Jabird
It would appear logical to have a junction between Crossrail and HS1 at Ebbsfleet, but that station doesn't even link with the nearby conventional line just round the corner.
Which goes part of the way towards explaining why it, combined with Stratford Int, is such a White Elephant.
I was not thinking there. The southern branch of Crossrail ends at Abbey Wood, whichbis only a couple of miles from the Chunnel line. But no thought of linking the two, of course, for that would be far too logical.
Silver, I suggest you do a bit more reading on the HS2 plans before dismissing it completely.
HS2 and Crossrail will meet at Old Oak Common - and from there, HS2 passengers can transfer to LHR. However, there is no guarantee they will be able to make a single transfer to T5.
And wherenis Oak Common? Since they will not publish the two maps overlaid, it is very difficult to see. I presume you mean somewhere close to Acton/Paddington, as that appears to be the closest approach.
But nobody wants a transfer - they want to get off at their destination. Spur lines are a complete nonsense.
What do you do - catch a Chunnel train from Paris to Kings Cross, then a tube from Kings to Euston, then HS2 to the spur junction on HS2, and then a train to LHR and then another train or bus to T5?? Its a nonsense.
Would someone consider such a trip if there was a direct train? I might. I hate all the security issues and waiting at airports, so if I could do a 3-4 hour train journey to catch a long haul, I would do it rather than fly in. But the tortuous links being proposed here make the whole enterprise a nonsense, wherever you live.
No. Crossrail already provides relatively few continuation benefits outside the existing TfL zones, as mentioned above. One of the reasons it is so expensive is that it uses 6m diameter twin tunnels - and this is so that it can take overhead electrification - even though 3rd rail is used throughout the south east, and may well have resulted in a much lower build cost, although the trains would have cost more.
HS1 & 2 are built to European loading guages, which make it possible to run double-decker trains.
Afaik, all are 25KV AC. High speed trains could not run through the Crossrail line - far too many stops, and different train layout - I presume Crossrail platforms will have anti-jump barriers too, like the Jubilee line.
As far as I am aware.
a. TGV and Eurostar use the good old Stevenson (of Rocket fame) track gauge, the same as all UK lines.
b. The Eurostar trains uses UK rolling gauge dimensions, so will run on UK lines. European rolling gauge would be better, if Crossrail and the Chunnel will accept it.
c. The Crossrail, as you say, can take pantograph trains.
So there is no reason why HS2 cannot link up with CrossRail at Heathrow (further west than currently proposed). From there the trains could run into London (not stopping at every junction). They would stop in the city, and in Docklands, and from there they would go to Abbey Wood to link up with the Chunnel line. And if the Chunnel line was deviated slightly to the NE, the line would join up with Silver-Boris Island too.
This would negate the need for all that work taking HS2 in through London into Euston (and stopping 2 km short of HS1 at Kings Cross). Why bother, when Crossrail already does this??
I still think nobody is thinking about this, otherwise someone would be publishing the integrated transport map. Where is it?
.