Can’t they already use Park Lane, or the turnback sidings, for any terminating flexibility they need?
Have NR ever expressed a need for 4 platforms, or is it a politicians vanity project?
Presumably the “in use” island was widened for a very good reason, ie for safer passenger circulation, so is it at all likely that it can be narrowed again?
Of the two sidings south of Sunderland, only one is electrified. The layout of the junction is also a bit crap, requiring trains leaving the sidings to block both southbound lines and the northbound until they are clear. The need for 4 platforms more comes by way of the current 4 platforms / 2 tracks arrangement, which means services have to depart in order as it were.
Restoring the other island is most likely to be expensive due to the construction of the basement levels of the booking hall shops (the old WH Smith, etc) on it. Ironically, whilst the strategic advice suggests a 120m long south-facing platform as a cheaper alternative, this is likely not
that much cheaper, as you'd still have to do away with these basement areas. That said, now is the perfect time to do this as others have said - there is a good amount of empty retail space, and the buildings are so awful they won't be missed.
The existing platform was widened at the time simply because there were no plans to ever use the other island again (this was the Railtrack era, and the entire project was already "value engineered" to an extreme degree), and it was an easy (cheap) way to make the station better - remember that when this was originally done there were no escalators, there was no suspended ceiling, and the fixtures and fittings were literally the basics that could be gotten away with.
Any issues in terms of passenger circulation from reverting to the original width would be mitigated by the division of passenger numbers between the two platforms, especially since this would result in segregation of local and longer/long-distance passengers, whose differing behaviors tend to be the cause of some issues.
Having 4 platforms, with one island for Metro and the other for National Rail services would open up a great deal of flexibility, and be a great start to improvements to the route that could open up the potential for much better local, regional and national services.
All that money to improve the station around 10 years ago was a total waste of money as they had to move the ceiling panals for some reason which I can't remember of sadly. The station desperately needs improvements and gimmicks such as the 'light up artwork wall' needs to be ditched. If it does get another refurbishment, let's hope this brings value for money this time.
To be honest I've always quite liked the light wall (officially an art installation named "Platform 5"). For when it was installed it was quite a novel art installation, and I think a good deal of the negative perception that it has come entirely from the fact that everything it's surrounded with is, quite frankly, disgusting and depressing.
Had the suspended ceiling not collapsed, and the lighting and facilities along the rest of the station been better, I'm sure it would have been far more welcomed - especially if updated with current technology so the figures move a bit more smoothly.
You could honestly have put the most amazing things in the world in that station and it will all still feel utterly s**t due to the fact that it's basically an unloved, cheaped out, neglected hole in the ground. Hopefully, that may finally change!
www.makeitsunderland.com
