I grew up in Henley and used the branch line a lot to go to Reading. In 2015, Network Rail began cutting trees down and putting markers on the ground where the new overhead gantries would go, before electrification was postponed a year later. I recall many occasions where college classmates were late because the 165 had broken down. Re-doubling would help massively. The Shiplake bridge still has room for it
Yes it would be very useful to have the line redoubled. Shame that electrification has been postponed though, I guess this’ll be 230 operated before too long?
@@somenorthlondoner I'm personally sceptical of cascading ex Underground trains built in the 70s to replace the Turbos built in the 90s. I'd much rather see newer or equivalent age stock converted to AC, such as the 465s which are being retired from Southeastern
How about a video on the two Charing Cross stations? I am sure most Londoners are unaware there are two Charing Cross stations and the amazing £1.35 return from Glasgow Central to Charing Cross ticket
At Bourne End there's enough room that they could compulsory purchase a row of houses and move the station to make it a through station. The old line past the level crossing will never reopen so there's nothing to lose by moving the station.
I imagine if High Wycombe were to be reached again it would probably have to take a different route - probably wouldn’t be able to go via Bourne End and might not even be able to serve Wooburn Green or Loudwater. I imagine it would have to head a fair bit of the way down the Marlow branch to place the alignment as going through Bourne End might be a little tricky. Having said that, your suggestion does sound possible!
Now you can do a quick study on the 'missing' branches of Uxbridge (Vine Street), Uxbridge (High Street), Staines West and Brentford. PS you've used a picture of Flying Scotsman to illustrate the GWR. Careful - that way madness lies... 😊
The Henley-on-Thames branch used to be completely double track before it was reduced to a single track with the passing loop you mentioned at Shiplake. Henley-on-Thames used to three platforms. The Henley-on-Thames branch should be electrifed because in the regatta, they run eight coach 165s along the branch and also they run 3tph by skipping Shiplake on the Up trains and Wargrave on the Down trains and also double crewing it. Reopening the line to High Wycombe from Bourne End should be done and at the same time raise the track at Bourne End. Greenford Branch can take a four coach train with ASDO, and also, there is just about enough room to make the Drayton Green platform able to take four coaches becuase the signal which protects the junction is before the bridge and there is still some space left between the platforms and point work as wll as there is space under the bridge. The Windsor link project should be done. However, it should be changed so that then SWR services are extended to Slough. Electrifaction should really be done to on the Windsor and Eton Central branch.
Regarding Greenford, I’d heard differently about any feasible platform extensions but I’ll take your word for it. Yes the Henley branch should be electrified, the 387s would have been perfect during the summer (like with Windsor!) Agree re Windsor project. Whilst I do think it’s unlikely and probably won’t happen, it would be a neat addition to the rail network.
@@somenorthlondoner You can extend the platforms around 35 metres in the Up direction (towards Drayton Green Junction) and around 15 metres in the Down Direction (towards the road bridge) which would extend the current 50-metre platform 2 and 53-metre platform 1 to around 100 metres which is enough for a four coach unit based on each coach being no more than 24 metres long and that gives a 2 metre tolerance at the stop car marker which is the standard amount required, according a Geoff Marshall video about the new 717s on the Northern City Line. West Ealing Bay is 114 metres long, you would realistically want to extend from Greenford to at least South Ruislip with the electrification since you are making it more attractive to use both because it links up with more trains and also serves more places.
@@beatlesfan2884 I did know that but I was more discussing the ticket itself. The benefit of using the day ranger though is so you can at least apply any discounts (railcards etc.) and so don’t have to pay full price like you would if you just paid with contactless
Hey I don’t mean this in a bad way but I just feel the ends of your sentences feel rather cut-off. You’ll finish one (and I guess there’s an audio cut?) and immediately start another which I feel sounds slightly unnatural. Not always but quite a bit. That was a cool video though and I may be sticking around for a while
![Summer Walker - Heart Of A Woman [Official Lyric Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SFddctbZzw8/mqdefault.jpg)
Marlow donkey had an affectionate nickname given to the original single coach and loco push pull train that ran.
Didn’t know that! How interesting
I grew up in Henley and used the branch line a lot to go to Reading. In 2015, Network Rail began cutting trees down and putting markers on the ground where the new overhead gantries would go, before electrification was postponed a year later. I recall many occasions where college classmates were late because the 165 had broken down. Re-doubling would help massively. The Shiplake bridge still has room for it
Yes it would be very useful to have the line redoubled. Shame that electrification has been postponed though, I guess this’ll be 230 operated before too long?
@@somenorthlondoner I'm personally sceptical of cascading ex Underground trains built in the 70s to replace the Turbos built in the 90s. I'd much rather see newer or equivalent age stock converted to AC, such as the 465s which are being retired from Southeastern
You could fit longer trains in Bourne End. You could fit a three coach 230 in it.
How about a video on the two Charing Cross stations? I am sure most Londoners are unaware there are two Charing Cross stations and the amazing £1.35 return from Glasgow Central to Charing Cross ticket
Maybe 😂 depends on how much Avanti tickets are…some Northern content coming very soon though!
@@somenorthlondoner if you break your journey at Stratford it's £35 to Glasgow central
Excellent presentation. You made a dull set of branch lines come to life in a way that was even more interesting than Geoff Marshall.
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it! 😃
Wycombe to Bourne End reopening would be awesome, but hard to see any salvageable right of way between Wooburn Green and Wycombe.
At Bourne End there's enough room that they could compulsory purchase a row of houses and move the station to make it a through station. The old line past the level crossing will never reopen so there's nothing to lose by moving the station.
I imagine if High Wycombe were to be reached again it would probably have to take a different route - probably wouldn’t be able to go via Bourne End and might not even be able to serve Wooburn Green or Loudwater. I imagine it would have to head a fair bit of the way down the Marlow branch to place the alignment as going through Bourne End might be a little tricky. Having said that, your suggestion does sound possible!
Never say never to reopening from Bourne End to High Wycombe,this could get the Chiltern main line electrified.
@@laurenceskinnerton73 Yes it is absolutely something I’d love to see
Now you can do a quick study on the 'missing' branches of Uxbridge (Vine Street), Uxbridge (High Street), Staines West and Brentford. PS you've used a picture of Flying Scotsman to illustrate the GWR. Careful - that way madness lies... 😊
I might do them! :)
The Henley-on-Thames branch used to be completely double track before it was reduced to a single track with the passing loop you mentioned at Shiplake. Henley-on-Thames used to three platforms. The Henley-on-Thames branch should be electrifed because in the regatta, they run eight coach 165s along the branch and also they run 3tph by skipping Shiplake on the Up trains and Wargrave on the Down trains and also double crewing it. Reopening the line to High Wycombe from Bourne End should be done and at the same time raise the track at Bourne End. Greenford Branch can take a four coach train with ASDO, and also, there is just about enough room to make the Drayton Green platform able to take four coaches becuase the signal which protects the junction is before the bridge and there is still some space left between the platforms and point work as wll as there is space under the bridge. The Windsor link project should be done. However, it should be changed so that then SWR services are extended to Slough. Electrifaction should really be done to on the Windsor and Eton Central branch.
Regarding Greenford, I’d heard differently about any feasible platform extensions but I’ll take your word for it. Yes the Henley branch should be electrified, the 387s would have been perfect during the summer (like with Windsor!)
Agree re Windsor project. Whilst I do think it’s unlikely and probably won’t happen, it would be a neat addition to the rail network.
@@somenorthlondoner You can extend the platforms around 35 metres in the Up direction (towards Drayton Green Junction) and around 15 metres in the Down Direction (towards the road bridge) which would extend the current 50-metre platform 2 and 53-metre platform 1 to around 100 metres which is enough for a four coach unit based on each coach being no more than 24 metres long and that gives a 2 metre tolerance at the stop car marker which is the standard amount required, according a Geoff Marshall video about the new 717s on the Northern City Line. West Ealing Bay is 114 metres long, you would realistically want to extend from Greenford to at least South Ruislip with the electrification since you are making it more attractive to use both because it links up with more trains and also serves more places.
Hey , i was on 055 earlier!
345055 I’m assuming? If so, awesome!
Two of the Thames Valley branches are in my railway. Guess which one it is.
Greenford I’m guessing?
@@somenorthlondoner Yes. Can you guess the other one?
@@eastlancsesteem Slough?
@@somenorthlondoner Correct! ✅
❤
Thanks!
@@somenorthlondonerYou know that you can use your Contactless Card for the Thames Valley Branches
@@beatlesfan2884 I did know that but I was more discussing the ticket itself. The benefit of using the day ranger though is so you can at least apply any discounts (railcards etc.) and so don’t have to pay full price like you would if you just paid with contactless
@@somenorthlondoner True, but tickets are a long queue.
6:39 what station was this?
Slough IIRC
@@somenorthlondoner iirc?
@@ace-paidinfull5240 if i remember correctly
@@somenorthlondoner no what does it stand for?
@@ace-paidinfull5240 IIRC stands for if I remember correctly
cheeky 2am post 💀
As if you weren’t on call for 6 hours until 30 minutes ago 😂
Hey I don’t mean this in a bad way but I just feel the ends of your sentences feel rather cut-off. You’ll finish one (and I guess there’s an audio cut?) and immediately start another which I feel sounds slightly unnatural. Not always but quite a bit. That was a cool video though and I may be sticking around for a while
Yeah I have to trim my audios and sometimes they accidentally cut off a last bit of the last word