I notice that there are toilets down there. Hopefully these will be in addition to and not instead of the current poor facilities, or if they do replace them that they're much larger.Lots of activity at Waterloo when I passed through yesterday afternoon - it looks like the undercroft area is about to open (maybe it is open today or Monday?). The whole area has been cleared, one flight of the stairs from the main concourse uncovered, and a small army of orange jackets were busy putting up barriers and new signs everywhere. Also the maps around the main station have been updated to show the new areas.
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I am wondering why they used wood for the stairs? Especially after the fire at kings cross, where a wooden escalator caught fire.
That’ll just be normal surface protection during the build phase.I am wondering why they used wood for the stairs? Especially after the fire at kings cross, where a wooden escalator caught fire.
I notice that there are toilets down there. Hopefully these will be in addition to and not instead of the current poor facilities, or if they do replace them that they're much larger.
It’s a large new area extending along under the line of P21/22 in the planning application. I’d expect it’s behind both the stairs and the eventual shops in the central passageway. Exactly as the NR plan showed anyway, which I really should have noticed.Or is it just a passageway to the existing facilities?
I am wondering why they used wood for the stairs? Especially after the fire at kings cross, where a wooden escalator caught fire.
Re the toilets, they look like they are all-new, according to the map that I also posted - the two sets appear to have slightly different facilities in them on that map. Can't see yet whether they are still going to charge for the toilets.
All charges will be removed by 1 April. It's already happened at Victoria, Charing Cross, London Bridge and Clapham Junction.Network Rail stated last year that they would remove all toilet charges at some point this year. Would be surprising if they installed coin barriers with the knowledge they'd be taken out of service within 10 months, although with NR who knows, the contract for putting the barriers in could have been signed long before the policy change I guess!
Trying to find the free water fountain was a bit 'cherchez la femme'. I hope it's well signposted.The updated station plan is on the Network Rail website now as well:
https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Waterloo-Station-Map.pdf
I notice that for platforms 1-19, the map specifies peak-hour access only for the staircases leading to the subway, as per usual. However, for the ex-Eurostar terminal, there is no specified time restriction for accessing the Waterloo & City line via lift. Does this suggest the connection will be open all day?
Surely peak opening is the certainty, the question was more about offpeak? It would be odd to have peak only PRM access...Can see how allowing access to / from Waterloo and City at peak times via this route would be acceptable if its the PRM access point for said line.
Noticed this week there appears to be a problem with the main departure boards on the P20-24 concourse- they don't display a platform number - just 'preparing', leaving passengers to work out for themselves which train is theirs. The screens on the platform seem to work fine though.
That's a bit confusing given that the platform screens show the service while it displays "preparing" on the main departure screen.When I have been there just before a platform is allocated it says "preparing" but it does display the platform number later.
No, but it looks like the new ground level entrance is nearly done and that may well be the trigger to open it.So nearly a month after the concourse looked nearly ready to open, I think it's still not open? Right?
No, but it looks like the new ground level entrance is nearly done and that may well be the trigger to open it.
On another matter, Waterloo toilets are now free. I thinks that's all the London termini done now.
Soon on the railway can mean months or even a year...They were tweeting out that it would be open 'soon' a month ago.