In article ,
Terry Harper wrote:
"David Randles" wrote in message
...
In article ,
maf wrote:
How difficult would it be to achieve a Heathrow-Croydon-Gatwick rail
connection ? It would reduce M25 load, wouldn't it ?

Quite easy via Ealing Broadway, Kensington Olympia, Clapham Jc and
East Croydon. All that is required is a short length of
electrification between Acton Main Line and Acton Wells Jc. However as
discussed here several times before, the amount of Heathrow-Gatwick
traffic is very small and would almost certainly not justify a regular
direct train service.

Judging from the traffic generated by Virgins trains when they were
allowed to run, traffic for that line is there, although most of it
takes the Guildford route now. A cross-platform link with a Heathrow
service at Ealing Broadway, or Hayes and Harlington, would achieve the
same objective.

Indeed, in the very early days of planning for the Virgin XC Operation
Princess, the intention was to run an hourly service from Birmingham (and
points north) to Brighton via Reading, calling at Hayes (for a shuttle to
Heathrow), Kensington Olympia and Gatwick. This would have been a more
cost-effective way of achieving the same objective, while at the same time
serving both Heathrow and Gatwick from the Midlands. It fell by the
wayside because of "pathing problems" I believe.

David