New Wolverton Station Building Blueprints

[andyfrommk]

I recently went over to Wolverton to see how the new station booking office is coming along and was surprised to see the architects plans on display.

http://www.mythic-beasts.com/~andyfrommk/images/misc/Wolverton-East.jpg
http://www.mythic-beasts.com/~andyfrommk/images/misc/Wolverton-Plan.jpg
http://www.mythic-beasts.com/~andyfrommk/images/misc/Wolverton-North.jpg
http://www.mythic-beasts.com/~andyfrommk/images/misc/Wolverton-West.jpg

Note the use of 'purpose made' this and 'proprietry'[sic] that,
I didn't think they went down to Wickes to get materials to build the station.

The dark bands on the left of some of the photos are due to shadows cast onto the notice board of an otherwise very sunny day.

 

[MK Tom]

Nice find! The building looks like it's going to be a bit bigger than I was expecting. Strange to have work going on at all three WCML stations in MK at the same time.

 

[DarloRich]

Nice find! The building looks like it's going to be a bit bigger than I was expecting. Strange to have work going on at all three WCML stations in MK at the same time.

what is going on at Fenny Stratford

(is there work at MKC? Have i missed it?

 

[MK Tom]

I said WCML stations??? And yeah Station Square is being rebuilt

 

[Bedpan]

Am I getting old or what? It doesn't seem that long ago that Wolverton was rebuilt last time!

 

[DarloRich]

I said WCML stations??? And yeah Station Square is being rebuilt

thats not really in the station though is it

 

[nr_signaller]

I said WCML stations??? And yeah Station Square is being rebuilt

thats not really in the station though is it

No but its at the station which is what Tom stated

 

[andyfrommk]

Am I getting old or what? It doesn't seem that long ago that Wolverton was rebuilt last time!

They took the old building down in 1993 is that what you're thinking of?

Strange to have work going on at all three WCML stations in MK at the same time.

I thought that, surely it makes more sense to work on one station and allow the commuters to use another station temporarily.

 

[MK Tom]

They're all still open - you couldn't close any one of MK's three main stations, it would be pandomonium.

 

[Bedpan]

They took the old building down in 1993 is that what you're thinking of?

Yes, didn't realise that they never rebuilt it then, but looking at Google Earth, all there seems to be at the moment is a Portakabin, a footbridge and a few shelters on the platforms.

Do you know why it was pulled down in 1993 yet not rebuilt until now?

 

[eMeS]

...

Do you know why it was pulled down in 1993 yet not rebuilt until now?

If my memory serves me correctly, it was pulled down with either no notice being given, or the bare minimum - I suspect the owners were fearful that the structure might get listed status. There were certainly articles in the local papers about it. Until fairly recently, I doubt that there was sufficient use of Wolverton to merit much more than what there is now - a hut from which tickets are sold, but only in the morning. Recently the car park has been extended, and now the old car-park is losing lots of slots to the new station building, and even more at the moment to the contractor's compound.

Elsewhere in Milton Keynes, listing isn't welcomed. Milton Keynes Shopping Centre Grade II listed

 

[Greeby]

Yes, and as things stand, the building will be locked most of the time as London Midland want to cut down the existing opening by two hours, making the clerk there part-time. Once upon a time, I had thought that the threat of bad publicity would scare them into reconsidering. But now it seems nothing gets in the way of their agenda :roll:

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Anyone got any photos / info on the old Wolverton building (the pre-1993 one)?

 

[eMeS]

Anyone got any photos / info on the old Wolverton building (the pre-1993 one)?

All I can remember was that it was typical of many where entrance was from the over bridge, with tickets on sale and with stairs down to the platform. I expected to find an image on the Frances Frith website, but there's no railway photos in the 20 they list for Wolverton.

Edit:

I have found one shot in 1988 in my own collection - I'll see if I can upload it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Here's the image of Wolverton Station in October 1988

 

[al green]

I certainly hope that the opening hours won't be reduced when the new station building opens. I was a member of the Wolverton Station Steering group that campaigned for it to be built and was involved in the design of the new building. I was at the groundbreaking ceremony and am in one of the photos on display at the station.

The old building was demolished in 1990 so it will have taken 22 years to get a replacement.

When the work is completed and the compound removed some of the car parking spaces in the main car park will be reinstated.

There will shortly be work going on IN MK Central station, as well as in fornt of it. Some NSIP work is due to start in the next few weeks, includes refurbish overbridge, move gateline closer to concourse, new waiting room on platform 3/4, convert staff toilet to public on platform 1/2.

Alan

 

[andyfrommk]

Thanks for the info Alan, and welcome to the forum.

Maybe we will meet at the official opening of the new booking office,(there will be one, won't there?)

 

[MK Tom]

I certainly hope that the opening hours won't be reduced when the new station building opens. I was a member of the Wolverton Station Steering group that campaigned for it to be built and was involved in the design of the new building. I was at the groundbreaking ceremony and am in one of the photos on display at the station.

The old building was demolished in 1990 so it will have taken 22 years to get a replacement.

When the work is completed and the compound removed some of the car parking spaces in the main car park will be reinstated.

There will shortly be work going on IN MK Central station, as well as in fornt of it. Some NSIP work is due to start in the next few weeks, includes refurbish overbridge, move gateline closer to concourse, new waiting room on platform 3/4, convert staff toilet to public on platform 1/2.

Alan

Sorry to be the one muppet who doesn't know but what does NSIP stand for?

 

[AlterEgo]

Thanks for the info Alan, and welcome to the forum.

Maybe we will meet at the official opening of the new booking office,(there will be one, won't there?)

If I can make it, I'll also attend the official opening (if there is one!). I am a Johnny Come Lately to the campaign for improvements to Wolverton station, but the new ticket office and building is sorely needed. I do hope LM see fit to extend the opening hours though. They seem to have missed that Wolverton is an area of Milton Keynes experiencing rapid expansion. Wolverton Park, Wolverton Mill and several other housing developments in north MK will probably see (by my rough estimate) a 30-50% increase in passengers using the station. Of course today's figures are somewhat slanted as some passengers do not buy a ticket owing to there being only one TVM.....

 

[Mojo]

Sorry to be the one muppet who doesn't know but what does NSIP stand for?

National station improvement programme

Information about Milton Keynes Central is on the LM website: http://www.londonmidland.com/news/national-station-improvement-programme/#Milton_Keynes

 

[87015]

If I can make it, I'll also attend the official opening (if there is one!). I am a Johnny Come Lately to the campaign for improvements to Wolverton station, but the new ticket office and building is sorely needed. I do hope LM see fit to extend the opening hours though. They seem to have missed that Wolverton is an area of Milton Keynes experiencing rapid expansion. Wolverton Park, Wolverton Mill and several other housing developments in north MK will probably see (by my rough estimate) a 30-50% increase in passengers using the station. Of course today's figures are somewhat slanted as some passengers do not buy a ticket owing to there being only one TVM.....

But VHF dropped the off-peak service from a half hourly service to a very lopsided 2tph, both northbound services being just a few mins apart. An effective hourly service vs ten minutes in a car - car wins.

 

[MK Tom]

But VHF dropped the off-peak service from a half hourly service to a very lopsided 2tph, both northbound services being just a few mins apart. An effective hourly service vs ten minutes in a car - car wins.

Or the number five bus running eight services an hour...

 

[andyfrommk]

I do hope LM see fit to extend the opening hours though. They seem to have missed that Wolverton is an area of Milton Keynes experiencing rapid expansion. Wolverton Park, Wolverton Mill and several other housing developments in north MK will probably see (by my rough estimate) a 30-50% increase in passengers using the station. Of course today's figures are somewhat slanted as some passengers do not buy a ticket owing to there being only one TVM.....

The real reason for Wolvertons under-use , I suspect, is the fact that a ticket to London costs £21.40 whereas from Milton Keynes central and Bletchley it costs £14.
It should be the same like travelling north to Birmingham costs £12.50-SOP/£16.50-CDR whichever station you choose.

What would be nice is if there where a "Milton Keynes stations" destination so that all stations in MK (including fenny stratford and bow brickhill) cost the same to travel from/to if going some where like "London stations" or "Birmingham stations"

 

[Greeby]

The real reason for Wolvertons under-use , I suspect, is the fact that a ticket to London costs £21.40 whereas from Milton Keynes central and Bletchley it costs £14.
It should be the same like travelling north to Birmingham costs £12.50-SOP/£16.50-CDR whichever station you choose.

What would be nice is if there where a "Milton Keynes stations" destination so that all stations in MK (including fenny stratford and bow brickhill) cost the same to travel from/to if going some where like "London stations" or "Birmingham stations"

£14 at MKC is either LM Only or Virgin Only, Any Permitted is £21. Wolverton doesn't have TOC-specific fares to the south. Neither does Bletchley, where the fares are cheaper because Virgin get no ORCATS money. So if there was a grouping of Milton Keynes stations, the fares would be the same for all stations and you can be sure the passengers at Bletchley would not be happy campers.

As for Wolverton's opening hours, it's sadly in black and white (W-Z list)
http://www.londonmidland.com/your-journey/proposed-changes-to-ticket-office-opening-hours/

 

[al green]

Catching up on a few postings.

I assume that there will be an official opening although I don't expect to get a date until the building is complete.

Some of the info on the LM website about NSIP at MK central is incorrect. It claims that new waiting room is on platform 1. The diagram shows that its p3/4. It claims that there will be a toilet on p5. I've been told there is no sewage drain on p5/6 and they would have to close the Up fast to install one, so no toilet on p5/6.

I've been on at DfT and LM since 2007 about the bunching of off-peak services at Wolverton, 6 mins separation down, and 9 mins at Euston up. The frustrating thing is that a third LM train passes through non-stop in the long gap and then waits up to 5-15 mins at Northampton. This was the TV service and since Sept changes its now the TV/BNS that splits/joins at Northampton. If that train called at Wolverton it would re-instate the half hourly service that we had prior to 2008. I've been lobbying LM for this to happen but they keep coming up with lame excuses as to why they can't do it.

No 5 bus only runs 4 times per hour, 5A also goes 4 bph to Wolverton Agora via Stony so takes much longer and doesn't go to Wton station.

Fares. Season ticket cost at Wton is same as MKC to help spread the peak load away from MKC.
For non-season the cheapest way to get to London is to buy a CDR from Wton to MKC and then a LM only CDR from MKC to Euston. You can buy that combo from Wton station ticket office. But when that is closed you can't buy from the machine. You can buy from guard or ticket office at Euston but this often involves long arguments because not all staff are aware of the validity of the combination and the fact that they can sell it on train when ticket office is closed. I have suggested to LM that there should be a 'MK stations' ticket but so far to no avail. They don't offer an LM only ticket from either Wton or Bly because there is no competiton. If you have a bus pass then you can use the 35p bus ticket for the Wton-MKC leg reducing cost even more. However this foxes the booking office staff at Euston when asked for a Wton-MKC bus pass ticket!

 

[MK Tom]

I was counting the 5A - plus there are four no. 7s and three no. 4s every hour - giving 15 buses an hour between Wolverton and MKC. So somebody with an Arriva day ticket has a lot more choice than someone using the train, which is why it's more attractive to people.

 

[AlterEgo]

If that train called at Wolverton it would re-instate the half hourly service that we had prior to 2008. I've been lobbying LM for this to happen but they keep coming up with lame excuses as to why they can't do it.

Just out of interest, what reasons did they give?

 

[zn1]

the demolition of old the wolverton station was a crime, deliberate vandalism to avoid spending more money on it as iy was due to become listed and the owning Company didnt wish to spend money on it "allegedly ".

Sadly in BR's bad old days they could get away it. it was a Day when i was ashamed to work for british rail when this occurred. then they scrapped prototype vehicles such as PEP and the other HST Pre-pro power car that needed preservation and i realised that BR was as corrupt as every other company and would sell their family silver for a couple of quid !!

its a crime that it has also taken this time to get a decent building for the town, with the towns railway history and heritage this has been a project that has been too long and drawn out. I am a quite believer that the Bloomer should be Plinthed on wolverton station so that it can be seen by every person using the WCML and make people think - was that wolverton ?? WOW

 

[Tringonometry]

The frustrating thing is that a third LM train passes through non-stop in the long gap and then waits up to 5-15 mins at Northampton. This was the TV service and since Sept changes its now the TV/BNS that splits/joins at Northampton. If that train called at Wolverton it would re-instate the half hourly service that we had prior to 2008. I've been lobbying LM for this to happen but they keep coming up with lame excuses as to why they can't do it.

It has barely the required time to split at NTN as it is, chap! LM have had to create a new driver diagram just to assist with the uncoupling in an effort to get a right-time departure for the Crewe portion.

Of course, they could always put the NTN departure time for the Crewe portion back by a couple of minutes, unless that causes problems with getting on to the TV at Rugby. That would give time for a stop at Wolverton.

 

[nr_signaller]

The frustrating thing is that a third LM train passes through non-stop in the long gap and then waits up to 5-15 mins at Northampton. This was the TV service and since Sept changes its now the TV/BNS that splits/joins at Northampton. If that train called at Wolverton it would re-instate the half hourly service that we had prior to 2008. I've been lobbying LM for this to happen but they keep coming up with lame excuses as to why they can't do it.

It has barely the required time to split at NTN as it is, chap! LM have had to create a new driver diagram just to assist with the uncoupling in an effort to get a right-time departure for the Crewe portion.

Of course, they could always put the NTN departure time for the Crewe portion back by a couple of minutes, unless that causes problems with getting on to the TV at Rugby. That would give time for a stop at Wolverton.

Impossible. Its pathing is extremely tight between rugby and nuneaton so I am led to believe

 

[MK Tom]

Here's a crazy idea: Increase the line speed between Rugby and Northampton?