Wickford bay platforms

[Islineclear3_1]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but how will the Wickford bays be extended to take 5-car 720's? Certainly Platform 1 bay can just squeeze a 4-car '321 and Platform 4 seems to be no different.

I know the station building has been demolished; will the down bay be extended prior to the new station building going up?

 

[Shwam3]

The down bay (platform 1) is being extended to 5 car length and the station building has been demolished to allow this.
The up bay (platform 4) is not being extended and there are no plans to do so.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I did wonder...

However, the up bay has been used at times so surely, this needs to be extended too?

 

[David Goddard]

Platform 4 already goes further towards Shenfield than P1, to extend that will need the points moving 30 metres towards Southend after which the platform could be extended in that direction.

 

[306024]

Generally the up bay was used in the morning and the down bay in the afternoon. As more passengers off the branch go to London this saves most passengers having to use the footbridge. Now there will be no choice, and the up bay effectively will become redundant.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I presume the works will extend to a new footbridge, complete with lifts to enable less-able passengers to cross to the London platform? They can't be expected to cross via the road as this is a fair old distance. And the slope up from the road to the Up side certainly isn't amenable for wheelchairs...

 

[NSEFAN]

Generally the up bay was used in the morning and the down bay in the afternoon. As more passengers off the branch go to London this saves most passengers having to use the footbridge. Now there will be no choice, and the up bay effectively will become redundant.

A quick scan of RTT suggests that, besides the services from Southend in the morning, all services are now using platform 1.

Perhaps P4 will be used for a short while when the track in P1 is extended? Might be the last chance to do this!

Edit: there do seem to be some days in Mid June when P4 is in use all day, so this might well be the case.

 

[Jonny]

Would it not be possible to modify the trackwork so that P1 is off the branch before (*) it joins the main line? Or is the first bridge and area around it too much of an obstacle?
(It would also prevent conflicts between movements from Battlesbridge-Southminster and the main line too/from Southend Victoria)

* or after if you are viewing from the London-facing end.

 

[iphone76]

I presume the works will extend to a new footbridge, complete with lifts to enable less-able passengers to cross to the London platform? They can't be expected to cross via the road as this is a fair old distance. And the slope up from the road to the Up side certainly isn't amenable for wheelchairs...

Nope. Not according to the website. No mention of a new accessible bridge.

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/abo...advice-customers-work-starts-improve-wickford

Customers using Wickford railway station are being advised about changes during the coming weeks, as Greater Anglia carries out improvements work to prepare the station for the introduction of its new trains.

Between Thursday 3 and Monday 21 June, platform 1 will be extended to be able to accommodate Greater Anglia’s new longer trains.

While the work takes place, all trains for the Southminster line will depart from platform 4, instead of platform 1.

Customers can access platform 4 via the footbridge and anyone with accessibility needs can arrive at the station via the south exit, directly onto platforms 3/4, where they can also buy a ticket.

Additional staff will also be on hand to help customers during this time.

The improvement work is part of a £4m project which will see:

• A new ticket office, with two ticket office windows
• A new upgraded accessible waiting hall, with charging points and seating
• New toilets including new and improved accessible toilets
• New and improved customer information screens and CCTV
• A new shop where customers can buy food and hot drinks

The old station building has been demolished and a temporary ticket office has been installed to ensure minimal disruption to customers.

Paula Wilson, Greater Anglia’s Area Customer Service Manager, said: "We advise passengers to familiarise themselves with the changes before they travel and to allow extra time for their journeys, if they need to.

"We are investing in Wickford to make it better for our customers. The proposed work will transform the station, bringing in new facilities for the 2.2 million people who use the station each year.

"This work is essential to allow us to run our new, longer trains to and from Wickford and it is a good opportunity to also upgrade customer facilities at the station.

"We are transforming the railway in East Anglia, with a complete fleet of new trains and £60 million worth of improvements to stations."

Greater Anglia is replacing every single one of its existing trains with brand new trains, which will all be longer with more seats. The first of the new Alstom commuter trains came into service last November.

All new trains will have USB and plug points, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, improved passenger information systems and accessible seating areas and toilets. They are greener, cleaner and better for the environment.

Alstom is building 111 trains for Greater Anglia which will run between London Liverpool Street and Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.

The Alstom trains have underfloor heating – a first for UK trains – which works with an overhead heating and ventilation system to improve passenger comfort and increase foot room for passengers sitting in window seats.

 

[306024]

The local MP is the esteemed Mark Francois. There are some comments from constituents about the lack of a lift on his facebook page. Must admit it is surprising there is no lift provision, unless GA are seeking external funding at some point. Always good to get someone else to pay.

 

[Class 170101]

Not sure a lift is needed anyway. There appears to be access to both platforms via an existing road underpass. However I accept interchange times would be longer as a result.

 

[gazr]

Looking at the timetable for Jun 3rd - Jun 21st, there appears to be enough time between trains to weave Liverpool Street - Southend services through P3 (as it's bidirectional) to connect with the service from P4. That would be too easy, though?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Looking at the timetable for Jun 3rd - Jun 21st, there appears to be enough time between trains to weave Liverpool Street - Southend services through P3 (as it's bidirectional) to connect with the service from P4. That would be too easy, though?

I doubt it.

Currently, up and down services pass at Wickford, so if you were to divert a Southend bound service into P3, this would hold up the London train by several minutes

 

[306024]

Looking at the timetable for Jun 3rd - Jun 21st, there appears to be enough time between trains to weave Liverpool Street - Southend services through P3 (as it's bidirectional) to connect with the service from P4. That would be too easy, though?

Easy if you want to cause a crash every 20 minutes. The timetable generally is designed for the Southend trains to pass at Wickford (at 11/31/51 minutes past the hour) so that the Southminster train can have a five minute connection into and out of both trains.

Were both services to use platform 3 the down train would be the one to retime to avoid fouling up the GEML, but that could delay the departure of the down Southminster train, which passes the up Southminster train at North Fambridge, which would delay the next up London train at Wickford. Easy to cause widespread delay in fact.

 

[gazr]

Easy if you want to cause a crash every 20 minutes. The timetable generally is designed for the Southend trains to pass at Wickford (at 11/31/51 minutes past the hour) so that the Southminster train can have a five minute connection into and out of both trains.

Were both services to use platform 3 the down train would be the one to retime to avoid fouling up the GEML, but that could delay the departure of the down Southminster train, which passes the up Southminster train at North Fambridge, which would delay the next up London train at Wickford. Easy to cause widespread delay in fact.

Sometimes, I think I need to ban myself from the internet. I don't know what view I had on RTT that made me think this was even slightly possible.

 

[306024]

Sometimes, I think I need to ban myself from the internet. I don't know what view I had on RTT that made me think this was even slightly possible.

I did wonder what you knew that no one else did!

 

[gazr]

I did wonder what you knew that no one else did!

I see what I did now... I was looking at the Sunday service on 6/6 (Realtime Trains - Departures from Wickford). Sanity partially restored. Anyhow, I'll drop it now

 

[David Goddard]

Wickford Station platform extension to start next week as part of £4 million revamp | InYourArea News

 

[iphone76]

Wickford Station platform extension to start next week as part of £4 million revamp | InYourArea News

It's strange that there are no plans lodged with the council yet for the new building, so I'd imagine it'll take a good year or two to actually complete.

 

[fat_boy_pete]

Platform works completed

Wickford Station sees new longer platform to accommodate new Alstom trains

Greater Anglia’s rollout of Alstom commuter trains has taken a move forward following platform lengthening work a Wickford Railway Station.

www.railadvent.co.uk