London Bridge reconstruction works

[ijmad]

Twitter says it's open now!

 

[James H]

Here's a Google photo sphere of the concourse.

 

[FOH]

Here's a Google photo sphere of the concourse.

First day and already an escalator breakdown?

 

[plcd1]

Twitter says it's open now!

Twitter [1] is also saying that the public can't take photos without a permit, there are security guards everywhere and photography at platform level is not allowed. Remind me who paid for this new station? Obviously there will be interest in the new stn given NR's relentless media hype about it but to then impose photography restrictions on people is just daft. Well NR can have their wish - I won't be going along to see it if all I'm going to get is a load of hassle. :roll:

[1] someone who has been there this morning.

 

[QueensCurve]

Twitter [1] someone who has been there this morning.

Link to the tweet?

 

[coppercapped]

Twitter [1] is also saying that the public can't take photos without a permit, there are security guards everywhere and photography at platform level is not allowed. Remind me who paid for this new station? Obviously there will be interest in the new stn given NR's relentless media hype about it but to then impose photography restrictions on people is just daft. Well NR can have their wish - I won't be going along to see it if all I'm going to get is a load of hassle. :roll:

[1] someone who has been there this morning.

Typical twitterer...! Seems unlikely, look here for pictures. (Not mine I'm afraid)

 

[Trackman]

I stopped there today whilst travelling on a Sevenoaks-Charing Cross service.
Some photographers where at platform level.
The PIS looked a bit strange, couldn't get a proper look.
Also bagged the service from the 'ghost' platform 1 at Hither Green, my first ever!

 

[FOH]

First impressions travelling from the tube not good. The signs to All Platforms take you to the old passageway which was barred off. Frustratingly there were no signs nor staff advising where to divert. Then having found the entrance on St Thomas Street (which could really do with a sideways facing double arrow sign) the staff were all Southeastern and refused to help as to why every Forest Hill service was cancelled, "not my company" was the response.

 

[ijmad]

Just had a look! Fairly impressed.

Definitely some finishing bits and pieces left to do, in particular some missing wooden cladding from some of the bottoms of the bridge decks, and the hoardings on Platform 15 are still largely up. I guess this will be sorted out at nights/weekends to come. Lots more to do to on Stainer Street and the Western Arcade which I know is being done progressively over the next couple of years, although these are apparently open during peak commuter hours. Plus imagine some work to do to open up the Shard concourse level, the route to the concourse escalators is a bit awkward right now due to the second offset gateline that was added last year, which I assume this will be going away now at least half the passengers getting off terminating trains will presumably be taking the stairs down to the concourse.

Noticed some surprises, differences from the most recent set of plans I've seen:

• Looks like you'll be able to walk either side of the escalator void on Platform 15, on the plans it looked like the void would extend all the way to the St Thomas Street frontage.
• The lift on platform 11/12 is staff only. Quite surprised at that given it seems to be designed to go all the way down to ground (although with no doors at ground level for the moment) - assumed this was going to be a passenger lift and it was on the plans!
• Fixed staff staircase in front of the lift on platform 13/14 seems permanent.
• The L-shape of gates at the bottom of the stairs down from the Shard concourse seems sensible, it was visible in other photos I've seen before today, but isn't the line I saw in the plans. Seems like this could work quite well if one side is 'in' and the other side 'out'.
• The passenger lift alongside that staircase, which I think originally was going to be off to the side.

They've done a nice job with the temporary wall closing off the rest of the redevelopment work. Shops I saw include TM Lewin (moved from the Western Arcade...), another WHSmith (wonder if they'll keep the one upstairs?), a donut/coffee shop, and a Neros outside in one of the St Thomas Street arches. Nothing looked very ready to open yet.

 

[Trackman]

First impressions travelling from the tube not good. The signs to All Platforms take you to the old passageway which was barred off. Frustratingly there were no signs nor staff advising where to divert. Then having found the entrance on St Thomas Street (which could really do with a sideways facing double arrow sign) the staff were all Southeastern and refused to help as to why every Forest Hill service was cancelled, "not my company" was the response.

A bit of a 'mare on the tube even if you know the place.
I've seen tube staff with those big hand things up the stairs pointing to the other exit/entrance and that it is about it.
no signs/posters or announcements telling people where to go.

 

[kentman]

The London Bridge station map is mostly 'Opening soon' for the shops, but does list some of them.

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/London-Bridge-station-map.pdf

 

[swt_passenger]

The L-shape of gates at the bottom of the stairs down from the Shard concourse seems sensible, it was visible in other photos I've seen before today, but isn't the line I saw in the plans. Seems like this could work quite well if one side is 'in' and the other side 'out'.

I have an idea that 'L shaped' gateline will be temporary, the final location as shown in all the drawings, running north/south along the line of Stainer St will not be possible yet, because it is still mainly part of the worksite. I'd reserve judgement for now, it will probably move, or it might be additional to what was always shown in the planning drawings.

Speaking of gatelines, has anyone noticed if the intended ticket barriers just inside the eastern St Thomas's Street entrance (giving access to the paid area near the foot of the P15 escalator) are present?

 

[ijmad]

Speaking of gatelines, has anyone noticed if the intended ticket barriers just inside the eastern St Thomas's Street entrance (giving access to the paid area near the foot of the P15 escalator) are present?

Yes they are. You walk in to a small unpaid section, including a 'station reception' desk, and then turn left and go through a series of about 8 gates including two wide gates.

 

[Searle]

Typical twitterer...! Seems unlikely, look here for pictures. (Not mine I'm afraid)

See [url="https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2016/08/29/in-photos-the-new-london-bridge-station-concourse/]here[/url] for guy talking about permits to take photos. He is reliable as well.

 

[FOH]

Something struck me this morning when walking down the platform, the concourse access had a brightly lit "No entry X" sign. I presume this was because the escalator was coming up.
Firstly, I thought the intention was for tidal flows so that in the mornings the escalator would go down?
Secondly, the "No entry X" will make people reticent to use the access at all, why not say "<- Stairs" instead?

 

[swt_passenger]

Firstly, I thought the intention was for tidal flows so that in the mornings the escalator would go down?

I think it has regularly been suggested that would probably happen, but I don't recall any official statements to that effect..

 

[Bald Rick]

I think it has regularly been suggested that would probably happen, but I don't recall any official statements to that effect..

I'm told they will be up only on the terminating platforms at the operator's request. Not sure how reliable that info is.

 

[FOH]

It seems I'm not the only person who feels that the new platforms are dangerously narrow http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/frustrated-commuters-complain-of-overcrowding-on-narrow-platforms-at-refurbished-london-bridge-a3332846.html

 

[MattyH]

Some early impressions. A long walk from the northern line to the platforms for SE London - used to be a quick trip up the escalators. The signage needs improving. Those platforms are very narrow. Minor delays and already congested where the escalators meet the platforms. No incentive to move on and when the first big delay happens, the up escalators will need to be switched off - big wide voids for the escalators but very poor design. Seems that trains for common destinations could leave from platform 7 or platform 8, which don't share an island. Like the old station, of course, but not an improvement.

But I imagine there'll be plenty of shops downstairs.

 

[hwl]

Seems that trains for common destinations could leave from platform 7 or platform 8, which don't share an island. Like the old station, of course, but not an improvement.

But only temporary till August next year, when the down services swap to 6&7 so on the same island. The SE platforms may well be busier until Friday due to serving as substitute for Cannon Street for the next 2 days.

 

[Bald Rick]

But only temporary till August next year, when the down services swap to 6&7 so on the same island. The SE platforms may well be busier until Friday due to serving as substitute for Cannon Street for the next 2 days.

And it was working day 1, so people will be taking a while to get used to it.

And as most SE commuters at London Bridge have had little option but to go straight to the platform for the last umpteen years to wait for their train, you would expect them to continue to do that. Until there are more facilities on the concourse, and then over time people will start to wait downstairs.
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It seems I'm not the only person who feels that the new platforms are dangerously narrow

Interested to know how you would have done it differently?

(The platforms are wider than they were - in fact their minimum width is much, much wider than the old platforms minimum. They are also as wide as they can be, and to make them any wider means fewer tracks and/or fewer platforms).

 

[FOH]

I'm not a civil engineer but perhaps make the high level platforms that bit higher and double stacked part of the station given the trainshed roof went and there is no longer a footbridge restricting height either.

 

[hwl]

I'm not a civil engineer but perhaps make the high level platforms that bit higher and double stacked part of the station given the trainshed roof went and there is no longer a footbridge restricting height either.

Just the weight of a new structure to do that which would still have to weight approximately the same as existing ones to allow reuse of the viaducts on the approaches...
(Most High level arches near the station were build on top of lower level ones when the SE(R) lines were extended to Cannon Street and Charing Cross and needed to get over Borough High Street...
Changing that would be much bigger building job.

 

[lookingforit35]

It seems I'm not the only person who feels that the new platforms are dangerously narrow http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/frustrated-commuters-complain-of-overcrowding-on-narrow-platforms-at-refurbished-london-bridge-a3332846.html

It was interesting looking out from my train home at how very narrow most parts of the platforms are. The problem is that whilst the platforms are adequately wide overall, a huge part of the width is taken up with the void for the escalator/stairway space. This leaves much narrower usable spaces.

In practical terms the first "row" of waiting passengers wisely stays behind the yellow lines so that they are not dangerously near the edge. Subsequent arrivals tend to then stand further back, with their backs to the glass. This allows only enough room between them for one person to comfortably walk along the platform but of course there are other passengers trying to walk in the opposite direction. Yes, they can twist and turn to get past each other but all of this happens directly behind the first passengers backs. It looked pretty bad even on a relatively quiet platform.

I truly hope I am not proved right, but I do fear that someone is going to accidently get shoved in the back at some point causing them to fall forward. I certainly would feel a reluctance to stand at the edge of the platform with all that going on behind me, especially at a busy time where people understandably try to make their way quickly along the platform trying to get to where they think a less crowded carriage might stop.

 

[theageofthetra]

I suspect a lot of these early teething issues will resolve themselves when it gets colder and passengers start waiting in the warm lower concourse until their train is due.

 

[ijmad]

I'm not a civil engineer but perhaps make the high level platforms that bit higher and double stacked part of the station given the trainshed roof went and there is no longer a footbridge restricting height either.

Given the ambition of the bridge decks design I wonder if they considered extending the station width out over the top of Tooley Street, making it a cut through new arches (or just closing it entirely). Still, too late now.

I wonder if some of the early doors problems will be resolved by commuters altering their patterns, i.e. those wanting to get off at London Bridge positioning themselves at the right points for the new escalators/stairs, about a third of the way down the trains from each end.

 

[theageofthetra]

Good point re passengers still thinking they need to be at the front. A considerable cause of delays in the morning peak are passengers delaying dispatch whilst they try to cram into the front coach. Beyond me why they do it as each minute or so delay per station enroute more than cancels the minute or two walking time saved.

 

[fusionblue]

I have a trip to Heathrow and would like to connect to the first Jubilee Line westbound at 0531. Is it possible to make it from the CHX bound platforms (i forget the numbering, its only been a day!) to the Jubilee in 9 minutes?

The "new" route sends you all the way around in the long direction to get to the tube (which is sort of the point?).

 

[FOH]

Would Waterloo East and Southwark be faster? Not sure, just suggesting

 

[neilm]

Would Waterloo East and Southwark be faster? Not sure, just suggesting

Yes it would be also the interchange is quicker as well.