Edgware Road Station Revisited
I had to go round to High Street Kensington today, so I went by the Circle line from Kings Cross St. Pancras station to Edgware Road station, where I changed across between Platform 4 to Platform 3 to the District line for Kensington High Street station. Coming back, I got a Circle line train back to Edgware Road, from where I got another Circle line train to Moorgate, by walking from Platform 2 to Platform 1. So they were two very easy step free changes. Here’s some pictures, which compliment those I took yesterday.
The station sign was is at Kensington High Street station. It advises you to get a Circle line train, if you are going onwards to the east at Edgware Road station.
Notice that at the eastbound end of the platforms at Edgware Road station, there is quite a bit of space. It is just a pity, that they have to allow for trains to run through between the two pairs of platforms, as if they didn’t then perhaps the two central platforms, 2 and 3, could be used as traditional terminal platforms, with the ability of passengers to walk across directly between the two pairs of platforms.
Perhaps something like Thomas Hetherwick’s rolling bridge could be used.
A set of rules should probably be used.
Going from east to south, you should get the first District line train on the opposite platform, changing to the Circle line if that is the one you want by getting off at either Paddington, Bayswater or Notting Hill Gate and taking the first Circle line train that stops. It’ll probably be the first train anywhere.
Going from west to south, is similar, except you get a Circle line train and change as before if you need to.
Going from south to east, you can either climb over the stairs or make sure you’re on a Circle line train, when you get to Edgware Road station.
Going from south to west, is similar, except you make sure you’re on a District line train. It looks like the trains on both District and Circle lines run at a frequency of six trains per hour.
It sounds complicated, but I suspect most of the regular users know the rules. There perhaps is a need for a bit more information to get the passengers going the right way!
I suppose too, that it’s all step free.
One point to note is that the new S-Stock trains are walk-through, and passengers will probably walk to their most convenient exit a lot of the time, just as they already do on the Class 378 of the London Overground. So this will probably make the turn-rounds at Edgware Road quicker.
The Hi-Speed Bus
Today as I went up to the Angel, I got on a normal 38 bus. I then noticed, that by the time a New Bus for London was about a hundred metres behind. By the time I’d got halfway, the new bus was about the same distance in front.
This is not the first thing a similar thing has happened, and I suspect the three doors and the on-board staff, means that it loads and unloads much quicker at each stop.
Coming back later, I actually got on a new bus and this passed one of its humbler brethren on the way back.
The New Kings Cross Piazza Is Emerging
This picture shows what the area in front of Kings Cross station will look like.
Most of the demolition appears to have been completely, as this picture from today shows.
Note the short fat tower to the left of the centre of the picture. This must be the top of some sort of shaft and if you look it is also in the design of the new piazza. I bet the architects are cursing it, very loudly!
The Operation Of Edgware Road Station
Edgware Road station has been changed dramatically over the last few years, by becoming the balance station in the Circle line. The platforms are organised this way according to Wikipedia.
The usual service pattern is: platform 1 for outer rail services to Kings Cross, Liverpool Street and beyond, platform 2 for circle line to High Street Kensington and Victoria, platform 3 for district line trains to Earls Court and Wimbledon, and platform 4 (inner rail) for Shepherds Bush Market and Hammersmith. This may vary in times of disruption – trains can go east from any of platforms 1 2 and 3 and to any of the westbound destinations from platforms 2 3 or 4.
As I came back from Paddington station, I got out of the station to get a newspaper and I also watched Circle line trains reverse on Platform 2. There actually waiting for a few minutes and cleaners were cleaning the trains before they returned back through Victoria. It was all very efficient.
It would appear that most of the transfers at the station, just involve a simple cross platform transfer, although not always.
But by adding lifts and sorting out the access between Platforms 1 and 2, and 3 and 4, would improve those travelling through the station, especially for those who need step free access or are travelling with heavy cases.
As an example, if you are coming north through Notting Hill Gate station on the District or Circle line and want to go west at Edgware Road station, you are best to get a District line train, but if you’re going east, a Circle line train is better.
The Rebuilt Metropolitan Station At Paddington
The Metropolitan station at Paddington is emerging from the extensive building works at Paddington station.
Note that there is still quite a lot to do, like installing the lifts.
The New Taxi Rank At Paddington Station
Paddington station now has a new taxi rank.
It must be one of the best ones in the UK.
It certainly means that if you’re coming into Central London from the west and need a taxi, it’s a good station to pick one up.
Note how the taxi rank is properly numbered, so you can arrange to meet on a particular number!
Farringdon Station
After visiting the works at Crossrail, I went to have look at Farringdon station on the Metropolitan Line.
Note how the new station is coming on.
Creation Of Crossrail At Custom House
The Crossrail line through Custom House is unusual in that because it is close by the DLR, you can see all of the work as the new railway is being installed.
It is very much unusual to see a modern railway being created, but as the pictures show, you can get a good view of London’s new railway as it is created.
The pictures were taken from the three stations; Royal Victoria, Custom House and Prince Regent. It will be interesting to see how the view changes as Crossrail is built.
There’s more about Custom House station on this web page on the Crossrail web site.
The London Aquatic Centre Is Changing!
The London Aquatic Centre is changing.
It will be opened fully in the summer of 2014.
Note how a lot of the seats have been reserved.
The picture was taken from a train on the East Anglian main line.
It’s Not Just The Dutch That Get Rail Ticketing Wrong
We always think of the Swiss as being clever and efficient, but according to this report on the BBC web site, they seem to have trumped the Dutch by bringing in a ticketing system, that is even worse, than the one I described here.
One thing that never seems to work with these systems, but does usually work well in the UK, is how the system deals with the occasional problem or a traveller, like the man I met, who was using a London bus for the first time in his sixties, despite living there for years. In his case, the probably very friendly bus driver was able to help him out.
I’ve had a case on the train from London to Ipswich, where I had got on the train with the wrong ticket. I can’t remember exactly why, but it may have been that I’d punched the wrong button on the machine, when I bought the ticket. In Switzerland, now, that would now mean a fine of £133, but the inspector sold me the appropriate upgrade and even took into account my Freedom Pass and Railcard. Ticket inspectors are the first line in both protecting the revenue and making the customers happy.
Let’s hope British train companies don’t do any of these.
1. Bring in swingeing fines for genuine mistakes.
2. Abandon the simple orange tickets that everyone understands.
3. Insist that everybody has a smart phone.
Point two has so many simple advantages other than the obvious one of familiarity. Imagine your ninety-year-old mother lives in Edinburgh and you want her to come to you by train. You just post her the ticket and seat reservation and tell her to get to Waverley at the appropriate time. It usually works well, as the tickets are of a size and type, that don’t get lost and are easily understood. They can also be easily shown to staff, which can’t always be said for a display on a smart phone.
The Anonymous Widower 