LHR T5 to Waterloo
Mar 20, 2018, 1:20 am
#1
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LHR T5 to Waterloo
Looks like those last two platforms at T5 are finally going to be put to use....
Mar 20, 2018, 1:47 am
#2
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Looks like those last two platforms at T5 are finally going to be put to use....
Last edited by lcylocal; Mar 20, 2018 at 3:50 am
Mar 20, 2018, 1:48 am
#3
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
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Looks like those last two platforms at T5 are finally going to be put to use....
Mar 20, 2018, 1:53 am
#5
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What is the point of starting a thread with no real content beyond a cryptic single sentence, and a link to an article that we cannot read? Could you perhaps fill us in with a bit more information please?
Mar 20, 2018, 1:59 am
#6
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To me, this seems to be just political posturing, a rail idea that will spend 20 years in planning and public enquiries even before any earth could ever be dug, and from a hapless transport secretary who can't even get Oyster extended out by 1 stop to his own constituency 
In other words - not going to happen....
In other words - not going to happen....
Mar 20, 2018, 2:00 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2013
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Here's an extract from the article:
Originally Posted by The Times
A new privately built railway line would be constructed into Heathrow from Waterloo station in London under government plans to expand Britain’s rail network without using taxpayer money upfront.
Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, will announce today that a new private operator will be invited to build the eight-mile link from Britain’s busiest railway station to the mainline near its busiest airport outside the usual scope of Network Rail, the state-funded infrastructure company.
...
A private company called Heathrow Southern Railway has already been created to drive the London project. It will be led by the cross-bench peer Baroness Valentine and has secured funding from the American engineering giant Aecom. It has not yet been given approval to build the line, which it estimates would cost up to £1.6 billion.
Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, will announce today that a new private operator will be invited to build the eight-mile link from Britain’s busiest railway station to the mainline near its busiest airport outside the usual scope of Network Rail, the state-funded infrastructure company.
...
A private company called Heathrow Southern Railway has already been created to drive the London project. It will be led by the cross-bench peer Baroness Valentine and has secured funding from the American engineering giant Aecom. It has not yet been given approval to build the line, which it estimates would cost up to £1.6 billion.
Mar 20, 2018, 2:48 am
#8
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Probably will only be of use to passengers from the south west of London. The existing line from Waterloo - Staines - Ascot is incredibly slooooow so probably quicker to take the tube into London.
Mar 20, 2018, 3:00 am
#9
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But, as the UK's only real hub, Heathrow should have rail connections in all directions, as do major airports in Switzerland and Germany. HS2 should also have been routed through Heathrow.
Mar 20, 2018, 3:06 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
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Without going into the more general (de)merits of private vs state investment in railways, isn’t there a precedent for this at LHR - the Heathrow Express, including the line from Airport Junction (tunnels, tracks, and stations) were privately funded by HAL if I recall correctly.
One potential disadvantage, at least from a passenger’s point of view, is that this has enabled remarkably high fares to be charged by HAL/HEx for the trip to Paddington for the last 20 years. Even if you’re on Heathrow Connect, the ‘last leg’ to the airport is rather extortionate. I don’t see any reason why another private operator would not do similar for this new connection.
One potential disadvantage, at least from a passenger’s point of view, is that this has enabled remarkably high fares to be charged by HAL/HEx for the trip to Paddington for the last 20 years. Even if you’re on Heathrow Connect, the ‘last leg’ to the airport is rather extortionate. I don’t see any reason why another private operator would not do similar for this new connection.
Mar 20, 2018, 3:11 am
#11
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It will be for passengers in west Kent, Brighton and any area in southeast London. One change at Waterloo is a great link for them to go to Heathrow. Even Gatwick passengers as well if the proposed rail has a easy link in Clapham Junction. Not every passengers in Heathrow is from London you know.
Mar 20, 2018, 3:27 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
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Is this a revival of the AirTrack proposals? From what I understood, the issue never was funding as it would “only” have cost around £1.5bn to build. It was always the impact of the extra services on the level crossings on the route, going through quite a number of marginal Tory constituencies, including Philip Hammond’s.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Airtrack
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Airtrack
Mar 20, 2018, 3:34 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,894
It will be for passengers in west Kent, Brighton and any area in southeast London. One change at Waterloo is a great link for them to go to Heathrow. Even Gatwick passengers as well if the proposed rail has a easy link in Clapham Junction. Not every passengers in Heathrow is from London you know.
Mar 20, 2018, 4:05 am
#15
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The key hub for this would be Clapham Junction rather than Waterloo so would be very useful for anyone heading from the Brighton Main Line and the connecting networks as well people heading from the South West.
The also seem to envisage the Elizabeth line service to T5 being extended to Staines and HEx being extended to Woking.
Apparently the route being proposed avoids the level crossing problem faced by Airtrack.
If LHR is going to meet its air quality targets from surface transport in order to get the third runway it is going to need schemes like this - whether they are delivered by a private company, Network Rail or TfL is another matter.
The also seem to envisage the Elizabeth line service to T5 being extended to Staines and HEx being extended to Woking.
Apparently the route being proposed avoids the level crossing problem faced by Airtrack.
If LHR is going to meet its air quality targets from surface transport in order to get the third runway it is going to need schemes like this - whether they are delivered by a private company, Network Rail or TfL is another matter.