Chelsea-Hackney line

The Chelsea-Hackney (or "Chelney") line is a safeguarded route for an underground railway running from south-west London to north-east London. As of 2008, the plan is being developed by Cross London Rail Links Ltd., the developers of Crossrail cite web | title = Chelsea-Hackney Line | publisher =Crossrail | date =2007-09-04 | url = http://www.crossrail.co.uk/pages/chelsea-hackneyline.html | accessdate = 2007-10-18] , and is therefore sometimes known as Crossrail 2.

History

Original plan

A south-west/north-east tube line was originally planned as early as 1901cite web|url=http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/future.html#chelsea|title=Technical information about the Chelsea-Hackney Line|first=Clive|last=Feather|accessdate=2008-03-07] and a bill was put before parliament in 1904cite web | title = Consultation on safeguarding revision for the Chelsea-Hackney line | publisher =Department for Transport | url = http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2007/consulchelhackney/consulchelhackmain?page=2#a1006 | accessdate = 2007-10-18] . However political manoeuvring by rival tube magnate Charles Yerkes killed off the proposal.

Later plans

The plan was revived in 1970 by London Transport's London Rail Study as the next project after the completion of the Victoria Line and the Fleet Line (renamed as the Jubilee line). Designed to relieve pressure on the District, Central and Victoria lines, and to link two areas without tube services, the route would have taken over the Wimbledon branch of the District as far as Parsons Green, then followed a new underground alignment to Leytonstone, where it would then take over one of the branches of the Central Line. [Cite news|work=The Times|location=London|title=London Transport plans third new Tube Line|date=1970-01-02] For financial reasons the line was not built, but over the years the idea, or variations of it have emerged.

Following the Central London Rail Study of 1989, a route through central London was safeguarded.
*Parsons Green
*Chelsea, King's Road
*Sloane Square
*Victoria
*Piccadilly Circus
*Tottenham Court Road
*King's Cross St. Pancras
*Angel
*Essex Road
*Dalston Junction
*Hackney Central
*Homerton
*LeytonstoneAs the route would serve both King's Cross and Kings Road it was suggested that the line could be named Kings Line. It was decided however that the Jubilee Line Extension should take priority and the project was postponed.

In 1995, an alternate plan, the Express Metro was put forward that would utilise more existing track, have fewer stations and be built to national rail standard. It would take one of three routes from the East Putney on the District line to Victoria station; either Putney Bridge, Parsons Green and Kings Road as in the original safeguarded plan; or to Wandsworth Town and Clapham Junction and then either via Chelsea Harbour and Kings Road or via Battersea.

From Victoria it would then call at
*Tottenham Court Road
*King's Cross St. Pancras
*Highbury & Islington
*Dalston Kingsland
*Hackney Centraland then split into two branches, one to Leytonstone and then on to Epping taking over the Central line, the other taking over the North London Line to Woolwich, since used by the Docklands Light Railway.

Another version of the plan was proposed in 2001, with fewer stations.

Current plans

Chelsea-Hackney LineIn 2007, the 1991 route was updated - Sloane Square was dropped from the plan and it was decided to take over the Central line's Epping branch from Leytonstone - and re-safeguarded. It is currently considered the third major rail project in the capital after the East London line extension and Crossrail 1. It is planned that Sloane Square will be re-introduced into the route in the next safeguarding of the line.

Of the three routes in south-west London the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea initially favoured the first, but now supports the second [cite web | title = Chelsea-Hackney Line: first on the agenda | publisher =Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea | date =October 2003 | url = http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/rbkcdirect/chelseahackney/ch0309.asp | accessdate = 2007-10-18] Under the present plans, only one entirely new station would be constructed at Chelsea, while another proposed station on the route, Dalston Junction, is not due to be opened until 2010 when it will be served by the extended East London line as part of London Overground.

Choice of Operator

Even though it is being developed by Cross London Rail Ltd no decision has yet been on made on whether the line will be part of the National Rail network or the London Underground network; there are advantages and disadvantages to both. A National Rail system, like Crossrail would allow larger trains, and therefore a larger capacity for passengers. However it would mean that several major interchanges would have to be abandoned, in particular Piccadilly CircusFact|date=April 2008 and be very costly to construct. A London Underground system would require smaller tunnels meaning smaller trains, but more valuable interchange stops in Central London and would mean the project would be cheaper.

Other proposals

It has also been proposed that an extension spur could be built Northwards that involves re-using the Northern Heights section to Alexandra Palace that was once planned to be part of the Northern Line.cite web|url=http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/5|title=Crossrail 2|date|publisher=Always Touch Out|accessdate=2008-03-07] A link to Clapham Junction from London Victoria via Chelsea Harbour is also being examined though not part of the protected route, in a bid to end that station's isolation from the London Underground network. The line could be extended south of Wimbledon, though this would require major rebuilding work of the station. At one point it was envisioned that the line might run over the former route to West Croydon, but that line has now been used for Tramlink instead.

References

ee also

*Crossrail
*Chelsea tube station