On 26 Sep 2005 17:32:30 -0700,
wrote:

Tony Wilson wrote:

"Shadwell station will have to close for 18 months as part of these works (a
replacement bus service will run during this closure). While the line is
closed...."

So, is the line closing for 18 months or just that station? I don't recall
seeing line closure for such a long period to facilitate it mentioned
before. I know some closure will be needed to convert the line, but surely
for much of the construction period trains can run New Cross to Whitechapel
while building works take place at New Cross Gate and Shoreditch?

Thanks
Tony

The whole line is closing for 18 months as part of the extension works
- the full answer is in the FAQs on the Shadwell Interchange section of
the TfL site:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/shadwell-i...ange/faq.shtml

A couple of extracts:

"Between 2006 and 2010 TfL will construct the new East London Line
(ELL) extension which will allow people to travel direct from Shadwell
to Dalston Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon. The East London
Line will close temporarily to enable these works to take place. TfL is
taking the opportunity at this time to also seek to improve Shadwell
station.

"The East London Line will be closed for 18 months. This will allow the
opportunity to upgrade the track, signalling and other works so that
the whole line can operate more efficiently. There will be a full
replacement bus service during this period. No definite dates for the
closure are set yet, but it is expected to start around 2008/2009."

It does seem surprising that such a long closure is required, a
relatively short time after the 1995-1998 closure. The line extension
proposals were well advanced then, so it surely would have been
possible to incorporate more future-proofing at that time.

Actually the last closure was originally scheduled to be for 9 months
but I understand a lot of people got their knickers in a twist about
the tunnel (Rotherhithe to Wapping) causing considerable inconvenience
to us regular users.
Plus the replacement bus service was rubbish, consisting largely of the
little Hoppa buses and the return journeys from Whitechapel were often
terminated at Surrey Quays, the northbound service only served New Cross
(the local buses were not as good then as they are now)
I just hope they can lay on something a bit better this time.




--
Martin