BAKERLOO LINE COMING TO LOWER SYDENHAM?

[leenewham]

It's been said before but it looks like it may be one step closer to reality according to the Sydenham Society Website.

http://www.sydenhamsociety.com/2011/07/ ... sydenham/

Network Rail’s London and south-east Rail Utilisation Study (a plan for future rail projects) published a few days ago announces an extension of the Bakerloo Line.

The proposed route will take the line from Elephant & Castle through New Cross Gate, Lewisham, Catford then to Lower Sydenham and along the existing the current mainline route to Hayes. This ends many years of speculation as to a proposed route – many of which would have not resulted a route anywhere close to this area.

The proposed route would include a station at Lower Sydenham (the existing station would be re-sited closer to the Sainsburys store at Bell Green). It would also include an interchange at New Cross Gate which would allow access for those travelling from Sydenham on the East London line or on mainline trains to London Bridge.

[Gaz]

Blimey! That would be great news for Sydenham if it happens, and a Bakerloo interchange at NCG would be very welcome (for this Kirkdale Villager TM)!

Is it only the 202 bus that currently connects Sydenham to Lower Sydenham train stations?

[michael]

The map shown in the RUS and on the Sydenham Society website does not show Lower Sydenham relocated. There is no mention of moving the station in the RUS (possibly a little too much detail), but I don't think we should take it for granted that the RUS is advocating the relocation of Lower Sydenham (although I would welcome such a move). While the RUS approves of Bakerloo line extension via Lewisham, it does not really move it forward by making it part of the next few phases of consideration.

What concerns me is that TfL produced plans to extend the DLR from Lewisham to Catford and Network Rail generally approves of plans for the Bakerloo line to run on the same tracks, while talking about a southern extension to DLR beyond Lewisham without any routes suggested. They are still ultimately planning to use the same tracks, and there is simply not capacity to run a frequent DLR and Bakerloo line to Catford and beyond, unless one goes underground.

There is good news in the RUS with plans for 5 carriage trains on ELL and possibly also 12 carriage trains on the mainline trains to London Bridge.

[Gaz]

I thought the DLR used totally a different track and so any extension would be new track being laid down (rather than replacing existing mainline routes); or as I thought more likely, an extension that ran above ground on stilts like at Canary Wharf?

[paultreacy]

Wow. What kind of time frame?

[JRobinson]

considering Thameslink 2000 is still not finished... this may not even ever leave the drawing board!

[michael]

They talk about the Bakerloo line being a 'long term' solution. In the context of the RUS this means beyond 2031, but we have to start planning some time.

[JulietP]

It'll never happen. Not within a generation anyway. When I lived in Camberwell there were frequent flurries of excitement at one plan or another to extend the Bakerloo line. Lots of talk and no trousers. Or, more accurately, no money.

With Crossrail and High Speed 2 requiring all spare transport infrastructure money for the foreseeable future, any other plans are doomed to remain at the planning stage indefinitely.

But, let's look on the bright side - the overground line formerly known as the ELL makes life a lot easier already!

[Bovine Juice]

I suspect you're right. Even if it is to happen they won't start working on it till 2020 at the earliest: http://www.valshawcross.com/index.php?i ... 2b1d764acc