TheOneKEA wrote:

On Oct 10, 12:15 pm, Paul Corfield wrote:

(snip)

There was no effective through link and the service was run with clapped out
stock with stations maintained to the lowest BR standard possible. Even
Broad Street was run in that way - it was distinctly uninviting. The GLC
spent a lot of cash on the NLL, electrified it and built / modernised
stations in Hackney. The ELLX will, from the looks of things, be a
further step change in quality and frequency. The stations and trains
will also offer far better security than the old 1980s BR services did.
The poor quality of the old services is what made them unattractive and
ELLX / Overground should reverse that in time.

Indeed. The biggest advantage I see is that Shoreditch High Street will
be literally right next to the new City offices being built near
Liverpool Street. I would not be shocked if pax numbers on the gateline
at London Bridge went into freefall after the ELLX opened to
Shoreditch.


I definitely wouldn't say the passenger numbers at London Bridge would
go into freefall after the ELLX has opened: it's a very busy station
for city commuters; the ELLX will only run down the line to Croydon -
true, some pax from the Dartford lines could change at New Cross, but
people often prefer not to change trains (esp. during rush hour) and
there will probably be a time penalty in doing this; most importantly
going via Shoreditch High Street will deliver them to the north of the
City - for many, London Bridge and Cannon Street will remain more
convenient termini.

Some will switch to the ELLX to Shoreditch, but (obviously) only if
it's more convenient. So instead I'd say a bit of pressure could be
taken off London Bridge. The CTRL-DS will also take a further bit of
pressure off London Bridge (probably), though the jury is till very
much out on what effect these new fast train services from Kent will
have on travelling patterns.