Quote:
Originally Posted by M II A II R II K
That's pretty cool.
Andof course the London Overground system is in the works and that East London Line would be part of it.
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Indeed, despite the London rail network being one of the biggest on the planet, there is still a lot of work that can be done to improve the entire experience.
For those not in the know, the London Overground network is the agglomeration of several above ground lines, and includes new stations on current stretches of lines and new extensions to create new routes.
The key requirement is to create orbital routes by-passing Central London, allowing for greater cross-London travel but decreasing travel times and congestion on the city centre. The two maps below illustrate the current and future status of the network.
Current Network
Future Network
Watford DC Line
This line runs from Watford in the north to Euston in C London. At present the Bakerloo Line runs alongside the line from Harrow & Wealdstone to Queen's Park (and then onwards through C London in tunnel), but it is intended that the Bakerloo Line will be extended over the current Watford DC Line northwards to Watford taking over six new stations.
After Queen's Park where there are two additional stations on the line before arriving at London Euston, these would become part of a branch of the North London Line going via Primrose Hill. Primrose Hill was closed as the connection between the West Coast Main Line and North London Line was severed, but would re-open acting as interchange with Chalk Farm which is on the Northern Line.
After these changes, the Watford DC Line would no longer exist as a seperate line.
North London Line
This is a line that runs from Richmond (in the west) to Stratford (in the east), and used to run to North Woolwich, but this section onwards from Stratford was abandoned in favour of the recently opened London City Airport Extension and the soon-to-open Stratford International Extension. A section of the line will however be recycled for Crossrail.
It is a major orbital line (the backbone of the London Overground project) connecting the three most important intercity lines in the UK (WCML, ECML and GWML), as well as numerous other lines. At its most congested section it is four-tracked to allow for dedicated passenger and freight lines, and this is planned to be extended onwards towards Primrose Hill where the line will split.
At present the line from Willesden Junction to Gospel Oak is closed to allow for tunnels that run through the area to be lowered to accomodate freight containers (the Victorians unfortunately didn't forsee those!), while a connection is being built at Dalston to connect with the northern extension of the East London Line. the ELL will run with the NLL to Highbury & Islington to create overlap and this should be completed by 2011. Overlap is a word that keeps cropping up with the London Overground.
There is the preserved site of a station between Camden Road and Caledonian Road & Barnsbury called Maiden Lane. This is located at the north of the triangle which radiates from London St Pancras and London King's Cross; with the area inbetween is set to be redeveloped in coming years into a brand new quarter for several thousand homes. The re-opening of Maiden Lane would act as a northern portal for the development.
West London Line
This is a short line going from Willesden Junction to Clapham Junction and was mainly used for freight and rolling stock movements, as well as commuter trains that ran from Brighton going north of London.
One station opened last week: Shepherd's Bush to server the soon-to-open Westfield London shopping mall, while another called Imperial Wharf is u/c looking at a 2010 opening is slightly inland from the Thames. Another station north of Shepherd's Bush serving the Wormwood Scrubs area in the area of a now closed station could also open, but nothing concrete has happened as yet.
East London Line
This was originally the second shortest Underground line in London with just 9 stations, but with the northern and southern extensions as phase I this will increase to 21. On the northern section, the old Shoreditch station has been ditched as the tracks have to rise to clear the Great Eastern Main Line and roads to join the old Broad Street Viaduct. A new station called Shoreditch High Street will be built in a box above ground to allow for skyscrapers to rise around it.
Stations at Hoxton, Haggerston and Dalston Junction are re-builds of long-disused stations and will resemble Wood Lane, ie the fusioin of old brick viaducts with glass and steel. Dalston Junction will be a 4 platform station to allow for service to return southwards.
The extension south of New Cross Gate will essentially involve re-building works of present stations that will be taken over by London Overground.
Phase II would involve a western extension to Clapham Junction and expanding the number of stations on the line to 28. A new connection from Surrey Quays to Queens Road Peckham will be built with a new station at Surrey Canal Road constructed. At present the extension has no planned interchange at Brixton (National Rail and Victoria Line) and Loughborough Junction (National Rail and Thameslink) which would plug the gap between Clapham High Street and Denmark Hill, but once the extension is opened, I wouldn't be suprised if interchange platforms are built here. Another station is unofficially proposed just north of Clapham Junction called North Battersea, but I am uncertain of where this would be located. Work on this will probably start after 2012.
Gospel Oak to Barking Line (GOBLIN)
Referred to as the GOBLIN line, this is an orbital rail line further out than even the North London Line spanning from Gospel Oak to Barking. It plays an important role, but is over-crowded despite overlapping with numerous lines but not having direct interchanges (although they are a very short walk away at a lot of the stations).
The line is being heavily upgraded to allow for the route to accept container traffic (this would free up the North London Line) and more passenger services as new trains have been ordered.
No major proposals have been officially announced, but there is the possibility of the line being extended eastwards towards Rainham and tap into the massive regeneration projects going up alongside the Thames and westwards and absorbing the West London Line to create a more complete orbital service. Junction Road could also re-open allowing for interchange on the Piccadilly Line.
One ironic thing to come from the Overground network is that it will incorporate the oldest section of tunnel in London: The Thames Tunnel. Which is also the world's first underwater tunnel and the first to incorporate a tunnel shield - the standard for all tunnels including today.