London Euston station news, discussion, HS2 etc

[Sue]

Yes, exactly this is one of the problems.

At some stations they'll let people onto the platform before the train is ready (it may be the case that it is still being cleaned etc up until 10 mins before). In that case, passengers have to wait on the platform for a while, but it avoids the scrum which is particularly bad at Euston because of the distance between the concourse & the platforms. But it seems to be part of the station "culture" that no-one is allowed on any platform until the train is totally ready.

Yep, it'd be much better if they'd at least let you wait on the platform. Especially for the West Coast mainline where people are much more likely to have cases and stuff than on more commuter type lines so it takes longer for people to get to the bloody platform in the first place.

Jesus this had me fuming last time I took a train, literally nowhere to stand and hundred people standing outside on concourse all rushing in with minutes to spare

Last couple of times I've gone from Euston, I've made the train by the skin of my teeth despite being there a good 30 mins before the train was meant to leave.

Mind you, not sure if anyone else ever got the train from Euston round Christmas back in the day? You literally had to queue at a table on the concourse and show your ticket/seat reservation. They'd then give you a platform ticket which was checked along with your ticket/seat reservation before they'd let you anywhere near the slope thing and the train.

Being round Christmas, it would be ridiculously busy anyway and then there'd be this massive queue of people waiting to get platform tickets. Then amateurs would turn up, foolishly expecting that their ticket/seat reservation would be enough to get them on the train and desperately queue jumping in an attempt to get a platform ticket and make their train. Saw a few near fights break out as a result. Absolute madness.

 

[teuchter]

This video shows what Euston looked like when it opened. Spacious and full of daylight.






Since then it's been cluttered up with all sorts of stuff. Most of that glazing around the top is blocked off. The main concourse has had various kiosks etc added. There's the mezzanine level they put along the front edge a little while ago that blocks lots of daylight from that side. There's all the advertising and signage clutter everywhere (instead of constrained to a limited band next to the departure boards as in the original. The underground entrance has been walled off removing even more daylight. And so on.

If the same amount of care that was put into restoring (and maintaining) the original appearance of St Pancras station were to be put into Euston, I think it could be quite magnificent, an example of optimistic 1960s modernism.

It replaced the Victorian original because it just wasn't big enough for C20 requirements. The picture you always see, of the old room with the grand stairs, it was actually quite tiny and the stairs weren't for passengers, they were to get to the company's boardrooms.

I'd say the failure in the 60s design for Euston was the platforms and how they are accessed. They are pretty grim (although if you look at that video you'll see they did originally have a bit more daylight. And the way the ramps are arranged, it makes them too far away and because not all platforms have access to all ramps, you get congestion if two trains are arriving/leaving at the same time and everyone's trying to get through one small gateline. Compare with Kiings Cross where you can spread out and use the entire gateline regardless of which platform you need.

 

[teuchter]

Have a look at the Preston Bus Station refurb....

Brutalist Preston Bus Station refurbished by John Puttick Associates

John Puttick Associates has completed the renovation of the Grade II-listed Brutalist bus station in Preston, in the north of England.

www.dezeen.com

Euston actually has quite a similar coffered concrete ceiling.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

this has less than i was hoping for, but posting it here as it's got some 1939 colour film



some pictures in this article - including the 1930s design that might have replaced it if the war hadn't happened.

and more before / during the reconstruction here.

Wow the near Drummond St part looked amazing...they really fucked up with changing this station.

 

[Crispy]

The ramps didn't even need to be so long in the first place. While the tracks are sunk below ground level a bit, the station itself is raised up so that they could put the car park and taxi rank in the basement without interfering with the tube tunnels below.

 

[blossie33]

Just seen this...

London Euston station has turned off the MEGA SIZED advertising boards

Euston station's huge advertising boards have gone dark, as Network Rail has agreed to turn them off as part of a five-point plan to improve the station.

www.ianvisits.co.uk

 

[editor]

And this too: Euston station’s big advertising screens turned off after overcrowding fears | Rail industry | The Guardian

 

[spitfire]

Can confirm.

 

[Elpenor]

I am sure that’s what I do when catching trains at Waterloo and Paddington though. Wait for a platform, then dash to a train?

 

[editor]

I am sure that’s what I do when catching trains at Waterloo and Paddington though. Wait for a platform, then dash to a train?

The difference is that Euston's platforms are some distance away and the station is notorious for late announcements, causing congestion and people running to get to their train in time. Paddington is miles better.

 

[Elpenor]

The difference is that Euston's platforms are some distance away and the station is notorious for late announcements, causing congestion and people running to get to their train in time. Paddington is miles better.

Sounds like you haven’t caught a train from one of the higher numbered platforms at Paddington lately. They are some distance away from the main concourse, perhaps similar to Euston.

Must admit I don’t think I’ve taken a train from Euston since 2006 so my knowledge of the station isn’t current

 

[editor]

Sounds like you haven’t caught a train from one of the higher numbered platforms at Paddington lately. They are some distance away from the main concourse, perhaps similar to Euston.

Must admit I don’t think I’ve taken a train from Euston since 2006 so my knowledge of the station isn’t current

I regularly catch trains from Paddington actually, and seeing as you've admitted that you haven't got a train from Euston in nearly 20 years, I'm wondering why you're opining about something you clearly know nothing about.

Euston is considerably worse than Paddington.

 

[Elpenor]

I regularly catch trains from Paddington actually, and seeing as you've admitted that you haven't got a train from Euston in nearly 20 years, I'm wondering why you're opining about something you clearly know nothing about.

Euston is considerably worse than Paddington.

Because it’s the internet

 

[Pickman's model]

I haven't caught a train from Euston since about 1991 but it's obvious how shit it is, they've clearly never given any real thought to flows within the station. And the access to the tube station is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I've not travelled at all regularly through Euston since about 1992, and have a vague recollection of travelling off peak to milton keynes for a job interview about 10 years ago and not since, i don't quite understand what's gone wrong with it.

i never particularly liked the place but don't remember it being all that bad. has something changed?

or is it just there are more trains / passengers than there used to be? or have some platforms been lost with the HS2 work?

 

[DJWrongspeed]

The whole thing is a bloomin mess. I've never had issues boarding at Euston tbh but it does seem weird that you have to walk ages to get on a train.
The HS2 / HS1 disconnect is weird. Don't knock peoples houses down if you aren't going to see through a high speed rail project.