Recliner wrote:
It replaces Heathrow Connect, which terminates at T4. HEx has T5. But I
still doubt the long term future of HEx. If it gets merged into Crossrail,
then all the terminals would be served by the same Tube and Rail services,
which would be much simpler.

Assuming a unified fares structure, does the layout preclude HEx
trains running into the Crossrail tunnel? eg fast Heathrow-Paddington, then
taking the tunnel and going to Abbey Wood, say? I can understand Heathrow
passengers not wanting an additional 6 stops between Heathrow and
Paddington.

Actually, I don't think I've seen the service pattern fully described
anywhere. (ie which branches will be joined together, what will fast and
slow trains do, how many trains will turn back and where - the 'route
diagrams', not just 'X trains per hour to central London'). Has it been
publically stated?

Theo

In message , at 10:16:19 on Wed, 3 Aug
2016, d remarked:
Out of interest, does anyone know how the uplink in train wifi is done in the
UK? Does it use the cellular network or is it a proprietary radio system?

It's a mixture of satellite and HSDPA mobile. Coverage can be very

Satellite on a moving train? Doesn't sound like a reliable system with the
train rocking and bouncing and changing direction all the time plus buildings
getting in the way. I know its used on aircraft but turbulence aside the body
pitching and rolling is generally fairly slow.

https://artes-apps.esa.int/sites/def...A%20ARTES%20Wo
rkshop%20Broadband%20to%20Trains.pdf?

I've also seen satellite Internet fitted to a mobile home (not sure if
it was intended to be used on the move though).
--
Roland Perry

On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 11:48:51 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 10:16:19 on Wed, 3 Aug
2016, d remarked:
Out of interest, does anyone know how the uplink in train wifi is done in
the
UK? Does it use the cellular network or is it a proprietary radio system?

It's a mixture of satellite and HSDPA mobile. Coverage can be very

Satellite on a moving train? Doesn't sound like a reliable system with the
train rocking and bouncing and changing direction all the time plus buildings
getting in the way. I know its used on aircraft but turbulence aside the body
pitching and rolling is generally fairly slow.

https://artes-apps.esa.int/sites/def...A%20ARTES%20Wo
rkshop%20Broadband%20to%20Trains.pdf?

Interesting. That new phased array certainly makes more sense on a moving train
than a physically steered dish IMO.

--
Spud

On 03 Aug 2016 11:29:56 +0100 (BST), Theo
wrote:

Recliner wrote:
It replaces Heathrow Connect, which terminates at T4. HEx has T5. But I
still doubt the long term future of HEx. If it gets merged into Crossrail,
then all the terminals would be served by the same Tube and Rail services,
which would be much simpler.

Assuming a unified fares structure, does the layout preclude HEx
trains running into the Crossrail tunnel? eg fast Heathrow-Paddington, then
taking the tunnel and going to Abbey Wood, say? I can understand Heathrow
passengers not wanting an additional 6 stops between Heathrow and
Paddington.

No, only the Relief lines are connected to the tunnel. Trains on the
Main lines would have to cross the Reliefs on the flat to access the
tunnel.


Actually, I don't think I've seen the service pattern fully described
anywhere. (ie which branches will be joined together, what will fast and
slow trains do, how many trains will turn back and where - the 'route
diagrams', not just 'X trains per hour to central London'). Has it been
publically stated?

From memory, there will be four Abbey Wood trains an hour to Heathrow.
The two Reading trains will go to the Shenfield branch. All the
Crossrail trains are, I think, stoppers.

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at 08:25:38 on Wed, 3 Aug
2016, d remarked:
Of course, the actual order was confirmed in, I think, 2013, not
2008, when discussions first started. So there's really no good
reason why the spec wasn't updated to include Wi-Fi in the
intervening five years of debate, discussion and negotiation.

Is there any plan to fit them with wifi post-delivery?

Allegedly.

Out of interest, does anyone know how the uplink in train wifi is done
in the UK? Does it use the cellular network or is it a proprietary radio
system?

It's a mixture of satellite and HSDPA mobile. Coverage can be very
patchy outside of urban areas. The main problem with the Elizabeth
Line will be whether there's any mobile coverage in the tunnels.
Existing HEx tunnels do have GSM coverage.

I bet the tunnels will have leaky feeder aerials for 4G or some other radio
technology. It's a well-established technology. At work (still Philips then)
we did most of the central London tube stations for emergency coverage after
the King's Cross fire. That was for voice comms. Data is probably easier.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Tue, 02 Aug 2016 19:01:54 -0500,
wrote:

I think it's a Siemens thing. There are no tables of any sort on the 450s
and they have catering trolleys on some journeys!

Plenty of tables on the 444 though... Specify the wrong train, and
you'll get it!

Richard.

On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 09:35:58 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

[...] The main problem with the Elizabeth Line
will be whether there's any mobile coverage in the tunnels. Existing HEx
tunnels do have GSM coverage.

I'd be surprised if there isn't, but then I'm still surprised that the
HS1 tunnels are not fitted. After all, they will have had GSM-R
installed.

Richard.

In article ,
(Richard) wrote:

On Tue, 02 Aug 2016 19:01:54 -0500,
wrote:

I think it's a Siemens thing. There are no tables of any sort on the 450s
and they have catering trolleys on some journeys!

Plenty of tables on the 444 though... Specify the wrong train, and
you'll get it!

Specify the wrong numbers of trains and you get inner suburban trains used
on long distance (Portsmouth fast) services.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Theo wrote:
In uk.transport.london Recliner wrote:

^MOur priority is to get more people from A to B as quickly and as reliably
as possible. These new trains will give us more carriages and more capacity
and much better reliability than existing trains, which is what people
want.

But some of those people will be doing two hour journeys and working on the
train is a thing, sources reveal.

How likely is it that anyone other than the driver will actually be on the
train for that length of time? The routes and stopping patterns seem to be
arranged in a way that the overwhelming majority of journeys will be a lot
shorter.

Robin