On Thu, 28 Jun 2007, John B wrote:

On 28 Jun, 11:41, Kev wrote:

(apart from people who think that its only purpose is to speed
commuting times between Maidenhead and Canary Wharf - I suspect these
are the same people who thought Thameslink's purpose was to speed
commuting times between Streatham and St Albans).

You mean to say that isn't what it is for.

The point is that it relieves the pressure on all the central
Underground lines

Well, the Central line, and i think the Met and District, but not to the
same degree. I don't believe it does anything for any other lines; my
memory of the relief maps in the hoary old Central London Rail study is
that most of the nice green and blue bits are to the east.

Now, if they'd gone for the Wimbledon alignment ...

plus Liverpool Street and Paddington mainline stations, plus the other
transport links to Heathrow.

AIUI, Crossrail will take over the Heathrow paths that are currently in
use by Heathrow Connect; it won't provide more trains. Although, of
course, they'll be twice the size. Is HC currently anywhere near capacity?
I've never heard it suggested that it is; i suspect the premium fare may
have something to do with this. Will that go away with Crossrail? Even if
not, i suspect Crossrail will be more attractive than HC, since you don't
have to change at Paddington.

tom

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Biochemistry is the study of carbon compounds that wriggle.