Whither Waterloo?
After looking at Waterloo International, I sat in a train before it left for Clapham Junction and it got me thinking about the future of Waterloo station.
It is busy as this extract from the Wikipedia entry shows.
With over 94 million passenger entries and exits between April 2011 and March 2012, Waterloo is Britain’s busiest railway station by passenger usage. The Waterloo complex is the 15th busiest passenger terminal in Europe, and the 91st busiest railway station in the world. It has more platforms and a greater floor area than any other station in the United Kingdom (though Clapham Junction, just under 4 miles (6 km) down the line, has the largest number of trains).
This Google Map shows how big and hemmed in on all sides, the station complex is.
Waterloo Station
It certainly has its problems.
1. Waterloo Station Doesn’t Have Enough Capacity For Trains
South West Trains want to run ten-car trains and the platforms need to be lengthened. That project is in the pipeline, but little seems to be happening.
They also want to bring the other four Eurostar platforms into use. As these platforms were built for the very long Eurostar Class 373 ytrains, they are a complete mismatch for the typical trains that South West Trains typically run.
2. The Lines Into Waterloo Need Sorting
If you increase the trains using the station, you’ll need to increase the capacity on the lines leading into the station.
3. Waterloo Station Doesn’t Have Enough Passenger Facilities
$25million has been spent on creating a retail balcony with shops and restaurants.
But I think that even this is proving not to be sufficient at busy times!
4. The Underground And Waterloo And City Line Don’t Have Enough Capacity
Getting to Waterloo is not easy for people like me in East London and we’re not the only area of London, from where getting to Waterloo is difficult and often overcrowded.
There are two ways that Waterloo can go. Either you try and squeeze more and more trains and passengers into the existing sites or you reduce the number of both to fit the current facilities.
If Crossrail 2 is designed properly and built, it will have the following effects on Waterloo,
1. Reduce the number of trains needing to use Waterloo, by diverting trains and passengers into the tunnel at Wimbledon and then under Central London.
2. This will in turn, free up much-needed platform space and train paths.
3. As passengers will not be changing at Waterloo, but passing underneath on their way to Central London, the pressure will be taken off the station facilities.
If the Northern and Bakerloo Lines get some of proposed capacity increases, this will also take the pressure off Waterloo. But the one I’d improve would be the Waterloo and City Line and make it run 24/7.
There is also an unofficial proposal for Crossrail 3, which would link Waterloo and Euston via a tunnel.
Possibly! But let’s make full use of Thameslink, the East and West London Lines and Crossrail 2 first. I think that if we reorganise Old Oak Common and manage to get an extra track or two along the West London Line.
Before Crossrail 2 – Epsom
I knew that Epsom station had been given a new building, but this modern creation surprised me.
This Google Map from a couple of years ago, shows the layout of the tracks and platforms.
Epsom Station
The bridge over Waterloo Road certainly needs rebuilding for Crossrail 2 and the platforms will have to be lengthened. Will two terminal and two through platforms be enough for this busy station?
It may not be for everywhere and everybody’s taste, but plenty of stations could be improved by modern developments such as this, especially if in some places they use the space over the railway. Read this news item in the Epsom Guardian, which describes the opening celebration, which says the following about the development.
The £20m development, which has revamped the station’s ticket hall, facade, car park, waiting shelters, toilets and cycle storage, was carried out by Network Rail and developer Kier, in partnership with Solum Regeneration.
Its new shops, hotel and apartments, which include some affordable housing units, have funded the development.
So it looks like Epsom got functional modern station building, with an impressive list of facilities, at a very affordable cost.
The provision of a low-cost chain hotel in the development, is being seen increasingly often. Two London stations I use regularly; Dalston Junction and Walthamstow Central, have both had similar hotels to Epsom built in the last few years.
The developers, Solum Regeneration are a partnership between Network Rail and Kier. The latter is the fourth largest construction company in the UK.
The company seems to be associated with several station redevelopments.
If you read the news page on the Solum Regeneration web site, you’ll find developments at Christchurch, Guildford, Haywards Heath Redhill, Twickenham and Walthamstow Central.
If you read some of the comments in local papers on these developments, the locals are do object, often to the height of developments. But you have to ask, if they would prefer a run-down station with no facilities, which costs a fortune to run and just puts up the price of rail tickets.
I do wonder how many of the objectors, live comfortably in large houses and never use the train.
I wonder too what reaction some of Underground stations designed by Charles Holden, that we laud today as magnificent, got in the 1930s.
Some of his creations like Oakwood, Cockfosters and Turnpike Lane look incredibly stark even today and some can be rather draughty places. But these were practical buildings for a purpose and we are now generally proud of them.
We probably won’t give Listed status to stations like Dalston Junction, Epsom and Walthamstow Central, but as we use them, we’ll say that this is a lot better than it was and speeds me on my journey. We mustn’t forget that stations are functional buildings and they must be pleasant places to pass through and of course work.
Property development is one way to pay for a nice new station and if we don’t like it, we should make sure the Council looks after our interests.
Waterloo’s Blue Elephant
Waterloo International station was built for Eurostar services at a cost of £120million. I needed to get out of Waterloo to Clapham Junction and I noticed that the first train was in Platform 20 in the old Waterloo International.
So I went and had a look inside for the first time since C and myself went to Paris for the weekend.
I could have thought of better ways to spent £120million on the railways.
Every Transport Minister in the UK, should have a photograph of this blue elephant subtitled Don’t Create Another Of These on his or her desk.
Architects might like the design, but I think that there are much better-designed stations in the UK. Manchester Victoria is my current favourite, which scores highly on design, quality of construction and affordability.
The biggest crime though for Waterloo International, is that it was designed and built and when it was found to be inadequate, a replacement station was started.
It definitely scored -2 out of 10 for overall planning.
It is interesting to note that the whole farce of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link was more politically-led, whereas Crossrail is much more led by what engineers and architects say is possible. From what I’ve found out about Crossrail 2, it would appear that it has gone further down that route.
Platform Action Has Finished At Willesden Junction
It looks like the low-level platforms at Willesden Junction station are now finished.
As you can see it’s just a simple bay platform between the two main platforms for the Watford DC and Bakerloo Lines.
North Wembley Station
When I missed the last train at Sudbury and Harrow Road station, I had no chance but get a bus. I got a 245 towards Golders Green, but decided to get off at North Wembley station, so I could get a train into London.
I’d never been to the station before and it is purely functional.
On my trip around the area and after my troubles on the Piccadilly Line earlier, it’s almost the area of London that has been forgotten.
The Station With The Least Passengers In London
After my visit to the truly dreadful Angel Road station, which has the next-to-least number of passengers, I just had to go to the only station, which attracts even less.
I arrived at the station at 10:42 after a really tedious journey on the Victoria and Piccadilly Lines, which were both very crowded. To make matters worse, the train was held for several minutes at Acton Town station.
I think that the problems with Sudbury and Harrow Road station are not the normal ones of filth and squalor. In 2013-14 it had just 18,700 passengers.
Although I just missed the last morning train into London at 10:41, I don’t think you can blame neglect on the part of Chiltern Railways.
The main problem I could see was that there is no pedestrian crossing close to the station, as is normal for stations on a busy road. So those needing to get a bus to and from home might go to a station where the walking route is easier.
All the other problems were minor, like the fact that the station sign is not easily visible and there isn’t really a good drop off point for passengers.
Chiltern seem to have spent money here, but they haven’t drawn in the passengers. But then they haven’t done too well in the next station, Sudbury Hill Harrow.
Do We Have Too Many Breast Cancer Charities?
That may be a controversial thing to say, but these posters for a new breast cancer charity have been appearing everywhere in London.
Do We Have Too Many Breast Cancer Charities?
Now C successfully survived breast cancer, so it is not a subject I know nothing about.
But I think now, that some of the most promising cancer research, like looking at the genetics, is very expensive and covers the whole spectrum of cancers.
So surely, this is where we should give our money. I incidentally subscribe to three different cancer charities, none of which are directly linked to breast cancer.
Although, Cancer Research UK, which I support, does support research into breast cancer.
Why Green Park Station Should Be Avoided
I changed between the Victoria and Piccadilly Lines at Green Park station today and had the usual route march.
Why Green Park Station Should Be Avoided
This station must be the one with the longest and most tortuous interchanges.
Do Pedestrians Accept Their Lot?
I regularly get a 30 or 277 bus to Highbury and Islington station to get the Victoria Line and it has never been the most convenient walk from the stop, as you have to cross two busy roads on controlled crossings. Over the last few months, they have been rebuilding the bridge at the station, which means they’ve moved one crossing making the journey longer.
Do Pedestrians Accept Their Lot?
The picture shows the second crossing.
Pedestrians seem to be accepting the extra walk without complaint.
Hopefully, there’ll be light at the end of the tunnel, when the bridge is completed and the traffic is properly reorganised.
Before Crossrail 2 – Surrey County Council Think Crossrail 2 Should Go To Guidford
Chelsea may not want Crossrail 2, but according to this article on a Guildford web site, Surrey wants Crossrail 2 to be extended extended to Guildford and Woking to take pressure off their overcrowded services into Waterloo.
Although it could be a good idea, Crossrail 2 is getting submissions from many places to be included in the network like Stansted.
I think it would be better for Crossrail 2 to have good cross platform interchanges at places like Tottenham Hale, Cheshunt, Broxbourne and New Southgate in the North and Clapham Junction, Epson and Wimbledon in the South West, so that passengers can transfer easily to longer-distance services.
These improvements should raise the stations to a similar standard of say Stratford on Crossrail and they will be needed whether Crossrail 2 is built or not.
1. Wimbledon station must be a prime candidate for rebuilding, especially as eventually it could have an underground station for Crossrail 2. There is a Future section in the Wikipedua entry, which in addition to talking about Crossrail 2, details improvements to Tramlink. In my view the station needs a complete rebuild now, which although would be a challenge for architects, builders and passengers alike could bring capacity, access, operational and other improvements.
As I don’t want to repeat myself, there are more of my thoughts on this dreadful station in Crossrail 2 at Wimbledon.
2. Epsom station would appear to have been redeveloped. But will this be enough to handle Crossrail 2 and improve connectvity into Surrey?
I shall extend this post.
The Anonymous Widower 