over the years and the trains are well used in the peaks.
Off peak not so much but there are still reasonable numbers of people
using the line. *We could be much worse off in terms of frequencies
than we are so I'm grateful we have the service level we have.

I'd be interested in statistics of the number of passengers on the Chingford
(and Enfield Town) lines over the years. The Jazz service in 1920 delivered
24 tph over the suburban line out of Liverpool Street. When they were
planning it they did some counts - the 6.5 pm LSt to Chingford was recorded
as carrying 1442 passengers on departure from Hackney Downs. Most alighted
at St James Street or Hoe Street (now Walthamstow Central) Only 49 made it
to Chingford.

Not sure where you'd go to get that level of statistical info these
days. It's an interesting stat though - I doubt we're at those levels
these days. I don't use the line that regularly but did when I first
came to London - still had slam door 30x stock then. I recall that
there wasn't that much trade to / from Hackney Downs and virtually
nothing at Bethnal Green on Chingford trains. London Fields and
Cambridge Heath (not served directly, of course) where ghost stations
even in the peak as they were in such a parlous state. These days
there are decent numbers of people using Bethnal Green and plenty of
people get on and off at Hackney Downs. People also seem to use
Cambridge Heath and London Fields but not in massive numbers. NXEA
stations aren't the best though and I suspect the "London Overground
spec" would brighten them up and make them feel much safer and "looked
after" than they appear at present.

--
Paul C
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