Thameslink

Reg

What's the SG.org consensus on this? Good thing/bad thing? Swift routes in to the City and beyond by 2015 (no messing around at Kings X). I would have thought this will introduce more 'commuting suits' to the area, like Kentish Town, and therefore more money in to the area - and perhaps those dreaded chains. [Thameslink in 2015](http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/cms/pages/view/30) Personally I think it will be great news.

Pete

There's a dislike of people using SG.org for solely marketing purposes.

What the rule about working for Boris Johnson?

andy

The influx of city types will slightly mitigated by the 5 year recession and the end of financial services as we know it. All the eurotrash MBAs will have to go to airless skyscrapers in Dubai to short sell complex stuff they don't understand. A direct link to Finsbury Park is unlikely to offset this. I heard a guy on the radio defending the RBS guy's pension and he was talking about the government's actions and he said "this sort of thing could be fatal...FATAL...for the city of london as a financial centre." And I thought, have you seen the news recently? So yeah, whatever, build some trains.

Reg

Pete, Bit before Boris' time... "Since 1991, British Rail (followed by Railtrack, then Network Rail) have been developing proposals to expand and upgrade the Thameslink network in the light of increasing ridership on the route, which in recent years has seen severe overcrowding at peak hours. Initially called Thameslink 2000, the project is known as the Thameslink Programme" <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thameslink>;

Cllr Richard Watts

Potentially more important for local businesses in the area are improvements to the Barking to Gospel Oak line, which stops at Crouch HIll, to a train every 8 mins with staffed stations, new trains etc.

As it stands trains are so rare on the Barking to Gospel Oak line that it's hardly worth considdering. But with the changes it could well beomce a more useful way of bringing people from Haringey and Hackney in to shop and eat on SGR.

This is, of course, unless BoJo cans the whole scheme, which is what he has just done with the scheme for step free access at Finsbury Park station.

Duncan

Does this mean that we will be able to link more directly to cross-rail?

Beek

"This is, of course, unless BoJo cans the whole scheme, which is what he has just done with the scheme for step free access at Finsbury Park station" WHAAAAAAAAAT??? Why are they going to bother with the whole hassle of the work if there's not gona be step free access at FPK???? Any chance you could post a link CRW for reference please?

Giles

Here is a comment on the TFL website saying that they aren't going to provide step free access for Finsbury Park ( and Archway and Highbury & Islington ). He must have something against this area. Also the brochure for what they originally planned.

<a href="http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/5792.aspx">http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/5792.aspx</a>;

<a href="http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/finsbury-park-brochure.pdf">http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/finsbury-park-brochure.pdf</a>;

Giles

It looks like step free access will be delivered in 2021! Look at page 46 on this doc

<a href="http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/tfl-investment-programme-london-underground.pdf">http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/tfl-investment-programme-london-underground.pdf</a>;

poxy

Great! Just in time for my wheelchair delivery.

Giles

And page 59 of the document above.

PS Is edit comments working? It takes me to starting a discussion.

poxy

Nope. I'm guessing it's been Davided.

poxy

Bugger! I can't edit that now.

David

Fixed. Sorry, I was doing a bit of Daviding.

injoke

i'm not sure i really understand the concept, but admittedly i haven't bothered reading much of the bumf.

these are train lines that already exist, so is it just a question of joining a couple of them together and painting "thameslink" on the side of the trains? sounds dangerously revolutionary to me if so.

Alison13

Thameslink already exists, the works that are going on at the moment (called Thameslink 2000) are just upgrading the current service. This will result in a more frequent service more capacity (longer trains), which means a lot of platform lengthening works are taking place. Some stations are being upgraded and some, like Blackfriars, are being completely rebuilt. @Duncan Thameslink and Crossrail will intersect at Farringdon so yes you will be able to interchange between the two at that point.

Reg

@Alison13, as well as the upgrades the line is being altered (check the link above). You will be able to get a direct train to Farringdon and on to Blackfriars (and beyond). Shame about the delay to step free access. @Cllr Watts, I don't think that the overground line through Crouch Hill can be improved until the interchange at Gospel Oak is made more seamless/improved. Any scope for this do you think?

Duncan

@Reg The frequency on the main branch will soon go to every 7-8 minutes which does make the huge wait a bit less of a problem. I find the line useful for going West but not East.

Alex

@Duncan, the line going east is useful for direct access to Leyton Orient football ground, Stroud Green's most local Football League team.

wisteria53

Eastbound also good for when husband/car not available but I need to shop Sainsbury's/Green Lanes or pick up a parcel from the xx!x@x! Royal Mail delivery office that's only open 8-12. I miss when the office was located behind Finsbury Park Station....

staplejack

Changing at Gospel Oak going west is always pretty straightforward but I agree that coming back home it's sometimes easier to stay on the train to Highbury & Islington and get the Victoria Line up to FP - which is a shame, really...

Duncan

@Alex: But I support Bolton Wanderers!

Ali

The Crouch Hill line is great value £1.10 all the way to Richmond uisng your Oyster