Both Sides Of The Bermondsey Dive-Under – 26th August 2016
The Bermondsey Dive-Under is on track to be completed by Spring 2017.
This is a visualisation of the completed structure.
Bermondsey Dive-Under
These pictures show the dive-under from a train, running from London Bridge to Caterham on the line between the Millwall FC ground and the structure.
It’s now getting to look a lot like the official visualisation.
These pictures were taken from a train running into London Bridge from New Cross, on the other side of the structure.
Crossrail may be the more spectacular and expensive project, but it has no intricate blend of old and new like the Bermondsey Dive-Under.
Thinking about the dive-under and when it is complete.
- Will there be walking routes through the structures and in the green spaces?
- How many extra small business units will be created underneath and around the arches?
- Will the area be integrated into the surrounding community?
Judging on other Network Rail sites, I don’t think the space will be wasted.
I do think that railway arches are a unique city resource, that can create jobs and increase economic activity and also improve the local environment.
Network Rail ought to sponsor an award for the Best New Railway Arch Business every year.
Cambridge North Station
Cambridge North station is being built to serve the North of the city and especially, Cambridge Science Park and other developments in the area.
This Google Map shows the area.
Cambridge Science Park And Cambridge North Station
Note the Breckland Line between Cambridge and Ely, which cuts across the Eastern side of the map, at a right-angle to the main A14 dual carriageway. The rail line appears to split with a loop on the North West side by a green space. The station will go in this area.
These are pictures, I took from passing trains going to and from Ely.
From the pictures, the following seems to be apparent.
A long island platform is being built to the North West side of the tracks.
There is a lift tower by the car and cycle parks outside of all tracks.
There is a double-track loop that by-passes the platforms.
This is the only plan I can find on the Internet.
Cambridge North Station Pan
I know this about the station.
- It is proposed to have three platforms according to Wikipedia.
- Thameslink will terminate two trains per hour at the station.
- Most other services will stop at the station as they pass through.
The plan shows the main line going between the platforms, so will the double-platform in the pictures be used as a through platform for Cambridge to Ely trains and the far side as a terminating platform?
Unfortunately, when I returned to Cambridge, there were no seats on the other side of the train.
This article in European Railway Review is entitled New Cambridge North railway station taking shape – set for 2017 launch, has two pictures, which clearly show the second through platform on the South-East side of the tracks.
A few observations.
- It would appear that to go between the car or cycle park and the trains, you always need to use the bridge.
- My pictures show that the platforms are very long and will certainly handle the twelve-car Class 700 trains.
- Passengers from Thameslink needing to go to say Kings Lynn or Norwich, will just walk across the platform to get their onward train.
- Passengers from Kings Lynn and Norwich wanting to go South on Thameslink would probably change at Cambridge to avoid using the bridge.
- On the current service pattern the station would only have a one train per hour service to Peterborough.
- The station has no direct connection to Ipswich or Bury St. Edmunds.
I wonder if there are plans to allow Cambridge North station to act as a terminus for trains from the Ely direction.
Under the new East Anglian Franchise, Abellio are extending their Peterborough to Ipswich service to Colchester and making it hourly.
It is a pity, that this service can’t easily serve Cambridge North station.
This Google Map shows Ely station and the lines going South towards Cambridge.
Ely Station And The Lines To Cambridge And Ipswich
Note how the line to Bury St. Edmunds and Ipswich branches off to the South-East.
If a chord were to be built allowing trains to go between Cambridge and Bury St. Edmunds, this would do the following.
- Allow the Peterborough-Ipswich service to call at Cambridge North, with just a reverse at Cambridge North.
- Give Cambridge North station a second train in an hour to and from Peterborough.
- Create a direct hourly service between Cambridge North station and Bury St. Edmunds, Ipswich and Colchester.
- When the East-West Rail Link opens, it would allow freight trains to go between that line and Felixstowe without using the single-tack Ipswich-Cambridge route.
Strangely, it doesn’t appear that this chord has ever existed.
But, I do think it will be seriously considered in the future, with the main reason being the freight route from Felixstowe to the Great Western Railway at Reading.
London Gets A New Attraction On Monday
One of my Google Alerts found this article on the Network Rail web site, which is entitled New London Bridge station concourse to open this Bank Holiday.
I’m surprised that the new concourse is actually opening on the Bank Holiday, but I’ll be going with my camera.
It’s been a long time coming and I hope the new station lives up to its billing!
An Article On Driverless Trains That Hardly Mentions Unions
This article on Rail Engineer is entitled Subway Revival – Glasgow to introduce UTO.
In this instance UTO stands for Unattended Train Operation.
In the article, there is only one mention of a trade union. This is said.
Getting the workforce’s commitment to new working practices was an essential first step of the modernisation programme. SPT achieved this in 2012 with an agreement between UNITE and SPT for more flexible working and establishment reduction with no compulsory redundancies.
The dreaded word RMT does not appear.
Having read the whole article, it does look like, when the new trains start running in a few years time, Glasgow will have one of the best Underground lines in the world.
I particularly liked this paragraph on the procurement of the new trains.
Charlie Hoskins explained that SPT did not procure its trains on the basis of a prescriptive technical specification as this might rule out a worthwhile technology. Instead, prospective suppliers were given a concept of operation that covered general requirements such as the number of people to be carried and how SPT wished to operate the trains. A competitive dialogue then followed to develop the technical solution that offered best value. This approach was supported by Glasgow-based consultant Racon and by Systra which, with SPT key staff, formed the client’s technical, commercial and procurement team.
It looks like Glasgow said they wanted to move so many passengers and the consortium came up with a solution.
How practical! And the dreaded word Treasury wasn’t mentioned.
Also just as they are involved in East Anglia, the Swiss company; Stadler is very much involved here. They seem to be s[specialising in niches.
Is Ilkeston Station A Typical Infrastructure Project In The UK?
The construction of the much-delayed Ilkeston station, seems to finally be proceeding, as this article on the BBC, which is entitled Ilkeston bridge work on newt delay railway station, discuses. This the opening paragraphs.
Work has started on a footbridge at the site of a £10m railway station where construction efforts stalled due to concerns over rare great crested newts.
Ilkeston in Derbyshire is one of the largest towns in the UK without a rail station after its previous one closed in 1967, due to Dr Beeching’s cuts.
However, the project suffered several delays, notably because of newts that had to be trapped and relocated.
The station, off Millership Way, is due to open later this year.
I do hope that, one of our Universities is doing a serious study about the effects of the new railway station and the restored train services have on the town of Ilkeston and the surrounding area.
I will be very surprised, if there isn’t some positive effects.
I also hope they’ll come up with recommendations to avert the delays to important small infrastructure projects like this.
Bermondsey Dive-Under – 10th August 2016
This set of pictures were taken from the other side to those in Bermondsey Dive-Under – 8th August 2016.
It’s certainly going to be noticeable.
The large building in the background is SELCHP, which is a major energy from waste incinerator.
Almost Finished At The Elephant And Castle
In December 2015, a scheme started to create a new road and pedestrian layout at Elephant and Castle.
I wrote about it in Fun At The Elephant And Castle.
It is now substantially complete, as these pictures show.
Note.
- I think if you regularly change between the Bakerloo and Northern Lines at Elephant and Castle station, you might come to the surface and walk across, rather than using the long tunnels below.
- There seems to be less traffic.
- I wonder if we’ll get some cafes in the middle.
From a pedestrian point of view, it certainly seemed a lot better.
Needham Market Station
Needham Market Station is a Grade 2 Listed Building.
I was passing through on a sunny day and took these pictures.
In some ways now, one of the most remarkable features of the station, is that the Ipswich-bound platform has now been rebuilt using a new plastic platform. I wrote about the develoopment in The Platform For The Future, when it won a Railway Industry Innovation Awards for 2016.
Note.
- It is an incredible station for a small town.
- The platform by the station building is traditional.
- The builders have done a good job on creating an acceptable subway.
- The plastic platform has a very smooth and safe surface.
After having visited, I think we’ll see a lot more of these platforms.
Hopefully, The First Of The Many!
Transport for London have placed this ticket machine on the island platform 7 and 8 at Stratford station.
A Ticket Machine On Platform 7 And 8 At Stratford Station
Hopefully, it is the First of the Many!
The Germans do it all the time, as this picture, taken at a station in Leipzig shows.
It is just so convenient.
When I took the picture of the Stratford machine, I was going to Braintree, by using my |Freedom Pass to Shenfield and then buying a ticket to Braintree from Shenfield in the machine there.
But as I had my Shenfield to Braintree ticket before I left Stratford, it was just so much more quicker, not having to go through the barriers at Shenfield station to buy a ticket.
Knowing the way the self loading cargo ducks and dives its way around East London, I think it won’t be long before this machine at Stratford gets used in all sorts of legal ways.
- Buying a ticket for a train later in the day, or even later in the week, month or year.
- Buying an extension ticket to a Freedom Pass, Travel Card or even an ordinary ticket.
- Topping up your Oyster whilst waiting for a train.
- Avoiding queues at machines in Booking Halls and busy stations.
I do wonder how many people on seeing the mchine, are reminded to buy a ticket for a future trip.
I don’t know whether the machine at Stratford is an experiment or permanent, but this user would like to see more machines on platforms.
Stratford, is one of the few stations, where you can catch both Underground and National Rail trains. So I suppose, there could be times where passengers get to the station on the Central or JubileeLines with Oyster and want to use main line services to perhaps Colchester, Chelmsford or Southend, that stop at Stratford.
A ticket machine inside the barriers, avoids the need to go out to buy another.
Witham Station And The Braintree Branch Line
These pictures show Witham station and the Braintree Branch Line.
Note.
- All trains to and from Braintree call in platform 4 in Witham station, with trains to London crossing over the Great Eastern Main Line, South of the station.
- Will direct services between Braintree and London be stopped to speed up main line services?
- Witham station has long platforms and lifts.
- The branch is tidy.
- There would appear to be space for a passing loop at Cressing.
- There are some inevitable level crossings.
- Braintree station is the best of the stations on the line.
The branch line coould certainly be improved to provide a two trains per hour service. I do suspect that most direct services to and from London could end, as this would probably ease timetabling of trains through Witham station.
The Anonymous Widower 