London Bridge reconstruction works

[physics34]

will the thameslink platforms be reversible, i.e. Can trains start/terminate there?

 

[Bald Rick]

To/ from the south, yes. Not to/from the north.

 

[physics34]

To/ from the south, yes. Not to/from the north.

Thats something.i suppose if services are late from the south they can kick everyone off and with a quick turn around time get the units out of the way.... ish.

 

[ijmad]

Thats something.i suppose if services are late from the south they can kick everyone off and with a quick turn around time get the units out of the way.... ish.

Also if the Thameslink Core is blocked by a failed train.

 

[Bald Rick]

... or the core is blocked by engineering works. Which is why it is provided.

 

[MikeWh]

I don't think it has been mentioned recently (and this is perhaps the wrong thread) but when the full Charing Cross service restarts next week, is that the end of ticket availability on LU between certain stations?

Apparently it is. According to the ticketing & revenue update, journeys between London Bridge and Charing Cross will no longer be covered but acceptance for Cannon Street will remain. Starts with the fare change on Sunday 3rd.

 

[FOH]

Given it's September we can well and truly wish a happy first anniversary to the security firm providing 'the bloke sitting in front of the lift'. I'll make a stab at the cost so far, given the hours of operation I'd guess £100,000 has been not well spent so far.

 

[XDM]

Given it's September we can well and truly wish a happy first anniversary to the security firm providing 'the bloke sitting in front of the lift'. I'll make a stab at the cost so far, given the hours of operation I'd guess £100,000 has been not well spent so far.

A drop in the ocean compared to the money Network Rail wastes less visibly. After all it is someone else's money, the future taxpayers. Not a good argument for nationalisation.

 

[ijmad]

Given it's September we can well and truly wish a happy first anniversary to the security firm providing 'the bloke sitting in front of the lift'. I'll make a stab at the cost so far, given the hours of operation I'd guess £100,000 has been not well spent so far.

You forgot bloke who stands by the gate that leads to back of house between the shops opposite the main concourse stairs and bloke sat outside loading bay entrance in St Thomas Street. Both been there for a whole year too I think!

In happier news, while downstairs is closed, they seem to be finally installing some of the missing wooden panels on the various bridge decks that have been covered with tarp since last August.

 

[ijmad]

First train through Platform 6 (test):
https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSE/status/903899641560928258

 

[swt_passenger]

Network Rail video of track works over the bank holiday weekend:

https://youtu.be/b3B1y_hrvLE

In amongst all the track stuff you can see the last tower crane was removed as well.

 

[ijmad]

Network Rail video of track works over the bank holiday weekend:

https://youtu.be/b3B1y_hrvLE

In amongst all the track stuff you can see the last tower crane was removed as well.

Good vid! Seems like the remaining new platforms don't have a lot left to do on them, so makes sense the crane goes so they can finish P1's roof.

Quite surprised to see quite how much work was done on the western approaches to the through platforms, I had been assuming this area at least for the Charing Cross lines was largely complete after the opening of the Borough viaduct! I guess not, perhaps things were skewed around more than is obvious to fit in running of Cannon Street trains through 5/6 earlier this year.

 

[swt_passenger]

Quite surprised to see quite how much work was done on the western approaches to the through platforms, I had been assuming this area at least for the Charing Cross lines was largely complete after the opening of the Borough viaduct! I guess not, perhaps things were skewed around more than is obvious to fit in running of Cannon Street trains through 5/6 earlier this year.

There's also the down Charing Cross route into P8, that would have probably been a temporary facility, in fact I see the staging diagrams do show that crossover being removed in the current alterations. I suspect that the points in the down line through P7 that will access P6 will go in roughly the same place, so they would have to go.

 

[ijmad]

There's also the down Charing Cross route into P8, that would have probably been a temporary facility, in fact I see the staging diagrams do show that crossover being removed in the current alterations. I suspect that the points in the down line through P7 that will access P6 will go in roughly the same place, so they would have to go.

Well spotted, makes sense.

 

[kentman]

Apparently it is. According to the ticketing & revenue update, journeys between London Bridge and Charing Cross will no longer be covered but acceptance for Cannon Street will remain. Starts with the fare change on Sunday 3rd.

Looking at the timetable from Monday there are still a number of evening peak for Charing Cross services showing as pass for London Bridge. I would have expected all services to call now 2 platforms each way are available.

 

[N/100]

Apparently it is. According to the ticketing & revenue update, journeys between London Bridge and Charing Cross will no longer be covered but acceptance for Cannon Street will remain. Starts with the fare change on Sunday 3rd.

New acceptance map now up here

https://www.southeasternrailway.co....thameslink-programme/travel-advice-until-2018

confirms Southwark/Waterloo withdrawn but Charing Cross/Embankment still included for certain transfers.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

New acceptance map now up here

https://www.southeasternrailway.co....thameslink-programme/travel-advice-until-2018

confirms Southwark/Waterloo withdrawn but Charing Cross/Embankment still included for certain transfers.

I don't get that. What happens to people on Cannon Street trains who actually want to get to Waterloo. The new map seems to indicate that there's no way they can get to Waterloo without paying additional fares, unless they use the 521 bus - which would presumably take forever. That doesn't seem fair to me. Am I missing something?

 

[MikeWh]

I don't get that. What happens to people on Cannon Street trains who actually want to get to Waterloo. The new map seems to indicate that there's no way they can get to Waterloo without paying additional fares, unless they use the 521 bus - which would presumably take forever. That doesn't seem fair to me. Am I missing something?

According to SE on twitter, they should either walk to London Bridge or tube to Embankment/Charing Cross, then take a train.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

According to SE on twitter, they should either walk to London Bridge or tube to Embankment/Charing Cross, then take a train.

OK thx. That makes a bit of sense but doesn't seem the quickest of routes. Must be a bit galling to people who get to Embankment on the District/Circle line, and could get to Waterloo in one stop on the Bakerloo/Northern, but aren't allowed to on their tickets: But they are allowed to go one stop the other way - to Charing Cross, then and double back on national rail - which would seem to be a fairly crazy way to make that journey!

It did cross my mind that there can't be many Cannon Street services left that run beyond the Oyster zone, so I guess the vast majority of people going to Cannon Street would in any case be using Oyster, not national rail tickets. Still leaves a minority though.

Interestingly - on checking TfL's Oyster fare finder, it looks like Waterloo and Southwark are both still included in the reduced prices for people on Oyster. That's very inconsistent with the rules for people on national rail tickets.

 

[Bromley boy]

It did cross my mind that there can't be many Cannon Street services left that run beyond the Oyster zone, so I guess the vast majority of people going to Cannon Street would in any case be using Oyster, not national rail tickets. Still leaves a minority though.

Off peak you're quite right, but quite a few mainline services from the shires go in and out of CST during the peaks.

 

[ijmad]

Looking at the timetable from Monday there are still a number of evening peak for Charing Cross services showing as pass for London Bridge. I would have expected all services to call now 2 platforms each way are available.

I noticed this too, seems to be a fair few services passing in the contra-peak direction between about 17:00 and 18:00:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...7/09/05/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=pass&order=wtt

Surprised to see this as I'd thought LBG was now all trains call...

 

[MikeWh]

Interestingly - on checking TfL's Oyster fare finder, it looks like Waterloo and Southwark are both still included in the reduced prices for people on Oyster. That's very inconsistent with the rules for people on national rail tickets.

Can you tell me what journeys you checked, please?

 

[kentman]

I noticed this too, seems to be a fair few services passing in the contra-peak direction between about 17:00 and 18:00:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...7/09/05/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=pass&order=wtt

Surprised to see this as I'd thought LBG was now all trains call...

Which seems to contradict this : http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/changes-london-bridge-station

Ticket acceptance changes from Sunday 3 September

Following the completion of the upcoming improvement work at London Bridge from 3 September, Charing Cross trains that are currently unable to stop at London Bridge during peak times will once again be able to call.

Therefore, interim ticket acceptance and automatic refund arrangements for the Tube and buses will be partially withdrawn.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Can you tell me what journeys you checked, please?

I checked Abbey Wood to Waterloo (underground) and Abbey Wood to Southwark (underground). Both were showing as the same price as a zone 1-4 national rail only journey (£4.00 peak/£2.90 off-peak).

 

[ijmad]

Now we have a single down island, has the rule that was being enforced about no platform alterations after leaving Charing Cross now been relaxed?

Are we likely to see the two platforms being used as 'best effort' if the schedule is a little off, and trains just alternating, rather than sticking to their assignments?

 

[swt_passenger]

Another Network Rail video that covers the later stages of last week's work, up to Sep 2nd:

https://youtu.be/cB_DYeLUm_U

...and another Network Rail video which has appeared, includes a test train cab view of the up direction Charing Cross line (the Up Kent Fast) through the Bermondsey dive under. It also includes track changes on the rest of the route through London Bridge and towards Waterloo East and Charing Cross:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqO2zBHTw5M

 

[ijmad]

Has anyone else noticed, they've removed all the electronic timetable sign gantries from the bottoms of the staircases to the terminal platforms. Not sure why.

 

[physics34]

Has anyone else noticed, they've removed all the electronic timetable sign gantries from the bottoms of the staircases to the terminal platforms. Not sure why.

yep...and replaced them with just platform numbers. They seemed very unreliable. Not sure if they will be going back etc

 

[ijmad]

yep...and replaced them with just platform numbers. They seemed very unreliable. Not sure if they will be going back etc

I wondered if it was an effort to keep people away from the area at bottom of the stairs and instead stay looking at the departure boards...

 

[Chrisgr31]

I wondered if it was an effort to keep people away from the area at bottom of the stairs and instead stay looking at the departure boards...

Which side have they removed them from? I havent been down there yet, but did complain about the positioning of the big departure board on the Southern side of the station.

It was hanging in front of the southern wall to the ticket office, and therefore opposite the steps and escalators up to the Southern platforms 11/12. The problem being that in order to see it, and increase your chance of being the first to move when your train is displayed you have to stand away from it, and of course the more towards the back the better. In doing so passengers are then blocking access to platforms 11 and 12.

Far better to hang it above the bottom of the stairs and escalators to platform 11 and 12. Passengers will need to stand back from it in order to read it, therefore leaving the stairs and escalators free of congestion.