Increased frequencies for Great Northern

[melikepie]

I don't understand why increased frequencies of trains is not possible with the amount of current rolling stock and can only happen in 2018 with the 700s.

[crusty54]

In a word Thameslink.

The upgrade will be complete and the overall service patterns can change.

[domh245]

The constraint at that moment is at Kings Cross, there simply isn't enough space to boost the frequency. Once plumbed into Thameslink, they can run services to a number of destinations, so they won't be limited by the platform space (or lack of) at Kings Cross. It's a bit like crossrail, rather than having trains terminating at Liverpool St and Paddington, you can run them through and boost the frequency by a bit

[ducatisti]

Aren't they going to have a similar problem as the moorgate branch (ie no additional platforms to store anything)- where is the first siding on the thameslink for a train that sits down?

[crusty54]

Was very impressed with a GN run from King's Cross to Cambridge on Monday. Non stop in 47 minutes.

[norbitonflyer]

Dec 30, 2015 10:52:49 GMT ducatisti said:

Aren't they going to have a similar problem as the moorgate branch (ie no additional platforms to store anything)- where is the first siding on the thameslink for a train that sits down?

Smithfield is accessible from the southbound platform as well as the northboound. Or you could run it in to Kings Cross and reverse it there.

[North End]

Dec 30, 2015 11:03:24 GMT crusty54 said:

Was very impressed with a GN run from King's Cross to Cambridge on Monday. Non stop in 47 minutes.

Sadly these days that's a good run. Although it could be done in as little as 45 minutes at one time a few years back, pathing issues as a result of too many trains on the railway means 51 minutes is more typical, sometimes more.

[North End]

Dec 30, 2015 10:52:49 GMT ducatisti said:

Aren't they going to have a similar problem as the moorgate branch (ie no additional platforms to store anything)- where is the first siding on the thameslink for a train that sits down?

This will be nothing compared to the problems caused by a mix of stopping patterns combined with delays imported off other areas.

For example, Hitchin to Cambridge is a double-track railway with no realistic passing facility. It has 7 intermediate stations, 8 in the up direction including Hitchin. Of the proposed frequency, 2tph will not call at any of these stations and take about 22 minutes to clear the section, 2tph will call at 3 stations and take about 30 minutes, and 2tph will call at all of them and take about 40 minutes. It doesn't take wild imagination to imagine what will happen if there's modest late or out-of-turn running. And bear in mind that north of Ely there are two single-track sections which will directly interact with all of this, with plans for 2tph here too. Personally I just can't see the current proposals working reliably at all.

[norbitonflyer]

Dec 30, 2015 22:58:00 GMT North End said:

And bear in mind that north of Ely there are two single-track sections which will directly interact with all of this, with plans for 2tph here too. .

What on earth is there north of Ely which justifies 2tph? That's enough trains to evacuate the entire population of Kings Lynn in less than five days.

Just across the fens is a cathedral city and county town two and a half times bigger than Lynn, which gets just one London train a night.

[kesmet]

Dec 30, 2015 22:58:00 GMT North End said:

For example, Hitchin to Cambridge is a double-track railway with no realistic passing facility.

Well, that's not entirely true. It's not happened frequently, but I have been on a few trains (normally coming back from Cambridge) that passed the slow at Royston. It did cause a bit of confusion to the passengers on the Cambridge-bound platform when we pulled through - and occasionally stopped without opening the doors - from the 'wrong' direction.

So if the will is there, it's possible. (On one occasion, the slow train pulled off before we'd passed - no idea why, but it was a tad annoying to be stuck behind an all-stations until Hitchin...)