"Colin McKenzie" wrote in message
...
Chris Brady wrote:
It is already being planned as part of the airport expansion for
Heathrow Terminal 5. There will be an electrified link between West
Drayton and Staines down most of the route of the old GWR branch line
through Poyle. At Staines there will two chords from the re-instated
branch line to join the main line to get to Virgia Water and the West
and the other to get to Feltham, London and ultimately Gatwick.
Likewise there will be an extra chord at West Drayton to allow trains
to divert west to Reading. There is already a link to the east for
Paddington. Midway near Poyle there will be a spur into Terminal 5 -
this will meet up with an extended Heathrow Express branch.
....

This all sounds suspiciously like what BAA promised during the T5
enquiry - but when the minister made his decision he neglected to
require them to build any of it.

It's the plan that has been 'talked of' for much of the last 15 years.
It has a reasonably positive CBA and doesn't actually cost much
(for a new railway)

My current view is that none of it is likely to materialise

Sadly, I agree.

- except
possibly as sweeteners for the 3rd runway, should the government be so
foolish as to allow that to be built.

There should be a direct LHR to LGW link. I reckon you could link
existing lines with about 10 miles of new line (including the tunnel
from near Feltham),

There is no chance of this happening. The area is too built up (even for
a tunnel)

and a couple of spurs, to provide something
reasonably direct and about 25 miles long. Main drawback of this route
is it wouldn't interchange with the SWT main line, as it'd use the
Hampton Court and Claygate branches.

As others have said there is no demand for such a link (and if there
were it could be routed over current tracks with little new build).

Tim


Colin McKenzie