"Colin McKenzie" wrote in message
...
Chris Brady wrote:
It is already being planned as part of the airport expansion for
Heathrow Terminal 5. There will be an electrified link between West
Drayton and Staines down most of the route of the old GWR branch line
through Poyle. At Staines there will two chords from the re-instated
branch line to join the main line to get to Virgia Water and the West
and the other to get to Feltham, London and ultimately Gatwick.
Likewise there will be an extra chord at West Drayton to allow trains
to divert west to Reading. There is already a link to the east for
Paddington. Midway near Poyle there will be a spur into Terminal 5 -
this will meet up with an extended Heathrow Express branch.
....

This all sounds suspiciously like what BAA promised during the T5
enquiry - but when the minister made his decision he neglected to
require them to build any of it.

It's the plan that has been 'talked of' for much of the last 15 years.
It has a reasonably positive CBA and doesn't actually cost much
(for a new railway)

My current view is that none of it is likely to materialise

Sadly, I agree.

- except
possibly as sweeteners for the 3rd runway, should the government be so
foolish as to allow that to be built.

There should be a direct LHR to LGW link. I reckon you could link
existing lines with about 10 miles of new line (including the tunnel
from near Feltham),

There is no chance of this happening. The area is too built up (even for
a tunnel)

and a couple of spurs, to provide something
reasonably direct and about 25 miles long. Main drawback of this route
is it wouldn't interchange with the SWT main line, as it'd use the
Hampton Court and Claygate branches.

As others have said there is no demand for such a link (and if there
were it could be routed over current tracks with little new build).

Tim


Colin McKenzie

tim wrote:

"Colin McKenzie" wrote in message
(Heathrow to Gatwick)
and a couple of spurs, to provide something
reasonably direct and about 25 miles long. Main drawback of this route
is it wouldn't interchange with the SWT main line, as it'd use the
Hampton Court and Claygate branches.

As others have said there is no demand for such a link (and if there
were it could be routed over current tracks with little new build).

Demand is generated when Heathrow is so full that regional flights are
squeezed out in favour of intercontinental ones. People then need to
interchange between LHR and another airport to make flight connections -
which is why the link has to be fast.

Colin McKenzie

"Colin McKenzie" wrote in message
...
tim wrote:

"Colin McKenzie" wrote in message
(Heathrow to Gatwick)
and a couple of spurs, to provide something
reasonably direct and about 25 miles long. Main drawback of this route
is it wouldn't interchange with the SWT main line, as it'd use the
Hampton Court and Claygate branches.

As others have said there is no demand for such a link (and if there
were it could be routed over current tracks with little new build).

Demand is generated when Heathrow is so full that regional flights are
squeezed out in favour of intercontinental ones. People then need to
interchange between LHR and another airport to make flight connections -

and what percentage of pax are going to accept such a routing?

It's a guarenteed way of persuading pax to route via AMS etc

Tim


which is why the link has to be fast.

Colin McKenzie

"Dave" wrote in message
...
maf writes
How difficult would it be to achieve a Heathrow-Croydon-Gatwick rail
connection ? It would reduce M25 load, wouldn't it ?



It wouldn't be that popular either

Not many folks fly into Heathrow to connect at Gatwick or vice-versa

Now Gatwick to Stansted via Luton ? there's a thought

In message , Seanie
O'Kilfoyle writes

"Dave" wrote in message
...
maf writes
How difficult would it be to achieve a Heathrow-Croydon-Gatwick rail
connection ? It would reduce M25 load, wouldn't it ?



It wouldn't be that popular either

Not many folks fly into Heathrow to connect at Gatwick or vice-versa

Now Gatwick to Stansted via Luton ? there's a thought



Hmmmmmm which month shall we choose to work on the track in South London
and cause disruption to the Gatwick Express and people trying to get
from London to Gatwick to fly away on summer holidays/ come back from
summer holidays and bring tourists to London and home again. I know!
Just as school holidays start and most of August.
Glad to see the idiots that destroyed Railtrack are doing same great job
at Network Rail.
--
CJG

CJG writes
Hmmmmmm which month shall we choose to work on the track in South
London and cause disruption to the Gatwick Express and people trying to
get from London to Gatwick to fly away on summer holidays/ come back
from summer holidays and bring tourists to London and home again. I
know! Just as school holidays start and most of August.

Which forms the largest passenger market; travellers to/from Gatwick
Airport, or commuters (mainly to/from London, but other places too)?

Glad to see the idiots that destroyed Railtrack are doing same great
job at Network Rail.

Or perhaps they are trying to minimise the impact on the people who
spend the most money - those with expensive season tickets.

--
Dave