Feltham Marshelling Yards, recent cleanup.

[janahan]

Wonder if anyone here can shed light to this:

Recently I had noticed part of the grounds where feltham Marshelling Yards used to be have been cleared of forestation, and fences put up clearly marking an area that is pretty rectangular, and looks like a future train stabling area similar to the vein as what was proposed for the Airtrack proposal.

Anyone have any idea about whats going on?

 

[swt_passenger]

It isn't mentioned in any extant NR stuff (i.e. publicly accessible) that I can find.

Might be worth having a search through the local (Hounslow) planning application site, some stuff pops up as planning applications first...

...later, this will probably be it:

FELTHAM RE-SIGNALLING SITE COMPOUND FORMER MARSHALLING YARD HARLINGTON ROAD EAST FELTHAM LONDON TW13 5BN

Prior approval for the construction of a temporary site compound with associated facilities for a period of 5 years

Planning Reference: 00553/F/PA2

The proposed development site is located in Feltham within the London Borough of Hounslow, located approximately 500 meters east of Feltham railway station. The proposed development would provide a temporary site compound which will be used by Network Rail to facilitate the delivery of the Feltham Re- Signalling Scheme, which is an integral part of the wider Wessex Capacity Programme.
The compound will be used as a base for the team delivering the Feltham Re-Signalling Scheme and will comprise a principal site office, a plant building, storage facilities and parking. The proposed development site is located within the western area of the Feltham Marshalling Yard site and will have a total surface area of 33,200 m2 (3.32 hectares). The remaining area of the Feltham Marshalling Yard will not be used during the construction or operation of the development. Following the five year operational period of the development, the site and all associated infrastructure would be decommissioned.

 

[janahan]

Aha, thanks for that! I searched everywhere, but did not spot that.

That would explain the clearing, and other associated works.

Though admittedly, I am a bit disspointed, as I thoguht judging by the size of the clearing, there is enough space to stable a few 10 car trains!

 

[swt_passenger]

An interesting point about the application is that the entire marshalling yard site is still Network Rail 'operational land' in terms of ownership; yet is also declared as an open green space, some sort of an SSI.

The planning officials report highlights the usual load of random local objections (loss of light?, traffic, noise etc) even for this temporary use, but if NR actually did decide to return it to a full time rail use surely it would still come under permitted development rights?

How can an outside authority declare it as some sort of open space, to the extent that locals are seemingly under a misapprehension that it will never be used again?

 

[janahan]

From what I beleive (I am from around the area, hence my interest), the site of the old marshelling yeards is supposed to be private lands still owned by NR as the successor to BR, except for a small area sold to Royal Mail to house the Jubilee Mail Sorting center.

As such it is supposed to be out of bounds for the normal public (though I doubt they had rigidly enforced it in the past).

They still own the site around the old locomotive sidings, apart from the part they sold to make the St Giles hotel, and that area is still used by NR to store equipment, and the likes.

 

[Bookd]

This land was very useful a few years ago when a culvert collapsed closing the line. As the railway owned the surrounding land a temporary diversion was built in about a week.