Renovation of St Albans City

[class387]

Is there anything on top of the boxes?

Nope, nothing as far as I know.

 

[Supercoss]

ground anchors and footings for new 2nd footbridge designed to clear platforms quicker

 

[Saint66]

They’re part of the works for the second footbridge which will be almost parallel with the road bridge.

Not entirely sure when the bridge is going in.

 

[Bald Rick]

Your friend might be an infrequent traveller, or perhaps hasn’t been looking. The area around those boxes has been cordoned off for weeks, with work underway most Saturday nights / Sunday mornings to build the foundations for the new bridge. It has Ben quite tight for passengers to get round the cordons.

Work was done this last weekend to remove the cordons and resurface the parts of the platforms that have been worked on, and the boxes cover the protruding elements of the foundations.

 

[John Webb]

There were posters showing what the new footbridge was expected to look like on display earlier this year:
Hope this helps!

 

[class387]

There were posters showing what the new footbridge was expected to look like on display earlier this year:
View attachment 103989Hope this helps!

That makes sense - looks great too! Thanks all

 

[adamedwards]

Can't come soon enough. Crowds of people getting off Thameslink and fast EMR are not a good mix.

 

[flitwickbeds]

Can't come soon enough. Crowds of people getting off Thameslink and fast EMR are not a good mix.

EMR doesn't stop at St Albans City.

Meanwhile Luton station (which does get both sets of EMR routes, and Thameslink) gets rustier and more ramshackle by the day!

 

[Bald Rick]

EMR doesn't stop at St Albans City.

Meanwhile Luton station (which does get both sets of EMR routes, and Thameslink) gets rustier and more ramshackle by the day!

I think @adamedwards meant a trainload of Thameslink passengers emptying on platform 2, with a non-stop EMR barrelling through platform 3 (the other side of the island) shortly thereafter. Even now, with reduced commuting, you can have 300+ people crowding round the single staircase waiting to get off that platform island. As indeed there were tonight when I used it. It is a known safety issue, and has been for some time.

 

[flitwickbeds]

I think @adamedwards meant a trainload of Thameslink passengers emptying on platform 2, with a non-stop EMR barrelling through platform 3 (the other side of the island) shortly thereafter. Even now, with reduced commuting, you can have 300+ people crowding round the single staircase waiting to get off that platform island. As indeed there were tonight when I used it. It is a known safety issue, and has been for some time.

Ah, understood. Sorry I didn't read the original comment thoroughly enough!

 

[adamedwards]

Yes indeed that's the problem I meant. Platform 4 not clearing after a 12 car arrival and then a non stop EMR rushing through is equally scary, but less of an issue since the extra barriers on the town side.

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes indeed that's the problem I meant. Platform 4 not clearing after a 12 car arrival and then a non stop EMR rushing through is equally scary, but less of an issue since the extra barriers on the town side.

Platform 4 was much less of an issue, even with the old barriers. Platform 2/3 was the big problem; indeed the ped flow modelling demonstrated it was the worst in the country.

 

[adamedwards]

I'm curious as to whether the plan once the bridges are in is to make the new bridge exit only at peak times.

 

[Bald Rick]

I'm curious as to whether the plan once the bridges are in is to make the new bridge exit only at peak times.

The new bridge is purely between platforms, there’s no entrance / exit to ‘land side’.

 

[John Webb]

I'm curious as to whether the plan once the bridges are in is to make the new bridge exit only at peak times.

The new bridge is purely between platforms, there’s no entrance / exit to ‘land side’.

The new bridge is angled to discharge onto platform 4 so that people from Platform 2 in the evening rush-hour can pass under the Victoria Street road bridge to leave via the newly enlarged entrance/exit onto Ridgmont Road. And in the morning rush-hour those coming in by that route will find it easier to cross to platform 3 or 1 as they require.

 

[adamedwards]

Does anyone know the date for the actual bridge to go in? I'm assuming this would be a major line closure so would need to be Christmas or Easter?

 

[Saint66]

Does anyone know the date for the actual bridge to go in? I'm assuming this would be a major line closure so would need to be Christmas or Easter?

I did hear from someone that there was not yet a definitive date, but hopefully that is wide of the mark! The sooner the better!

 

[Bald Rick]

Does anyone know the date for the actual bridge to go in? I'm assuming this would be a major line closure so would need to be Christmas or Easter?

I don’t know for sure, but there’s certainly a Christmas Day / Boxing Day block in from Cricklewood to Bedford which would do the trick. There is also a 10 day block of the fast lines south of West Hampstead for major work on the slab track around Kentish Town.

 

[John Webb]

With little space for storage anywhere for the bridge spans, I assume they will have to close the bus station by the platform 1 entrance to leave room for a large crane and access for low-loaders bringing in the spans to be lifted into place.

I note from the Herts Highways road works mapping that the Victoria Street bridge is closed for three days from today (18th October) for Network Rail purposes - that's going to cause some problems!

 

[Saint66]

With little space for storage anywhere for the bridge spans, I assume they will have to close the bus station by the platform 1 entrance to leave room for a large crane and access for low-loaders bringing in the spans to be lifted into place.

I note from the Herts Highways road works mapping that the Victoria Street bridge is closed for three days from today (18th October) for Network Rail purposes - that's going to cause some problems!

Believe the bridge closure is only overnight.

It’s been closed during mid-week nights for the last two to three weeks too. Have walked past a few times and it’s not been very obvious what work is going on.

 

[Bald Rick]

It’s been closed during mid-week nights for the last two to three weeks too. Have walked past a few times and it’s not been very obvious what work is going on.

Checking positioning for the skyhooks

 

[Richardr]

Good stuff John, I hope visitor numbers pick up quickly.

Re the retail unit at the main entrance, word on the street is that Sainsbury’s have taken it, but I’ve seen nothing that confirms it yet.

Licencing signage up on the unit has the Sainsbury name on it

 

[flitwickbeds]

There is also a 10 day block of the fast lines south of West Hampstead for major work on the slab track around Kentish Town.

Do you know when this is, please?

 

[Bald Rick]

Do you know when this is, please?

I believe it is Christmas / New Year. Should be published later this week. There will still be services running.

 

[John Webb]

The installation of the new footbridge spans has been delayed and will not now take place over the Christmas holiday according to information from Network Rail now circulating:

As you’ll know, this time last year we officially re-opened the station after major improvement work. We also began work on a second footbridge at the station, with the main installation due to take place this Christmas. I’m sorry to confirm that this installation will not go ahead this Christmas as planned. This is because there are problems with supply of materials, specifically the metal cladding, which means our original timescales can’t be met. Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
The project is currently under review and we’re working hard to develop a revised plan which we’ll share as soon as it is available.
In the meantime, we’re reinstating the station platforms around the foundations for the bridge to enable passengers to move around more freely.”

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Sainsbury Local signed up for opening on the 28th February.

There must be some optimism then for a slow and modest resurgence in footfall. Should do very well as there is a "gap" in retail food etc opportunities in the immediate area.

 

[adamedwards]

I'm just hoping they sell coffee in case one of my only every 30 mins trains gets cancelled!

And any news on when the footbridge is going in? I am assuming a major blockade can only be Easter or August BH or Xmas 2022?

 

[swt_passenger]

I'm just hoping they sell coffee in case one of my only every 30 mins trains gets cancelled!

And any news on when the footbridge is going in? I am assuming a major blockade can only be Easter or August BH or Xmas 2022?

They don’t normally need a major blockade, a footbridge span installation is often done in a fairly ordinary length overnight possession.

 

[adamedwards]

I'm assuming the footbridge will be quite complex, not least where do they put the bits and the big crane before they start lifting it in? I'm expecting the station and bus station to be shut.

 

[John Webb]

Not heard anything yet at St Albans South regarding an installation date. I would actually expect them to use the Ridgmont Road car park as it's flatter than the bus station area and also entirely under NR control. They'd need to close off the Victoria Street bridge while lifting from the Ridgmont Road across Victoria Street, but that need not present much in the way of problems, I would have thought. We'll have to see!