On Apr 11, 7:03 pm, "Recliner" wrote:
As I recall, Wembley and the two Sudbury stations were four-tracked (two
through lines, two platform lines), but there was only double track
between the stations. Re-instating that arrangement would make it easier
to have more stoppers at those three stations (not something Chiltern
favours), but wouldn't do much for the overall capacity.

Not forgetting Northolt Park, which was built by the LNER and only
ever had double track.

Reinstating the quadruple track at Wembley Stadium would be easy - the
new bridge does not block the through line formation and the provision
of some mainline crossovers to replace the reversing siding would be
simple. Reinstating the quadruple track at the Sudbury stations would
involve the demolition of the platforms - easier at the northern
Sudbury than the southern Sudbury.

Northolt Junction to West Ruislip would be very easy to restore as
well, and in fact really should have been done a while ago - the
Ruislip branch of the Central Line may benefit from an increased
Chiltern stopping pattern at West Ruislip. Aside from the silliness at
Denham and a rather silly bridge design choice south of Beaconsfield,
the remaining GW&GC Joint formation is sufficiently wide in all the
right places for additional trackage.

Personally, the main problem with quadrupling the Marylebone-Neasden
segment is not the part between Marylebone and Lords, it's the part
between Lords and Canfield Place and between Canfield Place and
Neasden South Junction; it would cost at least 500 million GBP just to
acquire the right-of-way and get wayleaves to finish the tunneling and
demolish everything to the west of the six-tracking north of Finchley
Road.

Besides, the segment's not at capacity yet - the signalling at
Marylebone throat will handle a train every three minutes, and I know
that at best there can't be that many trains in the peak on that
double track segment, and even if there were the average speed is high
enough IMO to allow four-aspect signalling between Canfield Place and
Neasden South Junction.

TheOneKEA wrote:

Northolt Junction to West Ruislip would be very easy to restore as
well, and in fact really should have been done a while ago - the
Ruislip branch of the Central Line may benefit from an increased
Chiltern stopping pattern at West Ruislip.

Although the down platform at West Ruislip occupies the trackbed of the old
down slow line and would need to be demolished and set back again to its
original alignment. Likewise the up platform at Gerrards Cross (and, as you
mention, the new down platform under construction at Denham).

On Apr 12, 8:11 am, "Jack Taylor" wrote:
TheOneKEA wrote:

Northolt Junction to West Ruislip would be very easy to restore as
well, and in fact really should have been done a while ago - the
Ruislip branch of the Central Line may benefit from an increased
Chiltern stopping pattern at West Ruislip.

Although the down platform at West Ruislip occupies the trackbed of the old
down slow line and would need to be demolished and set back again to its
original alignment. Likewise the up platform at Gerrards Cross (and, as you
mention, the new down platform under construction at Denham).

If you're going to mention platforms, don't forget the up platform at
South Ruislip.

I can almost forgive the use of the formation as a foundation for the
new down platform at Denham, but it still seems shortsighted to block
the formation like that.

On Apr 12, 6:46*pm, TheOneKEA wrote:
On Apr 12, 8:11 am, "Jack Taylor" wrote:

TheOneKEA wrote:

Northolt Junction to West Ruislip would be very easy to restore as
well, and in fact really should have been done a while ago - the
Ruislip branch of the Central Line may benefit from an increased
Chiltern stopping pattern at West Ruislip.

Although the down platform at West Ruislip occupies the trackbed of the old
down slow line and would need to be demolished and set back again to its
original alignment. Likewise the up platform at Gerrards Cross (and, as you
mention, the new down platform under construction at Denham).

If you're going to mention platforms, don't forget the up platform at
South Ruislip.

I can almost forgive the use of the formation as a foundation for the
new down platform at Denham, but it still seems shortsighted to block
the formation like that.

The news (to me) about the Northolt to West Ruislip section is
particularly sad. It was a fine section of mainline. I predict that
within 10 years the lost capacity will be needed.

If money had to be spent on that section I could think of more useful
ways to have done it. At West Ruislip and improved interchange could
be very helpful. There should be Cross Platform interchange available
between the terminating Central Line and the down Chiltern (GCGW)
platform.

"TheOneKEA" wrote in message
...

Northolt Junction to West Ruislip would be very easy to restore as
well, and in fact really should have been done a while ago - the
Ruislip branch of the Central Line may benefit from an increased
Chiltern stopping pattern at West Ruislip.

I thought re-instatement of the quadruple track between Northolt Junction
and West Ruislip was supposed to have been done under Evergreen. Was that
dropped in the end? It's not a long section but it would be useful. As
anyone who lives in the Birmingham area will know[1], the provisions of even
short lengths of 4-track helps run a more robust mix of stoppers and fasts
on an essentially 2-track line.

[1] XC and Worcester fasts delayed by cross-city on the west suburban, ditto
south of Longbridge because there is four-tracking but (duh!) the electric
wires are on the fast line (oh, and we've put in a 15 mph turnout from the
down fast to the Barnt Green platforms), ditto at Burton on Trent (four
tracks but the tracks and platforms are all in the wrong place), ditto (in
different ways) Coventry to Brum to Wolves, and Dorridge to Moor Street.

Regards

Jonathan

On Apr 13, 2:05*am, "Jonathan Morton"
wrote:
"TheOneKEA" wrote in message

...



Northolt Junction to West Ruislip would be very easy to restore as
well, and in fact really should have been done a while ago - the
Ruislip branch of the Central Line may benefit from an increased
Chiltern stopping pattern at West Ruislip.

I thought re-instatement of the quadruple track between Northolt Junction
and West Ruislip was supposed to have been done under Evergreen. Was that
dropped in the end? It's not a long section but it would be useful. As
anyone who lives in the Birmingham area will know[1], the provisions of even
short lengths of 4-track helps run a more robust mix of stoppers and fasts
on an essentially 2-track line.

[1] XC and Worcester fasts delayed by cross-city on the west suburban, ditto
south of Longbridge because there is four-tracking but (duh!) the electric
wires are on the fast line (oh, and we've put in a 15 mph turnout from the
down fast to the Barnt Green platforms), ditto at Burton on Trent (four
tracks but the tracks and platforms are all in the wrong place), ditto (in
different ways) Coventry to Brum to Wolves, and Dorridge to Moor Street.

Regards

Jonathan

I agree with everything you say.