Saturday 8 November 2008

Cross purposes

A question for those masters of the black-arts the Timetable Planners.

BAA has divied up £240m for Crossrail

In return Lord Adonis, Prince of Daftness, has promised BAA 'four fast-train services an hour' to Heathrow.

Obviously these 'fast trains' will not stop at all stations.

The core tunnelled section, linking Paddington and Liverpool Street, is being designed to handle a maximum of 24tph (trains per hour) and it is upon this service pattern that the Crossrail business case is predicated.

If you run a mixed traffic railway (fast and slow trains) you reduce capacity - fast trains requiring a greater headway.

Is the Fact Compiler correct in thinking that for a mess of pottage DafT has sacrificed 24tph and the current Crossrail business case?