hawaii2468
Member
- Joined
- 3 Jun 2011
- Messages
- 103
I am quite interested in Heathrow Airtrack as I live nearby and it would be a great convenience to have such a service. However, it was taken out from the project with various dilemmas. Here I would like to make a few points and my thoughts on this airlink and the local train services.
My home station is Staines, which has 6 services hourly towards London Waterloo, 2 to Reading, 2 to Windsor Eton Riverside and 2 to Weybridge.
Of the 6 services to Waterloo, 2 were fast services via Richmond from Reading which is always full or decently filled when it arrives Staines and it takes only 35 minutes to Waterloo. The Windsor service takes slightly longer at 43 minutes and it has plenty of seats at Staines. The slowest service from Weybridge to Waterloo via Houslow takes 55 minutes and is often the least popular service so it's pretty empty at Staines too.
Now, as the projection against Heathrow Airtrack is from the local residents considering about the traffics on some level crossings and based on my experience I have these thoughts which might be solutions for this airport link.
1. Replace the Windsor & Eton Riverside(WER) service with Heathrow Airtrack. I often find the WER line service quiet. The Annual ridership of WER is 1.2 million and the few stops between WER and Staines are very tiny as well, that means the daily ridership is about 3000 for more than 40 services per day. If Southwest Trains use this slot for Heathrow Airtrack and build new station Staines High Street station(SHS) as proposal, it would be terminal for WER. So the main line will be 2 tph Heathrow T5 - Waterloo, branch line SHS - WER. To maintain a 2tph service between WER and Waterloo, it needs at least 5 trains X 8 coachs + 5 drivers at a time. When WER becomes branch line it could be operated under 1-2 train X 1-2 coach + 1-2 driver at a time which will be more economical.
To compensate the inconvenience losing the direct service, the WER train can be arranged to a way that it is 1-2 minutes within connection to the mainline service.
2. Replace the service between Weybridge and Waterloo via Hounslow with Airtrack service between Reading and Heathrow T5 (2tph) . A new branch line would be between Virginia Water and Guildford via Chertsey (2tph).
It doesn't increase the railway traffic frequency on the level crossings in Egham, Virginia water area but provides a better way to travel to Heathrow airport from the West and a new service to Guildford. The branch operation will be similar to the WER branch line so that the connection will be within 1-2 minutes. Then Reading and Guildford will be the Gateways to London airports (LHR and LGW) for trains from the west(Great Western from Cornwall, Wales, Somerset etc) and southwest ( Southampton, Dorset etc).
Well, all above were just my thoughts, please point out any nonsense please.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Heathrow Airtrack Sevice from Waterloo calling at Vauxhall Clapham Junction, Putney, Richmond, Twickenham, Feltham, Ashford, Staines,Staines High Street and Heathrow T5. Whole Journey will take approximately 45 minutes( Currently WER line between WAT and Staines is 39 minutes).
Passengers travelling on Heathrow Airtrack Service from Heathrow T5 to London Waterloo can : AT Staines high street , change to Windsor and Eton riverside; At Tickenham change to Hounslow, Kingston and Wimbledon. At Richmond, change to district line and London overground; Clapham Junction, change to national rail services to London Victoria, East Croydon and Gatwick airport. At Vauhxall, change to Victoria line; London waterloo, change to various tube lines and Waterloo East.
Sounds great doesn't it?
My home station is Staines, which has 6 services hourly towards London Waterloo, 2 to Reading, 2 to Windsor Eton Riverside and 2 to Weybridge.
Of the 6 services to Waterloo, 2 were fast services via Richmond from Reading which is always full or decently filled when it arrives Staines and it takes only 35 minutes to Waterloo. The Windsor service takes slightly longer at 43 minutes and it has plenty of seats at Staines. The slowest service from Weybridge to Waterloo via Houslow takes 55 minutes and is often the least popular service so it's pretty empty at Staines too.
Now, as the projection against Heathrow Airtrack is from the local residents considering about the traffics on some level crossings and based on my experience I have these thoughts which might be solutions for this airport link.
1. Replace the Windsor & Eton Riverside(WER) service with Heathrow Airtrack. I often find the WER line service quiet. The Annual ridership of WER is 1.2 million and the few stops between WER and Staines are very tiny as well, that means the daily ridership is about 3000 for more than 40 services per day. If Southwest Trains use this slot for Heathrow Airtrack and build new station Staines High Street station(SHS) as proposal, it would be terminal for WER. So the main line will be 2 tph Heathrow T5 - Waterloo, branch line SHS - WER. To maintain a 2tph service between WER and Waterloo, it needs at least 5 trains X 8 coachs + 5 drivers at a time. When WER becomes branch line it could be operated under 1-2 train X 1-2 coach + 1-2 driver at a time which will be more economical.
To compensate the inconvenience losing the direct service, the WER train can be arranged to a way that it is 1-2 minutes within connection to the mainline service.
2. Replace the service between Weybridge and Waterloo via Hounslow with Airtrack service between Reading and Heathrow T5 (2tph) . A new branch line would be between Virginia Water and Guildford via Chertsey (2tph).
It doesn't increase the railway traffic frequency on the level crossings in Egham, Virginia water area but provides a better way to travel to Heathrow airport from the West and a new service to Guildford. The branch operation will be similar to the WER branch line so that the connection will be within 1-2 minutes. Then Reading and Guildford will be the Gateways to London airports (LHR and LGW) for trains from the west(Great Western from Cornwall, Wales, Somerset etc) and southwest ( Southampton, Dorset etc).
Well, all above were just my thoughts, please point out any nonsense please.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Heathrow Airtrack Sevice from Waterloo calling at Vauxhall Clapham Junction, Putney, Richmond, Twickenham, Feltham, Ashford, Staines,Staines High Street and Heathrow T5. Whole Journey will take approximately 45 minutes( Currently WER line between WAT and Staines is 39 minutes).
Passengers travelling on Heathrow Airtrack Service from Heathrow T5 to London Waterloo can : AT Staines high street , change to Windsor and Eton riverside; At Tickenham change to Hounslow, Kingston and Wimbledon. At Richmond, change to district line and London overground; Clapham Junction, change to national rail services to London Victoria, East Croydon and Gatwick airport. At Vauhxall, change to Victoria line; London waterloo, change to various tube lines and Waterloo East.
Sounds great doesn't it?