I am puzzled as to why, when on a train for Heathrow, passengers are
advised to "get of and change" at Hounslow West station if they are on
a T5 train and want T4, and like wise if on a T4 train and want T5.
Why not ask them to change trains at Hatton Cross station?
This is nearer to Heathrow and has the advantage that in the event of
a failure on the tube service, there are many buses available at that
station for the airport terminals.

On 5 May, 09:09, wrote:
I am puzzled as to why, when on a train for Heathrow, passengers are
advised to "get of and change" at Hounslow West station if they are on
a T5 train and want T4, and like wise if on a T4 train and want T5.
Why not ask them to change trains at Hatton Cross station?
This is nearer to Heathrow and has the advantage that in the event of
a failure on the tube service, there are many buses available at that
station for the airport terminals.

To give them a second chance if they miss Hounslow West.

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

wrote:
I am puzzled as to why, when on a train for Heathrow, passengers are
advised to "get of and change" at Hounslow West station if they are on
a T5 train and want T4, and like wise if on a T4 train and want T5.
Why not ask them to change trains at Hatton Cross station?
This is nearer to Heathrow and has the advantage that in the event of
a failure on the tube service, there are many buses available at that
station for the airport terminals.

Yes, it's daft. The PA system on the trains is set up to give an
announcement soon after leaving Hounslow West. This gives passengers plenty
of time to understand whether they need to change at Hatton Cross, and if so
to gather their bags on arrival there and make a prompt exit from the train.
By making the announcement from the platform at Hounslow West, passengers
are presented with an instant and unexpected requirement to change there,
which is not a friendly thing to do and is liable to lead to longer dwell
times at Hounslow West. The platform staff think it's daft too, but they've
been told to make the announcements apparently.

--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

"Richard J." wrote in message
m...
wrote:
I am puzzled as to why, when on a train for Heathrow, passengers are
advised to "get of and change" at Hounslow West station if they are on
a T5 train and want T4, and like wise if on a T4 train and want T5.
Why not ask them to change trains at Hatton Cross station?
This is nearer to Heathrow and has the advantage that in the event of
a failure on the tube service, there are many buses available at that
station for the airport terminals.

Yes, it's daft. The PA system on the trains is set up to give an
announcement soon after leaving Hounslow West. This gives passengers
plenty of time to understand whether they need to change at Hatton Cross,
and if so to gather their bags on arrival there and make a prompt exit
from the train. By making the announcement from the platform at Hounslow
West, passengers are presented with an instant and unexpected requirement
to change there, which is not a friendly thing to do and is liable to lead
to longer dwell times at Hounslow West. The platform staff think it's
daft too, but they've been told to make the announcements apparently.


Perhaps what they could have done was switched the running lines lh/rh on
the surface somewhere so that all trains could run to T123 first, and then
use the T4 loop the other way round, or go to T5.

Paul S

Paul Scott wrote:

Perhaps what they could have done was switched the running lines
lh/rh on the surface somewhere so that all trains could run to T123
first, and then use the T4 loop the other way round, or go to T5.

I suggested on this newsgroup 4 years ago that the existing flyover at
Northfields could have been used to do exactly that...

On 5 May, 11:27, "John Rowland"
wrote:
Paul Scott wrote:

Perhaps what they could have done was switched the running lines
lh/rh on the surface somewhere so that all trains could run to T123
first, and then use the T4 loop the other way round, or go to T5.

I suggested on this newsgroup 4 years ago that the existing flyover at
Northfields could have been used to do exactly that...


Surely just simple crossover at hatton cross could sort that out
without having to re-wire the signalling all the way from northfields?

B2003

On Mon, 5 May 2008 11:27:01 +0100, "John Rowland"
wrote:

Paul Scott wrote:

Perhaps what they could have done was switched the running lines
lh/rh on the surface somewhere so that all trains could run to T123
first, and then use the T4 loop the other way round, or go to T5.

I suggested on this newsgroup 4 years ago that the existing flyover at
Northfields could have been used to do exactly that...

I thought this had already been proposed here, and every time I catch
a Heathrow train (and that's quite often!)

That way, trains could have had destinations of simply T4 or T5 and
stations all the way from Cockfosters could have "all Heathrow trains
call at T123".

Could they still find a way to reverse the loop direction with
overnight engineering or a relatively short closure?

"James Farrar" wrote in message

On Mon, 5 May 2008 11:27:01 +0100, "John Rowland"
wrote:

Paul Scott wrote:

Perhaps what they could have done was switched the running lines
lh/rh on the surface somewhere so that all trains could run to T123
first, and then use the T4 loop the other way round, or go to T5.

I suggested on this newsgroup 4 years ago that the existing flyover
at Northfields could have been used to do exactly that...

I thought this had already been proposed here, and every time I catch
a Heathrow train (and that's quite often!)

That way, trains could have had destinations of simply T4 or T5 and
stations all the way from Cockfosters could have "all Heathrow trains
call at T123".

Could they still find a way to reverse the loop direction with
overnight engineering or a relatively short closure?

Can anti-clockwise running trains from the T4 loop get into the
eastbound platform at Hatton Cross (ie, with a crossover at the west end
of the station)? If so, then it might be workable if the frequency is
low enough for a flat crossing to work. Does anyone know why they
didn't adopt this obvious solution? It must have been considered and
rejected.

In article , Recliner
writes
Can anti-clockwise running trains from the T4 loop get into the
eastbound platform at Hatton Cross (ie, with a crossover at the west end
of the station)?

No - the pointwork is right at the end of the westbound platform. To
make room for a crossover you'd have to move the station eastwards by
about 50% of its length.

--
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