On May 15, 8:19*am, "Peter Masson" wrote:

AIUI the new Thameslink stock is going to be maintained at a new depot at
Hornsey - so the connection will be needed as soon as the new stock starts
arriving. Not yet, but well before 2018.


I am not sure this is true any longer. But I am not sure where we are
with this particular matter now.

Before stock went to tender that seemed to be the plan - possibly
largely promoted by the incumbent franchisee. Siemens are the
preferred bidder with an all in build and maintain bid. ISTR reading
Three Bridges is their preferred heavy maintenance base rather like
Northam is to the SWT fleet.

Also, think the Hornsey idea was floated around before the idea of
fixed formation 12car EMU came about. Yes the depot is the one place a
12car unit is allowed to be split, but I suggest depot would not
split them for anything other than exceptional work but keep them
coupled. In turn that means depot facilities including lifting full
12car length which I do not recall was in the Hornsey expansion plans.

With FCC, Hornsey is already the major 319 base, Bedford is an
outbase. There is already a daily Hornsey - Bedford stock transfer
via circuituitous route. That could continue for the new units,
assuming cleared route, and I see no reason why it would not be
cleared. 377/5s have also made occasional trips to Hornsey but so far
they are new enough and with different exam cycles to not be going
there routinely.

One linked point. Once Included in the TL Project was OLE wiring of
Carlton Road Junction - Junction Road Junction as an alternative AC
route for Hornsey depot access. Indeed I beleive FCC were themselves
proposing funding it. I've heard no mention of this since the first
proposal annoucement. has this died a death or something thats still
to happen but a long way off ?

--
Nick