On Fri, 21 May 2010 06:53:34 -0700 (PDT), amogles
wrote:

On 21 Mai, 15:35, Bruce wrote:

It is claimed that all the modelling has shown the westbound trains
are likely to be near empty after Paddington. *What would be the point
of carting fresh air on to Maidenhead?


Theyx may be near empty by the time they approach Maidenhead, but
stopping at Paddington is definitely too early. Look at Ealing
Broadway for example. The Circle Line is heavily loaded here as is the
District. Catching the FGW Turbo and changing at Paddington is by far
the fastest way into London and the Turbos are often cramed to
capacity here too.


Valid points, but surely the most important thing is to get Crossrail
under way? Where it terminates and whether the branch to Abbey Woof
via Canary Wharf is included are peripheral to getting the core route
under way. Everything else can be added later.

And just as the mythical western terminus of Maidenhead got initial
approval for Crossrail in better fiscal times, a western terminus at
Heathrow would cut project costs allowing it to go ahead in these
straitened times. It would also allow Ealing Broadway to be served by
the trains that don't terminate at Paddington.