£150million refurbishment for Darlington station unveiled

[gavin]

Plans to modernise Darlington railway station are being unveiled today plans include a new entrance on Victoria road which will include a glass walkway through the station new platforms taking the station up to 6 (4 through and 2 terminating) and the pedestrianisation of the current main roadway where taxis go in

Some pictures

New entrance

http://www.darlingtonandstocktontim...tion___s_grand_design_unveiled_ahead_of_2025/

 

[SGS]

What the heck is going on in that second picture?

 

[edwin_m]

What the heck is going on in that second picture?

I assume it's the new walkway, though they seem to have omitted to make a hole in the wall...

Neither the article nor the picture confirms it, but I assume this includes building new platforms to the east of the through lines so Up ECML trains don't have to cross over and back. They were also talking about moving the bays to that side so the Saltburn trains don't conflict unless they run through to/from Bishop Auckland.

 

[Darandio]

There isn't a great deal to deduce from the images, but the picture of the new pedestrian entrance does have the omission of the old footbridge to the left over the through lines along with what appears to be new canopies where the train is. I can only assume those are new platforms.

Given that the sloped car park is to be pedestrianised, I imagine all car parking will now be concentrated on Victoria Road.

It seems more information and a brochure can be downloaded from here: http://www.darlington2025.co.uk/

 

[xotGD]

Good to see that the extension looks like it will be in keeping with the original station.

In the first picture, I'm impressed by the rolling stock forming the next service to Bish!

 

[MarkRedon]

A few more details to be found at:

https://teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Darlington-2025.pdf

This looks to me like brochureware - what is wanted, not what is realistically deliverable before 2025.

Thus the ECML is assumed to be upgraded for 140 mph running, the Yarm line 125 mph, and the Leamside line reinstated. Also in the realms of the slightly over-optimistic:

By 2025 journey time to Manchester will have been cut by 45 minutes to 70 minutes.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

What the heck is going on in that second picture?

I think the busker is keeping his head down so that the woman with the cycle doesn't recognize him. She looks pretty angry, so he's clearly done something to upset her. Possibly he's not playing very well - that would seem to be confirmed by the fact that noone has given him any money.

Further back from the busker, you see the group of 4 students. They came to the station as part of their Media Studies film project, in which they were intending to leave a pretend bomb in the station entrance and then film what happened - but instead they are currently having a bit of an argument about who forgot to bring the fake bomb and camera equipment. Meanwhile the other cyclist (the one in the helmet) has just successfully ridden around stage 1 of the updated cycling proficiency test - that's the obstacle course with the bollards - and he's just looking round to see which of the bystanders he should use for stage 2 (in which you have to ride around several unsuspecting people at 15mph and no more than 3cm distance without hitting them).

The only other thing of significance I can see is the rather frustrated bird at the head of the flock to the left of the picture, who has just realized that this actually isn't the way to Newcastle, and is wondering how he can change direction without the rest of the flock figuring out that he's been leading them the wrong way for the last 2 hours.

 

[HowardGWR]

Yes DS and the couple in photo 2 have decided they are going the wrong way and are retracing their steps, emerging in photo 3 from another part of the station.

 

[briosa]

The birds look like they are flying a Concorde tribute

 

[johnnychips]

You've forgotten the couple centre right photo two. They're on their way to Beamish for a 1930s reenactment day.

 

[Pinza-C55]

That walkway is hideous. It will totally ruin the appearance of the station.

 

[a_c_skinner]

That walkway is hideous. It will totally ruin the appearance of the station.

I'd not worry about it, esp. if it is part of a plan with the Leamside line re-opened and the Yarm line at 125 mph.

Someone has bought new crayons!

 

[eastdyke]

I'd not worry about it, esp. if it is part of a plan with the Leamside line re-opened and the Yarm line at 125 mph.

Someone has bought new crayons!

The Rt Hon the Lord Heseltine CH seems to have endorsed it. What is he doing now?

FWIW 'Bank Top' is one of my top ten most liked stations. Great ambience.

Please, please don't mess it up.

 

[DarloRich]

Hmmmmmm I will believe it when I see it! You could buy the whole town for £150m!!!!!

 

[Condor7]

Hmmmmmm I will believe it when I see it! You could buy the whole town for £150m!!!!!

I wouldn't pay that much for it!

 

[Tetchytyke]

That walkway is hideous. It will totally ruin the appearance of the station.

I'd be less worried about the appearance and more worried about the fact it ends ten feet above the train and that those people are running full pelt towards a messy demise.

The hole in the space-time continuum in the station wall will do wonders though. A few Daleks are just what are needed to sort out Darlo's junkies.

Is the guy on the far right, with the anorak and rucksack, a member of this forum?

At least the lass in the middle has nice pins.

the couple in photo 2 have decided they are going the wrong way and are retracing their steps, emerging in photo 3 from another part of the station.

...which is almost as impressive as the fact the old lady is levitating four inches off the ground.

I think someone needs to go back to Adobe for Photoshop 101...

 

[The 4th Rail]

Darlington has never struck me as a station desperately needing a refurb/upgrade. Am i the only one with this opinion?

That said i have never been there at peak times.

 

[gavin]

Darlington has never struck me as a station desperately needing a refurb/upgrade. Am i the only one with this opinion?

That said i have never been there at peak times.

It's a nightmare when a train breaks down or 1 or 4 and it's left with just 1 though platform an extra 2 will make a huge difference

It will also benefit when it's used as a terminating station for engineering work north or south of the station it would allow more services to run when the line to Newcastle is shut just 1 per hour runs to/from Darlington/London with another via Sunderland TP don't usually run due to the lack of room

 

[sarahj]

I'm sure that train in Pic 1 is Swiss. I knew the new Gotthard tunnel is long, but that long!!!

 

[markindurham]

A few more details to be found at:

https://teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Darlington-2025.pdf

This looks to me like brochureware - what is wanted, not what is realistically deliverable before 2025.

Thus the ECML is assumed to be upgraded for 140 mph running, the Yarm line 125 mph, and the Leemside line reinstated. Also in the realms of the slightly over-optimistic:

Anything with Bill Dixon's name on it has to be taken with a pinch - no, a handful - of salt...

 

[TBY-Paul]

As Part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority(TVCA) devolved powers deal, Darlington Station has to be made HS2/NPR ready, it's written in the deal that was signed by Darlington, Stockton, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough & Redcar & Cleveland councils. Which I suppose means the end of any possible chance of HS2/NPR ever being built on a new alignment to Newcastle from Leeds (swillington).

 

[edwin_m]

As Part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority(TVCA) devolved powers deal, Darlington Station has to be made HS2/NPR ready, it's written in the deal that was signed by Darlington, Stockton, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough & Redcar & Cleveland councils. Which I suppose means the end of any possible chance of HS2/NPR ever being built on a new alignment to Newcastle from Leeds (swillington).

I think it would be possible to provide a new high speed line from the south entering Darlington alongside the existing line to serve the existing station or new platforms on the avoiding lines. Going north it might be necessary to have a short section of double track shared by high speed and classic trains, but high speed could then re-start beyond the northern edge of the built up area.

This would create a convenient interchange with the existing route both north-south and east-west and would probably be a better option than any future HS route serving Tees Valley with an out-of-town station.

 

[Pinza-C55]

Most of this comes across as a vanity exercise. On the rare occasions I travel by train now I don't want to be delivered to a cathedral of excess with tiled or mosaic floors every and walls of glass with coffee shops everywhere , lovingly branded with that buzzword "hub" - "Darlington Station Growth Hub".
I want to be delivered as quickly and cheaply as possible.
The Leamside is there dotted in "to be reopened", but when ?
How much of the Leamside or Harrogate - Northallerton could you reopen for this cash splurge ?