On Monday, 25 September 2017 21:01:38 UTC+1, Jarle Hammen Knudsen wrote:
Why will the extra track only give two additional trains per hour?

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jhk

Largely because it is only one extra track at this point in time. Although the alignment is wide enough to take two extra tracks there is not the money to actually build two tracks and extra platforms. Therefore the service will have to work on the basis of "one engine in steam" on the new single track section from near Coppermill Junction through T Hale & N Park to the relocated Angel Rd (Meridian Water) station and back again. This will almost certainly mean trains will meet at or very near to the new junction where the third track joins the twin track railway down to Stratford after the tracks have diverged with the main line going to Clapton and Liv St.

There have been several iterations of different track layouts during the early design stage. These were in public documents but the new Mayoralty scrapped the old committee and meeting structure that governed funding of the STAR project meaning those papers are no longer in the public domain. As with every rail scheme costs have risen against a fixed budget which means the scope has been whittled down to the bare minimum. The only minor saving grace is that the rebuilt stations at T Hale, N Park and Meridian Water are all being designed so a 4th track and platform face can be added relatively easily and overbridges etc are all wide enough. Plans for all three stns have been on council planning permission websites hence how I've seen what they will look like.

I took a few snaps at T Hale recently showing the clearance works and equipment relocation. At some point I hope to snap at other locations. As someone else said the work has been very slow so far but I think a lot of it has involved clearance and relocation works which should mean making the track formation, laying tracks and fitting signals / overhead wires could be done quite quickly. South of T Hale quite a number of foundation piles for new electrification masts are already in place. It's the station works that will be complex. T Hale involves taking the eastern side off the NR building, a new pedestrian bridge, a new bridge / lifts / escalators within the paid area and obviously a wider roof and new side to the building to encompass the new track formation and extra platform face. London underground, meanwhile, are rebuilding the ticket hall and western side of the station.

Photos -- https://www.flickr.com/photos/247597...57686274374050

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Paul C
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