Signal Point Swindon

New plans for Signal Point have released.
www.totalswindon.com/business/exciting-refurbishment-plans-for-building-above-swindon-station/

The article includes the statement "In its current form, the building provides a very poor first impression to visitors using the rail station, one of the main gateways to Swindon town centre."
I get what the author is trying to say, but it surely gives a poor impression as a 'getaway' from the town. Signal Point is largely invisible [1] to people arriving by train, who leave the station with the building behind them. Those entering the station have the 'best' view of the monstrosity.

[1] Yes, I know you can hardly miss a building that size, but most arriving passengers are focussed on leaving the station. For passengers arriving on platform 4, it is hidden by the canopy/station facilities. For those arriving on platform 3 it is behind them. For those arriving on platform 1 it is mainly hidden by platform buildings and attention is towards them.

The station needs a northern entrance/exit, this was mentioned some years back now. At one time you could use Polaris House footbridge but this was stopped.

The only good thing for it would be demolition which would undo a great wrong from the 1970s town planners.

I actually worked in that building for a time in the 90s - the view from the top is quite spectacular.

I worked at Signal Point in the 1990s for a now defunct rail consultancy on the ground floor, and arranged my desk to face the railway. The old down goods loop, before the western end of it was removed to make way for platfrom #4, was right outside my window and I recall seeing a cl.58 frequently on the Avon waste train empties waiting for a path heading west. A 'bone on the bins' as we called it.

7ftBroad said:

The station needs a northern entrance/exit, this was mentioned some years back now. At one time you could use Polaris House footbridge but this was stopped.

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The bridge has its own ticket gates and a ticket machine, and with no manned security gate on the north side road access I don't think there's any physical way they can stop anyone without business in the complex using it, but there are definitely signs forbidding it's use as a through route yet people do use it. I suppose in theory you might be stopped by roving security but presumably all they can do is ask you to leave the property, it's not as if its a high security military base! I find it ludicrous that activities in the complex are publicly funded so why the heck can't some civil servant just permit official use of it as a public northern station access with a stroke of a pen. Ideally it would need some lifts added to bring it up to modern accessible standards.

MarkyT said:

The bridge has its own ticket gates and a ticket machine, and with no manned security gate on the north side road access I don't think there's any physical way they can stop anyone without business in the complex using it, but there are definitely signs forbidding it's use as a through route yet people do use it. I suppose in theory you might be stopped by roving security but presumably all they can do is ask you to leave the property, it's not as if its a high security military base! I find it ludicrous that activities in the complex are publicly funded so why the heck can't some civil servant just permit official use of it as a public northern station access with a stroke of a pen. Ideally it would need some lifts added to bring it up to modern accessible standards.

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The North Star College students used to have a pass to use the bridge, but this was stopped. A bridge on the western side of station from car park on north side to South side car park. With lifts already at the station and access via the service road, just needs a lift on north side.