On Wednesday, 31 May 2017 12:46:15 UTC+1, wrote:
On Wed, 31 May 2017 04:39:38 -0500
wrote:
You also seem blissfully unaware of the approach track to Waterloo which is
where a lot of the work is needed to allow former International platforms
designed for infrequent arrivals and departures to be used for a frequent
suburban service. You do yourself no favours overlooking such factors.

It didn't take 10 years to build it in the first place so don't tell me its
taken 10 years to figure out how to rejig the track. The only reason its been
sitting idle so long is utter incompetance at Network Rail. And as this photo
proves they could have run trains into it ages ago if they'd wanted to without
having to rebuild the thing:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:S...ng_platforms_2
1_and_22,_Waterloo_station_in_2015.jpg

You seem to think that Network Rail had independence to just splash £700m on reopening Waterloo. It didn't. The responsibility for the delay sits with the DfT who sat on their hands for years and did nothing about expanding capacity into Waterloo. It was only the NR / SET alliance that started to push things along in terms of new and longer trains and the associated infrastructure. If the Government don't put requirements in the HLOS / SOFA process then they don't get done. Government have sat back and left the South Western franchise to toddle along for many years despite the fact that there has been very strong growth in demand including heavy weekend loadings and contra peak commuter flows (e.g out towards Brentford and Kew in the AM peak due to the media businesses located there) growing.

The government then killed off the alliance by pulling NR back under DfT direct funding control. They then failed to secure a franchise extension with SWT (suspect both parties were rather awkward to be fair) so the franchise has had to be retendered. Bizarrely the handover occurs slap bang in the middle of the Waterloo blockade this August.

I have also read somewhere else that the flyover near Stewarts Lane that Eurostar used to reach the South Eastern line was funded with EU money. If the tracks to that viaduct are disconnected before a certain point in time then the funding has to be returned to the EU. That may also be a factor in the delay on this scheme. Note this last sentence is speculation on my part before people start frothing at the mouth and blaming Brussels.

--
Paul C
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