Cambridge South new station construction progress.

[sharpener]

There was an Up loop which pretty much mirrored the formation of the Down. This was removed in the early 70s when Trumpington signal box closed. Never 4 tracks under the bridge.

But perhaps it was originally built like that with the possibility of 4 tracks in mind, otherwise it seems an unecessarily long and expensive structure, ditto the wide formation.

A bit like Letchworth station which AIUI was intended to accomodate 4 platform faces, hence the false "islands" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letchworth_Garden_City_railway_station.

 

[mr_jrt]

Most likely there was a need for adjacent road accesses. IIRC, there used to be a coal depot between the lines to Shelford and Trumpington - that will have needed access, presumably. The visible fence presumably seperates the railway from the access on that side that is still in use.

 

[mr_moo]

But this isn't. The original Cambridge South proposal did include 4 tracks between Shepreth Branch Junction and Cambridge. It was descoped between the first and second consultations.

I suspect that one of the main reasons for that was the cost of dealing with Long Road bridge.

Interesting. I didn't know that! Clearly removed from scope well before I joined the project.

Most likely there was a need for adjacent road accesses. IIRC, there used to be a coal depot between the lines to Shelford and Trumpington - that will have needed access, presumably. The visible fence presumably seperates the railway from the access on that side that is still in use.

Yes, behind that fence on the left is inded an access point.

 

[stuving]

I found a news picture (copyright unfortunately) of the bridge being built in 1936. It shows the steel girders over the main span on their pillars, and nothing else on either side. Frankly they look a bit silly.

The "new bridge" replaced a level crossing, though the LNWR line to Bedford always had a bridge over it. The track layout was pretty much as now - twin tracks with a loop/siding on their west side to the north. The up loop and all the other sidings in the 1961 picture were not there in 1936.

I can see nothing on the OS maps that would call for any kind of path or track beside the main line, so I guess the two side arches were to do with how the road embankment was built and wanting to have the abutments well back from the railway.

 

[neill]

Couple of photos and an update.

Looks like work to level and prepare the site on east side is in progress. Maybe the platform 1 edge will be going in soon. Work continues on diversion of the water main in the country park. There is also work started on the busway on busway bridge but no idea if that is in anyway related to the station project.

Might be a couple of weeks now until I can get down to the site again.

 

[Magdalia]

Couple of photos and an update.

Thanks for the pictures.

I went through the site by train earlier this week.

The tracks have been relayed under the Addenbrookes Bridge: the down line last weekend and the up line the weekend before that.

There are also some new OHL supports on the down side both south and north of the Addenbrookes Bridge but I don't know if these are for the final alignment or for an intermediate stage.

There is also work started on the busway on busway bridge but no idea if that is in anyway related to the station project.

Yes. A new foot crossing is being installed on the busway, near the bottom of the park side bridge ramp, to provide access to the part of the park that is north of the busway. This is to replace the old access which was under the busway bridge from the south side.

This means that the busway is currently completely closed between the railway station and Trumpington in both directions.

 

[mr_moo]

There's are no more major weekend possessions for a bit now - we're letting you all travel!
Focus is now moving onto the off-track things.

The first units for platform 1 have been installed today and site clearance etc continues.

There are also some new OHL supports on the down side both south and north of the Addenbrookes Bridge but I don't know if these are for the final alignment or for an intermediate stage.

The ones to the North of the busway bridge are all permanent.
To the South they are a mixture The four on the East side are temporary. The one on the West side is permanent but has a temporary support on the East side.

Here's an infographic using my wonderful art skills!

Yes. A new foot crossing is being installed on the busway, near the bottom of the park side bridge ramp, to provide access to the part of the park that is north of the busway. This is to replace the old access which was under the busway bridge from the south side.

This means that the busway is currently completely closed between the railway station and Trumpington in both directions.

Yep. the current footway will become railway land, indeed, it'll become pretty much railway - the new 4 tracks do fit through the bridge, but there's not a lot of spare space afterwards...

 

[swt_passenger]

To the South they are a mixture The four on the East side are temporary. The one on the West side is permanent but has a temporary support on the East side.

Here's an infographic using my wonderful art skills!

Ah, that confirms something I’d first thought of a few weeks ago. Those 4 temporary twin track cantilevers are really only being used to support the down line OHLE, because the down side masts had to be removed first, as they were in the way of the P3 platform wall? And that’s why all the up line masts are still alongside them?

 

[mr_moo]

Ah, that confirms something I’d first thought of a few weeks ago. Those 4 temporary twin track cantilevers are really only being used to support the down line OHLE, because the down side masts had to be removed first, as they were in the way of the P3 platform wall? And that’s why all the up line masts are still alongside them?

Correct.
The remains of the Up line foundations have indeed now dissapeared underneath that new wall.

So, I said a while ago that I was unable to post much info or photos for <reasons> . The main <reason> was that we couldn't post much publically until the minister had visited site and the project had been formally announced to everyone, together with the full funding decisions.
Now that's happened, I am able to post more information. Hurrah!

To start, here's a photo from today - Platform 1 has started to go in.

 

[mr_moo]

Platform 1 installation going well.
These photos show the front and rear wall units for the platform. The space in between will be infilled (with fill plus things like cable routes etc of course)

 

[neill]

I happened to get down there on Saturday morning but haven’t posted yet.

Different view on the platform construction.

 

[Geogregor]

Platform 1 installation going well.
These photos show the front and rear wall units for the platform. The space in between will be infilled (with fill plus things like cable routes etc of course)

View attachment 138069View attachment 138070

How wide will the platform be? It looks quite narrow space between the walls

 

[swt_passenger]

How wide will the platform be? It looks quite narrow space between the walls

I think it’ll be at least about 3m, which is over the requirement for a single side platform. It will probably be wider at the north end where the entrance and stairs etc. will be.

 

[William3000]

Is platform 1 on the eastern side, with 2, then 3, then 4 from east to west?

 

[mr_moo]

How wide will the platform be? It looks quite narrow space between the walls

Around 3.5m width overall.
That rear 'L' unit is approx 1.5m high and 1.25m wide.
The front unit is also approx 1.5m high and 1.4m wide.
Platform copers will overhang the front by 100mm too.

Is platform 1 on the eastern side, with 2, then 3, then 4 from east to west?

Correct.

 

[neill]

Here are some photos from earlier today. Including the relocated comms cabinet & mast at Shepreth junction, new (to me) OLE near the Addenbrookes road bridge, finished busway crossing, and overview photos from the busway bridge.

Looks like the station forecourt area is starting to take shape - I think there is a new culvert there now.

 

[Magdalia]

Around 3.5m width overall.
That rear 'L' unit is approx 1.5m high and 1.25m wide.
The front unit is also approx 1.5m high and 1.4m wide.
Platform copers will overhang the front by 100mm too.

Here are some photos from earlier today. Including the relocated comms cabinet & mast at Shepreth junction, new (to me) OLE near the Addenbrookes road bridge, finished busway crossing, and overview photos from the busway bridge.

Thanks to both for the updates here and in the separate discussion on the signalling renewal.

So am I right in thinking that we can now see at least part of both the front and back edges of platform 1, the platform 3 edge of the central island, and the back edge of platform 4?

 

[mr_moo]

Thanks to both for the updates here and in the separate discussion on the signalling renewal.

So am I right in thinking that we can now see at least part of both the front and back edges of platform 1, the platform 3 edge of the central island, and the back edge of platform 4?

Almost.

You can see some of platform 1, both front and back, most of platform 3 front wall (there's a section missing at the North end still - that wont be installed for a few months yet as we need to get piling rigs in at the North end for some parts of the station buildings, especially lift pits), and what will be the units for the rear of platform 4 indeed, but they are currently just placed there out the way - that's not their final location.

 

[swt_passenger]

Almost.

You can see some of platform 1, both front and back, most of platform 3 front wall (there's a section missing at the North end still - that wont be installed for a few months yet as we need to get piling rigs in at the North end for some parts of the station buildings, especially lift pits), and what will be the units for the rear of platform 4 indeed, but they are currently just placed there out the way - that's not their final location.

So just a quick question to help get our bearings, in the right foreground of the fifth picture in post #676 there are a couple of sets of red barriers protecting tubular steel piles. They’re roughly in line between the yellow machine and the white container. Will they eventually be buried in the surface of P4?

 

[Nodding Cat Ch]

Great on the ground shots Mr Moo

 

[Strat-tastic]

When is the next weekend possession?

 

[mr_moo]

So just a quick question to help get our bearings, in the right foreground of the fifth picture in post #676 there are a couple of sets of red barriers protecting tubular steel piles. They’re roughly in line between the yellow machine and the white container. Will they eventually be buried in the surface of P4?

Nope, those are piles which form the bases for future OLE gantries. They will be just behind the back of platform 4, so you can use that to see where the 'back' of the station will be.
They were put in early because we had the piling equipment there for the other piles so it made sense to do them togeher.

Great on the ground shots Mr Moo

Thank you. I will find more to post v soon!

Here's a fun one showing that we have got a few more platform units to install yet...

When is the next weekend possession?

There's a few short posessions overnight, but assuming you mean the next big 'no trains for a weekend' kind of possession, it's week 25, so 16/17 September, plus the following weekend - 23/24 September.

 

[swt_passenger]

Nope, those are piles which form the bases for future OLE gantries. They will be just behind the back of platform 4, so you can use that to see where the 'back' of the station will be.
They were put in early because we had the piling equipment there for the other piles so it made sense to do them togeher.

OK thanks, it’s seemingly quite difficult to use the photo to estimate the width that the two down tracks and the future P4 will take up. I suppose once they start the foundation for P4 it will be much more obvious.

 

[Strat-tastic]

Nope, those are piles which form the bases for future OLE gantries. They will be just behind the back of platform 4, so you can use that to see where the 'back' of the station will be.
They were put in early because we had the piling equipment there for the other piles so it made sense to do them togeher.



Thank you. I will find more to post v soon!

Here's a fun one showing that we have got a few more platform units to install yet...
View attachment 139016


There's a few short posessions overnight, but assuming you mean the next big 'no trains for a weekend' kind of possession, it's week 25, so 16/17 September, plus the following weekend - 23/24 September.

Yes, the full weekend. Thanks

 

[mr_moo]

OK thanks, it’s seemingly quite difficult to use the photo to estimate the width that the two down tracks and the future P4 will take up. I suppose once they start the foundation for P4 it will be much more obvious.

Let's see if I can help with that (with the usual apologies for my terrible drawing / annotation skills!):



Tracks are a standard interval (so around 6.4m between platform faces), platform 4 is approx 3.5m wide as per platform 1 dimensions above.

This is from a couple of weeks ago but here's part of 'Tibbets culvert' - the former ditch - disspearing under what will eventually be the Eastern side station building.

 

[Nodding Cat Ch]

From the train yesterday

 

[mr_moo]

So, we produced a video of what the station will (approximately) look like. You may well have seen clips from it as part of the recent news stories when we had the official funding announcements and the visit from the Minister.
Here's the video in full for you.

Note that design of the station is in the later stages of detailed design but there are still some parts subject to change so this will be mostly what the station will look like, but not 100%.

The video is 58MB and not (yet at least) available on the NR official youtube channel, and it's too big to upload here for direct viewing, but you can watch it by clicking here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pJ7RgQR6fcErtrCyzI8WDsc36v_RxyoM/view?usp=drive_link
(FYI there is no sound on it)

Enjoy!

 

[James Finch]

So, we produced a video of what the station will (approximately) look like. You may well have seen clips from it as part of the recent news stories when we had the official funding announcements and the visit from the Minister.
Here's the video in full for you.

Note that design of the station is in the later stages of detailed deign but there are still some parts subject to change so this will be mostly what the station will look like, but not 100%.

The video is 58MB and not (yet at least) available on the NR official youtube channel, and it's too big to upload here for direct viewing, but you can watch it by clicking here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pJ7RgQR6fcErtrCyzI8WDsc36v_RxyoM/view?usp=drive_link
(FYI there is no sound on it)

Enjoy!

Looks very clean and modern! What will the platform height be, 1100mm for level boarding and accessibility, or the older (and in my view inferior) 915mm?

Also looks like there will be on ticket office (no surprise given current political views!)

 

[mr_moo]

Looks very clean and modern! What will the platform height be, 1100mm for level boarding and accessibility, or the older (and in my view inferior) 915mm?

Also looks like there will be on ticket office (no surprise given current political views!)

Standards require us to do the 'old and inferior' 915 I'm afraid!
Level boarding makes it more difficult for other trains in terms of gauging and causes other issues, so we're going with standard heights and offsets.

Ticket office - yes, there is no ticket office in the design.

 

[J-2739]

That is a beautiful looking station, light and airy!

Ticket office - yes, there is no ticket office in the design.

Is that not what looks like a ticket office by the first ticket barriers? Or does it need to be a separate room for it to qualify?