MP wins assurance over future of rail line - Henley to Twyford

[chris from nailsea]

From the Henley Standard:

The Henley to Twyford train line will not be affected by First Great Western’s Refresh programme.
Henley MP John Howell sought reassurances that the service on the branch line will not be hit by the programme for its Turbo fleet, or by the extension of Crossrail to Maidenhead.
There were fears that during the £8million programme for the train company’s London Thames Valley fleet the length of trains might be shortened, creating overcrowding, particularly at peak times.
But in a letter to the Mr Howell, FGW managing director Mark Hopwood said trains on other lines had been shortened where there was capacity. As a result, there would be no need to shorten the trains on the Henley branch line. Mr Hopwood also confirmed there was no threat of closure to the line as a result of Crossrail.
Mr Howell welcomed the news and said: “The Henley branch line is vital for the town and the many commuters who use it on a daily basis. We need to make sure that we are on the ball when it comes to the consultation on the next franchise. We also need to make sure we respond when, in 2012, commitments about station closures are discussed for the period to 2019.”

[autotank]

But this isn't true! From the May timetable change the 1812 Padd - Henley is reduced to 3 cars instead of the 5 it was less than a year ago. True you're slightly mad to use this service all the way from Paddington as by getting the 1806 HST and changing you can get to Henley 20 mins faster but what Mr Hopwood is saying just isn't true!

[inspector_blakey]

Be careful, autotank.

Before you start accusing people of telling untruths, are you comparing the length of the train now to what it will be from May, or the length the train was "less than a year ago" but well before the refresh programme started?

[Electric train]

Biggest risk to the Henley line is, if, his party are successful on May 6

[autotank]

It is currently scheduled to be a 4 car, reduced to 3 from the May timetable change. Until September when I last regularly used this service it was always a 5 car service (and believe it still usually is). See - http://www.mmpa.org.uk/tt/maytt.html for detials of changes (being discussed elsewhere).

I hate it when newspapers give politicians an easy ride and just reprint good news press releases. Lazy journalism.

[autotank]

I agree with you Electric Train. The problem with living in Henley is that you effectively don't get a vote in the general election as it must be one of the safest Tory seats in the country!

Several months on from the electrification announcement it is still not clear if Henley is included in the plans. The fact that they haven't cleared this up means that they are considering not putting wires up which would be madness!

I'm worried that the through Henley - London services will be lost when Crossrail finally starts up. There is a danger that a change will be required at both Twyford and Maidenhead for Henley - Padd passengers once Crossrail is up and running. Plans need to be released for services post 2017 rather than just vague aspirations.

[devon_metro]

I agree with you Electric Train. The problem with living in Henley is that you effectively don't get a vote in the general election as it must be one of the safest Tory seats in the country!

Ah but you might soon have more influence in Parliament. I'm hoping if Torbay becomes Conservative as it is predicted to, then we might get a bit more of a look in from central government, especially considering it is a marginal seat.

[Electric train]

I agree with you Electric Train. The problem with living in Henley is that you effectively don't get a vote in the general election as it must be one of the safest Tory seats in the country!

Several months on from the electrification announcement it is still not clear if Henley is included in the plans. The fact that they haven't cleared this up means that they are considering not putting wires up which would be madness!

I'm worried that the through Henley - London services will be lost when Crossrail finally starts up. There is a danger that a change will be required at both Twyford and Maidenhead for Henley - Padd passengers once Crossrail is up and running. Plans need to be released for services post 2017 rather than just vague aspirations.

There are no plans to wire the branches as part of GWML initial scheme, although operationally the TOC will seek this in the longer term.
As the result of Crossrail the Bourne End trough services will cease, partly due to platform 5 being truncated as a bay the rest of plat 5 becoming plat 6 and being lengthened for Crossrail.

There is a renewal of the FGW area franchise due soon which does not marry up with Crossrail  start so either FGW will get an extension or there will be a farce in the TV area where a new franchise will have to run a service that they will lose within a few years, or the the former Thames Trains franchise is stripped from the FGW area and given over to the Crossrail operator

[IndustryInsider]

As the result of Crossrail the Bourne End trough services will cease, partly due to platform 5 being truncated as a bay the rest of plat 5 becoming plat 6 and being lengthened for Crossrail.

Does anyone know if there is an online resource for diagrams/details of the planned work at the stations on the FGW main line as a result of Crossrail?  All I've seen so far is very sketchy.

[Electric train]

My comments were based on the material presented during the town center displays last year, I did ask the people manning the stand the question about the Bourne End Padd service and the config at Maidenhead, they may not have been as fully briefed as they made out of course

[paul7755]

Does anyone know if there is an online resource for diagrams/details of the planned work at the stations on the FGW main line as a result of Crossrail?  All I've seen so far is very sketchy.

Yes - there are plan drawings of all the work on the Crossrail site, but their site navigation is abysmal - or possibly worse than that.

Try starting here for example:  http://www.crossrail.co.uk/the-railway/getting-approval/parliamentary-bill/crossrail-bill-documents/consolidated-plans-and-sections-november-2007  - they can't even get the drawing sheets in numerical order, but once you find one and blow up the size, there is info to be found. 

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

Many thanks, Paul - just what I wanted.  I'm not usually so lazy as to not try the official website, but as you say it is certainly not a shining example of web design!

[eightf48544]

I have a feeling that if Crossrail is delayed by public spending cut backs but maybe GWML electrification goes ahead their timescales might tend to converge so I would suggest a great deal of money could be saved by not building the turnback sidings at Maidenhead and running Crossrail to Reading, which will also have been remodelled to cater for electric trains terminating there.

If the next TV (sort of new Thames Trains) franchise is given to the Crossrail operator it could have a proviso that for a long (20 years) franchise they must sling the wires to Greenford (both ways) and the triangles either end of the branch, Windsor, Bourne End/ Marlow and Henley branches and possibly to Basingstoke.

You could then have a proper RER services from all these branches to Central London and Shenfield Abbey Wood.

   

[Electric train]

Reading rebuild is being built Crossrail friendly, that is space allowance is being made for future turn back sidings and additional bay platform.  The Bill that allows Crossrail to be built and funded does not include Reading to extend it now would require more Parliamentary time.  The GWML although quite a longer way through GRIP stage 3 / 4 has yet to be funded by the ORR