Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

On Sep 6, 10:46*am, "Peter Masson" wrote:
"Mizter T" wrote

The Sunday Times newspaper reported Mr Hammond was considering building a
new railway station at Heathrow that would see up to four shuttle services
per hour from Reading.

The most sensible thing would be to use the HEx station at T5. This would
enable
4 tph Paddington - T123 - T4 - Staines (HEx) using a bit of the Airtrack
plans.
4 tph Crossrail - T123 - T4
4 tph Crossrail - T123 - T5 - Reading.
I would run the Reading trains on the Relief Lines, calling at Slough and
Maidenhead. Paths should be available, as Crossrail will only run 4 or 6 tph
down the GWML west of Hayes and Harlington.

Apart from saving the cost of another Heathrow station, this would enable
trains from Reading to serve T123 as well as T5, and via a cross-platform
change at T123 to reach T4.

Extending HEx to Staines would give most of the advantages of Airtrack (by
connection at Staines) without the disadvantage of additional trains over
congested level crossings.

That would certainly be the case. Since there is a track bed to
Staines, it would seem the logical place to end Heathrow Connect.
Such would give a very good connection to a large swathe of SWT
territory.

It is a pity no one service can reach all Heathrow Terminals.
Heathrow really needs an internal transit system, like Atlanta
Hartsfield-Jackson.

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

On 07/09/2011 10:03, 1506 wrote:
On Sep 6, 10:46 am, "Peter wrote:
"Mizter wrote

The Sunday Times newspaper reported Mr Hammond was considering building a
new railway station at Heathrow that would see up to four shuttle services
per hour from Reading.

The most sensible thing would be to use the HEx station at T5. This would
enable
4 tph Paddington - T123 - T4 - Staines (HEx) using a bit of the Airtrack
plans.
4 tph Crossrail - T123 - T4
4 tph Crossrail - T123 - T5 - Reading.
I would run the Reading trains on the Relief Lines, calling at Slough and
Maidenhead. Paths should be available, as Crossrail will only run 4 or 6 tph
down the GWML west of Hayes and Harlington.

Apart from saving the cost of another Heathrow station, this would enable
trains from Reading to serve T123 as well as T5, and via a cross-platform
change at T123 to reach T4.

Extending HEx to Staines would give most of the advantages of Airtrack (by
connection at Staines) without the disadvantage of additional trains over
congested level crossings.

That would certainly be the case. Since there is a track bed to
Staines, it would seem the logical place to end Heathrow Connect.
Such would give a very good connection to a large swathe of SWT
territory.

It is a pity no one service can reach all Heathrow Terminals.
Heathrow really needs an internal transit system, like Atlanta
Hartsfield-Jackson.

It has one but not obviously.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read, substitute trains for rail.
Railway Miscellany at www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

In message
, at
02:03:04 on Wed, 7 Sep 2011, 1506 remarked:
It is a pity no one service can reach all Heathrow Terminals.
Heathrow really needs an internal transit system, like Atlanta
Hartsfield-Jackson.

I think they believe the Heathrow Connect/HEx free shuttles fulfil that
need. Although I agree that elsewhere (I can think of Chicago, DFW,
Newark as well as ATL in USA, then CDG and Frankfurt in Europe) they
have Gatwick style people mover.

At Brisbane there's a proper suburban train which calls at both
terminals, but they charge $5 for it[1]. That train also has the
interesting property that the ticket price includes free "missed flight"
insurance if caused by a railway delay.

[1] There's also a bus, but that's $5 too. There doesn't seem to be any
way to get a free transfer, and it's too far to walk easily.
--
Roland Perry

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

On Sep 9, 2:32*pm, Roland Perry wrote:

I think they believe the Heathrow Connect/HEx free shuttles fulfil that
need.

I think they do reasonably well, the only downside being the lower
frequency.

Neil

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

In message
, at
05:53:02 on Fri, 9 Sep 2011, Neil Williams
remarked:
I think they believe the Heathrow Connect/HEx free shuttles fulfil that
need.

I think they do reasonably well, the only downside being the lower
frequency.

Quite a few people use the airside buses, which are rarer in the USA.
I'd like to say "unknown" but they do exist, I saw one at Newark last
week connecting Terminals A[1]&C (both of which have Continental
flights).

If you wanted to transfer via Terminal B, or the other two terminal A
satellites, you'd have to go landside and re-enter security.

[1] One of three satellites.
--
Roland Perry

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message
, at
05:53:02 on Fri, 9 Sep 2011, Neil Williams remarked:
I think they believe the Heathrow Connect/HEx free shuttles fulfil that
need.

I think they do reasonably well, the only downside being the lower
frequency.

Quite a few people use the airside buses, which are rarer in the USA. I'd
like to say "unknown" but they do exist, I saw one at Newark last week
connecting Terminals A[1]&C (both of which have Continental flights).

I would have thought that the US policy of making everybody clear
immigration/customs at first entry point/final exit point restricts the
demand for air side transfers somewhat.

tim

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

In message , at 19:33:48 on Fri, 9 Sep
2011, tim.... remarked:
I think they believe the Heathrow Connect/HEx free shuttles fulfil that
need.

I think they do reasonably well, the only downside being the lower
frequency.

Quite a few people use the airside buses, which are rarer in the USA. I'd
like to say "unknown" but they do exist, I saw one at Newark last week
connecting Terminals A[1]&C (both of which have Continental flights).

I would have thought that the US policy of making everybody clear
immigration/customs at first entry point/final exit point restricts the
demand for air side transfers somewhat.

Not when the vast majority of transfers are domestic-domestic. Plus a
few domestic-international (I didn't clear security when transiting back
to UK through Newark, I stayed airside and the security I did earlier at
the regional feeder airport was sufficient).

It's only the international-domestic which have that issue.
--
Roland Perry

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

On Sep 9, 10:05*pm, Jeremy Double wrote:
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 19:33:48 on Fri, 9 Sep
2011, tim.... remarked:
I think they believe the Heathrow Connect/HEx free shuttles fulfil that
need.

I think they do reasonably well, the only downside being the lower
frequency.

Quite a few people use the airside buses, which are rarer in the USA. I'd
like to say "unknown" but they do exist, I saw one at Newark last week
connecting Terminals A[1]&C (both of which have Continental flights).

I would have thought that the US policy of making everybody clear
immigration/customs at first entry point/final exit point restricts the
demand for air side transfers somewhat.

Not when the vast majority of transfers are domestic-domestic. Plus a few
domestic-international (I didn't clear security when transiting back to
UK through Newark, I stayed airside and the security I did earlier at the
regional feeder airport was sufficient).

It's only the international-domestic which have that issue.

At most UK airports the majority of passengers are making international
journeys.

Flying Los Angeles to Edinburgh, I have often cleared Immigration in
London, but Customs at Edinburgh. Very helpful, it saves lugging
cases, et al, around Heathrow.

So people in this country tend to forget that, even at a major
international airport like Newark, the vast majority of passengers passing
through a US airport are making domestic journeys. *In the US, airports
serve more-or-less the same role as inter-city railway stations in this
country.

Very much the case at airports like Louisville, KY, or Omaha, NE.

Flying from London to Los Angeles, if the plane touches down at JFK,
one has to go thru everything in New York, Immigration, baggage
pickup, customs check, and agricultural check.

And I, too, have used the airside bus at Newark to transfer from an
internal to an international flight, so it can't be very uncommon. *You
wouldn't want to brave the security queues at Newark if you were trying to
make a connection onto a transatlantic flight...

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 19:33:48 on Fri, 9 Sep
2011, tim.... remarked:
I think they believe the Heathrow Connect/HEx free shuttles fulfil
that
need.

I think they do reasonably well, the only downside being the lower
frequency.

Quite a few people use the airside buses, which are rarer in the USA.
I'd
like to say "unknown" but they do exist, I saw one at Newark last week
connecting Terminals A[1]&C (both of which have Continental flights).

I would have thought that the US policy of making everybody clear
immigration/customs at first entry point/final exit point restricts the
demand for air side transfers somewhat.

Not when the vast majority of transfers are domestic-domestic. Plus a few
domestic-international (I didn't clear security when transiting back to UK
through Newark, I stayed airside and the security I did earlier at the
regional feeder airport was sufficient).

It's only the international-domestic which have that issue.
--
Roland Perry

Heathrow to western GWML link under consideration
 

"1506" wrote in message
...
On Sep 9, 10:05 pm, Jeremy Double wrote:
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 19:33:48 on Fri, 9 Sep
2011, tim.... remarked:
I think they believe the Heathrow Connect/HEx free shuttles fulfil
that
need.

I think they do reasonably well, the only downside being the lower
frequency.

Quite a few people use the airside buses, which are rarer in the USA.
I'd
like to say "unknown" but they do exist, I saw one at Newark last week
connecting Terminals A[1]&C (both of which have Continental flights).

I would have thought that the US policy of making everybody clear
immigration/customs at first entry point/final exit point restricts the
demand for air side transfers somewhat.

Not when the vast majority of transfers are domestic-domestic. Plus a
few
domestic-international (I didn't clear security when transiting back to
UK through Newark, I stayed airside and the security I did earlier at
the
regional feeder airport was sufficient).

It's only the international-domestic which have that issue.

At most UK airports the majority of passengers are making international
journeys.

Flying Los Angeles to Edinburgh, I have often cleared Immigration in
London, but Customs at Edinburgh. Very helpful, it saves lugging
cases, et al, around Heathrow.

So people in this country tend to forget that, even at a major
international airport like Newark, the vast majority of passengers passing
through a US airport are making domestic journeys. In the US, airports
serve more-or-less the same role as inter-city railway stations in this
country.

Very much the case at airports like Louisville, KY, or Omaha, NE.

Flying from London to Los Angeles, if the plane touches down at JFK,
one has to go thru everything in New York, Immigration, baggage
pickup, customs check, and agricultural check.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Even more annoyingly if one's travelling LHR to AKL via LAX [1] you have to
pass through US immigration even though you have no intention of ever
entering the country.

This means that someone who doesn't qualify for the visa waver has to apply
for a full visa just to transit the airport.

[1] Which used to be a through service offered by NZ, don't know if it still
is

tim