Quadrupling of the main line

[Ben]

For a while Ive been looking at the layouts, from first proposed to now, and it occured to me that at no point was it envisaged that the four lines (up fast and slow, down fast and slow) would be non conflicting at some point.

Why was this never considered necessary and is it an opperational problem?

I was trying to see if it were possible to run a night service from Swiss Cottage to Ricky as part of a alt-tube project I'm working on.

Many thanks!

[Deleted]

Because there was no need - when the line was quadrupled in the 1960s the only intensive service on the Met north of Wembley was the Uxbridge line service; the Watford and Aylesbury branches only received 2tph, IIRC, and the 2tph crossing at Harrow North Junction to the main lines conflicted with very few BR trains.

Nowadays, either a very high-speed ladder junction or a grade separation would be built at Harrow North Junction.

[Ben]

Thats not quite what I ment TOK; the track plan from the 'new works' programme for that section has conflicting junctions north of Harrow too, but at that point it was an heavily used mainline, plus suburban service, plus goods.

This is a big if, but if the Joint line did become used once again for intercity services is it a possibility that some remodeling will take place to enable london bound fast mets to avoid crossing the country bound slow services?

I seem to remember an artical in UN that mentioned a service of 3-4 tph on the watford branch in that period for what its worth.

[mrfs42]

Aug 18, 2008 19:05:12 GMT Ben said:

I seem to remember an artical in UN that mentioned a service of 3-4 tph on the watford branch in that period for what its worth.

There were indeed - I'm more than sure I've got some examples in the Met. section of the WTT library as I can remember looking through them quite a while ago.

[Harsig]

Aug 18, 2008 19:05:12 GMT Ben said:

This is a big if, but if the Joint line did become used once again for intercity services is it a possibility that some remodeling will take place to enable london bound fast mets to avoid crossing the country bound slow services?

I wouldn't have thought it likely. It seems to me that there would to have to be a huge increase in the number of trains operating over this section to make it worthwhile eliminating the conflicts that do exist. As it is I've an idea that the number of trains currently running between Harrow and Watford South Junction is as great as it has ever been.
Having said that I've often wondered if a slight tweak to each end of the section to allow Bi-directional working on the Main lines would be of benefit, effectively allowing three tracks in the peak direction.