Leicester Station revamp

[yorksrob]

Looks very good.

Making better use of the Porte Cochere has worked well at Sheffield and Nottingham Midland stations.

 

[Class 170101]

Does it complement or get in the way of electrification?

 

[londonmidland]

Does it complement or get in the way of electrification?

As far as I’m aware, it’s only the concourse and outside of the station which is getting remodelled. I think the overbridge is getting widened too?

Downstairs on the platforms, I believe this remains unchanged, unless anyone knows otherwise.

 

[LowLevel]

Lovely idea, provided they can find some way of getting rid of the local junkies hanging around hassling people, otherwise it will just be another place for them to mess about. As it stands the front of Leicester station and the Granby Street thoroughfare to the centre is one of the most unpleasant city centre gateways that I know of.

It does look quite good from the prospectus though.

 

[Meerkat]

Is the porte corchere going to be inside or outside the barriers? Particularly for the former, but either way its a bit off line - ie if you go to the south end you will have to come all the way back to the north end to then go back across the footbridge.

 

[Verulamius]

These proposals would suggest that if additional platforms are proposed for the station, as per the Network Rail Eastern Region Leicester Area Strategic Advice 2021, they would be on the east side rather than the west.

 

[cle]

I said this on the other thread, but it doesn't seem like a choice was made.

I had thought that a western side platform - likely for turning increased Birmingham Metro services, would have been the easiest way in.

Turning 1tph from the eastern side - be it a St Pancras EMU, maybe a EWR frequency up from Bedford reaches here, or indeed something from the north - would also be handy for future growth.

 

[Yindee8191]

I said this on the other thread, but it doesn't seem like a choice was made.

I had thought that a western side platform - likely for turning increased Birmingham Metro services, would have been the easiest way in.

Turning 1tph from the eastern side - be it a St Pancras EMU, maybe a EWR frequency up from Bedford reaches here, or indeed something from the north - would also be handy for future growth.

The plans for 4-tracking through Leicester involve the current lines being the mains with reliefs to the east - the western island would be Down/Up London lines and then the eastern island would be Down/Up Birmingham-Peterborough lines, so the extra platform would go on the eastern side.

 

[londonmidland]

I resized the image without too much of a quality loss, as the original image was quite small.

A graphic illustration showing the new entrance to Leicester Station

 

[38Cto15E]

So passengers who have to come in Taxis or cars (Disabled or large cases) will be dropped off and then face a 60/70 yard walk up a slope or a climb up steps in the elements before entering the station.
If there is a new lift built, it will become a bottleneck for passengers with wheelchairs, pushchairs, walking frames, baggage etc, this for passengers standing outside in the British weather.
Presumably, the little known lift will still be available but that is hardly modernisation.
Finally, most of the footfall to and from the station will head towards Granby Street and the City Centre and not go towards London Road and walk through the new retail area.

 

[Trainman40083]

It looks good but....it doesn't show any electrification!

Yet the electrification plans are in place for Wigston to East Midlands Parkway.

 

[cle]

The plans for 4-tracking through Leicester involve the current lines being the mains with reliefs to the east - the western island would be Down/Up London lines and then the eastern island would be Down/Up Birmingham-Peterborough lines, so the extra platform would go on the eastern side.

Does this involve a dive under / flyover somewhere? I understood that work was not going ahead.

 

[londonmidland]

Yet the electrification plans are in place for Wigston to East Midlands Parkway.

I think the question most are eager to find out is when work will actually start on it?

 

[Trainman40083]

I think the question most are eager to find out is when work will actually start on it?

I guess when they finish Market Harborough to Wigston.

 

[Yindee8191]

Does this involve a dive under / flyover somewhere? I understood that work was not going ahead.

My understanding, from talking to people who know more about it than I, is that for Midlands Rail Hub to happen with extra Birmingham-Leicester services you need 4 tracks from Wigston to Syston but not necessarily a flyover. Then again, Midlands Rail Hub is far from guaranteed so who knows.

 

[railfan99]

Shame that ugly blue eyesore will now indefinitely be one of the first things visitors may see.

I looked elsewhere and couldn't find a picture of the 'eyesore'. I've not been to this major station (but have been on Great Central Railway not far away).

Could a kind soul please post a photo of the 'eyesore'?

 

[WizCastro197]

I looked elsewhere and couldn't find a picture of the 'eyesore'. I've not been to this major station (but have been on Great Central Railway not far away).

Could a kind soul please post a photo of the 'eyesore'?

Sorry, Its the premier inn near the station, the actual block (where the rooms are) is fine but there is a thing on the side that's just a massive blue tower with no windows.
One on side (facing away from the railway) its been painted so it looks okay on one side but not the other.

Not sure how to make picture smaller

picture shows the premier inn located near Leicester station.

 

[railfan99]

Sorry, Its the premier inn near the station, the actual block (where the rooms are) is fine but there is a thing on the side that's just a massive blue tower with no windows.
One on side (facing away from the railway) its been painted so it looks okay on one side but not the other.

Not sure how to make picture smaller
View attachment 157654
picture shows the premier inn located near Leicester station.

Thanks. I agree it looks ugly, and doesn't complement the historic Victorian era building painted in white. They clash.

My first thought was the blue box lacking windows was a fire protection wall, but it's too big for that.

Then I though it contains either hot water boilers or data storage panels, but again, way too large.

 

[Topological]

It was built for the Post Office / BT and was the BT tower for the time I knew it. In those days it was still grey concrete. Cannot find anything on why that side section has no windows and is taller, but the past use may help.

Link to an archived piece at the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/content/articles/2009/02/09/blue_tower_feature.shtml

The future is bright, the future is blue!​

The old BT tower near the railway station has become something of a landmark since it was built in the 1960s. The controversial tower has now been turned into flats and a brand new hotel. Find out more about the project.

 

[D365]

It looks good but....it doesn't show any electrification!

Given that the artist impressions appear to concern the station facilities, rather than the running lines, I’d say that depiction of OHLE isn’t high on their agenda.