MLX Metropolitan Line Extension (Go-ahead for Croxley Link)

Sorry I've been of the scene for a while, but when I was a guard at Ricky in 1973, they were planning the Croxley link then, and it was to be completed by 1976!

Indeed - a Watford or Watford Junction - Chesham shuttle would be quite useful, depending on how much Chesham users really like the through train to London

Well, I'd be quite happy with a Watford Junction to Chesham shuttle service, but that's just me. Maybe, as part of the planning process for new services, LU shoud try asking people what they would prefer? Can't meet all aspirations but a transparent and communicative process would be the way to go.

I know I just mentioned it in the mistaken post but if this has not been mentioned here, Watford West will not reopen, with the new Watford Hospital station being opened on a new site near to the old Watford Stadium station

Having looked at the new plans & sections document of the TWAO submission, I can't see what the problem with Watford West's gradient could be! The proposed new station of the hospital is on more of a slope. I've a sneaking feeling that it's more to do with the fact that the plans for the health campus indicate a possible station location where the proposed campus footprint goes over the line, at roughly position 90 on sheet 4 of the plans and sections. To build a station there, where the river Colne has a branch and the land is marshy, would be much more expensive.

This is the only quick bit of the project so far @23 years and counting!

XF

The illustrative masterplan doesn't look quite right for the link... its as though they recon the formation needs only to be 12 feet wide by the access road

The road looks to be just to the south of the formation of the Colne loop spur (is that what is was called?). Not smart building a research lab on the site of the depot, what with sidings being lost all over the system yet an increase in total number of trains. Aand, pray, if the Bakerloo is ever extended north or south where will its stabling provision be?? Croxley Depot seemed to be the only site available near anywhere the Bloo might find accessible.

All in all, another win

Yeah. I noticed, too, that the Ebury Way cycle route doesn't even warrant an entrance into the new Health Campus. So much for the "healthy lifestyle choices" ethos of the development - they could easily have fitted in some platforms where that Ebury Way junction is, with pedestrian and cycle access directly into the campus.
I wonder if the Croxley Rail Link plans include the retaining wall needed for that lake? I'll just have a look.

[EDIT]
www.croxleyraillink.com/consultation/publications/public-information-release-november-2011.aspx
Sheet 4. Oops. No, it doesn't. Very different documents. Hmmm...

"Brown field development" is no longer the easy option as it once was. This applies everywhere throughout England now. Elf N, Safety has got on the case, and found it a good way of spending money that is otherwise unavailable. Proposed Brownfield Landbuild has to be tested for all sorts of things (which they always seem to find if they look hard enough), and then the decontamination process begins at great expense. Mercury always seems to be there for some reason, and who knows what else. Even in times of great financial restraint, money now has to be found for this circus, even on land where the intention is to tarmac the lot over and turn it into a car park, so any toxics would be under 6ft of concrete. All contaminated soil has to be taken away, decontaminated, etc, etc, etc.

Still it's keeping people in employment, and the apparatchiks happy..

Would 4 trains being out-stabled at the site of (the former) Watford Station be sufficient for this extension?

There still are four, and a bay for a fifth that is occupied by signalling gear.

Eh? There was a post here saying about having 2 lower height Bakerloo platforms and 2 standard height Metropolitan/LOROL platforms at Watford Junction.
Someone must have deleted it.

Seeing mention of sufficient trains I can't recall seeing any mention of whether extra trains will be needed to ensure that the Watford branch service maintains its present 15 minute off peak service. It seems likely that the extra mileage will require extra units unless the timetable is amended to rob the trains needed from other branches of the Met line service. Maybe Uxbridge only every ten minutes o.p.?! Maybe the alternative is to reduce the now generous layover time at the present Watford Met station although an allowance will need to be made in the event of conflicting moves where the branch joins the DC delaying the Met service

I can confirm this, yes.