BetterCrossrail website launched
 

"Terry Harper" wrote

Crossrail is not going to be used by London-Reading passengers, who
would take the non-stop options. It would replace the stopping trains
between Reading and Paddington, hopefully taking in Heathrow on the
way. It does not make sense to terminate the stopping service at
Maidenhead, which then requires a second stopping service between
Reading and Maidenhead. That would either terminate at Maidenhead or
run fast to Paddington. Another option would be to extend Heathrow
Express to Reading, if a fast Reading-Heathrow link is needed (which
it probably is).

Crossrail, as currently proposed, would have two western termini, Maidenhead
and Heathrow, with a high proportion of trains terminating at Paddington
(using turnback sidings at Westbourne Park). There is no infrastructure
currently in mind which would allow the Heathrow trains to loop back to the
GWML and continue to Maidenhead or Reading. In fact, it seems likely that
Crossrail would run to T123 then T4, with passengers for T5 having to change
on to HEx at T123.

Existing links between Heathrow and Reading include the RailAir coach,
nominally 40 minutes from T1 (soon to move to Central Bus Station), though
allowed more in the morning peak, while by train it's around 47 minutes,
changing at Hayes & Harlington. Airtrack are proposing around 38 minutes
from T5, calling at Staines High Street, Bracknell and Wokingham.

Peter

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

Peter Masson wrote:

Crossrail, as currently proposed, would have two western termini,
Maidenhead and Heathrow, with a high proportion of trains
terminating at Paddington (using turnback sidings at Westbourne
Park). There is no infrastructure currently in mind which would
allow the Heathrow trains to loop back to the GWML and continue to
Maidenhead or Reading. In fact, it seems likely that Crossrail
would run to T123 then T4, with passengers for T5 having to change
on to HEx at T123.

I would be very surprised if that was the case. With BA flights
concentrated on T5, I would expect the Crossrail service to be split
between T4 and T5, or all of them to go to T5. Why would you expect
them all to go to the station with the least demand of all the three
Heathrow stations?

--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

"Richard J." wrote in message
. ..
Peter Masson wrote:

Crossrail, as currently proposed, would have two western termini,
Maidenhead and Heathrow, with a high proportion of trains
terminating at Paddington (using turnback sidings at Westbourne
Park). There is no infrastructure currently in mind which would
allow the Heathrow trains to loop back to the GWML and continue to
Maidenhead or Reading. In fact, it seems likely that Crossrail
would run to T123 then T4, with passengers for T5 having to change
on to HEx at T123.

I would be very surprised if that was the case. With BA flights
concentrated on T5, I would expect the Crossrail service to be split
between T4 and T5, or all of them to go to T5. Why would you expect
them all to go to the station with the least demand of all the three
Heathrow stations?

When T5 opens, HEx, as the prime/premium serviuce from Paddington, will
divert to T5 and no longer serve T4. Heathrow Connect will be extended to
T4, to maintain a service to T4. Connect trains will then do a T4-T123-T4
shuttle before returning to Paddington, to maintain a 15 minute service at
T4. HEx passengers for T4, and Heathrow Connect passengers for T5 will have
to change at T123. On the Piccadilly Line 2 in 3 or 3 in 4 trains will run
to T123 then T5, not serving T4, while the remainder will use the T4 - T123
route, not serving T5.

It is likely, if Crossrail is built, that Crossrail will take over Heathrow
Connect, at a 4tph frequency, but continue to serve T123 and T4, with HEx
continuing toi serve T123 and T5.

Peter

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:46:30 +0000, Terry Harper
wrote:

Crossrail is not going to be used by London-Reading passengers, who
would take the non-stop options.

Right.

It does not make sense to terminate the stopping service at
Maidenhead, which then requires a second stopping service between
Reading and Maidenhead.

Err... so?

Surely it would be easier to just run the stopping Reading services
with DMUs (Reading-Slough or Reading-Paddington), than to electrify
all the way from Maidenhead to Reading?

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 13:34:46 +0000, asdf
wrote:

On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:46:30 +0000, Terry Harper
wrote:

It does not make sense to terminate the stopping service at
Maidenhead, which then requires a second stopping service between
Reading and Maidenhead.

Surely it would be easier to just run the stopping Reading services
with DMUs (Reading-Slough or Reading-Paddington), than to electrify
all the way from Maidenhead to Reading?

Even easier not to electrify beyond Heathrow. Why have two services
doing the same thing?
--
Terry Harper
Website Coordinator, The Omnibus Society
http://www.omnibussoc.org

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 22:52:50 +0000, Terry Harper
wrote:

It does not make sense to terminate the stopping service at
Maidenhead, which then requires a second stopping service between
Reading and Maidenhead.

Surely it would be easier to just run the stopping Reading services
with DMUs (Reading-Slough or Reading-Paddington), than to electrify
all the way from Maidenhead to Reading?

Even easier not to electrify beyond Heathrow. Why have two services
doing the same thing?

Heathrow is a terminus - ITIYM Hayes & Harlington. It's beneficial to
electrify as far as Maidenhead (or Twyford, really) as this allows a
through service through the Crossrail tunnel, rather than having to
change at Paddington. But such a service from Reading would be
little-used, as it would be much slower than the frequent non-stop
service to London.

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

"asdf" wrote

Heathrow is a terminus - ITIYM Hayes & Harlington. It's beneficial to
electrify as far as Maidenhead (or Twyford, really) as this allows a
through service through the Crossrail tunnel, rather than having to
change at Paddington. But such a service from Reading would be
little-used, as it would be much slower than the frequent non-stop
service to London.

It would be used by commuters to Reading from stations between Ealing and
Twyford, by passengers from those stations changing into an Intercity train
at Reading, and possibly by passengers from Heathrow to Reading, changing at
Hayes & Harlington.

AIUI what wrecked the business case for extending Crossrail through to
Reading was the suggestion that Crossrail would have to pick up the tab for
capacity enhancement and resignalling at Reading, which will be needed over
the next few years whether Crossrail goes there or not. It therefore seems
very opportune for the Parliamentary Committee examining petitions against
the Crossrail Bill to consider petitions that relate to making Reading the
western terminus.

Peter

Peter

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:06:36 +0000 (UTC), "Peter Masson"
wrote:

Heathrow is a terminus - ITIYM Hayes & Harlington. It's beneficial to
electrify as far as Maidenhead (or Twyford, really) as this allows a
through service through the Crossrail tunnel, rather than having to
change at Paddington. But such a service from Reading would be
little-used, as it would be much slower than the frequent non-stop
service to London.

It would be used by commuters to Reading from stations between Ealing and
Twyford, by passengers from those stations changing into an Intercity train
at Reading, and possibly by passengers from Heathrow to Reading, changing at
Hayes & Harlington.

These could all be accommodated by a Paddington-Reading DMU...

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

"asdf" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:06:36 +0000 (UTC), "Peter Masson"
wrote:

Heathrow is a terminus - ITIYM Hayes & Harlington. It's beneficial to
electrify as far as Maidenhead (or Twyford, really) as this allows a
through service through the Crossrail tunnel, rather than having to
change at Paddington. But such a service from Reading would be
little-used, as it would be much slower than the frequent non-stop
service to London.

It would be used by commuters to Reading from stations between Ealing and
Twyford, by passengers from those stations changing into an Intercity
train
at Reading, and possibly by passengers from Heathrow to Reading, changing
at
Hayes & Harlington.

These could all be accommodated by a Paddington-Reading DMU...

which would duplicate Crossrail between Paddington and Maidenhead, taking up
track capacity on the Relief Lines (or running fast between Paddington and
Maidenhead on the Mains, and taking up track capacity there - particularly
as no 125 mph stockj would appear to be avaialable, and in crossing at
Maidenhead East, and in this case many of the passengers I've mentioned
would have to make an extra change at Maidenhead).

Peter

BetterCrossrail website launched
 

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:08:11 +0000 (UTC), "Peter Masson"
wrote:

These could all be accommodated by a Paddington-Reading DMU...

which would duplicate Crossrail between Paddington and Maidenhead, taking up
track capacity on the Relief Lines

Only as much track capacity as they'd take up if they were Crossrail
trains instead...