The future of Chesham services

The TfL page which was linked to in that blog seems to have been misread/misunderstood by the author of the said blog, which appears to have now mislead you and probably many others......

Yes there's now a proposal to have Chesham trains running through to Central London - BUT.......

Only during off-peak hours!

The peak time shuttle continues (as implied by the linked TfL announcement which states there are no changes to peak service patterns). I'd be interested to know why the author of the said blog thinks this is directly linked to the introduction of S stock - if you're gonna make statements like that, it would help if they knew things as fact rather than having a guess ........

Peak time shuttle? Aren't there two through trains per peak anyway?

This is what the TfL site says on the matter:

This implies the diversion of the two Amershams throughout the day. If this is the case where is the need for the shuttle as the peak service will form part of the 2tph Chesham service. Another point being that TfL are funding extra cars for Chiltern on the provision that Chiltern enhance their peak formations to cater for any reduction in Met peak capacity especially when the S stock comes into traffic..

Could it not be refering to the peak-time-only services though?

There seems a bit of ambiguity on this!

There already are to/from Uxbridge. So I guess if these additional through trains to the City would be from Watford, Amersham, or Chesham?

Indeed - all will become clear no doubt; after all, what's the betting the proposal will happen regardless of whatever feedback TfL get? (me, cynical? Never! ;D ;D)

Might have been clearer if they'd just said here's the new timetable.....what d'ya think?

The proposed changes (as far as I can see) are to make the off-peak service pattern slightly better than the peak one (1 train every 30, rather than 34 minutes). The peak for Amersham and Chesham is when the through trains run, at least in terms of service pattern - seems stupid to have 4tph/2tph shuttle in the 'shoulder peak' of outside through Chesham running when you only will have 2tph/2tph in the peak - the same as off-peak. One guesses that, as through Cheshams happen at the height of the peak (in terms of flow) that the shuttle won't run - that the peak would be made of about 2tph to each location (and 1tph on Chiltern to Amersham) and the off peak would be made up of about 2tph to each location (and 2tph on Chiltern to Amersham).

While most of the interpeak (when DCGS kicks out is a busy time) at Amersham can cope with 2tph on the Met (though Chiltern won't like the move, due to it putting more passengers on it's trains). The only problem is that Amersham is 5 times busier than Chesham between the peaks - so the 5x capacity of double the amount of Mets, that are twice the length (4x Chesham capacity) plus the 2 chilterns (~1x Chesham capacity) that currently exists meets the demand of the two stations proportionately.

What's the source for TfL buying Chiltern stock? It's not really their job and I haven't heard it anywhere else.

As far as I can tell the only reduction in capacity is between Amersham and Chalfont & Latimer. I can't imagine the trains are full on this stretch.

If they ever decide to revert back to a shuttle, and the Croxley Link is built, an Overground diesel unit could be substituted, perhaps?

S stock couldn't use the bay platform as an 8car

The pevious link did actually refer to the Croxley link (pie in the sky maybe) but that would infer a through Watford Jcn to Chesham service.

Couldn't the S stock run to Rickmansworth and reverse there?

Or go the whole hog and have trains do this:

Baker Street - Watford - Baker Street
Baker Street - Watford
Watford - North Curve - Chesham
Chesham - North Curve - Watford
Watford - Baker Street
Baker Street - Watford - Baker Street

(you get the idea)

Send a train round every half and hour, also with the Cheshams getting roped in with the Watfords you could have some sort of direct service all day, even if it is longer. Be a nice run I think though.

EDIT: Just read page five of this thread and see that a similar idea has already been mentioned!!! Never mind.............

One might be interested to know that I tried to order the Chesham consultation leaflet from TfL today, ABBey 1234, but they hadn'y heard of it; neither had the real time new people...Very strange.