London Banter - View Single Post - 5 car Overground trains to Watford Junction

[email protected] · December 22nd 14, 01:10 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

On Sun, 21 Dec 2014 15:49:04 -0600,
wrote:

I read in a magazine that Overground trains on the Euston-Watford service
won't be able to be extended to 5 cars until power supply upgrades have
taken place. I don't understand why power supply upgrades are is needed.
This route used to be served by 7 car Bakerloo Line trains.

The line is basically full of old restrictive "make do and mend"
signalling and traction current. It's no shock that putting bigger
trains on to the route might be enough to tip things over. The
traction supply has been strengthened or replaced on all the LU routes
that are getting major upgrades and new rolling stock.

I think the TfL game plan is simply to put new 4 car trains on the
route. These have been added to the GOBLIN / West Anglia order. The 5
car trains displaced will be diverted to strengthen other Overground
routes. Clearly those trains won't turn up until 2017.

As reported elsewhere there are also issues with the traction current
supply nearer to Watford where the Met extension would run over NR
tracks. Costs have gone up because of the need to do something to the
traction current supply. There is little detail in public at the
moment but I'd guess the parsimony and cut backs of the 80s are now
having an impact at far, far greater cost.

So true! I've been watching the Borders Railway videos and can't stop
thinking how much they would have saved by not closing the line in the first
place.

--
Colin Rosenstiel