Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
News re the Barking-Gospel Oak rail line
but not good news – upgrades to the Barking-Gospel Oak line do not include extra carriages.
From the Barking - Gospel Oak User Group press release
BARKING GOSPEL OAK RAIL USER GROUP (BGORUG) COMMENT ON TfL Press Release
Thousands of London Overground customers set for new trains as TfL awards contract to Bombardier Transportation. As picked up by RAIL magazine please note the wishful thinking in the very last paragraph. The 8 Class 172 diesel units are 2 CARRIAGES ONLY! TfL went out to tender for 3 carriage diesel trains in May 2012 but never placed the order, condemning passengers to ever worsening overcrowding which is now set to last until 2018.
Meanwhile Barking – Gospel Oak passengers have to endure 3 more years of intolerable overcrowding before the new trains arrive. If Network Rail complete electrification of the route on time in mid 2017, the diesel trains will running for a year underneath energised power cables which will only be used by occasional electrically hauled freight trains!
TfL has promised to install some additional handrails inside these trains for standing passengers hold onto.
BGORUG is holding a public meeting for beleaguered passengers discuss the situation and agree a plan of action for urgent relief from overcrowding on Thursday 9 July at 7pm in Walthamstow. The meeting will be a few minutes walk from Blackhorse Road station at Gnome House, 7 Blackhorse Lane, E17 6DS. The Gnome House cafe will be open from 6.30 pm.
Network Rail, London Overground and Transport for London were all asked to send representatives to the meeting to hear passengers complaints but all three refused!
Glenn Wallis, Secretary, Barking – Gospel Oak Rail User Group
BGO Introduction @RidingtheGoblin
See link above for TfL statement, also news about the other Overground lines.
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Tags for Forum Posts: barking to gospel oak line, harringay green lanes, overcrowding, rail
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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This is disgraceful. At peak times you sometimes can't get on at Harringay Green Lanes station and it can be standing only even at "quiet" times. This line services parts of London without tube access and not adding an extra carriage after all these years of promises really stinks.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon T on
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News today perhaps doesn't bode well for continued progress on electrifying the Gospel Oak-Barking line, "due in mid 2017".
The Transport Secretary announced that electrifying the London-Sheffield and Transpennine routes is "paused", I'd guess because the available electrification effort is concentrated on the London-South Wales project which is already behind schedule.
As for Gospel Oak-Barking, the Department for Transport and TfL are paying - but the resources (mast installation, wiring, signalling and so on) available to do the work may be diverted.
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Permalink Reply by Glenn Wallis on
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First many thanks to Pamish for posting this, with all the work in the background over recent months to ensure Barking - Gospel Oak electrification wasn't "paused", there just hasn't been time for me to update area blogs/websites. We've had Jeremy Corbyn asking the Transport Secretary questions in Parliament and Caroline Pidgeon LD London Assembly Transport Vice-Chair asking the Mayor questions and we are 99.99% certain that because of all this activity, the scheme IS safe. I won't totally relax until the June Network Rail CP5 Enhancements Review finally appears on their website and confirms is going ahead.
Network Rail, Transport for London and train operator LOROL have all refused to send anyone to our public meeting. We need to agree short term measures to reduce overcrowding and agree measures to minimise disruption during electrification works. If you use this line please attend this meeting. London Mayoral hopeful and transport expert Christian Wolmar will be attending.
Finally there are rail replacement buses over the next 3 weekends, details on our website or twitter feed @RidingtheGoblin
Glenn Wallis
Secretary
Barking - Gospel Oak Rail User Group
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I also hope (as a BGORUG member) the scheme isn't "paused", or 're-prioritised', and applaud your and the Group's doggedness and persistence in the face of what appears to be official obfuscation.
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"Blush" Thank you Gordon! The current Committee only recently discovered that that 'The Barking & Kentish Town Line Joint Committee' was formed as far back as mid 1964, more or less as soon as the Beeching Report was published and thanks to their efforts BR never even tried to start formal closure proceedings.
You feel you owe it to those pioneers to make sure we continue fight and win for the line and those who use it.
See you on 9 July?
Glenn
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