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Post by sibodkent on May 15, 2009 10:50:37 GMT
www.crossrail.co.uk/pages/crossrailstations.htmlWith work having now started on Crossrail, and the fact that a route from Abbey Wood is being built as part of this, surely - allowing for an interchange at either Woolwich or Abbey Wood, and 100mph trains with no 'premium' fare direct into central london, people in north kent will be far less willing to use the CTRL Chavline service? I can get to Woolwich Arsenal in under 25 minutes from Gravesend, and then a 100mph service to Liverpool street, Faringdon or Tottenham Court Road in I would assume, less than 20 minutes from there. No tube, less than half the walking time, and on apparently fast trains. Aside from that, one wonders if the interchange at Stratford will allow customers to easily move from CTRL to Crossrail? That would quite possibly get one into the City very eficiently?
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Post by chapelwood on May 15, 2009 11:34:32 GMT
The Crossrail station at Woolwich will be at a new location, and not close to Woolwich Arsenal station. Interchange from Southeastern will be at Abbey Wood. Although the Crossrail trains will be capable of 100 mph the permitted speed in tunnels will be limited to 60 mph, and the route from Abbey Wood will be almost entirely in tunnel - they will go into tunnel soon after Abbey Wood; the Woolwich station will be in tunnel. They will come to the surface briefly at Silvertown, then go into the existing Connaught tunnel under the connection between the Victoria and Albert Docks. They will then come to the surface briefly to call at Custom House station, before going into tunnel for the cross-London section. Trains will call at all stations - from Abbey Wood, Woolwich, Custom House, Isle of Dogs (close to Canary Wharf), Whitechapel, Liverpool Street, Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street, Paddington. My guess is that journey time will be about 20 minutes Abbey Wood to Liverpool Street, and about 25 minutes to Tottenham Court Road. So from Gravesend it will entirely depend on the exact Central London destination whether Southeastern to a traditional terminus, Abbey Wood and Crossrail, or HS2 to St Pancras will be quickest. The Stratford International stop on HS2 will be some distance away from the existing Stratford Regional station (at which Crossrail trains from Shenfield will stop). The earlier plan for a travelator between the two stations has been ditched, so it will be either a tidy step, or one stop on the DLR. This will be a possible route from Gravesend and Medway to Docklands and Central London, using the Jubilee Line to Docklands or the Central Line to Central London. Even with the poor interchange at Stratford it will probably be quicker to Canary Wharf than changing from Southeastern to he DLR at Woolwich Arsenal, Gereenwich, or Lewisham, or going via London Bridge and back out again. Chapelwood
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Post by O.V.S.Bulleid on May 15, 2009 12:57:03 GMT
Dear chapelwood My understanding is that Crossrail will run on the surface to just short of Plumstead. Having said that, isn't it a shame that trains are (at present) going to be 25kv AC only. An extension to Ebbsfleet would be obvious but not via Dartford I would suggest. There is to be another Thames Crossing so why not consider it as a rail crossing and extend CrossRail under the Thames to Purfleet and then straddle the CTRL back under the Thames and into the new Gravesend route platforms at Ebbsfleet? (Yes I know that they would have to go from either side in Essex to centre coming out in Kent - but we have engineers who can take care of that bit of design work.) This would provide local Cross Thames links to connect from Barking and the Tottenham & Hampstead Line to international rail services, also Southend via the LT&S to the Woolwich area. The faster CrossRail trains - still running on 25kv - could continue to Medway (which would be cheaper 25kv catenary or third rail on trains?) Medway to CrossRail - and walk - should be as quick as Cannon Street and walk and much better than St Pancras for commuters. Given my posting on the CTRL fares board it is most likely that a better cost/benefit case would arise by letting the international trains occupy the majority of the St Pancras route capacity and move domestic passengers to a more useful service. Shall I also post this on the Kent RUS message board? Yours sincerely O.V.S.Bulleid (I'm beginning to get addicted to Smileys)
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