Possible plans for Edinburgh Waverley station?

[InOban]

The pictures of the 'pit' were taken before the pictures I posted at the weekend, since by then the concrete had been poured, set, and the shuttering removed.

 

[och aye]

The new escalators will be operational by mid-August according to NR:

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1023914683093463040

 

[och aye]

A friend of mine was in the station yesterday and said the escalators are now in use.

 

[Stopper]

They are indeed.

 

[och aye]

They are indeed.

Just in time for the festival!

 

[boxy321]

It's just been extensively modernised. Look up when you're next there too. Brand new roof/glass.

New through platforms on the way though I think.

Yes, the glass was great in the heat. The whole station is a greenhouse.

 

[och aye]

More updates on Platforms 5 & 6, from Network Rail:

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1027459565179363329

 

[railjock]

With these new extended platforms is there any likelihood of gating the East end platforms. I reckon it’s quite feasible feasible.

 

[TheAlbanach_]

I think the plan is to have 5, 6, 11 & 12 all gated.

 

[railjock]

I think the plan is to have 5, 6, 11 & 12 all gated.

But not 3 or 4?

 

[NotATrainspott]

I think the plan is to have 5, 6, 11 & 12 all gated.

6, 7, 11 and 12 will be gated. They're the ones accessed by this new platform 'peninsula', while 5 will be the walking route out to 3 and 4. The gateline is going to be pretty small given that it'll the the sole access point for four full-length platforms.

 

[railjock]

6, 7, 11 and 12 will be gated. They're the ones accessed by this new platform 'peninsula', while 5 will be the walking route out to 3 and 4. The gateline is going to be pretty small given that it'll the the sole access point for four full-length platforms.

I was there last Saturday and thought it would be possible to gate 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12 and still leave an adequate walking route around the booking office building. I also thought you could possibly squeeze a short additional platform/track between 3 and 4 if ever required.

 

[NotATrainspott]

I was there last Saturday and thought it would be possible to gate 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12 and still leave an adequate walking route around the booking office building. I also thought you could possibly squeeze a short additional platform/track between 3 and 4 if ever required.

This is what's roughly planned for the long term. The current single-lead arrangement for 5 and 6 is only temporary. 3 and 4 look like they're going to be rationalised to leave one big servicing block. Annoyingly the station may need to be renumbered again if 18 is made into a through platform, which makes these discussions a little difficult.

 

[47271]

Platform 6 track has reached a point just short of the equivalent of the end of Platform 4.

 

[Altnabreac]

This is what's roughly planned for the long term. The current single-lead arrangement for 5 and 6 is only temporary. 3 and 4 look like they're going to be rationalised to leave one big servicing block. Annoyingly the station may need to be renumbered again if 18 is made into a through platform, which makes these discussions a little difficult.

Was interested to read on Twitter that Network Rail have done some forward planning for the potential extension of platform 5 and 6 and dug out the space required for through platforms as part of the current works and installed "Frangible" semi permanent material (as they did with the extended platforms at Queen St) that will make excavation much quicker and easier if through platforms are required in future.

Wasn't entirely clear if it was only platform 6/12 that the frangible material covered or if it also included platform 5/13.

 

[mcmad]

Is that not more to do with complying with the buffer overrun standards rather than future planning? From memory you should have a distance beyond the buffer (20m?) as an over run which ideally is free from anything but the frangible material is the compromise in tighter locations.

 

[Highlandspring]

Is that not more to do with complying with the buffer overrun standards rather than future planning? From memory you should have a distance beyond the buffer (20m?) as an over run which ideally is free from anything but the frangible material is the compromise in tighter locations.

It’s exactly that.

 

[Altnabreac]

Is that not more to do with complying with the buffer overrun standards rather than future planning? From memory you should have a distance beyond the buffer (20m?) as an over run which ideally is free from anything but the frangible material is the compromise in tighter locations.

But it does also help with any future extension as the two overruns overlap. Network Rail were explicitly saying they had considered its usefulness for a future extension as well.

 

[najaB]

Annoyingly the station may need to be renumbered again if 18 is made into a through platform, which makes these discussions a little difficult.

I can see the 'new' platform being numbered as Platform 3 and the stub being 3a.

 

[swaldman]

I can see the 'new' platform being numbered as Platform 3 and the stub being 3a.

I'd like it if they'd renumber the whole station, in a way that made sense to a passenger on the ground rather than a manager looking at a map
(Yes, I realise that there is a pattern. It's only apparent top-down, and rather inscrutable when actually using the station)

 

[najaB]

I'd like it if they'd renumber the whole station, in a way that made sense to a passenger on the ground rather than a manager looking at a map

What way would that be? It takes a moment or two to get your head around it, but the current layout means 'Low numbers at one end, high numbers at the other'.

 

[swaldman]

What way would that be? It takes a moment or two to get your head around it, but the current layout means 'Low numbers at one end, high numbers at the other'.

Low at one end of the through platforms, high at the other, true. But navigation in Waverley is across the platforms, not along them, and the present numbering is "very high and very low numbers at one end, middle numbers at the other"... which is totally unintuitive. If you're standing facing the western bays you might say "there's 17 to 14 going from left to right, so 1 must be further to my right. WRONG. 1 is to your left, next to 20. Because obviously, 1 is next to 20, why wouldn't you expect that.... </rant>

Waverley is a complex station, and there won't be a way to number things perfectly - but it does need to be thought about from the perspective of somebody on the concourse trying to find a platform, not from the perspective of looking neat on a plan.

 

[najaB]

Waverley is a complex station, and there won't be a way to number things perfectly - but it does need to be thought about from the perspective of somebody on the concourse trying to find a platform, not from the perspective of looking neat on a plan.

If you're standing at the entrance to the travel center, everything lower than 10 is behind you, everything higher than 10 is in front of you. If you come down the ramp from Waverley Bridge, everything low numbered is in front of your, everything high numbered is behind you. If you come into the station from Waverley Steps - everything lower than 10 is to your left, everything higher is to your right. And so on...

I'm not saying that the current numbering is perfect, but can you draw me a map of your better scheme so I can understand it?

 

[swaldman]

I'm not saying that the current numbering is perfect, but can you draw me a map of your better scheme so I can understand it?

Nope. It would take time, and thought, beyond what I'm prepared to devote to it. I mean if NR want to take me on as a consultant...

 

[DuncanS]

The platforms are numbered clockwise - its not hard to realise this.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The platforms are numbered clockwise - its not hard to realise this.

I didn't realise it for years, I thought it felt pretty random.

I think it would make sense to go low to high with the through platforms (and in particular stop 1 being next to 20 - really they should be 1a and 1b). Not sure about the bays.

Probably something like:
Present 1 and 20 - 1a and 1b
Present 2 and 19 - 2a and 2b
Present 18 - 3
Present 17 - 4
Present 16 - 5
Present 15 - 6
Present 14 - 7
Present 13 - 8
Present 3 - 9
Present 4 - 10
Present 7 and 11 - 11a and 11b
Present 10 - 12
Present 9w/9e - 13a and 13b
Present 8w/8e - 14a and 14b

At least then they would feel like they were in the right order for a layman.

 

[InOban]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....identified-to-help-shape-waverley-masterplan#

Arup have been appointed to lead other professionals on a masterplan for Waverley, which has seen traffic more double. I think this study isn't to do with the track layout, it's the facilities, in particular the buildings on Market St

 

[47271]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....identified-to-help-shape-waverley-masterplan#

Arup have been appointed to lead other professionals on a masterplan for Waverley, which has seen traffic more double. I think this study isn't to do with the track layout, it's the facilities, in particular the buildings on Market St

If anyone from Arup, NR or CEC is reading this, and on the subject of Market Street, can you look at the chuffin' taxi rank as part of your 'masterplan'? Dear God, it's bad enough normally, but during the Festival...

 

[och aye]

If anyone from Arup, NR or CEC is reading this, and on the subject of Market Street, can you look at the chuffin' taxi rank as part of your 'masterplan'? Dear God, it's bad enough normally, but during the Festival...

Yes, its not exactly a great first impression to visitors!

 

[385001]

New platforms coming along.