London Bridge reconstruction works

[JamesRowden]

Does anyone think the platform overloading is just due to the sheer volume of people or will this change once all the platforms are fully opened?

Cannon Street services not stopping is attracting more people to services from Charing Cross at London Bridge.

 

[teamsoutheast]

Cannon Street services not stopping is attracting more people to services from Charing Cross at London Bridge.

Ahhh yes, that makes sense. Thanks for confirming!

 

[ScotGG]

Some new problems have occurred again today. Many delays and cancellations for Southeastern. The issues in the area have been relentless since opening.

 

[Bald Rick]

Problem with the third rail system, although that problem has manifested itself as a track circuit failure.

 

[Ironside]

In fact there was a proposed TBM with a 19m diameter, a list of large TBMs can be found in the link below:

http://www.tunneltalk.com/Discussion-Forum-Mega-TBMs.php

 

[QueensCurve]

In fact there was a proposed TBM with a 19m diameter, a list of large TBMs can be found in the link below:

http://www.tunneltalk.com/Discussion-Forum-Mega-TBMs.php

Have I lost the plot, where did a TBM come into this?

 

[Ironside]

Have I lost the plot, where did a TBM come into this?

My apologies, this should be in a high speed rail thread, I don't know how it got here or how to move it.

 

[ScotGG]

Problem with the third rail system, although that problem has manifested itself as a track circuit failure.

Thanks. More problems tonight. It's not been the easiest 2 weeks

 

[Bald Rick]

Thanks. More problems tonight. It's not been the easiest 2 weeks

However, tonight there's no incidents at London Bridge (or anywhere near it).

 

[Chrisgr31]

However, tonight there's no incidents at London Bridge (or anywhere near it).

Well not on the South Eastern side! A broken down train seems to have been causing chaos on the Southern side!

 

[Bald Rick]

Well not on the South Eastern side! A broken down train seems to have been causing chaos on the Southern side!

So there is. I didn't see that!

 

[tsr]

So there is. I didn't see that!

I left London Bridge not long after it failed, and the driver was on the phone to Control as I passed - sadly no remedy was found.

It was in a particularly awkward place in the South Bermondsey Jn area, creating a two-track railway during a large chunk of the late evening peak. The train was a single 455, 4v8 and full & standing, declared a failure in situ with a traction defect - another train was required to assist.

 

[IanKR]

Problems again between CHX & LBG:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/147266.aspx

 

[MrB]

Absolutely shocking tonight, 2 hours from London down to High Brooms. Waited 30 mins at Sevenoaks for a guard who should've got on at Orpington but for whatever reason didn't! All this in the hottest day of the year too!

 

[Stew998]

Usually everyone piles on to the platform and waits. This causes crowding. Now you only really need to be on the platform for when your train is due. It works ok at other places. Take a look at Charing Cross. You wait on the concourse until your train is posted and then you head to the platform. London bridge will now have the same mentality. Wait downstairs till your platform is called and then head up the escalator.

That might be fine if you enter downstairs but people coming in on the upper level (i.e. everyone that walks across London Bridge from the City) will not want to go all the way down in order to come back up again. Maybe the upper concourse will be larger when finished but it's still pretty cramped at present, especially when anything goes wrong.

Generally if trains are running on time people prefer to be on the platform early so that they can get a seat, they soon get to know which platform a train generally leaves from. Personally I don't like waiting on the concourse and being part of a crush when the platform is announced.

Possibly ONCE there are more trains and IF people are confident they will get a seat they MAY wait on the concourse but otherwise expecting them to do so is not planning for the real world.

It does seem clear that some platforms are too narrow in places.

 

[Sunset route]

That might be fine if you enter downstairs but people coming in on the upper level (i.e. everyone that walks across London Bridge from the City) will not want to go all the way down in order to come back up again. Maybe the upper concourse will be larger when finished but it's still pretty cramped at present, especially when anything goes wrong.

Generally if trains are running on time people prefer to be on the platform early so that they can get a seat, they soon get to know which platform a train generally leaves from. Personally I don't like waiting on the concourse and being part of a crush when the platform is announced.

Possibly ONCE there are more trains and IF people are confident they will get a seat they MAY wait on the concourse but otherwise expecting them to do so is not planning for the real world.

It does seem clear that some platforms are too narrow in places.

I agree, London Bridge upper level as is now and when fully rebuilt is just another through station like many others, just a lot busier. But the way it's been built gives very high degree of certainty of what platforms the different service groups will depart from, so for the majority of passengers there is no need to wait in the new vast concourse and screen watch Just go up onto the platform and wait for the next sevive to wherever your going to.

 

[N/100]

One thing that needs sorting out is the way in which some departure boards show all trains and some show Southern trains only (all the ones in the upper waiting area) , without any indication that only some boards show all the trains.

Particularly farcical today with SE Hastings line trains terminating at London Bridge platforms 10-15. They were being reported on the boards outside the station, but then disappeared from the boards as you follow the signage to the upper concourse and "right" platforms! How someone unfamiliar with the station and/or the diversions makes sense of that is anyone's guess.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Some recent stills from the window of a down train, showing progress of the works

 

[swt_passenger]

Some recent stills from the window of a down train, showing progress of the works

Did something go wrong here, I'm only seeing one pic which is probably more relevant to the Bermondsey Flyover area, which has a different thread?

 

[ijmad]

I wonder if they're ever going to take down the Platform 15 hoarding.

 

[MrB]

Anyone know what the issue was with the engineering works this weekend? Why did they overrun? Made for a fun journey to work today!

 

[fgwrich]

New video posted by Network Rail this afternoon showing the demolition of platforms 1-3. But what is up with that music? It starts off like a very warped Thomas the Tank Engine! Best watched with the sound off.

https://youtu.be/dx0sCWoaZm8

 

[ijmad]

Passed through earlier. There was a large wrecking machine destroying the temporary ticket office which entertained me! I wonder how long it will be until they can cut back that hoarding line.

 

[hwl]

Passed through earlier. There was a large wrecking machine destroying the temporary ticket office which entertained me! I wonder how long it will be until they can cut back that hoarding line.

A very long time as there is a new building going in at the back of the hoarded area (for food / beverage outlets) extending all the way along side track 9 to the new escalators to the lower conourse at the other end and they will need a laydown area in front while that is going on.

 

[FOH]

A very long time as there is a new building going in at the back of the hoarded area (for food / beverage outlets) extending all the way along side track 9 to the new escalators to the lower conourse at the other end and they will need a laydown area in front while that is going on.

Any indication as to what's going there? Will we finally get the return of Burger King? I had no idea something was going there and it's good news as the whole upper concourse outdoor bit feels desolate

 

[physics34]

Any indication as to what's going there? Will we finally get the return of Burger King? I had no idea something was going there and it's good news as the whole upper concourse outdoor bit feels desolate

have heard that there will be no burger king or mcdonalds...

 

[bicbasher]

have heard that there will be no burger king or mcdonalds...

In any case, there's a McDonalds across the road from the new station entrance on the Guy's Hospital site.

 

[FOH]

In any case, there's a McDonalds across the road from the new station entrance on the Guy's Hospital site.

I thought it'd closed down

 

[ijmad]

A very long time as there is a new building going in at the back of the hoarded area (for food / beverage outlets) extending all the way along side track 9 to the new escalators to the lower conourse at the other end and they will need a laydown area in front while that is going on.

Ah fair enough. I wasn't sure how far out that extended, but I did see it was going to be two storeys. There was something in one of the planning docs about Benito's Hat but that may not be the big restaurant/cafe out front, may be one of the other retail locations.

 

[tsr]

I thought it'd closed down

It has, to the apparent confusion of almost everybody who used it! The nearest ones, according to the McDonald's website, are Fleet Street, Waterloo, London Wall and Liverpool St, none of which are especially convenient. At all.