Post by mrjrt on Apr 2, 2006 12:02:39 GMT
On one of my random bits of research I started reading about the St Alban's Abbey line, and the interesting situation it finds itself in.
In the seemingly far off situation of the Croxley rail link being built, it seems like a natural progression for a grade separated junction or fly under to continue along the route of the branch, though current traffic levels don't seem to warrant line doubling, though long-needed better services might be the catalyst that generates patronage. This would solve the awkward situation that will ensue once TfL takes over the Silverlink Metro services, as I haven't found details of who will be running that branch on TfL's behalf yet.
However, I would guess that the sheer length of the whole route, coupled with the fact that it passes the M25 boundary (which I take as being the effective boundary within which TfL wants to operate with only a few exceptions), makes it an unlikely consideration for the future. Though I don't think you'd get many London commuters given the Thameslink services already in St Albans, so the traffic would be all Hertfordshire commuters and shoppers, which , if you've seen the state of the traffic up here, could still be enough.
What would be a better idea IMHO, is for the Met to lose the Watford branch completely, and for one of the mainline franchises (Chiltern?) to operate an orbital service along, say Aylesbury, Amersham, Rickmansworth, Watford, St Albans and even possibly along to Hatfield in the event of that separate old corridor being rebuilt. I really think it would benefit Herts immensely to have an orbital corridor, though of course it will not even be considered for another 40 years or so knowing how petrol-friendly government is these days. I still shudder when I think about that daft rubber wheeled transit scheme they wanted to rip the branch up for back in the late 90's. *shudder*
I know, only vaguely connected to the Met, but still, (cost-related viability aside) good idea/bad idea?
In the seemingly far off situation of the Croxley rail link being built, it seems like a natural progression for a grade separated junction or fly under to continue along the route of the branch, though current traffic levels don't seem to warrant line doubling, though long-needed better services might be the catalyst that generates patronage. This would solve the awkward situation that will ensue once TfL takes over the Silverlink Metro services, as I haven't found details of who will be running that branch on TfL's behalf yet.
However, I would guess that the sheer length of the whole route, coupled with the fact that it passes the M25 boundary (which I take as being the effective boundary within which TfL wants to operate with only a few exceptions), makes it an unlikely consideration for the future. Though I don't think you'd get many London commuters given the Thameslink services already in St Albans, so the traffic would be all Hertfordshire commuters and shoppers, which , if you've seen the state of the traffic up here, could still be enough.
What would be a better idea IMHO, is for the Met to lose the Watford branch completely, and for one of the mainline franchises (Chiltern?) to operate an orbital service along, say Aylesbury, Amersham, Rickmansworth, Watford, St Albans and even possibly along to Hatfield in the event of that separate old corridor being rebuilt. I really think it would benefit Herts immensely to have an orbital corridor, though of course it will not even be considered for another 40 years or so knowing how petrol-friendly government is these days. I still shudder when I think about that daft rubber wheeled transit scheme they wanted to rip the branch up for back in the late 90's. *shudder*
I know, only vaguely connected to the Met, but still, (cost-related viability aside) good idea/bad idea?
