What line was this...
 

Just east of where the piccadilly line crosses the central line east
of hangar lane theres a spur line curving off north from the main line
which looks like its recently been lifted (on google maps) that heads
off into an industrial estate and terminates just the other side of
the road to the grand union canal. Anyone know what this spur was used
for?

B2003

What line was this...
 

On May 8, 9:40 am, Boltar wrote:
Just east of where the piccadilly line crosses the central line east
of hangar lane theres a spur line curving off north from the main line
which looks like its recently been lifted (on google maps) that heads
off into an industrial estate and terminates just the other side of
the road to the grand union canal. Anyone know what this spur was used
for?

B2003

Sounds like the spur to the Guinness brewery

What line was this...
 

On May 8, 9:45 am, chunky munky wrote:
Sounds like the spur to the Guinness brewery

Has it closed or does it all go by road now?

B2003

What line was this...
 

Boltar wrote:
On May 8, 9:45 am, chunky munky wrote:
Sounds like the spur to the Guinness brewery

Has it closed or does it all go by road now?

Closed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3628941.stm

ESB

What line was this...
 

"Boltar" wrote in message

On May 8, 9:45 am, chunky munky wrote:
Sounds like the spur to the Guinness brewery

Has it closed or does it all go by road now?

I think the rail connection was disused well before the brewery closed.
The brewery was soon demolished and the area is now turning into an
office park, with an increasing need for public transport (given that
the North Circular and A40 are very slow moving in the mornings).

What line was this...
 

"Recliner" wrote in message
...
"Boltar" wrote in message

On May 8, 9:45 am, chunky munky wrote:
Sounds like the spur to the Guinness brewery

Has it closed or does it all go by road now?

I think the rail connection was disused well before the brewery closed.
The brewery was soon demolished and the area is now turning into an office
park, with an increasing need for public transport (given that the North
Circular and A40 are very slow moving in the mornings).

Isn't there a plan for another new underground station associated with the
development?

Paul S

What line was this...
 

On May 8, 2:51 pm, "Recliner" wrote:
I think the rail connection was disused well before the brewery closed.
The brewery was soon demolished and the area is now turning into an
office park, with an increasing need for public transport (given that

I wonder of Google will ever implement a historic Google Maps or
Google Earth, so you could flick through images of areas such as this
of say 1,2,5 or 10 years ago and see how they changed. I think it
would be quite fascinating. I suppose the only way you could do it at
the moment is screen grab whatever its showing at the time and saving
the images for posterity.

B2003

What line was this...
 

On Thu, 8 May 2008, Paul Scott wrote:

"Recliner" wrote in message
...
"Boltar" wrote in message

On May 8, 9:45 am, chunky munky wrote:
Sounds like the spur to the Guinness brewery

Has it closed or does it all go by road now?

I think the rail connection was disused well before the brewery closed.
The brewery was soon demolished and the area is now turning into an office
park, with an increasing need for public transport (given that the North
Circular and A40 are very slow moving in the mornings).

Isn't there a plan for another new underground station associated with
the development?

Yes, on the Central line. I was under the impression that this was going
to be a new set of platforms for Park Royal station (on the Piccadilly),
but it seems it's far enough away that it'll be a separate station.

That the distance between them is so large, attentive utl readers will
recall, is because the Central line here goes up a slope, and platforms on
slopes are no longer allowed.

tom

--
Got a revolution behind my eyes - We got to get up and organise

What line was this...
 

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
h.li
On Thu, 8 May 2008, Paul Scott wrote:

"Recliner" wrote in message
...
"Boltar" wrote in message

On May 8, 9:45 am, chunky munky
wrote:
Sounds like the spur to the Guinness brewery

Has it closed or does it all go by road now?

I think the rail connection was disused well before the brewery
closed. The brewery was soon demolished and the area is now turning
into an office park, with an increasing need for public transport
(given that the North Circular and A40 are very slow moving in the
mornings).

Isn't there a plan for another new underground station associated
with the development?

Yes, on the Central line. I was under the impression that this was
going to be a new set of platforms for Park Royal station (on the
Piccadilly), but it seems it's far enough away that it'll be a
separate station.
That the distance between them is so large, attentive utl readers will
recall, is because the Central line here goes up a slope, and
platforms on slopes are no longer allowed.

Actually, I think the "problem" is that the Picc is on a slight
(imperceptible) slope. To move the platforms north wouldn't change the
slope, but it wouldn't be allowed to build new platforms on a slope,
even though it would be no worse than the current platforms. So no-one
would be hurt by such a reconstruction, and anyone changing between the
Picc and Central lines would be helped, but it still wouldn't be
allowed.

What line was this...
 

On Thu, 8 May 2008, Recliner wrote:

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
h.li
On Thu, 8 May 2008, Paul Scott wrote:

"Recliner" wrote in message
...
"Boltar" wrote in message

On May 8, 9:45 am, chunky munky
wrote:
Sounds like the spur to the Guinness brewery

Has it closed or does it all go by road now?

I think the rail connection was disused well before the brewery
closed. The brewery was soon demolished and the area is now turning
into an office park, with an increasing need for public transport
(given that the North Circular and A40 are very slow moving in the
mornings).

Isn't there a plan for another new underground station associated
with the development?

Yes, on the Central line. I was under the impression that this was
going to be a new set of platforms for Park Royal station (on the
Piccadilly), but it seems it's far enough away that it'll be a separate
station. That the distance between them is so large, attentive utl
readers will recall, is because the Central line here goes up a slope,
and platforms on slopes are no longer allowed.

Actually, I think the "problem" is that the Picc is on a slight
(imperceptible) slope. To move the platforms north wouldn't change the
slope, but it wouldn't be allowed to build new platforms on a slope,
even though it would be no worse than the current platforms. So no-one
would be hurt by such a reconstruction, and anyone changing between the
Picc and Central lines would be helped, but it still wouldn't be
allowed.

I stand corrected, thanks. This really is a stupid situation.

Are the new Central platforms in the right place for a good interchange
should the Piccadilly platforms be moved in the broad, sunlit uplands of
some enlightened future?

tom

--
For the first few years I ate lunch with he mathematicians. I soon found
that they were more interested in fun and games than in serious work,
so I shifted to eating with the physics table. There I stayed for a
number of years until the Nobel Prize, promotions, and offers from
other companies, removed most of the interesting people. So I shifted
to the corresponding chemistry table where I had a friend. At first I
asked what were the important problems in chemistry, then what important
problems they were working on, or problems that might lead to important
results. One day I asked, "if what they were working on was not important,
and was not likely to lead to important things, they why were they working
on them?" After that I had to eat with the engineers! -- R. W. Hamming

What line was this...
 

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
h.li
On Thu, 8 May 2008, Recliner wrote:

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
h.li
On Thu, 8 May 2008, Paul Scott wrote:

"Recliner" wrote in message
...

Isn't there a plan for another new underground station associated
with the development?

Yes, on the Central line. I was under the impression that this was
going to be a new set of platforms for Park Royal station (on the
Piccadilly), but it seems it's far enough away that it'll be a
separate station. That the distance between them is so large,
attentive utl readers will recall, is because the Central line here
goes up a slope, and platforms on slopes are no longer allowed.

Actually, I think the "problem" is that the Picc is on a slight
(imperceptible) slope. To move the platforms north wouldn't change
the slope, but it wouldn't be allowed to build new platforms on a
slope, even though it would be no worse than the current platforms.
So no-one would be hurt by such a reconstruction, and anyone
changing between the Picc and Central lines would be helped, but it
still wouldn't be allowed.

I stand corrected, thanks. This really is a stupid situation.

Are the new Central platforms in the right place for a good
interchange should the Piccadilly platforms be moved in the broad,
sunlit uplands of some enlightened future?

I'm not sure if this link will work, but try clicking on it and then
click on the Bird's eye tab (and close the pane on the left).
http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.skn5q2gz8nxp_Park%20Royal____&encTyp e=1

With a bit of luck you'll see a southbound Picc train that's just
entering what would be the new platform (perhaps shown with a push pin),
having just crossed over the Central line. The station building is on
the south side of the A40, with the platforms further to the south, with
a northbound Picc train standing in the station. The idea is that the
new platforms would be under the road bridge, to the north of the
station building and overbridge. Passengers for the Picc will have no
further to walk from the station entrance, though those for the Central
line will inevitably have a longer walk.

I assume the new Central line platforms would be a little to the east of
the bridge under the Picc, under the new road and foot bridges. I assume
that there would be a connection to the new Picc platforms, as well as a
new station entrance on Coronation Road to the north (near to the new
Diageo HQ building). Incidentally, the building seen under construction
in the picture is now finished.

If you scroll to the top right, you can see the site of the former
Guinness brewery. You can also see the trackbed of the former rail
connection

What line was this...
 

Recliner wrote:
"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
h.li

Are the new Central platforms in the right place for a good
interchange should the Piccadilly platforms be moved in the broad,
sunlit uplands of some enlightened future?

No.

I'm not sure if this link will work, but try clicking on it and then
click on the Bird's eye tab (and close the pane on the left).
http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.skn5q2gz8nxp_Park%20Royal____&encTyp e=1

I assume the new Central line platforms would be a little to the east
of the bridge under the Picc, under the new road and foot bridges.

No, they will be east of the footbridge, unless the plan has changed in the
last few years.
There's a map here... http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/33
The situation in 2001 is described here...
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...PkRoyalCentral

I'll believe these platforms when they start building them. The planning
consent for the office park included the condition that the station would
open before the third (of eight) office blocks opened. What's the status of
the office blocks?

What line was this...
 

"John Rowland" wrote in
message
Recliner wrote:
"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
h.li

Are the new Central platforms in the right place for a good
interchange should the Piccadilly platforms be moved in the broad,
sunlit uplands of some enlightened future?

No.

That's a pity -- it doesn't look like it would be particularly difficult
to create a decent interchange station, which would make travel around
west London more convenient.


I'm not sure if this link will work, but try clicking on it and then
click on the Bird's eye tab (and close the pane on the left).
http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.skn5q2gz8nxp_Park%20Royal____&encTyp e=1

I assume the new Central line platforms would be a little to the east
of the bridge under the Picc, under the new road and foot bridges.

No, they will be east of the footbridge, unless the plan has changed
in the last few years.
There's a map here... http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/33
The situation in 2001 is described here...
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...PkRoyalCentral

I'll believe these platforms when they start building them. The
planning consent for the office park included the condition that the
station would open before the third (of eight) office blocks opened.
What's the status of the office blocks?

The second building looks complete, but doesn't yet seem to be occupied,
nor to have any company sign on it. I suppose they may weel still be
working on the interior fittings.

I've not yet noticed any sign of the third building, so I suppose they
could still meet the deadline of getting the station done before opening
the third building. But I've not noticed any work starting on it yet
either, nor on the Picc line platforms, assuming they do intend there to
be a connection, even if it's not a convenient one.

What line was this...
 

Recliner wrote:
"John Rowland" wrote in
message

I'll believe these platforms when they start building them. The
planning consent for the office park included the condition that the
station would open before the third (of eight) office blocks opened.
What's the status of the office blocks?

The second building looks complete, but doesn't yet seem to be
occupied, nor to have any company sign on it. I suppose they may
weel still be working on the interior fittings.

I've not yet noticed any sign of the third building, so I suppose they
could still meet the deadline of getting the station done before
opening the third building. But I've not noticed any work starting on
it yet either, nor on the Picc line platforms, assuming they do
intend there to be a connection, even if it's not a convenient one.

Someone who ought to know what they are talking about suggested that the
developers never intended more than two blocks... that the planning request
for eight blocks with station before the third was a con.

What line was this...
 

On Sun, 11 May 2008, Recliner wrote:

"John Rowland" wrote in
message
Recliner wrote:
"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
h.li

Are the new Central platforms in the right place for a good
interchange should the Piccadilly platforms be moved in the broad,
sunlit uplands of some enlightened future?

No.

That's a pity -- it doesn't look like it would be particularly difficult
to create a decent interchange station, which would make travel around
west London more convenient.

An even better idea - he said, putting on his network editing loony hat -
would be to build a junction there, so that trains from Uxbridge could
join the Central line and head straight on into central London, without
taking their passengers on a round-the houses trip of the west as the Picc
does at the moment. You'd have to delete the Ealing Broadway branch of the
Central for this to be plausible, which means it would only be doable
after Crossrail, which is a pretty effective replacement for that little
branch. You could then run more Picc trains to Heathrow, or transfer one
of the District branches to it to reduce congestion on that line, as has
been mooted (with the Central as the recipient) in the past. North Ealing
station would no longer be served, but the only other station on the
removed segment, Ealing Common, would still have District trains. You
could even run Park Royal - Acton Town as a shuttle.

[removes hat]

tom

--
I DO IT WRONG!!!

What line was this...
 

"John Rowland" wrote in
message
Recliner wrote:
"John Rowland" wrote in
message

I'll believe these platforms when they start building them. The
planning consent for the office park included the condition that the
station would open before the third (of eight) office blocks opened.
What's the status of the office blocks?

The second building looks complete, but doesn't yet seem to be
occupied, nor to have any company sign on it. I suppose they may
weel still be working on the interior fittings.

I've not yet noticed any sign of the third building, so I suppose
they could still meet the deadline of getting the station done before
opening the third building. But I've not noticed any work starting on
it yet either, nor on the Picc line platforms, assuming they do
intend there to be a connection, even if it's not a convenient one.

Someone who ought to know what they are talking about suggested that
the developers never intended more than two blocks... that the
planning request for eight blocks with station before the third was a
con.

I doubt that -- they've flattened the old brewery site, and I can't
imagine that they don't intend to build on it. The completed buildings
only occupy a small part of a very large plot. By the time they've
finished, the Park Royal site could rival Stockley Park (also badly
served by public transport).