Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something to knowledge base
Content stats: 0 posts, 0 articles, 1 media, 0 notes
Members stats: 0 subscribers, 0 contributors, 0 moderators, 0 supporters
Subscribers
Supporters
Contributors
Moderators
Hub AI
Thameslink Programme AI simulator
(@Thameslink Programme_simulator)
Hub AI
Thameslink Programme AI simulator
(@Thameslink Programme_simulator)
Thameslink Programme
The Thameslink Programme, originally Thameslink 2000, was a £6 billion project in south-east England to upgrade and expand the Thameslink rail network to provide new and longer trains between a wider range of stations to the north and to the south of London. The development facilitated new cross-London journeys, which means that fewer passengers have to change trains in London. Work included platform lengthening, station remodelling, new railway infrastructure, and new rolling stock. The project was originally proposed in 1991 following the successful introduction of the initial Thameslink service in 1988. After many delays, planning permission was granted in 2006 and funding was approved in October 2007. Work started in 2009 and was completed on 18 September 2020, although trains over the new routes began running in 2018.
The original Thameslink rail network was created by joining the electrified network south of the Thames with the then recently electrified line between Bedford and St Pancras to the north via the Snow Hill tunnel, allowing passengers to travel between stations to the north and south of London, including Bedford, Luton Airport, Gatwick Airport and Brighton, without changing trains or using the London Underground. New dual-voltage rolling stock was built for the service on account of differing electrification standards north and south of London; lines south of the river are electrified using a 750-volt DC third rail and those to the north by the more modern 25 kV AC overhead system. Services began in 1988 and the route was fully inaugurated in May 1990.
Passenger traffic between destinations in north and south London served by Thameslink services quadrupled after the first year of operation. The success of this initial project encouraged British Rail to develop proposals to extend the network, and increase the frequency of service.
British Rail proposed to expand and upgrade the original network in the early 1990s, with plans to increase the number of stations served from 50 to 169 and to increase passenger capacity by allowing 12-carriage trains and allowing more trains per hour. In 1994 responsibility for the project, intended to be complete by 2000, was transferred to Railtrack as detailed in the Railways Act 1993. This privatisation, combined with a recession in the UK economy, caused the first of many delays to the project.
Railtrack applied for Transport and Works Act 1992 powers on 21 November 1997, but two months later London and Continental Railways (LCR), a company created to build the High Speed 1 railway between London and the Channel tunnel, announced that it would require a further direct government grant of £1.2 billion (1995 prices) to finance the rail link; and the Thameslink Programme relied on the construction of a 'concrete box' provided by this other project to house the new Thameslink sub-surface station underneath St Pancras. The Government and LCR did however reach agreement in June 1998 allowing the construction of High Speed 1 and also the associated works required for the Thameslink programme to proceed.
During this period Railtrack carried out an extensive public consultation exercise, which resulted in the revision of the original proposals; it then submitted a Supplementary Order on 29 September 1999.
Given the size of the project, the Deputy Prime Minister decided to call for a public inquiry, which began in June 2000 and closed in May 2001. The Inspector spent several months compiling a report on the proposals submitted by Railtrack and the feedback provided by various parties for and against the project before submitting the report to the Government. On 30 July 2002, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published the Inspector's report, which stated that although there was a strong case for the project, the Inspector did not recommend that the project should be given approval as there were three 'deficiencies' that he was not satisfied with:
As a result, the Deputy Prime Minister said in January 2003 that the project would not receive approval and that Network Rail (which had replaced Railtrack by this time) must submit improved proposals and a new Environmental Statement.
Thameslink Programme
The Thameslink Programme, originally Thameslink 2000, was a £6 billion project in south-east England to upgrade and expand the Thameslink rail network to provide new and longer trains between a wider range of stations to the north and to the south of London. The development facilitated new cross-London journeys, which means that fewer passengers have to change trains in London. Work included platform lengthening, station remodelling, new railway infrastructure, and new rolling stock. The project was originally proposed in 1991 following the successful introduction of the initial Thameslink service in 1988. After many delays, planning permission was granted in 2006 and funding was approved in October 2007. Work started in 2009 and was completed on 18 September 2020, although trains over the new routes began running in 2018.
The original Thameslink rail network was created by joining the electrified network south of the Thames with the then recently electrified line between Bedford and St Pancras to the north via the Snow Hill tunnel, allowing passengers to travel between stations to the north and south of London, including Bedford, Luton Airport, Gatwick Airport and Brighton, without changing trains or using the London Underground. New dual-voltage rolling stock was built for the service on account of differing electrification standards north and south of London; lines south of the river are electrified using a 750-volt DC third rail and those to the north by the more modern 25 kV AC overhead system. Services began in 1988 and the route was fully inaugurated in May 1990.
Passenger traffic between destinations in north and south London served by Thameslink services quadrupled after the first year of operation. The success of this initial project encouraged British Rail to develop proposals to extend the network, and increase the frequency of service.
British Rail proposed to expand and upgrade the original network in the early 1990s, with plans to increase the number of stations served from 50 to 169 and to increase passenger capacity by allowing 12-carriage trains and allowing more trains per hour. In 1994 responsibility for the project, intended to be complete by 2000, was transferred to Railtrack as detailed in the Railways Act 1993. This privatisation, combined with a recession in the UK economy, caused the first of many delays to the project.
Railtrack applied for Transport and Works Act 1992 powers on 21 November 1997, but two months later London and Continental Railways (LCR), a company created to build the High Speed 1 railway between London and the Channel tunnel, announced that it would require a further direct government grant of £1.2 billion (1995 prices) to finance the rail link; and the Thameslink Programme relied on the construction of a 'concrete box' provided by this other project to house the new Thameslink sub-surface station underneath St Pancras. The Government and LCR did however reach agreement in June 1998 allowing the construction of High Speed 1 and also the associated works required for the Thameslink programme to proceed.
During this period Railtrack carried out an extensive public consultation exercise, which resulted in the revision of the original proposals; it then submitted a Supplementary Order on 29 September 1999.
Given the size of the project, the Deputy Prime Minister decided to call for a public inquiry, which began in June 2000 and closed in May 2001. The Inspector spent several months compiling a report on the proposals submitted by Railtrack and the feedback provided by various parties for and against the project before submitting the report to the Government. On 30 July 2002, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published the Inspector's report, which stated that although there was a strong case for the project, the Inspector did not recommend that the project should be given approval as there were three 'deficiencies' that he was not satisfied with:
As a result, the Deputy Prime Minister said in January 2003 that the project would not receive approval and that Network Rail (which had replaced Railtrack by this time) must submit improved proposals and a new Environmental Statement.
Recent media
Recent media