London Bridge reconstruction works

DynamicSpirit · 26 Aug 2015

Bald Rick said:
That bank of escalators goes.

Imagine yourself walking towards them, through the arcade (known as the vaults). Where they are now will be a continuation of the vaults, which will link directly into the new concourse. The vaults are also being widened to three times current width.

Incidentally, the prep work this weekend just gone went well, travellers to Charing Cross will see half a junction installed just where the line crosses Southwark Bridge road. The other half is part of the work this coming weekend.

I have to say - Bald Rick - I really appreciate the time you spend answering my and other people's queries on this thread. The inside knowledge you bring does make the thread very informative.

RailUK Forums

GodAtum · 26 Aug 2015

Was anyone lucky enough to get tickets to the Openhouse event at London bridge?

physics34 · 26 Aug 2015

how the current concourse (the shard concourse will look....)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

St Thomas's entrance CGI

More images on:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...arch=True&tagName=&SearchString=london+bridge

swt_passenger · 26 Aug 2015

physics34 said:
St Thomas's entrance CGI

and in real life - prefabricated concrete components:

London Bridge station works by David Harvey, on Flickr

I'm assuming that David Harvey's photo is showing two more 'bays' to the left of the Network Rail picture - you can see the two main arches further along to the right.

Deepgreen · 26 Aug 2015

This morning was a perfect example of the failure of the canopies to stop rain reaching a significant portion of the width of the platforms. I don't understand why the canopy design, a) didn't extend further over the tracks to ensure most rain was captured, or, b) didn't provide for the central gap to be filled in completely (as is the case at the extreme buffer end of the platforms) - the cost would not have been prohibitively greater surely? It's not just a comfort issue, the railway is paranoid about wet floors (especially adjacent to the tracks), so I'm surprised the design was approved.

NotATrainspott · 26 Aug 2015

Deepgreen said:
This morning was a perfect example of the failure of the canopies to stop rain reaching a significant portion of the width of the platforms. I don't understand why the canopy design, a) didn't extend further over the tracks to ensure most rain was captured, or, b) didn't provide for the central gap to be filled in completely (as is the case at the extreme buffer end of the platforms) - the cost would not have been prohibitively greater surely? It's not just a comfort issue, the railway is paranoid about wet floors (especially adjacent to the tracks), so I'm surprised the design was approved.

This graphic makes it look like the gap between the canopies will be covered by glass. Maybe they're waiting for the reconstruction to be mostly complete before they actually put it in?

swt_passenger · 26 Aug 2015

NotATrainspott said:
This graphic makes it look like the gap between the canopies will be covered by glass. Maybe they're waiting for the reconstruction to be mostly complete before they actually put it in?

I think it is as finished as it going to get, as seen in post #544. There's no evidence of fittings for glass panels further away from the buffers, the various cross pieces seem to be finished - whether they are decorative or structural I've no idea.

Deepgreen · 26 Aug 2015

NotATrainspott said:
This graphic makes it look like the gap between the canopies will be covered by glass. Maybe they're waiting for the reconstruction to be mostly complete before they actually put it in?

If you look closely the graphic has the glass stopping more or less over the buffers. Wet platform edges will remain it seems!

BingBong50 · 26 Aug 2015

Can I just clarify that once all work is complete at London Bridge that all Thameslink services coming from/to East Croydon direction will serve London Bridge? In other words none will continue to use the current diversionary route via Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill etc?

tsr · 26 Aug 2015

Deepgreen said:
If you look closely the graphic has the glass stopping more or less over the buffers. Wet platform edges will remain it seems!

But then again that bit of the station won't be a greenhouse in the summer, the pretend* hurricane from the Shard won't damage it, and you'll be able to start a 171 without setting off the fire alarms. So it's not all bad.

*not very

ChiefPlanner · 26 Aug 2015

BingBong50 said:
Can I just clarify that once all work is complete at London Bridge that all Thameslink services coming from/to East Croydon direction will serve London Bridge? In other words none will continue to use the current diversionary route via Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill etc?

Yes - the entire Brighton / Horsham etc services will run via London Bridge - 12 trains per standard peak hour.

I admire the diversionary routes - but Norwood Junction via the Palace and Tulse Hill is a little pedestrian / tedious - the drivers always seem to keep the trains rolling to be fair - and the sprint from TH to Blackfriars seems a welcome relief.

But - the services are maintained to everyone's credit.

Bald Rick · 26 Aug 2015

ChiefPlanner said:
Yes - the entire Brighton / Horsham etc services will run via London Bridge - 12 trains per standard peak hour.

16 in the peak guv. 12 in the standard off peak hour.

ChiefPlanner · 26 Aug 2015

Bald Rick said:
16 in the peak guv. 12 in the standard off peak hour.

Sorry boss - fried brain from earlier TLK planning meeting ....

Bald Rick · 26 Aug 2015

swt_passenger said:
I think it is as finished as it going to get, as seen in post #544. There's no evidence of fittings for glass panels further away from the buffers, the various cross pieces seem to be finished - whether they are decorative or structural I've no idea.

Decorative. Required by the local council planners.

swt_passenger · 26 Aug 2015

Bald Rick said:
Decorative. Required by the local council planners.

Thanks, I was tending towards decorative but you never know...

FOH · 26 Aug 2015

tsr said:
But then again that bit of the station won't be a greenhouse in the summer, the pretend* hurricane from the Shard won't damage it, and you'll be able to start a 171 without setting off the fire alarms. So it's not all bad.

*not very

It was also extremely cold last winter as the wind whistles right through, style over substance methinks

Deepgreen · 27 Aug 2015

FOH said:
It was also extremely cold last winter as the wind whistles right through, style over substance methinks

Which raises another hazard - ice. While the complete glass roof cover is not required (and would probably create hot conditions in summer), the high and narrow canopies provided are not far from pointless. I think they should have extended at least to be parallel with the platform edges and should have been somewhat lower to at least attempt to provide some weather protection.

Chrisgr31 · 27 Aug 2015

I asked (on Twitter I think) why the glass didn't extend beyond the buffers and the official answer was that if glass was installed above the tracks it couldn't be cleaned without the platforms being closed, and therefore it wasn't installed.

Not convinced myself, but there we are.

Skoodle · 28 Aug 2015

Seems like the same thinking of the new footbridge at New Cross Gate. Spend money on a roof, but keep the sides open, of course rain always falls straight down!

Deepgreen · 28 Aug 2015

Skoodle said:
Seems like the same thinking of the new footbridge at New Cross Gate. Spend money on a roof, but keep the sides open, of course rain always falls straight down!

As also with East Croydon, where the high footbridge roof allows copious rain to soak the glass-like floor!

Yabbadabba · 28 Aug 2015

Deepgreen said:
As also with East Croydon, where the high footbridge roof allows copious rain to soak the glass-like floor!

The new stairs at Three Beridges platform 5, fully enclosed apart from the side from where the prevailing weather comes from, where they only put the glass in on the lower third, so it virtually floods the stairs everytime it rains. I'm beginning to notice a trend here. London Bridge, East Croydon, Three Bridges and probably Redhill platform 0, (if they ever start the works) lack of decent protection from our oceanic based weather.

DynamicSpirit · 28 Aug 2015

Skoodle said:
Seems like the same thinking of the new footbridge at New Cross Gate. Spend money on a roof, but keep the sides open, of course rain always falls straight down!

Pfft, luxury! How about the roof on the new(ish) footbridge at Abbey Wood ... A beautiful framework of beams above the footbridge that is used to hold the lighting, and which looks like it would easily allow a roof to be attached, but they never actually put the roof on it. I guess the thinking was that at Abbey Wood, the rain always falls on the beams, never in the big spaces between them...

Geeves · 28 Aug 2015

I raise your footbridges with Salford Crescents new one which has windows but no roof

traji00 · 28 Aug 2015

BingBong50 said:
Can I just clarify that once all work is complete at London Bridge that all Thameslink services coming from/to East Croydon direction will serve London Bridge? In other words none will continue to use the current diversionary route via Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill etc?

AFAIK yes, - all the Thameslink services via East Croydon will run via London Bridge.

I might have asked this before, but do the new platforms have enough clearance for OHLE?

swt_passenger · 28 Aug 2015

David Harvey (Unravelled) has put a couple of slow motion videos on his flickr site, this one shows the progress in the area of the new 'Charing Cross' platforms, P6-P9:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/20759987209/in/photostream/

Once you are in the photo stream you'll be able to find a couple of videos showing the main diveunder worksite, looking south from the up line to Charing Cross, and looking north from the Southern down line.

Hope this is interesting.

Peter Sarf · 1 Sep 2015

I too feel disappointed that there is not an overall roof. But there was always a risk of the alternative to turn it into an oppressive and/or dark canyon like the Western half of Victoria and Charing Cross :roll:.

Joseph_Locke · 1 Sep 2015

Peter Sarf said:
I too feel disappointed that there is not an overall roof. But there was always a risk of the alternative to turn it into an oppressive and/or dark canyon like the Western half of Victoria and Charing Cross :roll:.

Or Leeds. How on earth they managed to replicate the old gloom under a new roof is beyond me.

telstarbox · 6 Dec 2015

Over Christmas the Southeastern side is closed for a week - will the Charing Cross trains run via the new bridge over Borough Market following the closure?

Bald Rick · 6 Dec 2015

telstarbox said:
Over Christmas the Southeastern side is closed for a week - will the Charing Cross trains run via the new bridge over Borough Market following the closure?

Indeed they will.

Does this count as new track for the highlighter pen brigade?

Metobusfan · 6 Dec 2015

Bald Rick said:
Indeed they will.

Does this count as new track for the highlighter pen brigade?

About time

London Bridge reconstruction works

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