Platform 20 at Waterloo finally opens (with five more to come)

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Quite a schlep from the concourse, but anything to relieve the congestion is welcome. Plus nice to be in the building after so many years...

 

[Pickman's model]

Quite a schlep from the concourse, but anything to relieve the congestion is welcome. Plus nice to be in the building after so many years...

no matter where you go you'll find a gooner

 

[Teaboy]

Aces, that's my train. Presumably that's in the old Eurostar area?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Aces, that's my train. Presumably that's in the old Eurostar area?

yeah, you access it via platform 19. They will be opening up the other old Eurostar ones soon-ish.

 

[teuchter]

About time too. They have been sitting there unused for years now.

 

[Teaboy]

About time too. They have been sitting there unused for years now.

Yeah, I mentioned on another thread that there was a plan to run a Heathrow Express service using the old Eurostar platforms. Unfortunately they couldn't make it work primarily due to all the level crossings on that line through South West London.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Yeah, I mentioned on another thread that there was a plan to run a Heathrow Express service using the old Eurostar platforms. Unfortunately they couldn't make it work primarily due to all the level crossings on that line through South West London.

They knocked down a large part of Staines in preparation for this, now it's not going to happen. Still, on the bright side, they knocked down a large part of Staines

 

[editor]

Update from SLP:

FIVE new platforms are proposed as plans of a multi-million pound improvement and expansion of a South London train station.

A planning application for the works at Waterloo Station has been submitted by Network Rail to Lambeth council.

The first part of this project involves strengthening three bridges on the approach to platforms 20 to 24 as well as changing the layout of the track and platforms.

If the planning application is approved, work on the bridges is expected to start in October and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016.

Also planned is the complete redesign of the concourse and platforms.

The proposed works are a vital part of the overall programme to increase capacity at the station. Strengthening the bridges will allow platforms 20 to 24, currently part of the former Waterloo International Terminal, to be used for domestic services.

In addition, plans are also being developed to extend platforms 1 to 4, to allow 10-car trains to run on the suburban network for the first time.

More than 250 additional train carriages are also being introduced on to the network. This will provide a 30 per cent increase in capacity across the network.

The station is one of Britain’s busiest with about 100 million passengers using it each year.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I still feel faintly at the loss of the old 'windsor station' building that was demolished to make way for it...

 

[Artaxerxes]

Question is... will a single jumper or accident cause the complete backlog of the trains that it currently does?

 

[cesare]

Will this mean disruption at Waterloo in addition to London Bridge?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I still feel faintly at the loss of the old 'windsor station' building that was demolished to make way for it...

That was at Waterloo where the old Eurostar gaff is now?

When did this go?

Really don't remember it at all, though I guess as well as Windsor trains the ones from Hounslow would end up there too?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Question is... will a single jumper or accident cause the complete backlog of the trains that it currently does?

in theory, it should reduce it a bit, as there will be more platforms / lines that can be used. most of the london suburban railway system is currently running at absolute capacity, so the slightest balls-up can take a long time to work its way out of the system

although if the added capacity is used to increase services, then this may well still apply.

Will this mean disruption at Waterloo in addition to London Bridge?

not sure of the exact plans. if the work is being done on bits that are currently not in use (i.e. the rest of the 'international' platforms and lines) presumably not so much.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

That was at Waterloo where the old Eurostar gaff is now?

When did this go?

Really don't remember it at all, though I guess as well as Windsor trains the ones from Hounslow would end up there too?

yes, shortly before the international station started to be built, and yes - the lines that go from clapham junction to richmond etc (rather than through wimbledon) are collectively known as 'the windsor lines'

this was a separate structure, albeit part of waterloo station and was (in the old platform numbering) platforms 16 to 21 - the six platforms nearest to york road on this (1922) plan.

More platforms were added in the old 'cab road' (in the middle), so what's now platform 19 used to be platform 15 in the main building (just below the - now demolished- 'station offices' building that's parallel with the platforms.)

there were sidings between the 'windsor station' and the office block on york road, which were not visible from inside the station. these also included the original hoist to get trains in and out of the waterloo & city line (video of it in use here) - a new hole in the ground had to be constructed off lower marsh when the eurostar station was built.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Wow, that would have been when I was around twenty. Walking round with my eyes shut, really can't remember it at all, although passed through at least once a month throughout out my whole childhood to go to Moorfields. Why we didn't take the tube all the way I don't know, will ask me mum at the weekend.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Wow, that would have been when I was around twenty. Walking round with my eyes shut, really can't remember it at all, although passed through at least once a month throughout out my whole childhood to go to Moorfields. Why we didn't take the tube all the way I don't know, will ask me mum at the weekend.

Was the "walking round with my eyes shut" why your mum had to take you to Moorfields once a month?