Heathrow-Croydon-Gatwick by rail

maf <mf015a1020@blueyonder.co.uk> writes
>How difficult would it be to achieve a Heathrow-Croydon-Gatwick rail
>connection ? It would reduce M25 load, wouldn't it ?

I believe that all it needs is a small section of track to link the GWML
to the WLL to enable through running.

This would mean that trains from Heathrow would follow the existing
route towards Paddington as far as the Eurostar train depot. A link to
the Willesden-Clapham Junction would then allow trains to follow the
route taken by the existing Willesden Junction-Clapham Junction &
Watford-Brighton via Gatwick trains.

Problem then would be fitting them in amongst all the existing services,
which won't be easy.

--
Dave

> maf wrote:
>
> How difficult would it be to achieve a Heathrow-Croydon-Gatwick rail
> connection ? It would reduce M25 load, wouldn't it ?

Why Croydon?

The Southall to Waste Transfer Station branch virtually connects with
the SR Hounslow loop. A connection there and another (or a reverse) at
Clapham Junction, and you're done.

But I think you need something more direct, which would cost more. As
things are at present, we may not even get all LHR terminals connected
by a single line (i.e. no reversal or change).

Should that be achieved, Heathrow and Luton could be connected via
Uxbridge and Watford, mostly using existing or former lines.

I suspect more new track would be needed for a direct route to Gatwick -
but this would mean the line could be faster. With a 30 minute journey
time, you could destroy the argument for a 3rd runway at LHR by allowing
the two airports to be treated as one for flight connections. I don't
know whether such a railway would be cheaper than the 3rd runway - how
much will 40 Km of CTRL cost?

Of course, if Cliffe were built on the CTRL, connections from half of
Europe could be made as quickly by rail as by air, which would be good
for the planet.

Colin McKenzie

It is already being planned as part of the airport expansion for
Heathrow Terminal 5. There will be an electrified link between West
Drayton and Staines down most of the route of the old GWR branch line
through Poyle. At Staines there will two chords from the re-instated
branch line to join the main line to get to Virgia Water and the West
and the other to get to Feltham, London and ultimately Gatwick.
Likewise there will be an extra chord at West Drayton to allow trains
to divert west to Reading. There is already a link to the east for
Paddington. Midway near Poyle there will be a spur into Terminal 5 -
this will meet up with an extended Heathrow Express branch.

In addition the current Heathrow Express branch will have an extra
chord installed at its northern end so that trains can also divert
west along the main GWR line to Reading etc. Currently there is only a
chord onto the main line to get to Paddington.

Under T5 - the service tunnels of which were built many years ago
during the building of the T4 loop of the Picadilly Line - even before
any planning application for T5 had even started but no-one noticed -
a huge empty box was excavated that will now become the rail
interchange to/from T5. This will include not only a new spur from the
Picadilly Line loop, but also a junction for the Heathrow Express and
the new spur from the West Drayton/Staines branch.

This has all been planned for years.

Crossrail will also use these lines - providing an excellent
connection to/from Heathrow and Stansted and to/from Heathrow and
Luton.

The Local Heathrow Express, which local residents were lead to believe
would also provide local services after all of the noise, dirt and
disruption which was caused when the HEX line was being built, never
actually eventuated. It MAY be introduced in the near future, but most
likely at prices well beyond most airport workers wages.

Meanwhile you can all look forwards to IMMENSE disruption on the GWR
line as Crossrail is being built, on the SWT lines near Staines as the
T5 branch is reinstated, and on the GWR line at West Drayton as all
the various chords, spurs and connections are upgraded or installed.

The GOOD thing about all this rail development at Heathrow is that
given all the new and fast connections between airports and the rest
of the country we wont need a new third runway to be built there -
thereby saving all the houses (10,000) and listed buildings etc., that
will need to be demolished if it does get built.

CJB.

"maf" <mf015a1020@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message news:<PaESa.10331$Df6.3244@news-binary.blueyonder.co.uk>...
> How difficult would it be to achieve a Heathrow-Croydon-Gatwick rail
> connection ? It would reduce M25 load, wouldn't it ?
>
> Mike
> --

tim wrote:
>
> "Colin McKenzie" <colin@proof-read.co.uk> wrote in message
> > (Heathrow to Gatwick)
> > and a couple of spurs, to provide something
> > reasonably direct and about 25 miles long. Main drawback of this route
> > is it wouldn't interchange with the SWT main line, as it'd use the
> > Hampton Court and Claygate branches.
>
> As others have said there is no demand for such a link (and if there
> were it could be routed over current tracks with little new build).
>
Demand is generated when Heathrow is so full that regional flights are
squeezed out in favour of intercontinental ones. People then need to
interchange between LHR and another airport to make flight connections -
which is why the link has to be fast.

Colin McKenzie

"Colin McKenzie" <colin@proof-read.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3F20EFB1.8663A6B4@proof-read.co.uk...
> tim wrote:
> >
> > "Colin McKenzie" <colin@proof-read.co.uk> wrote in message
> > > (Heathrow to Gatwick)
> > > and a couple of spurs, to provide something
> > > reasonably direct and about 25 miles long. Main drawback of this route
> > > is it wouldn't interchange with the SWT main line, as it'd use the
> > > Hampton Court and Claygate branches.
> >
> > As others have said there is no demand for such a link (and if there
> > were it could be routed over current tracks with little new build).
> >
> Demand is generated when Heathrow is so full that regional flights are
> squeezed out in favour of intercontinental ones. People then need to
> interchange between LHR and another airport to make flight connections -

and what percentage of pax are going to accept such a routing?

It's a guarenteed way of persuading pax to route via AMS etc

Tim


> which is why the link has to be fast.
>
> Colin McKenzie

"Dave" <news.reply.0703@dv-8.> wrote in message
news:RhUFsPZmaxG$Ewka@dv-8....
> maf <mf015a1020@blueyonder.co.uk> writes
> >How difficult would it be to achieve a Heathrow-Croydon-Gatwick rail
> >connection ? It would reduce M25 load, wouldn't it ?
>


It wouldn't be that popular either

Not many folks fly into Heathrow to connect at Gatwick or vice-versa

Now Gatwick to Stansted via Luton ? there's a thought