The New Entrance At Hackney Central Station – 2nd July 2022
The new entrance at Hackney Central station opened yesterday.
Note.
- The cafe must be fairly good, as it has two flavours of gluten-free brownies.
- I may have a touch of arthritis these days, but stairs like these are fine for me, as there are two right-handed paths.
- There is a second set of stairs down from the footbridge to speed passengers on their way to Hackney Downs station.
- There is a light-controlled crossing over Graham Road.
- Bus stops in both directions are only about twenty metres from the crossing.
- The station buildings appear to have green roofs.
- The is plenty of bike storage, but no car parking.
- There is no lift, although the design should allow one to be added later, if it is thought one is needed.
I’ve seen bigger budgets produce worse designed station entrances than this one.
My Use Of The Graham Road Entrance At Hackney Central Station
I suspect, I will use the new entrance mainly in one of two ways.
Going West On The North London Line
If I want to go west on the North London Line, the obvious one is to get a bus to Highbury & Islington station from the closest stop to my house and get the train from there.
But that route has got more difficult in recent years.
- Our South London Mayor in his wisdom cut the 277 bus back to Dalston Junction station.
- So there is only the 30 bus left and the route uses badly-designed Egyptian-built buses. I’ve nothing against Egyptians, but these buses don’t have the flat floor, that people expect from a bus these days.
- Since the roundabout was rebuilt, it seems to be a longer and more difficult walk for pedestrians.
So I’d prefer to take another route.
- Canonbury station is probably the closest station, but it is an uphill walk from my house.
- Dalston Kingsland station is a possibility, but the steps to the platform aren’t the safest.
- Dalston Junction station is another possibility, as it is step-free, but it means more changes of mode and train.
Going via the new Graham Road entrance has advantages.
- From my house, there are frequent 38 buses to the new entrance.
- The 38 bus stop at Hackney Central is only a few metres from the station entrance.
- There is a coffee stall in the station entrance.
- The steps in the entrance are easy for me.
I will try out this route the next time, that I go to the West on the North London Line.
Coming Home From Stratford With Shopping
If I need a big Marks & Spencer or a John Lewis, it is convenient to go to Eastfield at Stratford and come home on the North London Line.
I will usually use the The Canonbury Cross-Over to double-back and get a bus home from Dalston Junction station.
It is an easy route, but sometimes the trains mean a wait of nearly ten minutes at Canonbury station.
The new entrance at Hackney Central gives an alternative route.
- You would get in the back of the train at Stratford.
- Alight at Hackney Central.
- Exit the station through the new entrance.
- Cross Graham Road on the light-controlled crossing.
- Walk about twenty metres to the 38 bus stop.
- Wait for a frequent 38 bus.
Today, I waited just a minute.
Conclusion
The entrance was first mentioned in an article on Ian Visits in October 2019 and I wrote about it in Will Hackney Central Station Get A Second Entrance?.
In May 2021, I wrote £3m Hackney Overground Station Upgrade To Begin In June.
The entrance seems to have gone from a concept to reality in under three years and once the starting pistol was fired, it was built in under a year.
How many parts of the UK rail network could be improved, by small projects like this?
Platforms 16 and 17 At Liverpool Street Station – 2nd July 2022
On my way to Ilford station today, I used the Elizabeth Line at a not too busy time from Liverpool Street station.
Note.
- Platform 18 has been closed.
- Platform 16 is to the left and Platform 17 is to the right.
- Platforms 16 and 17 have been lengthened.
- The can now handle the full nine-car Class 345 trains.
- There is a wide walkway on the far side of Platform 17.
I have a few thoughts.
Why Is The Access Between Train And Platform Not Level?
This picture shows level access on the central section of the Elizabeth Line at Whitechapel station.
Why wasn’t the platform height adjusted to fit the trains in the rebuilt platforms 16 and 17 at Liverpool Street station?
Are There Any Plans For The Walkway Behind Platform 17?
Consider.
- At the other end of the station concourse, there is a walkway alongside Platform 1, that leads in and out of the station.
- There is also a walking route out between the two sections of the station.
A walkway behind Platform 17 could be possible.
Station Redevelopment
This article on Ian Visits is entitled Liverpool Street Station Plans For A £1.5 billion Redevelopment.
This is the first paragraph.
Initial plans have been revealed for a £1.55 billion redevelopment of Liverpool Street station that would see it become a two-level station with a much larger entrance built next to the tube station.
As the station is surrounded by a large cluster of skyscrapers, I will assume there will be another one.
Despite Brexit, Covid-19 and the War in Ukraine, there still seems to be an appetite for new office space in London.
Design Contract Awarded To Extend Railway Arches Low Line Concept
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Ian Visits.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Plans to revamp the railway arches running through Wandsworth and Lambeth to create an extension of Southwark’s “low line” have taken a step forward after a contract was awarded to a design agency.
The extension would create a continuous walking and cycling route from Battersea to London Bridge, to connect communities with the creation of new spaces alongside the viaduct.
It looks to be an interesting concept with lots of possibilities.
Berwick’s Landmark Bridge Set For Major Repairs
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on the BBC.
This Google Map shows the Royal Border Bridge.
This extract from the article describes the works on the bridge.
During the work, which will last until November, engineers will repair all 28 arches of the Grade I-listed structure.
The East Coast Main Line will stay open and an online event for people to find out more is being held on 27 January.
I suspect that finding anybody to restore historic stone buildings will be difficult in the area, during 2022.
Sudbury Town Station – 6th January 2022
As I was visiting the next station Sudbury Hill, I popped in to Sudbury Town station and took these pictures.
Note.
- The station is Grade II* Listed.
- It has been made partially step-free by the means of a crude ramp.
- It is a typical Charles Holden design.
Despite its high status, it is not one of the best stations on the Piccadilly Line.
Sudbury Hill Station – 6th January 2022
Sudbury Hill station is now step-free, as these pictures show.
Adding two brick lift towers seems to work well at this Grade II Listed station, that was designed by Charles Holden.
Leicester Station – 4th Jan 2022
Leicester station has a Grade II Listed frontage.
Note.
- It is an impressive Victorian station.
- The station building is on a bridge over the tracks.
- The station is also on one of the main roads through Leicester.
- The road layout is very complicated.
This 3D Google Map, shows an aerial view of the station.
Note.
- There four platforms, which are numbered 1-4 from the left.
- The expresses between London and Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield use the two middle tracks.
- Other main line and East-West services use the outside platforms.
- There is an avoiding line for freight services.
This second 3D Google Map, shows an enlargement of the frontage of the station.
There are plans to increase the capacity of the station.
A fifth platform will be added.
Three miles of quadruple track will be be built South of the station.
The Midland Main Line is also to be electrified.
This second set of pictures shows the platforms at Leicester station.
Note.
- The tunnels under the road and the station entrance.
- They are not very large.
- There are five tracks.
It is going to be a tight squeeze to electrify under the bridge.
Structural Engineering At Work!
I took this picture of the new block on top of the Moorgate entrance to Liverpool Street Crossrail station.
I like structures and this could turn out to be a good example of their use.
Wandering Around King’s Cross – 20th December 2021
I took these pictures, whilst I wandered around King’s Cross.
The unfinished building is Google’s large groundscraper.
I took these pictures as I wandered.
King’s Cross is on the up.
The Old Hackney Town Hall
These pictures show the Old Hackney Town Hall.
It is now a pub and Grade II Listed.
Behind the building is the Grade I Listed St.Augustine’s Tower, which is all that remains of the 16th Century parish church of St. Augustine.
The Anonymous Widower 