Stratford tracks linked to LNER

The edition of Underground News for June 2015 has an excellent article on the New Works Programme, written by a John P McCrickard.

The article can be found here:
www.lurs.org.uk/articles15_htm_files/01%20june%20LPTB%20NEW%20WORKS%20PROGRAMME%2080TH%20ANNIVERSARY.pdf

It considered all the aspects of the Programme. Within each component he listed what was achieved and when it was finished. He also helpfully listed sections which never happened.

In the section dealing with the 'North East London scheme' - the Central Line Eastern Extensions, the works not undertaken he listed the following:

Hainault: Outer (westbound) platform converted to island with additional line.
Stratford: Connections between the eastbound tube and LNER Down Local and westbound tube and LNER UpLocal lines, both immediately east of the station, were to installed "at some later date, if required" Although their traffic purpose is not known.

Perhaps this answers the question raised?

Ted B

To me this sounds like what we would today call passive provision. There wasn't a need for them at that time or in the near future, but they didn't know the long-term future, so the design was done such that they could be easily added if circumstances changed and they became desirable. This seems a very sensible thing to do, even though it turns out that they haven't ever been needed, and the sort of thinking we should encourage in the present day.

We certainly SHOULD, - absolutely right.

But I still feel there is an attitude of "Reasons why NOT" to do something still prevailing

This built in flexibility reminds me of provision for the Dalston Junction east curve route, maintained for a possible future East London service to Stratford. The 2010 platforms must be further south than the original ones, leaving the preserved connection midway along the platform serving trains from Highbury. It is difficult to see how future workings on the eastern curve could be integrated into the current services with this layout. Equally, it is difficult to see any future workings through from the Central Line to the suburban lines east of Stratford. Platform lengthening for the suburban trains has probably covered the intended site of the connections anyway.

The connection between the Met and Central at Ruislip was built when I was a guard at Ricky, late 1973/early 1974. I saw it being built but it wasn't in use in my time there.