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New Rochester station rebuild - finished by December?

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Swanny200

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Antman said:
Yes the new one is even more exposed to the elements. The market has gone, whether it has relocated somewhere else I don't know.

At the old station I've seen the far side platform used to terminate peak hour trains but I can't recall ever seeing a train on the nearside platform.
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I left in 2003 but not much has changed since then by the sounds of it. I also remember that weirdly the station staff could use the automated PA unit in the little hut at the top of the steps of platforms 3 and 4 to announce trains on any of the 4 platforms but if they were in their staffroom on platform 2 they couldn't use the PA system on platform 2 for platforms 3 and 4, they had to use the underpass and go up the stairs.

I must admit you could lose a lot of weight running up and down those stairs at peak times especially if it was just you on duty, I think at one point they ended up having two members of station staff to make it easier, however with the station being so open and sitting in a one person cramped hut, whoever was on platform 3 and 4 duty whistled the train off and walked back to platform 2 for a cuppa.
 
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ScotGG

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Good pics. That long concrete along the platform wall isn't the most attractive. I don't know why Southeastern aren't far more proactive with adverts, given a long and tall concrete wall runs along. There could be banners along there eg 'Central London for just £6 with an advance ticket' or 'Kings Cross just 30 mins with HS1' or whatever it is. It would be visible to huge numbers driving by and also people in town.
 
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talldave

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ScotGG said:
Good pics. That long concrete along the platform wall isn't the most attractive. I don't know why Southeastern aren't far more proactive with adverts, given a long and tall concrete wall runs along. There could be banners along there eg 'Central London for just £6 with an advance ticket' or 'Kings Cross just 30 mins with HS1' or whatever it is. It would be visible to huge numbers driving by and also people in town.
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Thanks! They might do in the future? It's clearly not finished yet. The eastern end of platform 1 has wooden hoardings between the metal fence posts, which are presumably going to be replaced with the same metal fencing as used at the west end of the platform before they rot away! And one half of the "box" tunnel underneath isn't finished. It's a great improvement over the old station though.
 
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HowardGWR

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ScotGG said:
Good pics. That long concrete along the platform wall isn't the most attractive. I don't know why Southeastern aren't far more proactive with adverts, given a long and tall concrete wall runs along. There could be banners along there eg 'Central London for just £6 with an advance ticket' or 'Kings Cross just 30 mins with HS1' or whatever it is. It would be visible to huge numbers driving by and also people in town.
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As the rest is all glass, where would there otherwise be space for the taggers?
 
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DPWH

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Could anyone confirm what exactly they are doing with this?

Firstly, I understand that the signal box will be demolished to make platform 3 the main down line, with platform 2 being the central reversing road for terminating trains. Always better to reverse in the middle.

Are they demolishing the platforms at the old station and straightening the track through there? Will there be any carriage sidings coming from P2 between the main lines or is this not necessary?
 
louis97

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DPWH said:
Could anyone confirm what exactly they are doing with this?

Firstly, I understand that the signal box will be demolished to make platform 3 the main down line, with platform 2 being the central reversing road for terminating trains. Always better to reverse in the middle.

Are they demolishing the platforms at the old station and straightening the track through there? Will there be any carriage sidings coming from P2 between the main lines or is this not necessary?
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Platform 2 is the Down Chatham, Platform 3 is the Down Rochester Loop which extends through the old station, joining the Down Chatham just after it. The Down Rochester Loop is marginally slower for passenger trains, 25mph compared to 30mph on the Down Chatham, with a 25mph connection at new station end at and 15mph connection at old station end .

The old station up platform loop becomes the Up Rochester Loop. Both down lines will be bi-directional, so you can use Platforms 2 and 3 in both directions crossing over just before the old station.

The Down Rochester Loop becomes fully operational from 10th October.

No changes to the track layout in the old station area, not really sure whats happening with the platforms themselves though.
 
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thedbdiboy

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The platforms of the old station appear to have had the coping stones replaced with poured concrete - it looks like they're being retained for crew use (maybe for engineering works turnarounds?)
 
DynamicSpirit

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Bungle73

Bungle73

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DynamicSpirit said:
In a slight OT note, I was slightly amused watching the video to see (around 01:14) a cab shot, that shows a piece of paper attached to the control panel telling the driver how long the train is. (I'm sure it's very sensible since I guess there's no other way for the driver to know, but it seems quirky nonetheless - a very low-tech solution :) ).
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If Train Simulator is accurate then some trains have a little slider on the console to remind drivers how many carriages their train has.
 
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mr_jrt

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It's probably been covered (but sorry I can't find it!), but given the old station had 4 platforms, why the fanfare about the new station increasing capacity by having three platforms?

I get that the old platforms could not be extended from 10 to 12 car without expensive works, but given the new station cost £26m, I'm struggling to see how extending them would have cost even a fraction of that.

About the only benefit I can see is that the location is a bit better for the town centre, and I the implication is that the works also have enabled a nice long freight loop, but surely extensions and the freight loop could have been provided at the old site for a fraction of the cost?

...not that I have any particular objection, mind you, I'm just genuinely curious given the scrutiny all schemes go through these days.
 
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Bald Rick

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mr_jrt said:
It's probably been covered (but sorry I can't find it!), but given the old station had 4 platforms, why the fanfare about the new station increasing capacity by having three platforms?

I get that the old platforms could not be extended from 10 to 12 car without expensive works, but given the new station cost £26m, I'm struggling to see how extending them would have cost even a fraction of that.

About the only benefit I can see is that the location is a bit better for the town centre, and I the implication is that the works also have enabled a nice long freight loop, but surely extensions and the freight loop could have been provided at the old site for a fraction of the cost?

...not that I have any particular objection, mind you, I'm just genuinely curious given the scrutiny all schemes go through these days.
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It would have cost a lot more than £26m to extend the platforms. It would have driven complete remodelling of all the trackwork, land purchase, almost certainly a second footbridge, and (not insignificantly) would have required many more line closures to deliver. With the end result of having a cobbled together station in a part of town the local authority didn't want it.
 
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Clip

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telstarbox said:
Yes, also there are plans to develop the land between the new station site and the river so it's more useful in its new location.
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Thats been the plan since way before the station was built. In fact I remember them when they were building that land in the ricer years and years ago.
 
466.networkers

466.networkers

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mr_jrt said:
It's probably been covered (but sorry I can't find it!), but given the old station had 4 platforms, why the fanfare about the new station increasing capacity by having three platforms?

I get that the old platforms could not be extended from 10 to 12 car without expensive works, but given the new station cost £26m, I'm struggling to see how extending them would have cost even a fraction of that.

About the only benefit I can see is that the location is a bit better for the town centre, and I the implication is that the works also have enabled a nice long freight loop, but surely extensions and the freight loop could have been provided at the old site for a fraction of the cost?

...not that I have any particular objection, mind you, I'm just genuinely curious given the scrutiny all schemes go through these days.
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Old station couldn't be extended due to Rochester High Street being close to Fort Pitt Tunnel so a new station was the only option.

It will mean 12 car trains can call at Rochester instead of missing it as per before.

Shame the station facilities aren't up to the same as the old station, but it's closer to my flat! :D
 
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HowardGWR

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466.networkers said:
Old station couldn't be extended due to Rochester High Street being close to Fort Pitt Tunnel so a new station was the only option.

It will mean 12 car trains can call at Rochester instead of missing it as per before.

Shame the station facilities aren't up to the same as the old station, but it's closer to my flat! :D
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What is now worse?
 
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nom de guerre

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louis97 said:
The Down Rochester Loop becomes fully operational from 10th October.
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More fully operational since the 10th, but not yet complete. Various bits not yet signed off and limited functionality in the meantime (which is why no more diverted 'Lewisham' freights will be running-round there).
 
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