Glasgow Queen Street refurbishment and remodelling

47271 · 26 Mar 2020

PaxVobiscum said:
Video released tonight by ScotRail which gives a view of the concourse tonight:

https://twitter.com/scotrail/status/1243288423923888128
A fuzzy still I nicked from the video :

View attachment 75811

I've seen a lot of images of deserted city centre locations over the past few days, but this video is one of the most striking and moving. Staff risking their own lives in the name of providing an essential public service applauding NHS staff doing the same, but with noone else to be seen.

Not to take anything away from the thanks given to the NHS, but we should applaud Scotrail's front line staff in exactly the same way while the rest of us are comfortably isolated at home.

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scotraildriver · 27 Mar 2020

It's nice to see a post like that. We are continuing as best we can, but like everywhere we have a large number of people self isolating. The BTP have been very good too, today they threw 6 people off an Oban service who were going to Arrochar for a "cycle". Hardly an essential journey. Some people still not getting it and still the usual twitter abuse but hey we'll get there!

padraig26 · 27 Mar 2020

47271 said:
Not to take anything away from the thanks given to the NHS, but we should applaud Scotrail's front line staff in exactly the same way while the rest of us are comfortably isolated at home.

So true - I've not had to use public transport now for a few weeks but I'm aware that staff there are providing a vital service as are many in supermarkets as well as of course our NHS workers.

scotraildriver · 29 Mar 2020

A few more from a deserted Queen St

scotraildriver · 1 Apr 2020

A pre Buchanan Galleries pic too showing how much redevelopment had already taken place.

Highland37 · 25 Apr 2020

Is that bridge with the cars parked on it still there?

Revaulx · 25 Apr 2020

Highland37 said:
Is that bridge with the cars parked on it still there?

Nope. The (nasty) MSCP of Buchanan Galleries sits over the tracks now.

68000 · 25 Apr 2020

Looks like from this fantastic site (side by side map), it is now disappeared Cunningham Street

Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images - National Library of Scotland

maps.nls.uk

route101 · 25 Apr 2020

Is the bridge still there under the shopping centre?

scotraildriver · 25 Apr 2020

route101 said:
Is the bridge still there under the shopping centre?

No, and the old signal gantry to the right of the bridge was removed in 2016.

Southsider · 25 Apr 2020

68000 said:
Looks like from this fantastic site (side by side map), it is now disappeared Cunningham Street

Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images - National Library of Scotland

maps.nls.uk

Cunningham Street used to be a bus station many years ago.

jagardner1984 · 26 Apr 2020

I’m sure given the finances they will go to most things to delay that decision, but I think it remains to be seen whether even the new GLQ gateline can cope with 4 or 6 full 8 car 385s in both directions per hour, alongside 5 car long distance trains and various other services. Some pinch points have been removed, but the fundamentals in terms of platforms, gates and entrances have not been radically altered.

yorkie · 29 Apr 2020

Can we stick to updates regarding the Glasgow Queen Street refurbishment in this thread please.

Please use an existing thread, or create a new one if appropriate, in the relevant forum section to discuss anything else.

Some posts have been moved here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/could-another-tunnel-be-bored-into-the-queen-street-station-throat.203917/

Clansman · 29 Apr 2020

jagardner1984 said:
I’m sure given the finances they will go to most things to delay that decision, but I think it remains to be seen whether even the new GLQ gateline can cope with 4 or 6 full 8 car 385s in both directions per hour, alongside 5 car long distance trains and various other services. Some pinch points have been removed, but the fundamentals in terms of platforms, gates and entrances have not been radically altered.

Part of me wonders whether there would have been enough space accomodate escalators on each platform to provide a lower concourse for alighting and interchanging passengers, given the main concourse is above street level and would be rammed at the peaks. Would certainly solve the barrier issue, and it could have provided an oppertunity to be integrated with the low level concourse as well.

NotATrainspott · 29 Apr 2020

Clansman said:
Part of me wonders whether there would have been enough space accomodate escalators on each platform to provide a lower concourse for alighting and interchanging passengers, given the main concourse is above street level and would be rammed at the peaks. Would certainly solve the barrier issue, and it could have provided an oppertunity to be integrated with the low level concourse as well.

http://www.egip.info/media/3250/sections_westeast.jpg

Possibly, but it would be hugely expensive and for not a lot of gain.

Clansman · 29 Apr 2020

NotATrainspott said:
http://www.egip.info/media/3250/sections_westeast.jpg

Possibly, but it would be hugely expensive and for not a lot of gain.

Surely the gain would be to minimise overcrowding on the main concourse by providing an exit/interchang system on a sub-surface concourse, and to provide greater connectivity to the low level? If not in the short term, then in the medium and long term as the station gets busier?

Edit: So if that diagram you linked is to scale, then there wouldn't be enough space for a concourse to fit between the roof of the low level platforms and the bottom of the high level platforms? Seems much larger in real life..?

edwin_m · 30 Apr 2020

Clansman said:
Surely the gain would be to minimise overcrowding on the main concourse by providing an exit/interchang system on a sub-surface concourse, and to provide greater connectivity to the low level? If not in the short term, then in the medium and long term as the station gets busier?

Edit: So if that diagram you linked is to scale, then there wouldn't be enough space for a concourse to fit between the roof of the low level platforms and the bottom of the high level platforms? Seems much larger in real life..?

The fact the girders supporting the bridge over the low level are visible near the high level buffer stops tends to suggest there isn't much vertical clearance, otherwise a different and less obvious form of bridge would have been used.

For people entering and/or leaving the station a low level concourse underneath the existing one would mean escalators and lifts in the vicinity of the current barrier line, which might just make the congestion worse. A concourse further north would allow access and exit from nearer the far end of the platforms but would be some way underground as the land slopes upwards.

NotATrainspott · 1 May 2020

If you were going to spend some money upgrading the Queen Street low level experience you'd spend it on some escalators at the western and possibly also eastern end. The two gatelines have already been combined together - the space between the current western stairs will be a set of open doors leading out onto platform 1 and 2.

Gadget88 · 8 May 2020

I am curious if work has continued during the lockdown as it’s been 2 months since last photos. Surely it should now be complete or has work halted?

ScottDarg · 8 May 2020

Gadget88 said:
I am curious if work has continued during the lockdown as it’s been 2 months since last photos. Surely it should now be complete or has work halted?

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown the Scottish Government has suspended all construction work not deemed essential (e.g. some Hospital construction projects can continue, but things like office blocks have stopped).

Queen St falls into the non-essential category so work has been suspended until further notice. See this page for info:https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-construction-sector-guidance/pages/overview/

swt_passenger · 8 May 2020

Gadget88 said:
I am curious if work has continued during the lockdown as it’s been 2 months since last photos. Surely it should now be complete or has work halted?

Earlier posts definitely said work had completely stopped. And I believe the main photographer @PaxVobiscum, who was covering the work in such useful detail, declared himself in isolation at about the same time.

68000 · 8 May 2020

Discussions held with Transport Scotland to see if Queen St can be classified as essential

themiller · 9 May 2020

68000 said:
Discussions held with Transport Scotland to see if Queen St can be classified as essential

Now that we're past the first stage of lockdown, I would have thought that any projects which could proceed while maintaining social distancing could restart. The initial decision was correct in keeping as many people as possible were kept safe as quickly as possible but now, this should be being nuanced so that those who can return to work do whilst taking all things into account e.g. getting to and from work, amenity provision etc. If only 10% of the workforce can be utilised, so be it. Even if workers are called into work as required, it would help the project and relieve the tedium of social isolation at home.

InOban · 9 May 2020

The problem with city centre construction is the the infection risk from the journey to and from the site.

themiller · 9 May 2020

InOban said:
The problem with city centre construction is the the infection risk from the journey to and from the site.

I think that you're assuming that all workers live remote from the worksite. There must be a material laydown area that's not being used as much as it was and could be used as a temporary carpark for construction/commissioning workers. It may be impossible to arrange but managers should be in a position to initiate a risk assessment and then make a decision. I realise that it may not be as easy as laying off all construction workers but have they anything else to do at the moment?

scotraildriver · 9 May 2020

themiller said:
I think that you're assuming that all workers live remote from the worksite. There must be a material laydown area that's not being used as much as it was and could be used as a temporary carpark for construction/commissioning workers. It may be impossible to arrange but managers should be in a position to initiate a risk assessment and then make a decision. I realise that it may not be as easy as laying off all construction workers but have they anything else to do at the moment?

There's not anywhere to make a car park as such but there are no parking restrictions in the City just now so no problems there.

ScottDarg · 1 Jun 2020

Limited work restarted today. The focus is on completing public areas and maximising the circulation space for passengers - presumably to better accomodate social distancing.

Tweet 1: https://twitter.com/NetworkRailGQS/status/1267410962962886657?s=19

From today, we'll be carrying out essential work at the station to increase space available for passengers and the public

A small number of the team will be on-site for the next two weeks completing surfacing work in our public areas on Dundas & West George Streets. #GQS https://t.co/lJgKvV53BO

Tweet 2: https://twitter.com/NetworkRailGQS/status/1267410966641291267?s=19

We're working closely with @transcotland, @ScotRail & @GlasgowCC to complete this as quickly as we can, to help keep the public safe while using Scotland’s Railway.

The works have been risk-assessed in line with public health guidelines and our team will be wearing PPE. #GQS

They've added in a response that the main works on the wider station remain suspended until further notice.

PaxVobiscum · 1 Jun 2020

Thanks for posting. I was expecting some kind of work to be starting soon but haven’t been following.

scotraildriver · 4 Jun 2020

External work only at the moment.

PaxVobiscum · 4 Jun 2020

Many thanks posting that photo, scotraildriver.

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