On May 6, 11:58*am, wrote:
On May 5, 5:49*pm, D DB 90001 wrote:

Unfortunately even if they extend crossrail to Reading it still can't
replace all the stopping services because there are 2 stopping
services an hour from Oxford which call at many of the intermediate
stations. So then you would either have to electrify the line to
Oxford (ooh, look a flying pig)

Certain to happen under any proposed GWML electrification plan, so why
not bring it forward out of operational convenience?

or more realistically terminate slow
Oxford services at Reading and inconvenience passengers from
intermediate stations between Reading and Oxford.

...but I agree this is more likely. Will the remodelled Reading allow
easy cross-platform interchange between slow Oxford terminators and
London services?

I'm not sure if that would be possible, but it would be the next best
thing, second only to electrification of the line to Oxford, which
admittedly *should* happen, but probably not until after crossrail.


Of course there is
the option of running the Oxford slow services under the wires on the
slows but this would take up valuable crossrail paths and of course
result in more diesels under wires which is a waste of fuel. And no,
I'm not even going to suggest that putting a loco on and off at
reading is a viable idea, because it's not going to happen.

Agreed.

Maybe in the short term they will continue to run under the wires
until more of the Great Western Mainline and branches are electrified
and then they can remove that anomaly. Talking of branches there would
still be the outstanding issue of Henley trains which would almost
certainly run under the wires in the peaks on the slows anyway,
because that branch will * never* be electrified.

No, that doesn't follow - it's quite possible there'll be a positive B/
CA for short stretches of electrification that remove the need for
long-ish diesel workings and allow the slow lines to be all-Crossrail,
once the core suburban network is electrified.


I'm not convinced about this, I can understand why they would want to
extend electrification to Reading, but not Henley, unless there were
regular through services, which is not currently under consideration.

--
John Band
john at johnband dot orgwww.johnband.org