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Old Oak Common Station construction

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Jpeg

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Apologies if there’s already a thread, I couldn’t find one.

Does anyone know the demolition plans/phases at old oak common, one of the larger buildings has started to be torn down this week.

Thought it would be good to have a thread to discuss the redevelopments at OOC

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XCTurbostar

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The Depot is being decommissioned in stages starting with the older side and proceeding towards the HEx shed.
 

Jpeg

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Thanks, Do you know if there’s any detailed documents/plans available?
 

swt_passenger

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Thanks, Do you know if there’s any detailed documents/plans available?
It’s all dealt with under HS2, so there’s loads of info available. Finding exactly what you want will require some search time though.

It’s possible that this thread should be put in the HS2 forum eventually. As it runs down it affects GWR and HEX, but in due course it will be a normal construction site.

Note: the above comment predates the decision not to keep the separate HS2 sub-forum.
 
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Jpeg

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Yes I wasn’t sure which one it will fall under for now. I found some further information from here:

https://cptevents.co.uk/blogpost/148
To allow the new stations to be built, the decommissioning of the GWR and adjacent Heathrow Express depot is being carried out in four phases. As these are completed, more land will be released to HS2 for track, platform and and station construction.

Phase one included the removal the tracks serving the depot from the main Network Rail signalling system. The data transfer was completed at Christmas last year and this stage has now been completed.

Phases two and three, are due for completion in summer this year and next year. These include demolition of the Heathrow Express depot, allowing the HS2 station and interface building to be built. In phase four, planned for completion in 2020, the adjacent Heathrow Express depot will be demolished making way for the Elizabeth Line and GWR tracks and platforms.

Phase four works is directly to the north of the existing GWR tracks, so to save time and ease construction, six out of the eight platforms for the Elizabeth line and GWR will be built off site and lifted into place during possessions. The remaining two platforms which are directly adjacent to the existing GWR tracks will then be constructed in a more complex, staged sequence.

There's some information/timelines on the OOC HS2 website but it only goes up to March of this year, if I find anything newer I'll post it here.
 

ess

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Is an interchange to Willsden Junction being provided? I heard this talked about ages ago.
 

TheGrew

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It reminds me of Berlin Hauptbahnhof which I do mean as a compliment.
 

mallard

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It won't look anything like that, that's for sure...

  • It will be chock full of TOC advertising and retail outlets.
  • It won't ever be anything like as clean and sterile as that looks.
  • The passengers will be of the correct perspective and scale and will actually have shadows.
  • There will be some actual light sources, rather than a strange ambient glow coming from all directions!
 
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cle

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I think it looks fine - simple, bright concourse leading down to platforms. Nothing more required. Let's keep something on budget by building functional - we have enough great railway architecture across the country. This is an interchange, not a feature or a destination. I see it like Schiphol, Frankfurt Airport station etc - which is absolutely fine.

Is there a diagram of platforms/tracks? Curious if it will get up to 14...
 

hwl

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I think it looks fine - simple, bright concourse leading down to platforms. Nothing more required. Let's keep something on budget by building functional - we have enough great railway architecture across the country. This is an interchange, not a feature or a destination. I see it like Schiphol, Frankfurt Airport station etc - which is absolutely fine.

Is there a diagram of platforms/tracks? Curious if it will get up to 14...
8 GWML (2 per track) then 6 HS2 platforms (3 per track) = 14
 

pdeaves

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  • It will be chock full of TOC advertising and retail outlets.
Whilst I understand your concern, the official 'retail strategy' is that almost everything will be outside of the 'paid fare' area. The majority of passengers will be in the station only momentarily as they interchange so will not use shops. To make the station a so-called destination in its own right retail will be outside, so for the benefit of non-passengers.

What gets built may vary.
 

Peter C

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Personally, I prefer the older station design; just some platforms and a roof! Gets the job done. However, I think that new stations can be very good if done right; I don't like excessive amounts of glass for the walls, though.
 

cle

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8 GWML (2 per track) then 6 HS2 platforms (3 per track) = 14
Interesting - why can't HS2 work with two platforms for each direction? Dwells too long to even juggle those? Or ability to turn trains?
 

swt_passenger

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I think it looks fine - simple, bright concourse leading down to platforms. Nothing more required. Let's keep something on budget by building functional - we have enough great railway architecture across the country. This is an interchange, not a feature or a destination. I see it like Schiphol, Frankfurt Airport station etc - which is absolutely fine.

Is there a diagram of platforms/tracks? Curious if it will get up to 14...
I posted a link to a drawing in another thread a couple of months ago, but here it is again:
http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/hs2-maps-20120110/hs2arp00drrw05112issue4.pdf
 

swt_passenger

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Interesting - why can't HS2 work with two platforms for each direction? Dwells too long to even juggle those? Or ability to turn trains?
Originally the layout allowed for 2 platforms aligned with the link to HS1. Maybe they decided to retain the long term possibility of using them, it would be a huge task to add them back once the lin3 was open...
 

The Planner

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Interesting - why can't HS2 work with two platforms for each direction? Dwells too long to even juggle those? Or ability to turn trains?
Would guess on dwell time seeing as it will see a serious amount of interchange. Any longer than 3 minutes dwell would need more than two platforms.
 

Clip

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It will be chock full of TOC advertising and retail outlets.

I know - imagine it trying to recoup money through advertising and shops - guess we must just throw subsidy at it every year and not let the station pay its way
 

Class 170101

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I really hope they think about the connections to elsewhere. The article is suggesting it will be UK best connected rail interchange but I am concerned abou the NLL / WLL links and whether they can be improved from what is currently being suggested.

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.c...terchange-as-hs2-reveals-new-station-designs-

Old Oak Common to be UK’s best-connected rail interchange as HS2 reveals new station designs
HS2 Ltd has unveiled its plans for the Old Oak Common station, releasing designs for the new “landmark piece of architecture” including high-speed platforms located underground.

The design plans say that Old Oak Common will be the UK’s best-connected rail interchange, with the underground platforms linked to the conventional ground level station via an overbridge, providing “seamless connections” to Crossrail trains.

The new high-speed station, due to be built on GWR’s former rail depot, is expected to “create a new neighbourhood,” bringing up to 65,000 new jobs and 25,500 new homes. Construction is set to begin later this year.

The station’s two halves will be linked via the concourse, with escalators taking passengers down to the HS2 platforms and a public park built above them to welcome visitors and provide a focal point to the growing community.

The HS2 rail platforms will be built in a 1km-long underground box, with twin tunnels taking the high-speed trains east to Euston and west to the capital’s outskirts.

The plans were designed by WSP and architects WilkinsonEyre, and HS2 says it is based off the site’s industrial heritage – but will also include the potential for additional services to Wales and the west of England to be added to Old Oak.

HS2’s Old Oak Common project director, Matthew Botelle, commented: “The arrival of HS2 has the potential to transform Old Oak Common, unlocking thousands of new jobs and homes around the UK’s best-connected transport hub.

“Linking HS2 and Crossrail, our new station will be a landmark piece of architecture at the heart of the development, designed around the passenger to ensure seamless, accessible and stress-free travel.”

Visiting the site, HS2 minister Nusrat Ghani said the designs show “how Old Oak Common will set world-class standards for the future of stations.”

“The task for our designers and engineers now is to take these ideas from the drawing board to reality, building an iconic station that is accessible, safe, and open to all.”

HS2 has now launched a series of local information events and has invited local residents to comment on the designs now on display.

Work is currently underway to clear the site and prepare the ground for the start of construction, and the first services are due to run by 2026.

WSP’s project director on Old Oak Common, Adrian Tooth, said as well as being a “catalyst for regeneration” for the Old Oak area, the new station is designed to meet the needs of over half the passengers passing through the station interchanging between HS2 and the Elizabeth Line.

“The station form takes inspiration from our Victorian railway heritage and the juxtaposition between the above and below ground railways.”
 

swt_passenger

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I really hope they think about the connections to elsewhere. The article is suggesting it will be UK best connected rail interchange but I am concerned abou the NLL / WLL links and whether they can be improved from what is currently being suggested.

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.c...terchange-as-hs2-reveals-new-station-designs-
Given TfL have only just completed yet another consultation about the NLL and WLL stations, where they report most people are happy with the plans, I wouldn’t expect much change to be made now. They probably can’t afford what they’ve already decided on.
Report is linked in another thread:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/old-oak-common-station-what-connections.152292/#post-3843586
 
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