Crossrail 3

Hi all,

As an alternative to the Chelsea-Hackney Line, Mayor Ken Livingstone
talked about a Crossrail 3 between Euston and Waterloo and said this
may go ahead if it has a stronger case than Crossrail 2. Here is a
proposal for a Crossrail 3. Feel free to comment on it.

The Line

The Central tunnel would run from Waterloo, stopping at Temple (at the
western end of the station) and Tottenham Court Road (with an
additional exit near Covent Garden / Leicester Square) before dividing
into two branches: one branch would go to Euston, the other branch to
King's Cross.

From Euston the line would surface near a new Camden Lock station
(either on Parkway (the street) or near Chalk Farm Safeway) and would
continue along the 'DC' lines to Watford Junction. The Bakerloo Line
would be cut back to Queen's Park. As at most 12 trains per hour
(tph) would run on this line, the Bakerloo Line would still be able to
use Stonebridge Park Depot.

From King's Cross the line would continue to Dalston Junction station
and Hackney Central station. The line would then surface near Clapton,
or if this is not possible an underground station at Clapton. Some
trains would then continue to Chingford, others to Stansted Airport.

From Waterloo the line would surface between Vauxhall and Waterloo.
Crossrail 3 would then takeover the Wimbledon slow lines and serve
Vauxhall, Battersea (new platforms), Clapham Junction and on to
Hampton Court (4 tph), Chessington South (4tph), Shepperton (4tph) and
Espom (4tph). The rest of the service would have to terminate in an as
yet undecided location (possibly Clapham Junction - build some
reversing sidings there?). Connections between the fast lines and
slow lines would be retained in the event of an emergency (e.g. if SWT
and Crossrail 3 had to squeeze onto the slow lines).

In the North, the 4tph to Chessington South would go up to Watford
Junction, as would the unspecified 8tph (that terminates somewhere
along the line - Clapham Junction?). The remaining 12tph goes to
Stansted / Chingford (2tph to Stansted, 10tph to Chingford).

Advantages:
 Relief for the Victoria Line, Northern Line, Waterloo & City
Line, the South West Trains network, the Bakerloo Line and the
District Line from Wimbledon.
 South West services that Crossrail 3 takes over are not
diverted away from Waterloo so commuter journeys not affected. North
East services are diverted away from Liverpool Street, but as a result
the Enfield Town / Southbury services will operate at an increased
frequency. Passengers will be able to change at Hackney for Liverpool
Street.
 South West branches get a better service than now, service
cannot be improved due to lack of platforms at Waterloo.
 Relief to Euston, Liverpool Street and Waterloo - delays
reduced on other services into the termini.
 Regeneration of Battersea, Vauxhall, Hackney, Clapton,
Wembley, Harlesden, Stonebridge Park, Willesden Junction, Chingford,
Walthamstow, Clapham Junction and Carpenders Park.
 Increased rail capacity to Camden on Sundays, with new
journey opportunities.
 Less line in tunnel (if the Chelsea-Hackney line is going
underground at Clapham Junction).
 No stations will have to close.
 A direct rail link between Waterloo and King's Cross.
 Reduction in amount of interchange at Victoria.
 Avoids the problem of building a mainline station at
Piccadilly Circus


Note:
 If platform lengthening is too costly 8 car trains could be
run instead of 12 cars. Some empty trains will be starting at, say,
Clapham Junction, so these will cater for commuters further along the
line.