"Adrian Auer-Hudson, MIMIS" wrote in message
...
On Dec 26, 5:42 am, (Adrian the Rock) wrote:

The other extension to Crossrail that seems fairly obvious to me is to
extend the trains currently planned to terminate at Paddington up the
former GW&GC joint line. Bring the Old Oak - Northolt East line back
into proper use, rebuild the main line platforms at Greenford, making
this the first stop out of Padd, then run all-stations to Princes
Risboro and Aylesbury (some trains probably terminating at High
Wycombe). But this is clearly too extensive to be sensible to include
in the initial project.

Adie

There are two issues with this idea. Firstly it would mean an
expensive electrification of the route to Aylesbury by way of Prices
Risborough.

Provided it is done at the time that life expire stock is to be replaced,
electrification is usually a lower cost option over the total life of the
new stock, however expensive the actual conversion.

Secondly, there is the Birmingham service to consider. It would
either have to remain a DMU operation with many miles under the wire,

Well this wouldn't be the first time. Cross country runs "under the wire"
all the way from Birmingham to Manchester and York to Edinburgh, which is
much further than this piddly little bit of track to PR.

tim