Shepherd's Bush Overground: Wall to be moved
This month's board papers contain the first ever direct discussion by TfL of what happened and Shepherd's Bush, and what they plan to do about it:
A new station at Shepherd’s Bush on the West London Line (WLL) has been constructed by Westfield together with Network Rail, prior to TfL taking over responsibility for Overground services. It was hoped that this would be opened in time for the start of London Overground services, launched by the Mayor on the 12 November. However, the north-bound platform has insufficient width, given projected passenger levels. Dialogue has taken place with Westfield and Network Rail with a view to rectifying this situation by moving the platform retaining wall and widening access to the platform. It is hoped to provide an opening date once the project plan has been completed. It is estimated that the work will take 4 months following agreement to provide.That puts the earliest opening possible opening date as mid-Summer.
7 comments:
Parkinson's law says that a November grand opening date for the Shepherd's Bush complex in its entirety is what will happen.
Still, if it finally resolves the issue, then we'll have a brand new station for end of the year.
Now to persuade the DfT to allow all Southern services to stop there...
THC
And another thing...
Has anyone at Network Rail, TFL, Southern Trains or EWS thought that the West London Line would be flexible and efficient if the changeover between the overhead electric system and the third rail system were to take place at a passenger station as oppose to in the middle of nowehere?
I use this route every day, and get annoyed every time my train stops for a few minutes, while most passengers sit there wondering what's going on.
Moan, moan, whinge, whinge
Amusingly, the paragraph about this in the Board Papers is headed 'Shepherds Bus' - cos there are no trains or tubes at the moment presumably...
The overhead wiring can't be extended south at the moment because it would interfere with the signalling on the Hammersmith & City Line (which is due to be replaced soon). Extending the third rail north to Willesden Junction would be a major task, as it'd have to go over the junction with the NLL and possibly all the way to the reversing siding beyond.
The new stock should be capable of changeover on the move, the existing Southern stock can - even though it doesn't at the moment, presumably because the normal timetable allows for the dwell on a 'worst case' basis.
Thanks. It's good know the Southern EMUs can change from AC to DC on the move, as I've wondered why only the Eurostars do it.
April 7th. I am pleased to report progress on a new wall has begun, to enable the platform to be widened. I would not like to estimate an early completion but the autumn looks quite achievable.
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