10.01.18
Overground between Gospel Oak and Barking to reopen after ‘once-in-a-generation upgrade’
London Overground services are set to return between Gospel Oak and Barking next week following the installation of new overhead electric lines.
Opening on Monday 15 January, the work will allow new electric trains to be introduced on the line, in what Network Rail is calling a “once-in-a-generation upgrade.”
The line is operated by TfL, and will now undergo testing with the intention of running electrical services by spring of 2018.
When services resume next week, the existing two-car diesel trains will be used until the new four car electric trains have been fully tested and driver training complete.
Jonathan Fox, TfL’s director of rail and sponsored services, welcomed the upgrades and thanked customers who had been inconvenienced by the line being shut.
He said the new stock which would be introduced on the line would consist of “new, more reliable and longer electric trains” improving journeys for passengers.
Now that the track is reopened, services will run every 15 minutes until the late evening, and at least every 20 minutes after 22:00. It will provide interchanges with the Victoria Line at Blackhorse Road and Hammersmith & City, and both District Line and c2c services at Barking.
The work was part of Network Rail’s London Railway Upgrade plan, which it claims will increase peak hour capacity by 30%.
Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, Meliha Duymaz, commented: “Passengers travelling on the Gospel Oak to Barking line are set to benefit from a transformational, once-in-a-generation upgrade with a new fleet of longer, electric trains so that twice as many people can travel comfortably, once line testing is complete.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to our railway neighbours and passengers for their enormous patience and understanding while we worked to improve this busy London route.”
It should be noted that Network Rail still needs to carry out some improvements to the Crouch Hill Bridge, which crosses the Gospel Oak to Barking line, which means no London Overground services will operate on this line over the weekend of 7 and 8 April, with services returning on 9 April.
Top image: Network Rail
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