MIG wrote:

On Dec 23, 2:36pm, Mizter T wrote:
Recliner wrote:
wrote:

On Dec 22, 2:35 pm, Mr Thant
wrote:
On 22 Dec, 13:30, Boltar wrote:

Quote why it needs 3 years to be converted to 3rd rail when the 3rd
rail is already there is anyones guess. Usual lazy british
contractors who take 2 weeks to change a lightbulb no doubt. The
extensions to the line shouldn't effect the bit in the middle so I
can't see a good reason to close it.

As I mentioned recently, the work isn't taking 3 years. London
Underground are being given 3 months to pack up their things and
leave, and it's expected to be ready for test running by June 2009.
So that's a little over one year of construction. Plus their
optimistic projection is currently November 2009, which would make
it closed for less than two years.

U
--http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

Bear in mind also that the existing stations (except Canada Water,
which is of recent construction) will require to be upgraded to be DDA
compliant, which at Shadwell, Wapping and Rotherhithe, for example,
will require new lifts and cross-passageways. (Surrey Quays is a
surface station in a cutting, but this will probably require lifts as
there is little space for ramps.) I also suspect that the narrow
platforms at Wapping will have to be widened, which will involve
widening the tunnel - a major civil engineering task in its own right.
In addition, platforms will require to be lengthend, which at
Rotherhithe and Wapping will require opening out the tunnels (the new
class 378s will, I presume, be 20m vehicles whereas the A stock is
noticeably shorter).

Yes, the A stock cars are only 16.2m long, but I doubt that any platform
extensions are planned.

My understanding is that none of the existing ELL platforms are going
to be widened or lengthened. (And as I described elsewhere nor are any
of the stations subject to the DDA requirements as they ain't new
stations, not do I believe there is any plans to make them accessible
- though note that Shadwell was already accessible.)

I don't know what the deal is with regards to whether the new trains
will fit on the existing platforms - I think this might not be an
issue as the existing platforms are (from memory) a bit longer that a
4-car A stock train. However for arguments sake let's say the new 4-
car Electrostars won't fit on the existing ELL platforms - this could
be dealt with by stopping the leading and trailing cab-ends still in
the tunnel, and if that still doesn't solve the issue then selective
door opening (SDO) can be bought into play - and suddenly the problem
is no more

A lot of the stations, if not all, have an unused section of platform
beyond the current signals and stop signs at one end. I can't
remember if that's the case at Wapping though.


Indeed. When I actually think about it I know that this is the case -
I used the ELL quite often, but perhaps I wasn't as observant as I
could have been! But likewise I'm not sure about Wapping.