Missing Infrastructure In East London
As I write up all the stations that will transfer to Crossrail in May 2015, certain much smaller pieces in the jigsaw of the train services appear to be possibly missing.
1. Shoreditch High Street on the Central Line
Shoreditch High Street station is one of the larger, busier and most impressive stations on the Overground. It is also well-placed between London’s high-tech district of Silicon Roundabout and the City. But the Central Line runs underneath the station and some are pushing for an interchange between the Central and East London Lines. Wikipedia has a section on the plans, which says wait until Crossrail is working.
I suspect that this won’t happen quickly and only will if London’s politicians and passengers want the connection. Passenger flows will probably decide the issue.
2. A Station Under The Olympic Village
The Olympic Village, which is now being converted into housing, sits on top of a double-tracked and electrified chord that links the North London Line and the Lea Valley Line between Stratford and Tottenham Hale.
I can’t find any plans for a station on this line and it is assumed that residents of the village will happily walk to the other nearby stations.
Have the planners missed a trick here?
3. The Dalston Eastern Curve
Transport for London have plans to run twenty-four trains per hour through the East London Line.
If this is going to happen, I can’t see how without connecting the line to that to Stratford, the trains can be found places to serve.
It won’t be the most difficult job engineering-wise, but it will probably be the most difficult task politically.
Before Crossrail – The Overground And Lea Valley Platforms At Stratford
After yesterday’s exploration from the bridge across Stratford station, I just had to get down on and see it from the ground.
There are two Overground terminal platforms, numbered 1 and 2, at the Eastfield side of the station, with the two long Lea Valley Lines platforms, numbered 12 and 11, curving around them. A driver told me that the only trains that used the platform on the Overground side, 12, in normal circumstances, was the last arrival of the day and the first departure of the next morning. So it would appear that except when there are diversions or trouble, these platforms are seriously under-used.
As the pictures show they are well-appointed and even have a piece of expensive art-work in the large triangular area between platforms 10 and 11, which could probably only be nicked by the use of one of those Russian very heavy lift helicopters.
Whilst I was there, a Norwich-bound train stopped at platform 10. I suspect there are very few transfer passengers between platform 10 and 11, although you might decide to use the walk-across if you were going from say Stansted Airport to East Anglia.
But it does seem to me, that there could be some more efficient way to provide the current services or perhaps to add some extra ones to the station.
Tottenham Hale’s New Bus Station
The bus station attached to Tottenham Hale station doesn’t appear to be far off opening.
It seems the architect has managed to keep the design simple, whilst still looking spectacular.
From what I can remember of the old bus stands in the area, this design appears to make more efficient use of space. Which hopefully, will mean changing buses will be less far to walk.
Click for a map of the new bus station.
The new bus station will probably not make much difference to me, as I only use the bus from here to get to and from IKEA only occasionally.
When they finally open the station at Lea Bridge, I will probably use that a lot more.
Before Crossrail – The Overground At Stratford
Stratford is the terminus of the North London Line of the Overground. These pictures show the platforms that service the Overground and the Lea Valley Line services that terminate at Stratford.
At least the two Overground platforms are long enough to take six car trains, but if services increase will there may be a need for one or more platforms for Overground services.
It would appear though, that the two Lea Valley Lines platforms, on one of which the Class 315 is waiting in the pictures, are not heavily used. And in addition, there is an immense triangular space, which I’m sure for which Network Rail et al. have big plans.
There is actually more potential in the area than appears obvious from these pictures.
Lea Bridge station and possibly the Hall Farm Curve are being reopened, which will link Stratford to Walthamstow and Chingford.
So will this mean services coming along the North London Line and going through Stratford to Chingford. My explorations at Chingford showed it to be a spacious well-connected station with three accessible platforms.
With an Overground spreading out fr0m Stratford, this would mean a lot of changing between the lines, as although they are a few platforms apart, there are lifts for those who need them.
There is going to be a lot of creative arithmetic in this area as London Overground find more and more ways to squeeze gallons out of pint pots.
Before Crossrail – Maryland
Another Station That Needs Imagination And Lifts – Rating 2/10
Maryland is another ruin, but it is not as bad as Manor Park and it doesn’t have any redeeming feature like Forest Gate‘s kiosk.
In fact one of the best things that could happen to the three stations, is that a driverless Class 66 ran away with a heavy cargo of something like aggregate and careered through all the stations demolishing them completely.
What worries me about this station is that somebody was paid to design it and another was paid to build it, probably at great expense.
But look at this page to see Crossrail’s ideas about transforming the station.
Before Crossrail – Forest Gate
Another Dreadful Station, But With A Lovely Kiosk! – Rating 3/10
Forest Gate is better than Manor Park, if only for the charming kiosk in front of the station.
If I were a young architect, which I’m not on either counts, I would love the challenge of turning this sow’s ear into a silk purse.
Crossrtail have published some of their ideas for the station.
Before Crossrail – Manor Park
A Ruin With Serious Issues – Rating 1/10
Manor Park is very unusual architecturally. I do wonder if the Luftwaffe tried to demolish the station.
Perhaps the builders just ran out of money and couldn’t afford to put in windows.
I can imagine the words of Crossrail’s architect, when he saw this station. According to Wikipedia, in their section on Future Development they say this.
The platforms will not be lengthened so selective door operation will be used instead, allowing the freight loop to remain in use. Due to the narrow platforms, and the layout of the station, fitting lifts for disabled access would be difficult and expensive, requiring the walkways to be rebuilt and closing the station for several months.
If there was a Carbuncle Cup For Ruins, then this station would be up there with the worst.
Perhaps though Crossrail’s architect is a supreme optimist.
Look at this artists’s impression of what is a proposal for the future on Crossrail’s web site.
Before Crossrail – Ilford
A Station That Needs Work – Rating 4/10
Ilford has a modernised entrance building, but some of the stairs are difficult.
Money certainly needs to be spent on this station that serves quite an important town centre.
Before Crossrail – Seven Kings
This Could Be A Good Station – Rating 6/10
Seven Kings has the usually access problems, but some interesting brickwork.
I’ll be looking forward to seeing this station with an upgraded bridge, lifts and a good cleaning of the brickwork.
Before Crossrail – Goodmayes
A Station With Bad Access And A Small Convenience Store – Rating 6/10
Goodmayes is a station I spot every time I pass through on the Way to Ipswich, due to the Tesco.
This station obviously needs the same treatment as Chadwell Heath, with new lifts.
The Anonymous Widower 