Hounslow_Loop_Line

Hounslow Loop Line

Hounslow Loop Line

Suburban electric railway line in England

The Hounslow Loop Line is a railway line in southwest London which was opened by the London and South Western Railway in 1850. It leaves the Waterloo to Reading Line at Barnes Junction and after some seven and a half miles rejoins it at a triangular junction between Whitton and Feltham. Barnes Railway Bridge carries the line over the River Thames. Passenger services, all operated by South Western Railway, either loop back to Waterloo by the junctions or continue southwest via Feltham. The line is electrified at 750 V DC (third rail). It provides access to the North London Line for freight services both passing through Clapham Junction to the north east and connecting to the rail network to the south west.

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Passenger services and rolling stock

Most service to stations on the Hounslow Loop line are provided by trains operating between London Waterloo and Weybridge via Staines.

As of December 2023, the typical weekday and Saturday service is 2 trains per hour in each direction to and from Waterloo. Trains use the Waterloo to Reading Line between Waterloo and Barnes, take the loop between Barnes Bridge and Hounslow stations, and operate to and from Weybridge via Staines.[1][2]

On Sunday mornings service is reduced to hourly.

At peak hours, some trains do not serve Staines and Weybridge, but rather travel in a loop to and from Waterloo via Hounslow and Richmond.

Services are generally operated by Class 707s, operating in 5 or 10-car configuration. These trains entered service in August 2017.[3] Class 450, Class 455 and Class 458 units also work the line. All units on the line are to be replaced by Class 701 Aventra units, with introduction planned for 2020.[4][5]

Ridership

The line has seen a steep increase in ridership levels in recent years, corresponding with the doubling of train frequencies from 2 trains per hour in each direction to 4 (except on Sundays). The line's seven stations had combined passenger numbers of 5.565 million in 2007–08 (based on station exits), a 162% increase on the 2004–05 figure of 2.122 million.[6]

Recent changes

Most stations had platforms lengthened to allow the operation of 10 coach trains from May 2013.[7] Where this was not possible, selective door opening is used.

Platform 20 at Waterloo (within the former Waterloo International terminal) came into use in May 2014 to provide additional capacity.[8][9]

Future developments

A proposal published in 2017 by the London Assembly and Transport for London envisages extending the London Overground network to run trains on the section of the Hounslow Loop Line between Brentford and Hounslow.[10] The scheme, known as the West London Orbital, would involve the re-opening of the Dudding Hill Line to passenger services and running trains from West Hampstead Thameslink and Hendon via the planned Old Oak Common Lane station. A new station may be constructed at Lionel Road, close to Kew Bridge. The plans are currently at public consultation stage with TfL.[11]

References

  1. [1]
    "Hounslow Loop to London Waterloo" (PDF). South Western Railway. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. [2]
    "Weybridge via Staines to London Waterloo" (PDF). South Western Railway. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. [3]
    "Class 707s enter service on Windsor routes". Global Rail News. 18 August 2017. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  4. [4]
    Armitage, Jim (14 February 2018). "Business focus: Why your box-fresh train is being replaced". Evening Standard. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  5. [5]
    Johnson, Marc (11 September 2017). "Waterloo dawn for South Western Railway". Rail Staff. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  6. [6]
    "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
  7. [7]
    Longhurst, Chris (3 September 2014). "Hounslow Loop set for more trains and longer carriages by 2017". getwestlondon. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  8. [8]
    "New platform and 60 extra carriages for Waterloo commuters". Department for Transport. gov.uk. 23 December 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.
  9. [9]
    "Platform 20 at Waterloo finally opens (with five more to come)". urban75 forums. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  10. [10]
    "Mayor's Transport Strategy 2018". London City Hall. 5 January 2015. Archived from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  11. [11]
    "West London Orbital". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.

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