Tom Anderson wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jan 2007, Sir Benjamin Nunn wrote:

"Mizter T" wrote in message
ps.com...

Anyway I'd suggest that Epping to Ongar ain't going to be part of the
Central line again.

I wonder if they've ever considered extending it a few miles to link
up with the main line and running services from Ongar to Chelmsford?

What would the point be? There's already a much faster route from
Chelmsford to London along the fast tracks of the GEML. The only use i
can see for a Central line extension to Chelmsford would be as a local
commuter service into Chelmsford - and even then, only from Ongar,
Epping and points south, since there are no settlements between Ongar
and Chelmsford. Is there demand for such a thing?

However, that link might be useful, as part of the NR network, if a some
other bits of track could be constructed - a link from Epping to Harlow
would allow trains to run from the GEML up to Stanstead and Cambridge
(although an extension of the Braintree brach might make more sense),
and some sort of link to the ECML, say along the M25 or via the West
Anglia line to Hertford, would allow freight trains the haven ports to
get up north without going via London (although upgrading the existing
Ely - Peterborough route would almost certainly make more sense).

I wondered if they might try using Crossrail 2 to serve the
London-Cambridge growth corridor by taking over the Central from
Woodford (or Leytonstone) northwards to Epping, then extending to Harlow
to meet up with the West Anglia route and heading to Stansted and
Cambridge. This sentiment is similar to the Superlink proposal for
Crossrail 1 (although that had no stops between Canary Wharf and Harlow
South!).


--
Dave Arquati
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London