HS2 Old Oak Common

[Horizon22]

Question, why does the GWR/Elizabeth line part of OOC have 8 platforms? 2 for the fast line and 3 for slow/lizzy line (1 being a bay platform). What would the other 3 be used for?

It's like the London Bridge model. Every line (Up/Down Relief and Up/Down Main) will have an additional platform. Very useful for disruption and contingency purposes as well as overlap margins.

Does that mean the intention is to deliberately run trains half to third empty east of Old Oak Common. run 3 when 2 would be sufficient for the load.

Might be operational convenience, but not exactly fair when there are other GWR routes with crowding.

In terms of the Elizabeth line, the extension of Paddington terminators to Old Oak Common will mean that places like Stratford and Canary Wharf would be equally served.

As for GWR, well yes after HS2 there is a slight risk of Paddington becoming a glorified sidings and an abstraction of passengers but ultimately the trains can't terminate at OOC as you need a 10+ platform terminus to service / restock / turnaround etc. Through trains have to terminate somewhere!

 

[absolutelymilk]

Don't suppose anyone knows when the GWR/Elizabeth Line part of the station is planned to open?

 

[kevin_roche]

Don't suppose anyone knows when the GWR/Elizabeth Line part of the station is planned to open?

The presentation linked earlier (post #107) says 2029 to 2033. Quite a big window!

 

[Yindee8191]

But only 6tph of those are long distance ones (2*Bristol, 2* South Wales, 1* Cheltenham, 1*Devon/Cornwall). The others are more like local or regional commuter trains (To be fair I guess some of those commuter trains use the same tracks as the long distance trains and will use the same platforms at OOC so perhaps should be counted, but they are also formed of commuter stock that's designed for ease of entry/exit so are likely to have shorter dwell times).

It’s actually 9.
2 Bristol
2 South Wales
2 Devon/Cornwall (one Plymouth, one Penzance)
2 Oxford/Worcester
1 Cheltenham

 

[Bald Rick]

It’s actually 9.
2 Bristol
2 South Wales
2 Devon/Cornwall (one Plymouth, one Penzance)
2 Oxford/Worcester
1 Cheltenham

plus:
4 HEx
2 x Didcots that swap to the reliefs at Dolphin Jn
1 x Newbury
peak extras

That’s 16 an hour, hence the need for two platforms.

 

[Horizon22]

It’s actually 9.
2 Bristol
2 South Wales
2 Devon/Cornwall (one Plymouth, one Penzance)
2 Oxford/Worcester
1 Cheltenham

The WoE are a variety throughout the day in reality with Paignton or Exter often being a destination too.

I am not sure why one user thought it mattered whether they were regional or intercity and the dwell time difference will be relatively minimal - they all run on the Main Line.

Likewise the max 12tph (or 24tph including Paddington terminators) on the Relief Lines.

 

[SECR263]

Just passed OOC. Dismantling of large crawler crane at E end. Lots of plant parked up and the conveyor gone?. Large pile of ballast at E end. Temporary offices moved and a brick wall ( bridge wall) at w end being demolished. Has the project achieved a milestone?

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Gearing up for the works over Christmas?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Gearing up for the works over Christmas?

What is planned over xmas/New Year please?

 

[JamesT]

What is planned over xmas/New Year please?

Engineering works: London Paddington | National Rail

Major HS2 work at Old Oak Common: No trains to / from London Paddington from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 December. See details of routes affected by planned engineering works, including when they take effect, alternative timetables, advice for alternative travel, including info about engineering work...

www.nationalrail.co.uk

This Christmas, Network Rail is carrying out the latest round of enabling works for HS2 including the construction of the planned Old Oak Common station just outside London Paddington.

Also see the thread on GWR into Euston.

 

[chris2]

I'm not aware of any specifics around what's going on this Christmas, but this recent video from the PWI has a very interesting fly through of the OOC config 1 stage, which is what's being worked towards.

The first blockade, after which the layout looks as shown, is in Christmas 2026, while the second is in 2028. These dates aren't actually mentioned by the speaker, just what I've read elsewhere.

 

[bigbigcheese]

New update from The Urban Outsider showing December progress

 

[absolutelymilk]

Anyone know if there will be a first class lounge at OOC?

 

[Snow1964]

DfT has updated the Transport and Works Order

They are minded to approve a compound (whatever that actually means)

January 2025 update​

Issued minded to approve for Old Oak Common TWA.

Application to confer powers to compulsorily acquire land, rights in land and powers to carry out works to create a compound on the south side of the Great Western Mainline between Acton West Junction and Kensal Green Junction to support the delivery of changes to the railway infrastructure and the construction of HS2’s Old Oak Common station.

Old Oak Common (Great Western Mainline track access): Transport and Works Act order

Application to confer powers to compulsorily acquire land to carry out works to create a compound to support changes to the railway infrastructure and construction of HS2’s Old Oak Common station.

www.gov.uk

 

[swt_passenger]

DfT has updated the Transport and Works Order

They are minded to approve a compound (whatever that actually means)

Old Oak Common (Great Western Mainline track access): Transport and Works Act order

Application to confer powers to compulsorily acquire land to carry out works to create a compound to support changes to the railway infrastructure and construction of HS2’s Old Oak Common station.

www.gov.uk

One line summary:

They want to turn the Jewsons builders merchant site on Horn Lane, (at the country end of Acton mainline on the south side), into a long term road rail access point and short term (8 yrars) site office and storage area.

 

[Snow1964]

HS2 has announced that Tower Crane 6 will be removed between 6 and 11 February. I am guessing it has finished its work.

A mobile crane and 6 articulated trucks will be used to remove it.

https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Tower-Crane-06-dismantle-ANL-Jan-2025.pdf

 

[absolutelymilk]

Foundations complete for HS2's Old Oak Common high speed station

• 850 metre long underground station box foundations are now complete ready for six high speed platforms to be built

Apparently the slabs for the platforms are already being manufactured and will be installed in the spring, and the ground floor level is also being constructed. Good progress!

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Foundations complete for HS2's Old Oak Common high speed station


Apparently the slabs for the platforms are already being manufactured and will be installed in the spring, and the ground floor level is also being constructed. Good progress!

Good progress on a now totally pointless project.

 

[Geogregor]

Good progress on a now totally pointless project.

It is not "totally pointless". Yes its benefits will be limited due to political stupidity causing amputations of useful bits, but it will eventually be extended to something more coherent, even if it takes a generation.

 

[absolutelymilk]

I think we've probably done the "Is HS2 pointless" question enough already, maybe leave it for another thread

 

[MatthewHutton]

Good progress on a now totally pointless project.

If we can get the costs under control the extension from Rugeley to Crewe should be able to be done cheaply at some future point. It is much more similar to a Belgian/French style high speed rail project in terms of the lack of urban approaches etc.

And those can be under £30m/km in todays money.

 

[Bald Rick]

And those can be under £30m/km in todays money.

Not in this country!

 

[stuu]

And those can be under £30m/km in todays money.

The budget was ~£100m/km in 2019 so worse now. Although they will have spent maybe a quarter of that already on the planning, design, land and initial works

 

[plugwash]

As for GWR, well yes after HS2 there is a slight risk of Paddington becoming a glorified sidings

I can't see paddington becoming a "glorified sidings", yes for lizzie passengers OOC may be a slightly more conviniant interchange than paddington, but there are plenty of places in the London area that are not on the lizzie.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I can't see paddington becoming a "glorified sidings", yes for lizzie passengers OOC may be a slightly more conviniant interchange than paddington, but there are plenty of places in the London area that are not on the lizzie.

That will be the Achilles heel of Old Oak Common Station. How will people in south-west London gain access? There are still no plans for accommodating stations on either the North London or West London Lines. There seems to be still no recognition that this might become an issue.

 

[Meerkat]

That will be the Achilles heel of Old Oak Common Station. How will people in south-west London gain access? There are still no plans for accommodating stations on either the North London or West London Lines. There seems to be still no recognition that this might become an issue.

I am sure they recognise it, but without funding to do something about it they don’t want to raise it and help the doomsayers. Less controversial to let the Station open, show its use and then react to public demand to be able to get to it.
There is also the issue that the proposed ‘solutions’ are very unsatisfactory and yet still cost a lot.

 

[Nottingham59]

There is also the issue that the proposed ‘solutions’ are very unsatisfactory and yet still cost a lot.

And that's because HS2 was designed as a standalone project, overlaying the existing network, rather than as one component of a national network plan.

 

[absolutelymilk]

That will be the Achilles heel of Old Oak Common Station. How will people in south-west London gain access? There are still no plans for accommodating stations on either the North London or West London Lines. There seems to be still no recognition that this might become an issue.

Isn't there a plan for a station at Old Oak Common Lane? As Meerkat says, it doesn't have funding yet, but hopefully as HS2 gets closer to opening there's a better business case for it

 

[Meerkat]

Isn't there a plan for a station at Old Oak Common Lane? As Meerkat says, it doesn't have funding yet, but hopefully as HS2 gets closer to opening there's a better business case for it

A very substandard plan for a not particularly close station requiring walking around the streets.
The one for the far more useful West London Line was even worse.
Just do it properly and redevelop Willesden Junction with a people mover to the development site and OOC.

 

[MatthewHutton]

Not in this country!

I feel have gone off topic here. But I do think that if HS2 is to be extended or improved that the costs for any further extensions/improvements will need to come down to be closer to our European friends.

Our European friends have similar wages, unionised workforces and environmental legislation as well.