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Changes 12/04/2010 at 23:07 #1112
UKTrainMan
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1803 posts
Just been wondering about a few things lately.



Hitchin Points

Apparently NR have been doing some work in the area recently to remove some points. Not sure which ones exactly however I'm sure that it easy to find out with a bit of research. I'm just wondering if this might be changed if or when this simulation is next updated.


Hitchin Flyover

A bit early to ask this, perhaps, but when it is finally built and up & running,
[will this be / would it be possible to have this]
simulated in any future update?



Thanks in advance for your reply/replies.

Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for.
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Changes 12/04/2010 at 23:07 #8454
UKTrainMan
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1803 posts
Just been wondering about a few things lately.



Hitchin Points

Apparently NR have been doing some work in the area recently to remove some points. Not sure which ones exactly however I'm sure that it easy to find out with a bit of research. I'm just wondering if this might be changed if or when this simulation is next updated.


Hitchin Flyover

A bit early to ask this, perhaps, but when it is finally built and up & running,
[will this be / would it be possible to have this]
simulated in any future update?



Thanks in advance for your reply/replies.

Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for.
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Changes 13/04/2010 at 05:45 #8458
Peter Bennet
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5360 posts
I pass over Cambridge Jn every day twice a day and as far as I can see they are just replacing the junction. It's not normal to provide for every single minor change within the options but I agree that an option that includes the flyover in tandem with the Thameslink link would be good as and when.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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Changes 14/04/2010 at 01:19 #8482
lpeters
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160 posts
They were messing around the DF>DS points over the weekend. Apart from that, I know as much as you do.

Although the problems on the ECML the last couple of days have just exasperated any problems that they may have caused screwing around there. I believe they might have also been doing something on the DH>UH crossover in Stevenage (Plat 4 deps to up direction) as they decided to wake me up with a huge power saw Saturday night.

The flyover would make a huge difference to the way the sim ran; a) there is more headway available for the main line; b) the flyAROUND will add something like 2 or 3 minutes to the journey time and c) they may even add in extra carriage sidings in the hitchin area as it's the only area with green space that would be viable to store any extra CS on the GN section of the franchise. They're supposed to be making huge changes to the number of cars etc. are on each change this year, making a lot of trains 12 cars long. Although, I did notice a number of 12-car C365s on the Hertford Loop at the weekend, maybe they were testing route viability?

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Changes 14/04/2010 at 12:23 #8497
UKTrainMan
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Firstly, I'll have to check out the info I received with regards to the points being worked on to refresh my memory on what it actually said.

Regarding the flyover, it'll come off the Down Slow beyond Hitchin station and I understand it will be a high speed junction just like Digswell Junction or Woolmer Green junction. The line speed may be in the 50mph - 70mph region so I don't think this will delay journeys as trains will not have to slow down to negotiate three crossovers and a diverging junction - they just go around this curve and then join up with the Down Cambridge(?) just before some road bridge that goes over/under the line (can't recall which). Put simply trains towards Letchworth GC and beyond will be able to speed up straight away and not have to worry about slowing down except to keep within the speed limit or stop in-case the signaller sets the route towards Peterborough by mistake - something which happened to a charter train I was on!!

I'm also somewhat reliably informed that there will only be one signal on the flyover itself, being at the far end to protect the converging junction. I believe the point work at Hitchin will be left in place.

I don't think they'll be adding any new carriage sidings in the Hitchin area as they've already got planning permission and I believe are already working new carriage sidings around the Hornsey/Harringay area but I think I recall hearing plans to expand Letchworth CS by adding extra sidings in the same area (as the current Letchworth CS).

It'd be interesting to see what the arrangement for freight trains will be. I can easily see certain freights being banned from using the flyover, meaning they'd have to stick with the old crossovers and diverging junction.

Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for.
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Changes 14/04/2010 at 13:15 #8498
lpeters
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160 posts
The info I saw said that the Hitchin Flyover would actually basically be a large curve going over the main lines and around the entire town and rejoining at the eastern edge of Hitchin. My knowledge of Hitchin would tell me that it's virtually impossible to join the lines together anywhere in Hitchin itself. I'm certain it won't be similar to the Langley Junction Flyunder because there just isn't the space to do at Hitchin.

I also don't believe they'd be able to expand the Carriage Sidings at LGC as they're already surrounded by buildings; unless of course, they've bought off the buildings and are going to dig them up and put tracks on top. I'd also be interested to see if they do anything with the Welwyn Bottleneck. I know that it has been suggested to stick another layer on top of the viaduct (although the viaduct which has to be at least 80 or so years old and therefore probably can't support it). It might be feasible to do this for the tunnels so it may shorten the bottleneck; or perhaps they might put another viaduct in. Anyone able to shed any more light on anything happening in this area of Hertfordshire (Hitchin > Digswell)?

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Changes 14/04/2010 at 13:34 #8500
clive
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Network Rail's own site shows the flyover starting half way round the curve north of Cambridge Junction, at 51.9627,-0.2715, and joining the Cambridge branch at the Stotfold Road overbridge (51.970738,-0.251849). It basically runs around the edge of the Wilbury Way industrial estate.
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Changes 14/04/2010 at 14:25 #8504
Peter Bennet
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5360 posts
Have a look at this.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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Changes 15/04/2010 at 14:57 #8530
lpeters
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Peter Bennet said:
Have a look at this.

Peter
That's pretty much how i've seen it to be, basically taking it around the edge of Hitchin (after the station of course), this will increase the time taken to get from those points, I believe because of the extra distance it's about 2 minutes. I assume because there'll be a lower limit on that viaduct than on the normal line and that's probably an extra mile and a half minimum and also you have to take into account that pathing time will have to be allowed as the existing link will remain so that if work has to be done on the viaduct then trains are able to cross over the 3 lines to use the original route. I don't know if they'll call this pathing or engineering allowance as it could be used as both. TCFs could make this whole business very interesting.

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Changes 15/04/2010 at 16:53 #8533
GeoffM
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lpeters said:
probably an extra mile and a half minimum
0.7 miles.

SimSig Boss
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Changes 15/04/2010 at 17:15 #8535
lpeters
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:s I can manage to cycle an extra mile from that sorta spot to the edge in a straight line.
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Changes 18/04/2010 at 09:40 #8606
ajax103
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lpeters said:
The flyover would make a huge difference to the way the sim ran; a) there is more headway available for the main line; b) the flyAROUND will add something like 2 or 3 minutes to the journey time and c) they may even add in extra carriage sidings in the hitchin area as it's the only area with green space that would be viable to store any extra CS on the GN section of the franchise. They're supposed to be making huge changes to the number of cars etc. are on each change this year, making a lot of trains 12 cars long. Although, I did notice a number of 12-car C365s on the Hertford Loop at the weekend, maybe they were testing route viability?
1. There are no plans to build any extra stabling sidings in the Hitchin area, the new NXEMUs will be maintained at a new depot halfway between Bounds Green and Hornsey with the former Hornsey Up Carriage Sidings being uplifted as that forms part of the site.

As to Letchworth being extended I doubt it although I do know from one Network Rail visitor that they were hoping to do some work at Hertford North to bring the sidings back to their original lengths which with some work done to the embankment is easily done.

With said work being done, 8 car EMUs can easily be stabled in all 5 sidings rather then being restricted to just 2 sidings.

2. The changes to the lengths of FCCs is over a three year period with trains gradually being lengthen when cascaded trains come into service ie the LOROL 313s and LM 321s.

3. The only reason FCC was running 12 car 365s via Hertford over the weekend was because of engineering works, East Coast services were terminating at Huntingdon with a coach service to Stevenage not to mention Hull Trains and Grand Central were also terminating at Peterborough so 12 car 365s were in use calling only at Peterborough, Huntingdon, St Neots, Hitchin, Stevenage and Kings Cross in order to help as many people as possible complete their journey without swamping the bus replacement service.

Which if you do think about it is exactly what Adonis is calling for as he wants more trains running then just rely on buses all the time.

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Changes 31/05/2010 at 20:15 #9438
lpeters
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Another change that will need to be taken into account (fairly soon in order to give a full set of possible TTs) is the opening of Platform 0 at King's Cross. It is now open and being used according to some of my other sources; appears to mainly be an FCC platform.
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Changes 01/06/2010 at 15:19 #9446
lpeters
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Can I also ask that Kings Cross Belle Isle please be added as a compulsory timing point in the next update. If it is too much work then okay, but in all WTTs, it is a compulsory timing point for all trains so it would be nice for that bit of added realism.
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Changes 01/06/2010 at 16:12 #9447
GeoffM
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lpeters said:
Can I also ask that Kings Cross Belle Isle please be added as a compulsory timing point in the next update. If it is too much work then okay, but in all WTTs, it is a compulsory timing point for all trains so it would be nice for that bit of added realism.
Same answer as I gave you in http://www.SimSig.co.uk/index.php?option=com_agora&task=topic&id=486&p=2&Itemid=54#p7436

SimSig Boss
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Changes 02/06/2010 at 13:33 #9460
lpeters
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Sorry I completely forgot that i'd mentioned it in that thread.
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