Rebuilding of Blackfriars Thameslink station...end in sight?

[lang rabbie]

Not only is the roof detailing plug ugly, but the way they are going about creating a false inner "ceiling" below each roof slope to hide the mess of the steelwork seems almost designed to hide potential corrosion locations that will need to all be expensively stripped out, checked and reinstated thirty years hence.

Surely an exposed "high tech" solution would have had a lower overall life cycle cost - although I suspect the time horizon on which they planned this project probably didn't look that far ahead!

 

[teuchter]

It's just a waste of material apart from anything else. Building a steel structure and then using seemingly the same amount of material again to hide it all. Do the structure well and then you don't need to hide it! Lazy design, or perhaps more likely, not enough budget allocated to the design phase.

There would be some excuse for a false ceiling if it was insulated, but as far as I know it isn't; presumably it's an unheated space.

 

[Crispy]

LRC have a detailed article: http://www.londonreconnections.com/2012/london-terminals-blackfriars/
The engineering of the bridge extensions is much more impressive than the architecture of the new roof.

 

[MAD-T-REX]

There was a public exhibition yesterday on the redevelopment of Ludgate and Sampson Houses, the buildings on the southbank on either side of the tracks. I couldn't make it, but the details will be of interest (whenever they're published) as the future expansion of the station will depend on whether National Rail has safeguarded any land for additional track(s); a third bay platform would certainly be useful if they ever start running metro-frequency services into them.

 

[Crispy]

There was a public exhibition yesterday on the redevelopment of Ludgate and Sampson Houses, the buildings on the southbank on either side of the tracks. I couldn't make it, but the details will be of interest (whenever they're published) as the future expansion of the station will depend on whether National Rail has safeguarded any land for additional track(s); a third bay platform would certainly be useful if they ever start running metro-frequency services into them.

You read skyscrapercity too, don't you

On that note, the roof design of the new station doesn't lend itself particularly well to extension, especially just for opening the East face of the platform to a new track. The "tacked-on" part would be very obvious.

 

[teuchter]

They are working like crazy at Blackfriars at the moment, presumably to get it done before Jubilympicgeddon. I don't envy whoever's got the job of making that happen.

 

[teuchter]

Has anyone else noticed that the new glazing in Blackfriars station roof seems to project little rainbow spectra when the sun is shining?



Is it just accidental that it seems to match the thameslink programme branding a bit?

 

[teuchter]

Oh and also... the Loughborough Junction Action Group were out today protesting against the plans to terminate Sutton loop trains at Blackfriars...

 

[quimcunx]

Are you the one in the middle with the yellowy brown tie?

 

[r0bb0]

now with a permanent artwork that I rather like

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/6202

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Has anyone else noticed that the new glazing in Blackfriars station roof seems to project little rainbow spectra when the sun is shining?

It will attract the wrong sort.

 

[teuchter]

Are you the one in the middle with the yellowy brown tie?

Your mum is the one in the middle with the yellowy brown tie.

 

[hipipol]

I rather hope the do get the sutton stuff to stop at Blackfriars, we Catford Loopies MIGHT just get higher rate of stopping trains

 

[Pickman's model]

Oh and also... the Loughborough Junction Action Group were out today protesting against the plans to terminate Sutton loop trains at Blackfriars...

i don't think that's a representative group of loughborough junction residents.

 

[Crispy]

The Sutton trains will never go through the tunnel, as it would cause more of the same congestion that the rebuild was designed to fix. With the loop now segregated, frequency and capacity can be increased, just at the expense of through services.

They should have made the tunnel 4-track when it was re-opened in the 80s. Nearly all of the route was already wide enough.

 

[teuchter]

i don't think that's a representative group of loughborough junction residents.

Your perceptiveness never ceases to amaze

 

[Pickman's model]

Your perceptiveness never ceases to amaze

not cutting try harder

 

[discplayer]

Many might be LJ people. The two characters in the middle are Sutton borough's MPs.

 

[lang rabbie]

It does appear to be cross party - I think I can spot two Lambeth Labour councillors in that photo but I won't name them until I've had a chance to check the picture again while stone cold sober.

 

[scanner]

Used my Freedom pass to walk across the river via the new Blackfriars station, interesting. A bit off topic but can someone tell me what the track construction work alongside St Johns station is for? A lot of earth work going on there.

 

[davesgcr]

Used my Freedom pass to walk across the river via the new Blackfriars station, interesting. A bit off topic but can someone tell me what the track construction work alongside St Johns station is for? A lot of earth work going on there.

Doubling the track from Lewisham Vale Junction to ease the flow towards L Bridge and the new grade seperation in the Bermondsey area. Trust me , its needed.

 

[davesgcr]

The Sutton trains will never go through the tunnel, as it would cause more of the same congestion that the rebuild was designed to fix. With the loop now segregated, frequency and capacity can be increased, just at the expense of through services.

They should have made the tunnel 4-track when it was re-opened in the 80s. Nearly all of the route was already wide enough.

We were very lucky the old GLC and Network South East had the vision at the time - (and put some
money in when "trains were not sexy compared to the blessed Margarets Great Road economy ") - I don't think it was really possible even then , and no one wished to lose the project over being too ambitious. No chance now , with all the city development that has happened since.

 

[Bungle73]

What would the point of making the track in the tunnel quadruple when the track through Blackfriars is only double, and there's definitely no room for more than double at Farringdon?

 

[davesgcr]

What would the point of making the track in the tunnel quadruple when the track through Blackfriars is only double, and there's definitely no room for more than double at Farringdon?

Spot on ! - the pinch point (when the full TLK service is "in") are the crossing movements to and from the London Bridge lines , towards Metropolitan Junction / Borough Market , - and the Elephant and Castle lines.

 

[Crispy]

What was I smoking?

 

[teuchter]

Services on the Sutton loop are so often screwed up as a result of problems elsewhere on the Thameslink route that I think I'll be happy to accept better reliability in exchange for losing the through services, nice as they are. That's assuming that services on the core route run at a high frequency so that the wait at Blackfriars is never too long of course.

I would like the other two platforms at Loughborough Junction reopened so that services heading for Denmark Hill can stop there too. I guess that's overly wishful thinking though.

 

[Crispy]

I would like the other two platforms at Loughborough Junction reopened so that services heading for Denmark Hill can stop there too. I guess that's overly wishful thinking though.

I think re-opening Camberwell and Walworth Road (on the Loop tracks only) is more likely.
With the loop being segregated, I think there's a strong argument for running it as a metro under the Overground brand.

 

[teuchter]

Is there any more to that argument than that orange looks nice on maps?

The core Thameslink route should be on underground maps if you ask me. A surprising number of people seem oblivious to its existence.

 

[Crispy]

Is there any more to that argument than that orange looks nice on maps?

Sane ticketing, commitment to providing a good service rather than making a profit. And yes, having it on the Underground map.

Agree with you on Thameslink. West Hampstead to Elephant/London Bridge is more regular than many tube lines.

 

[teuchter]

Sane ticketing, commitment to providing a good service rather than making a profit.

I don't think this should apply to the Sutton Loop any more than any other part of the London rail network! Or the whole of national rail really.