Northern Line Battersea Extension - Opened September 20 2021

[Kieran1990]

Has the Northern Line got enough stock to operate a full service to Battersea when it opens in 2021?

 

[Dstock7080]

Has the Northern Line got enough stock to operate a full service to Battersea when it opens in 2021?

Simple answer, it has to.
The order for enhanced jubilee and Northern trains was put on hold

 

[Mikey C]

Simple answer, it has to.
The order for enhanced jubilee and Northern trains was put on hold

I fear the fleet will be worked harder and harder, and reliability to start to suffer. It's not as if more trains can be stopped short (at Golders Green say) as masses of houses are being built for example in the Colindale area, with a new station to cope with the extra number. TfL themselves want to build loads of flats above Finchley Central.

 

[ainsworth74]

Thread reopened

 

[ainsworth74]

Someone reported this thread asking for it to be re-opened with the news that the Northern Line extension is now due to open on 20 September. I sorta figured they'd come back to post something but I guess I'll do it instead!

Anyway, big news! The Northern Line extension is now due to open on Monday 20 September 2021!

New Northern line stations to open on 20 September​

03 September 2021
New Tube stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station to welcome their first customers later this month

Transport for London (TfL) has today confirmed that the two new Tube stations making up the Northern Line Extension will open to the public on Monday 20 September. The two step-free, Zone 1 stations at Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms are set to dramatically improve the connectivity of these vibrant south London neighbourhoods and contribute to the capital's recovery from the pandemic at a vital time.

Major construction on the 3km twin-tunnel railway between Kennington and Battersea Power Station, via Nine Elms, began in 2015. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the construction project has stayed on track for an autumn opening.

Tube services on the extension will start on Monday 20 September, running from Kennington station on the Charing Cross branch. There will be an initial peak time service of six trains per hour on the extension, increasing to 12 trains per hour by mid-2022. There will be five trains per hour during off-peak times, doubling to 10 trains per hour next year.

The Northern Line Extension is the first major Tube extension this century and is supporting around 25,000 new jobs and more than 20,000 new homes. In addition, construction of the extension boosted the UK economy and supported around 1,000 jobs, including 79 apprenticeships.

Around 100 members of station staff are currently undertaking training to become familiar with the two new step-free Tube stations, and Northern line drivers are receiving instruction on the new route. Work is also nearing completion on Art on the Underground's major new permanent artwork by London-based Brazilian artist Alexandre da Cunha, which is being installed at Battersea Power Station Underground station ahead of the launch.

...

New Northern line stations to open on 20 September

New Northern line stations to open on 20 September

tfl.gov.uk

 

[jon0844]

Has anyone double checked that they've fitted out the stations and laid down the track?

 

[rebmcr]

Has anyone double checked that they've fitted out the stations and laid down the track?

That's either a very dry joke or a very strange question!

 

[bramling]

Someone reported this thread asking for it to be re-opened with the news that the Northern Line extension is now due to open on 20 September. I sorta figured they'd come back to post something but I guess I'll do it instead!

Anyway, big news! The Northern Line extension is now due to open on Monday 20 September 2021!

New Northern line stations to open on 20 September

New Northern line stations to open on 20 September

tfl.gov.uk

Given the new timetable comes in on the 19th, one wonders if there will be a “soft launch” on the Sunday afternoon, as tends to be TfL practice nowadays.

 

[Dstock7080]

Given the new timetable comes in on the 19th, one wonders if there will be a “soft launch” on the Sunday afternoon, as tends to be TfL practice nowadays.

There is no Timetable Notice issued (yet) for 20 September, indications are that WTT 58 will commence 19 September as planned, with empty running to/from Battersea

 

[Cdd89]

I must admit that five trains per hour in the off-peak is a slightly disappointing frequency; I wouldn’t call that a walk-up-and-go service, rather it’s something where I’ll check the timetable.

 

[bramling]

I must admit that five trains per hour in the off-peak is a slightly disappointing frequency; I wouldn’t call that a walk-up-and-go service, rather it’s something where I’ll check the timetable.

5tph is what most of the Tyne & Wear Metro has, and most people seem to treat that as turn up and go.

Considering the challenges with staff training, I’d say getting going with 5tph isn’t a bad service at all. There isn’t that much around Battersea (yet), and Nine Elms is close to both Stockwell and Vauxhall for those who want a more frequent service.

It will be interesting to see the effect this extension has on the local area, the environs around both new stations are currently rather run-down.

Having said all that, the Northern Line is very much a “runs to timetable” railway these days, so the booked timings should be fairly reliable, though expect cancellations due to crew issues in the shorter term.

 

[Ianno87]

Given the new timetable comes in on the 19th, one wonders if there will be a “soft launch” on the Sunday afternoon, as tends to be TfL practice nowadays.

That sprung to my mind too.

I must admit that five trains per hour in the off-peak is a slightly disappointing frequency; I wouldn’t call that a walk-up-and-go service, rather it’s something where I’ll check the timetable.

Is that essentially every fourth Charing Cross branch train? That would imply every Battersea service going to either High Barnet or Edgware, but not both, to "contain" the service.

Suggest also a low initial service frequency is also compatible with Morden having to take most of the Charing Cross service for several months next year during the Bank blockade.

 

[AndrewE]

Is there an updated tube (or all-rail) map which shows the new extension?

 

[LeeLivery]

I must admit that five trains per hour in the off-peak is a slightly disappointing frequency; I wouldn’t call that a walk-up-and-go service, rather it’s something where I’ll check the timetable.

I doubt it'll be particularly busy this year anyway - visited BPS in the summer and it's is still a huge construction site. Nine Elms will probably be busier and that's not even 5 mins walk away from Vauxhall station

 

[The exile]

I must admit that five trains per hour in the off-peak is a slightly disappointing frequency; I wouldn’t call that a walk-up-and-go service, rather it’s something where I’ll check the timetable.

There’s an awful lot of bits of the country (including heavily built up urban areas) that would be glad to disappointed by that level of frequency!!!!

 

[rebmcr]

I doubt it'll be particularly busy this year anyway - visited BPS in the summer and it's is still a huge construction site.

Handy for construction workers then!

 

[pdeaves]

For those of us 'into' such things, does anyone have mileages [1] for the new line, please?

[1] I suppose for Underground that should be 'kilometrages' but that just sounds wrong to me!

 

[Dstock7080]

For those of us 'into' such things, does anyone have mileages [1] for the new line, please?

Kennington and Nine Elms 2.10
Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station 1.04 3.14km

Is that essentially every fourth Charing Cross branch train? That would imply every Battersea service going to either High Barnet or Edgware, but not both, to "contain" the service.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/northern-line.220114/page-2#post-5253883

Battersea trains every 12min off-peak via Charing Cross; pattern= Barnet, Mill Hill, Barnet, Barnet, Barnet each-hour.
15min service from Mill Hill; alternating Morden via Bank; Battersea via Charing Cross; Morden via Bank; Kennington via Charing Cross each hour.
still 15tph off-peak Charing Cross trains use Kennington loop

 

[rebmcr]

Kennington and Nine Elms 2.10
Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station 1.04 3.14km

Is that the average, or specific to one of the running tunnels? With what public domain information there is about their route from the Loop, I don't think it's possible for them to be identical.

 

[Dstock7080]

Is that the average, or specific to one of the running tunnels? With what public domain information there is about their route from the Loop, I don't think it's possible for them to be identical.

those are the distances in Kms from the Working Timetable

 

[Hadders]

I travel frequently to Nine Elms for business reasons. Vauxhall tube station is extremely busy in the morning between 07:00 and 08:00 (construction workers) to the point that the TfL journey planner tells you to walk from Pimlico if you input a Kings Cross to Vauxhall journey at that time of day.

The whole area is undergoing massive transition, every time I visit it seems that a new tower block has gone up!

 

[pdeaves]

Kennington and Nine Elms 2.10
Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station 1.04 3.14km

Many thanks.

 

[swt_passenger]

That's either a very dry joke or a very strange question!

Especially when there’s plenty of YouTube content showing it all finished and trains moving…

 

[pdeaves]

Especially when there’s plenty of YouTube content showing it all finished and trains moving…

Suspect an oblique reference to Crossrail "we're nearly ready to open... oh no we're not, there's still loads of construction to do".

 

[bramling]

Suspect an oblique reference to Crossrail "we're nearly ready to open... oh no we're not, there's still loads of construction to do".

We can be assured Battersea is pretty much finished, timetabled trains have already been running successfully on some weekends.

Staff training is of course another matter entirely, but that’s partly why things start with a relatively sparse service.

My guess is that the biggest issue to begin with will be a 24-minute gap if a train is missing. I don’t think it’s going to be viable to arrange cancellations to avoid Battersea services. In theory it’s possible to send something else there to compensate, but only if the runes line up!

 

[Busaholic]

I doubt it'll be particularly busy this year anyway - visited BPS in the summer and it's is still a huge construction site. Nine Elms will probably be busier and that's not even 5 mins walk away from Vauxhall station

Given how many NR stations in South and South East London would die for a 12 minute frequency offpeak, I think they're extremely fortunate to get that until evidence shows they are well-used. It seems appropriate to me, which, if it is indeed the case, shows the extension should have gone to the back of a long queue, maybe never to see the light of day.

 

[bramling]

Given how many NR stations in South and South East London would die for a 12 minute frequency offpeak, I think they're extremely fortunate to get that until evidence shows they are well-used. It seems appropriate to me, which, if it is indeed the case, shows the extension should have gone to the back of a long queue, maybe never to see the light of day.

I suspect Battersea itself will be fairly busy in time. I’m not so sure about Nine Elms though, with Vauxhall and Stockwell just round the corner (though point taken about Vauxhall being an unpleasant station to use at times).

Nine Elms will no doubt get some regeneration over time. The station isn’t in the nicest of locations as things are at the moment.

 

[LeeLivery]

Handy for construction workers then!

Well, that's true!

Given how many NR stations in South and South East London would die for a 12 minute frequency offpeak, I think they're extremely fortunate to get that until evidence shows they are well-used. It seems appropriate to me, which, if it is indeed the case, shows the extension should have gone to the back of a long queue, maybe never to see the light of day.

Compared to what most of us are used to in South London it really is very fortunate. I'm looking forward to seeing just how popular it'll prove to be in a development primarily made for the rather wealthy.

 

[MikeWh]

I’m not so sure about Nine Elms though, with Vauxhall and Stockwell just round the corner (though point taken about Vauxhall being an unpleasant station to use at times).

If the blurb is correct about it being a zone 1 only station then it may well take custom away from Stockwell. Although if you're going south you'll be better off at either Vauxhall or Stockwell. These won't be easy messages to get across though.

 

[172101]

In the new timetable all the Battersea trains run to/from High Barnet except for a handful of early/Late trains to Edgware & Mill Hill East which is interesting as when the service was oringinally going to bve spilt into 2 lines it was going to run from Edgware to Battersea and the Northern Line High Barnet/Mill Hill East to Morden.

I fear the fleet will be worked harder and harder, and reliability to start to suffer. It's not as if more trains can be stopped short (at Golders Green say) as masses of houses are being built for example in the Colindale area, with a new station to cope with the extra number. TfL themselves want to build loads of flats above Finchley Central.

One answer to this would be to turn say every 3rd train (peak times) at Colindale and Finchley Central like the Jubilee does at West Hampstead to help with new builds.
I know for a fact that north of Finchley Central definetly doesnt need all the trains running to High Barnet. Most of these are nearly empty.