Mizter T wrote:

You're probably getting confused with the *non visitor* (i.e. regular)
Oyster cards, which IIRC initially came without pre-loaded credit but
that later changed, and were available from standalone vending machines
in a few Tube stations - this arrangement doesn't exist any more as
regular Oyster cards can now be obtained from the larger sized Tube TVMs.

Other than the graphic and initial loading, is there any functional difference
between a regular and visitor Oyster card?

In message , at 16:09:47
on Sun, 31 May 2015, remarked:
Surely it's worth having it on Oyster, whoever runs the trains?

Yes, although AGA is only committed to rolling out ITSO (as far as I
know).

Are they even committed to that in this franchise? AFAIK only GTR are
committed to ITSO at Cambridge.

http://www.itso.org.uk/wp-content/up...s-Sep-2013.pdf

Map on page 2.

That's the underlying processing capability. I've not seen any procurement
of the ticketing products by the current Greater Anglia franchise.

The point is that when they do start procuring stuff it'll be ITSO
rather than Oyster (unless there's a big change in policy).
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 23:43:20 on Sun, 31 May
2015, Mizter T remarked:
I think a lot more Londoners would use it if no separate tickets were
required. It would also be easier to sell pre-paid Visitor Oyster cards
if they already came loaded with enough credit to pay for the journey
to London plus some more travelling in London.

I agree, the visitor cards with not enough credit on to be useful are
a bit of a mystery.

Remind us how much credit is included?

£3 and no deposit, so enough to make one single journey, and top it up
when you want to make a seconds - which makes some sense because it
moves the queues away from the terminus stations.

Where do you get £3 from Roland? They all come with £10 credit at
least:
https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card

You're probably getting confused with the *non visitor* (i.e. regular)
Oyster cards, which IIRC initially came without pre-loaded credit but
that later changed, and were available from standalone vending machines
in a few Tube stations - this arrangement doesn't exist any more as
regular Oyster cards can now be obtained from the larger sized Tube TVMs.

Yes, I probably have conflated a couple of former schemes. I saw vending
machines at St Pancras, and on reflection they were probably £10 with a
£3 deposit included.

--
Roland Perry

In message
-septemb
er.org, at 20:59:38 on Sun, 31 May 2015, Recliner
remarked:
I've never heard any suggestion that HEx will extend past Paddington.
Every Crossrail map in years has shown service to T4, not T5.

We aren't talking about Crossrail - this is HEx services after 2023.

If HEx is to continue running fast, non-stop to Paddington on the main
lines, it won't have access to the Crossrail tunnels will it? And if HEx
does use the relief lines and run through London, it will presumably have
to stop at all the PED-equipped tunnel stations, which means having trains
with the same door spacing as the 345s (and no first class?). On that
basis, how could HEx, with no speed or comfort advantage, charge higher
fares than Crossrail?

On the charges issue, they'd be offering a quicker ride from Heathrow to
docklands than Crossrail.
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septemb
er.org, at 20:59:38 on Sun, 31 May 2015, Recliner remarked:
I've never heard any suggestion that HEx will extend past Paddington.
Every Crossrail map in years has shown service to T4, not T5.

We aren't talking about Crossrail - this is HEx services after 2023.

If HEx is to continue running fast, non-stop to Paddington on the main
lines, it won't have access to the Crossrail tunnels will it? And if HEx
does use the relief lines and run through London, it will presumably have
to stop at all the PED-equipped tunnel stations, which means having trains
with the same door spacing as the 345s (and no first class?). On that
basis, how could HEx, with no speed or comfort advantage, charge higher
fares than Crossrail?

On the charges issue, they'd be offering a quicker ride from Heathrow to
docklands than Crossrail.

How so?

In message , at 23:48:27 on Sun, 31 May
2015, Mizter T remarked:
Er, I don't think so! Crossrail will be an intensive metro service
through the core, operating with ATO signalling and specifically
designed and high performance trains. There's not going to be anywhere
to reverse trains like you suggest.

So if there's a "one under" at Maryland, the whole core freezes up for a
couple of hours?
--
Roland Perry

In message
-septem
ber.org, at 21:19:12 on Sun, 31 May 2015, Recliner
remarked:

I'd have thought that if HEx ever did run through the Crossrail tunnels,
the Canary Wharf and ExCel branch would be of more interest, which would
suggest running through to Abbey Wood.

Yes, I was misremembering which branch Canary Wharf is on.

Will the Heathrow trains be 2tph from each of the branches, or will
passengers have to change in the core (they'll already have to change
somewhere for T5).
--
Roland Perry

In message
-septem
ber.org, at 07:18:50 on Mon, 1 Jun 2015, Recliner
remarked:
I've never heard any suggestion that HEx will extend past Paddington.
Every Crossrail map in years has shown service to T4, not T5.

We aren't talking about Crossrail - this is HEx services after 2023.

If HEx is to continue running fast, non-stop to Paddington on the main
lines, it won't have access to the Crossrail tunnels will it? And if HEx
does use the relief lines and run through London, it will presumably have
to stop at all the PED-equipped tunnel stations, which means having trains
with the same door spacing as the 345s (and no first class?). On that
basis, how could HEx, with no speed or comfort advantage, charge higher
fares than Crossrail?

On the charges issue, they'd be offering a quicker ride from Heathrow to
docklands than Crossrail.

How so?

By running non-stop (modulo Old Oak Common) from Heathrow to Paddington.

Also offering a through trip from T5, avoiding a change of train which
will be required for Crossrail.
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septem
ber.org, at 21:19:12 on Sun, 31 May 2015, Recliner remarked:

I'd have thought that if HEx ever did run through the Crossrail tunnels,
the Canary Wharf and ExCel branch would be of more interest, which would
suggest running through to Abbey Wood.

Yes, I was misremembering which branch Canary Wharf is on.

Will the Heathrow trains be 2tph from each of the branches, or will
passengers have to change in the core (they'll already have to change somewhere for T5).

I believe it'll be 4tph from Heathrow T4 to Abbey Wood.

Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septem
ber.org, at 07:18:50 on Mon, 1 Jun 2015, Recliner remarked:
I've never heard any suggestion that HEx will extend past Paddington.
Every Crossrail map in years has shown service to T4, not T5.

We aren't talking about Crossrail - this is HEx services after 2023.

If HEx is to continue running fast, non-stop to Paddington on the main
lines, it won't have access to the Crossrail tunnels will it? And if HEx
does use the relief lines and run through London, it will presumably have
to stop at all the PED-equipped tunnel stations, which means having trains
with the same door spacing as the 345s (and no first class?). On that
basis, how could HEx, with no speed or comfort advantage, charge higher
fares than Crossrail?

On the charges issue, they'd be offering a quicker ride from Heathrow to
docklands than Crossrail.

How so?

By running non-stop (modulo Old Oak Common) from Heathrow to Paddington.

It won't be able to use the main lines to the tunnels would it, and
wouldn't be able to run fast and non-stop on the relief lines. And where
would the paths for this come from?

Also offering a through trip from T5, avoiding a change of train which
will be required for Crossrail.

True, but would this be instead of, or in addition to, the Paddington
service?

It would presumably need to use the same class 345 trains as Crossrail, so
that the performance, signalling and door spacing was identical.