Gravesend Xmas blockade and Station Rebuilding - good progress

[SF-02]

The blockade begun on the 22nd December and runs until the 6th January. It involves removing the two central tracks and installing a third platform where they stood so a reduction to three tracks. Progress can be seen on these great flickr pics (which aren't mine) - http://www.flickr.com/photos/locohunter/11569363774/

Seems to be going well so far. The new bridge in place and a fair amount of the new platform is in. I thought the horrid weather may have held them up but good progress so far it appears. The rain and wind being overnight must have helped. There's at least three more wet and windy days planned in the next week so hopefully things are complete by 6th January.

When it is complete 10 car trains will become 12 car from Gravesend to London Cannon Street or London Charing Cross in the peaks. 12 car will be extended to Gillingham at some point. I think this is dependent on power upgrades and the replacement Rochester station and will need to happen before January 2015 when the number of platforms at London Bridge reduces due to the rebuild. Thus less trains will be able to pass through, and the reduction in trains means lengthening those that do run.

 

[mole90]

This give a good overview of the work taking place and timescales - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wrf1exBS1Q

I had a quick look at the station yesterday and while things are coming along, compared to the video it looks like they're maybe a day behind. The new bridge steps for the new platform were still parked up on lorries outside the town yesterday afternoon and the new platform surface wasn't complete.

Fingers crossed, but I'm sure the morning of the 6th will be interesting either way!

 

[Ploughman]

Seems to be going well so far. The new bridge in place and a fair amount of the new platform is in. I thought the horrid weather may have held them up but good progress so far it appears. The rain and wind being overnight must have helped. There's at least three more wet and windy days planned in the next week so hopefully things are complete by 6th January.

Weather overnight would normally still affect the work as this sort of project is usually 24 hours a day.
Unless they are restricted by local requirements.

 

[swt_passenger]

Didn't some of the work have a bit of a head start anyway? The main footbridge span (that you'd expect to be wind affected) was shown in Modern Railways as being installed in mid November.

That's not intended to detract at all from what (as the video simulation clearly shows) is a major bit of work for just a two week slot...

 

[cyclebytrain]

Yes, the new bridge went in (and the old one was removed too) before the blockade started.

 

[SF-02]

This give a good overview of the work taking place and timescales - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wrf1exBS1Q

I had a quick look at the station yesterday and while things are coming along, compared to the video it looks like they're maybe a day behind. The new bridge steps for the new platform were still parked up on lorries outside the town yesterday afternoon and the new platform surface wasn't complete.

Fingers crossed, but I'm sure the morning of the 6th will be interesting either way!

Thanks for the video - very interesting and does appear to show 24hr working. It also shows a jump from 30 Dec when all looks to be complete to 6th January. Based on that they would have 6 days of contingency so plenty of time to recover from delays, unless they showed nothing during that time as it is things like utility work underground?

 

[Ploughman]

The 6 days would be the time built in for S+T installation and wheels free testing, I would think.
Station decoration and other non track activities would also fit in here.
At the end I would guess at 12 - 18 hours spare in all.

 

[SF-02]

Many staff on site today looking to get it finished for Monday. Although wet the heavy and prolonged rain is to the west of London so far today. Been that way as well for a week with most bands of rain so not sure if the poor weather has made a big impact on progress. A similar job south by the coast or west of London would have seen more heavy rain.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The blockade begun on the 22nd December and runs until the 6th January. It involves removing the two central tracks and installing a third platform where they stood so a reduction to three tracks. Progress can be seen on these great flickr pics (which aren't mine) - http://www.flickr.com/photos/locohunter/11569363774/

Seems to be going well so far. The new bridge in place and a fair amount of the new platform is in. I thought the horrid weather may have held them up but good progress so far it appears. The rain and wind being overnight must have helped. There's at least three more wet and windy days planned in the next week so hopefully things are complete by 6th January.

When it is complete 10 car trains will become 12 car from Gravesend to London Cannon Street or London Charing Cross in the peaks. 12 car will be extended to Gillingham at some point. I think this is dependent on power upgrades and the replacement Rochester station and will need to happen before January 2015 when the number of platforms at London Bridge reduces due to the rebuild. Thus less trains will be able to pass through, and the reduction in trains means lengthening those that do run.

Nice Photo, does this mean that the station will now have three tracks, but four platforms, with one of the lines being accessible from the new middle platform as well as the old original one on the side, (rather like at Ascot & 1 of the lines/platforms at Guildford for example?) (By the way I also liked the Christmas card picture on that flickr of the 125 in proper BR blue/white livery.)

 

[swt_passenger]

99% sure the new platform will only have a face on the main line side, firstly because there are pictures linked earlier in the thread that show the pre-fabricated concrete sections being used only provide for a normal overhanging platform edge towards the new up main, secondly at around 1m 50s in the NR video it shows some sort of wall (or screen) being erected on the side towards what will become the bay.

This was discussed in an earlier thread too: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=72302

 

[cyclebytrain]

In the last set of plans I saw, they're planning to put railings along the platform face that won't be used (the back of the new island). I don't know what conclusion was eventually reached about keeping the turn back facilities on the through platforms however.

 

[swt_passenger]

Have now followed the link to the local planning website shown in the earlier thread, and they also show railings at the back of new P2. The NR video above may have just used whatever the simulation software provided, rather than being an accurate representation. Importantly all the various plans and drawings show the new lift shaft and stairs right over to the side of the new island, so it would be impossible to use both sides of the island at that point.

 

[cyclebytrain]

I'll get some photos of the new arrangements on Monday.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Thank you for the clarifications/explanations, makes sense to me now.

 

[eastwestdivide]

... 12 car will be extended to Gillingham at some point. I think this is dependent on power upgrades and the replacement Rochester station and will need to happen before January 2015 when the number of platforms at London Bridge reduces due to the rebuild. Thus less trains will be able to pass through, and the reduction in trains means lengthening those that do run.

Do you know of any plans to lengthen Strood to 12-car? I've not come across any. Nice tight curve towards the tunnel end, as well as the platform 3 loop joining the up line on the curve. Plus the junction at the country end. Having said that, the platforms are already on a curve for much of their length.
Of the other stations between Gravesend and Gillingham, Higham looks easy to lengthen (straight track), Rochester is covered by the replacement station, and Chatham/Gillingham are already 12-car.

 

[cyclebytrain]

I have wondered about Strood, presumably the plan is to sever the loop around the island and extend that way. Right now, besides the platform length issue, it's also very wheelchair unfriendly so something needs to be done and it would make sense to do it all in one hit. To be honest, if it wasn't for the Medway valley line it'd make quite a bit of sense to just shut Strood once Rochester has moved(!) Higham is already long enough for 12 car trains (but again is currently wheelchair unfriendly).

 

[eastwestdivide]

I have wondered about Strood, presumably the plan is to sever the loop around the island and extend that way. Right now, besides the platform length issue, it's also very wheelchair unfriendly so something needs to be done and it would make sense to do it all in one hit. To be honest, if it wasn't for the Medway valley line it'd make quite a bit of sense to just shut Strood once Rochester has moved(!) Higham is already long enough for 12 car trains (but again is currently wheelchair unfriendly).

Yes, I wondered about the loop. Mostly the ECS from the Maidstone line is to Gillingham isn't it? In which case reversal in platform 2.
As for closing Strood, it wouldn't make much sense for that town's many inhabitants! Although the new Rochester station would be relatively near to Strood station, Strood station's catchment area is basically the London side of the river, not the Rochester side, and having to cross the river to reach the station would add substantially to journey time between home and station via the bottleneck of the (road) Rochester Bridges.

 

[Cletus]

The Kentrail website has pictures. There are pictures from yesterday there.
http://www.kentrail.org.uk/gravesend_central_11.htm

 

[cyclebytrain]

Yes, I wondered about the loop. Mostly the ECS from the Maidstone line is to Gillingham isn't it? In which case reversal in platform 2.
As for closing Strood, it wouldn't make much sense for that town's many inhabitants! Although the new Rochester station would be relatively near to Strood station, Strood station's catchment area is basically the London side of the river, not the Rochester side, and having to cross the river to reach the station would add substantially to journey time between home and station via the bottleneck of the (road) Rochester Bridges.

I think that even if it weren't, you could still just run into platform 2, because you can go anywhere from that platform.

I wasn't really being serious about closing Strood (although I was being generous only suggesting demolishing their station rather than the entire town... ) I'm not convinced it would add substantially having to go to the new Rochester station though -to get to Strood station by car you have to negotiate the one way system (if there's a shortcut that I'm missing please let me know BTW) and end up almost at Rochester bridge anyway. It's much better for bus and foot passengers though, I agree.

 

[user15681]

First train back through Gravesend since the remodel, 2D02, has passed through in the past few minutes. It picked up a delay of 4 minutes on the approach to Gravesend, but I'm unable to say whether that was due to the works or something completely unrelated.

RTT suggests that the terminus platform will be 0, the up platform 1 and the down platform 2. Anyone able to confirm whether this will be permanent numbering?

UPDATE: The second passenger train through, 2D04, arrived and departed on time so it would seem as though there are no problems and the remodel has finished on time.

 

[cyclebytrain]

First train back through Gravesend since the remodel, 2D02, has passed through in the past few minutes. It picked up a delay of 4 minutes on the approach to Gravesend, but I'm unable to say whether that was due to the works or something completely unrelated.

RTT suggests that the terminus platform will be 0, the up platform 1 and the down platform 2. Anyone able to confirm whether this will be permanent numbering?

UPDATE: The second passenger train through, 2D04, arrived and departed on time so it would seem as though there are no problems and the remodel has finished on time.

As I understood the schedule, at least yesterday was meant to have been spent "testing" the new station using 395s which would make it quite unlikely for there to be problems today that weren't already known about yesterday, if that makes sense.

 

[user15681]

As I understood the schedule, at least yesterday was meant to have been spent "testing" the new station using 395s which would make it quite unlikely for there to be problems today that weren't already known about yesterday, if that makes sense.

I wasn't aware of that, my apologies. I erred on the side of caution as an ECS 465 had been planned into the terminus platform late last night, but arrived over 2 hours late and a freight also picked up a delay of 4 minutes on approach to Gravesend just after the first train in service this morning. All is well though.

 

[cyclebytrain]

It's possible that I'm getting confused with an earlier draft -I've seen quite a few different schedules/plans for this and I'd be lying if I said I was 100% certain exactly what the final plans & schedule were!

 

[eastwestdivide]

Has the rebuilding led to any line speed increase? Before the changes, was it 20mph into the platform roads and 30mph on the through lines?
Maybe this would only affect through freights, but could the straighter approach also give a faster run-in for passenger trains that don't use the new bay?

 

[Mintona]

It was 15mph through and the loops and 30mph through the mains before remodelling. I honestly don't know what the speeds are now - I'd like to think it has been increased to 50mph each way, but I somehow doubt it.

 

[MikeWh]

RTT suggests that the terminus platform will be 0, the up platform 1 and the down platform 2. Anyone able to confirm whether this will be permanent numbering?

I don't know whether it's permanent or not, but not all systems are up-to-date. Advance information shows platforms 0/1/2, but once it becomes historical, 0 becomes 1 while 1 and 2 disappear!

I've been down there this afternoon. The new up platform is pretty basic with bits fenced off. I couldn't see the country end layout too well, but the London end now only has one crossover from up to down after the bay has joined. Thus trains can turn round in 0 and 1, but not 2. I'd imagine that 1 will only be used in emergencies or when engineering work closes the line to Strood.

 

[user15681]

I don't know whether it's permanent or not, but not all systems are up-to-date. Advance information shows platforms 0/1/2, but once it becomes historical, 0 becomes 1 while 1 and 2 disappear!

I've been down there this afternoon. The new up platform is pretty basic with bits fenced off. I couldn't see the country end layout too well, but the London end now only has one crossover from up to down after the bay has joined. Thus trains can turn round in 0 and 1, but not 2. I'd imagine that 1 will only be used in emergencies or when engineering work closes the line to Strood.

There used to be, and should still be, a crossover just outside the station at the country end. This should allow a train from the down platform to terminate and then shunt into the up.

 

[mole90]

Top marks to all the engineering teams and contractors involved in the work during the blockade! I'm surprised that it was back open again considering the bad weather we've been experiencing recently but they seem to have managed to complete all the major work. Unfortunately...its the detail that makes it feel 'unfinished'. The new P1 canopy leaks like a sieve and there's no protection from the elements. Corrugated plastic sheets are strapped to the railings to create a rudimentary wall. Only one of the fairly narrow staircases to P1 is open and none of the lifts are working!

In terms of design, they've dropped a modern canopy slap bang in the middle of a station which had a lot of character. I'm sure there could have been a more sympathetic design The high level platforms at Ebbsfleet look better and that's saying something!

All in, credit for the scale of what's been achieved, but from today's experience I'm not a fan...maybe it will grow on me.

 

[user15681]

The new P1 canopy leaks like a sieve and there's no protection from the elements. Corrugated plastic sheets are strapped to the railings to create a rudimentary wall.

I saw a lot of people complaining about the leaking roof on P1 on Twitter. Mind you, there was exceptionally heavy rain earlier. Anyone know what the corrugated plastic sheets behind the railings are for?

 

[cyclebytrain]

Firstly, my apologies to everyone that I didn't take any pictures this week; but I was a bit busy, so you'll have to make do with my notes from using it this week.

1) Permanent looking platform numbering signs are going up, so it looks like platform 0 is staying with us for at least a while.

2) Right now, step free access to platform 1 is a bit questionable -you can get round the end of the bay, but I wouldn't want to take a wheelchair round there -they will have to be very near the platform edge.

3) The country end signals are now single lens, the town end ones were (I think) two lens designs

4) Platform 1 looks to be fully bidirectional, both signalling, DOO monitors & nicely positioned crossovers.

5) Platform 2 looks like it will be exclusively a down platform -they managed with two reversible platforms before when the line further on was closed; so I can't see why they'd ever need platform 2 to work as an up platform.

6) There are (multiple) TRTS boxes (presumably with plungers inside them) on platforms 0 & 1. I don't remember reading anything in the plans about this & I haven't been able to figure out why they are needed. I'd be grateful if anyone can explain it to me.

7) The new shelter/roof arrangement on platform 1 really aren't fit for purpose. I think people will start waiting on the steps until the train arrives and then running; so I think in the end they'll have to change this.

8) Trains arrive in and depart from the platforms an awful lot faster than they used too, which is nice; but a bit scary if your at the thin end of platform 1.

9) The rails sing very loudly now.

10) If the electrification is ever changed to OHLE, there's not going to be much clearance on the new footbridge.

I can't claim to like the new station; but I've never expected too, ever since I saw the first set of plans. I think that except for the lack of shelter on platform 1 they've made the best of a bad job.