Partial electrification planned for West London Orbital rail scheme

Plans for the proposed West London Orbital rail route have advanced, with around half of the line expected to be electrified as part of the scheme.

The 11-mile route, which would connect Hendon and Hounslow, has secured £6.65m in development funding to support detailed design work and a forthcoming public consultation. Transport for London (TfL) is contributing half of the funding, with the remainder coming from four London boroughs and the Old Oak & Park Royal Development Corporation.

Electrification and battery operation proposed

TfL has indicated that the northern section of the route will require electrification, particularly along the Dudding Hill line between Brent Cross West and Acton Wells Junction.

However, challenges with upgrading the existing third-rail power supply on the southern section mean battery-powered trains are being considered as an alternative.

Lead sponsor Matthew Rheinberg said battery operation could avoid the “huge amount of money” needed to upgrade third-rail infrastructure, while still enabling services to run along the Hounslow loop.

New stations and upgraded infrastructure

The scheme includes plans for four new stations at:

• Neasden

• Harlesden

• Old Oak Common Lane

• Lionel Road

It will also make use of existing freight-only lines, including:

• The Dudding Hill line

• The route between South Acton and Old Kew Junction

• Sections of the Midland Main Line between Hendon and Brent Cross West

  
  

Significant infrastructure upgrades will be required, particularly on the Dudding Hill line, which currently has outdated semaphore signalling and limited capacity.

TfL hopes a wider signalling upgrade led by Network Rail could be delivered during Control Period 8 (2029–2034), although this work is not yet funded.

Balancing passenger and freight services

The proposed timetable includes four trains per hour (tph) along the full route, with an additional two tph between Hendon and Old Oak Common Lane.

TfL says the plans have been developed to ensure freight services can continue operating, although there may be some impact on how freight trains are timetabled.

Timeline and next steps

Further infrastructure changes include new turnback sidings at Hounslow to support operations, while bi-directional signalling at Hendon will remove the need for similar facilities there.

Subject to funding and approvals, services on the West London Orbital are expected to begin in the mid-2030s, providing a new orbital rail connection aimed at improving cross-London connectivity and unlocking development opportunities along the route.