On 31 Oct, 00:55, (Neil Williams)
wrote:
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:06:22 +0800, "DW downunder" noname wrote:
Sorry Old Chap, did ask that when you introduce a TLA into a post for the
1st that you spell it out. I can guess from context that ECR is East
Croydon, and MKC is Milton Keynes Central. I think WFJ is Watford Junction,
which would suit the context. Could you pls confirm.

Yep, all those are correct.

If we could get the frequency up, a half-hourly Watford to Clapham
shuttle would be more use than hourly through to Milton Keynes, so
long as the connections worked with LM trains at the Watford end. *But
the danger is that an increase in frequency would cause a "sparks
effect" which would just result in passenger growth which there isn't
the capacity to handle.

The ultimate solution is probably to reinstate platforms on the slow
lines at Willesden and call all slow-line LM services[1] there for
interchange purposes, then to withdraw the through service completely.

[1] Ideally *all* LM services. *But I'm not sure there's the capacity
on the slows to switch LM services back before Euston to allow this.

I agree. That would be by far the best solution.

Willesden, being a veritable industrial wasteland that it is, has
ample space available for creative solutions. The most obvious to me
being platform loops, either as simple through lines to allow trains
to run to Euston fast from Watford (serving the express role vacated
by VWC's desire not to serve Watford Junction), or as alternate
platforms, enabling alternating use to maximise throughput.

i.e. (apologies for the ASCII art! (fixed width intended))
a)
####
/----\
-*------*-
-*------*-
\----/
####

or b)

/----\
-* #### *-
\----/
/----\
-* #### *-
\----/

If during the course of building these platforms you took the
opportunity to build/extend the LO platforms above them with direct
lift and stair access (and maybe escalators if it's a major enough
interchange ), then the interchange penalty would be greatly
reduced. Even more so if you started some WLL services from Willesden
as present, so the trains won't already be full, and odds are, sitting
there waiting for you to board when you arrive.