How to make millions of Londoners very happy
Crossrail – the proposed east-west main line is a much awaited project for London. However, there is an equally beneficial project called South Crossrail which costs so little in comparison. In fact, in railway infrastructure terms it comes cheap.
The beauty of it is – over 99% of the line is already built and because of its ingenious design it would double the frequency of trains and significantly shorten the journey time of local train journeys.
The route would allow trains from Staines, Shepperton, Hampton Court, Guildford, Chessington and Epsom – including Clapham Junction, Hounslow, Kingston, Richmond and Wimbledon pass 
through Waterloo and London Bridge onward via Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham to Dartford, Sevenoaks and West Wickham.
At present the trains in the west stop at Waterloo and the trains in the east stop at London Bridge and Charing Cross. Trains stopping at terminus stations are notorious for low throughput. But imagine if the trains at Waterloo could carry on to London Bridge – well they can. Just beyond Waterloo is Waterloo East. The lines in both stations are level with each other and they also use the same third rail power method. Four tracks could pass through the present Waterloo concourse and pass straight into Waterloo East. We would no longer need Waterloo East station of course.
There is already a railway bridge across Waterloo Road at the required point – although it would have to be widened. 
There are so many options at so little cost. It would benefit millions of Londoners and people beyond. I have already told people at Transport for London and British Rail, Network Rail and South West Trains, but they take a lot of persuading. It took years to persuade them that Thameslink was a good idea – initially I was told that no-one would use such a route. Don’t let their lack of imagination let this wonderful idea pass us by – it could be ready for the Olympics if we want it. If you have any questions just ask me.
Previous article: Slow that Car (Monday, 9th June, 2008)
Comments
Borough Market Junction
South Cross Rail looks a superb idea. But would there not be a problem of capacity at Borough Market Junction, where the already very busy line carrying Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Thameslink services is reduced to just two tracks?
I've just looked at a website (http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/23) outlining developments here. But even four tracks through the junction may be inadequate to take further traffic between Waterloo East and London Bridge, even if the Charing Cross problem were solved with a mini-shuttle (like the ones at Gatwick, Stansted and Birmingham airports). Is there any other solution? I'm all in favour of a Southern Cross Rail, but this does look to me like a snag.
Sarah Richards.
The Junction
You are correct. The two track southern curve of the Borough Road Junction would have to be increased to four tracks if the full benefits of the scheme were to be gained. The Thameslink junction would also provide issues with capacity. When I presented British Rail as it then was and its passenger committee with the idea of Thameslink in the late seventies they said is was daft because there was no demand for such a link. Sadly I could not persuade them that there was a latent demand which would spring from nowhere. Fortunately, they changed their mind several years later and found that I was correct – the demand was there. I never intended that Thameslink would use track to London Bridge as that would bring capacity conflict with the South Crossrail scheme.
My scheme for Charing Cross was originally to remove all the track, the embankment and bridge from Waterloo East to Charing Cross Station. This would allow Waterloo Station to have a grand piazza and show off its frontage and there would be excellent views of the Houses of Parliament from Waterloo Bridge - to the north St Pauls and to the south Westminster. There would also be gains from selling the land on the north side of the river. However, all of these points need to be considered on their merits to ensure the greatest benefit.
south cross rail
I think it's an excellent idea, which would shorten cross-London journeys south of the river. using existing rails must provide a huge saving in implementing costs and is worth doing now, while the planned Crossrail is built over the next few years.
Use the now redundant Eurostar terminal?
Could this use the old Eurostar terminal at Waterloo? It looks like it couldn't, but are there any plans for the old platforms?
We use to catch a train from Guildford to Waterloo, and then the Eurostar to the continent - if there was train from Guildford to Ebbsfleet that would be very useful. Carrying luggage across London to St. Pancras is not easy.
Eddie
Old Euro-tunnel platforms
These lines would not be the old Euro-tunnel platforms. They would be used for other traffic leaving the four through platform space.
Direct trains to Ebbsfleet would be a bonus for the people of south west London, Surrey and beyond. Good thinking.
Return to the old days
This is what used to happen many years ago (pre 1939?) - until recently you could see exactly where the tracks left W East and crossed the bridge to Waterloo
Excellent idea - but how many people would have to change trains to reach C X?
Charing Cross
To be really effective the link to Charing Cross would really need to be desolved along with its bridge and the embankment in front of Waterloo Station. It will allow for a new square.
Making Londoners happy.
You are quite right - and I have been suggesting (obviously to the wrong people) what you propose and a lot more for years. The scheme would enable the hideous pile of rusty steel supporting the heavy rail tracks from Wloo E to Ch X to be replaced by an elegant, simple platform carrying an automatic shuttle service every few minutes from Wloo to a much-slimmed Ch X station; and beside those two tracks would be two dedicated cycle tracks running beside the two elegant pedestrian suspension bridges erected a few years ago.
With the opening of Ebbsfleet (an idiotic decision demanding greatly increased motoring in Kent) your plan could at least include a fast connection (and even through trains from the SW) from Wloo to a new station at Ebbsfleet, thus virtually restoring a cross-channel link from W'loo.
In my view Crossrail links the wrong stations: it should be a south/north connection running between Wloo and Euston/St Pancras.
As you so rightly say, terminating trains in city centres are hugely uneconomic and beget delays more easily and quickly than anything else. If you have not been there already for a demonstration of what can be done, go to the new Berlin Hbf!
Another thing urgently needed is a sensible X-shaped rail service for Heathrow: the end of the elite-only, overpriced, Heathrow Express from Paddington should be extended to the nearby SWT tracks and connected with Woking; and another should run into LHR from Clapham Jnc via Richmond to Heathrow and then NW from there to join the main GWR line to Reading. That would serve LHR well and take millions of cars off the roads. But the lines should be part of the normal rail network and not premium-priced lines for the fat cats.
Best rgds,
Colin Murison Small
waterloo east
why do you say no need for waterloo east, are you proposing to close charing cross? I hope not. Good idea but keep waterloo east and charing cross. from your picture it looks as if waterloo east could be retained as the link would be to the east of it?
Keeping Charing Cross
The benefits of the South Crossrail proposal - very rapid throughput of trains on four tracks, 120 trains an hour - would be lost if trains also went directly to Charing Cross. However, I am sure further investigation would provide interesting solutions.
Superb idea, if it genuinely
Superb idea, if it genuinely is feasible. This would be brilliant!
Feasibility
Oh it is feasible all right. A basic proposal would be very cheap and a more comprehensive plan that involved more resignalling in Surrey and south west London would produce even greater benefits.