A Quality Takeaway With A Station And A Large Garden
It was cold today and on walking from the Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station to the Marks and Spencer store on Oxford Street, I came across this Leon, where I had a hot chocolate.
Is this the ultimate pit-stop on the Elizabeth Line?
Into The Realm Of The Rabbits
The completed Bank Station Upgrade opened today and I went and took these pictures of what is now a rabbit warren of a station.
Note.
- There are now three cross passages between the two Northern Line platforms.
- There are two lifts between Cannon Street and the Northern Line and one extends to the Docklands Light Railway.
- The Northern Line and Cannon Street are now connected by two sets of three very long escalators.
- I took a walk to Cannon Street, whilst taking this pictures and from leaving the new entrance to being on a train out of Cannon Street, took mt five minutes.
- After photographing the station, I walked to the bus stop for the 141 bus, which took me home. As there is now a new passage between the gate-line and the bus stop, it took just two minutes.
The new Cannon Street entrance is a practical, stylish and well designed and built addition to the Bank station complex.
I would let the same architects and builders loose on Camden Town, Holborn and Oxford Circus/Bond Street stations.
Ducking And Diving Between Moorgate And Liberty
Liberty is one of my favourite shops. That probably dates from the times in the 1970s, when C and I didn’t have large amounts of money and three kids, so if she needed a new summer dress, I’d make it and we’d usually choose the fabric at Liberty.
I was doing some Christmas shopping today, so after breakfast at Leon on Moorgate, I jumped into the Lizzie Line to the Hanover Square entrance at Bond Street station, where it was a short walk to Liberty.
These pictures document the route.
Note.
- I took one stop on the Metropolitan Line from Moorgate to Barbican.
- I positioned myself, at the front of the train.
- This enabled me to take the lift at Barbican station to the Lizzie Line passenger interchange level at Farringdon station.
- I then got the escalator down to the platforms.
- I was able to get into the back of the Westbound train, which I needed to avoid a long walk at Bond Street station.
The Lizzie Line will bring out the best ducking and diving in us all.
But with my manoeuvres, I avoided a two hundred metre walk from one end of the train to another!
This Google Map shows my walking route from Bond Street station to Liberty.
Note.
- Hanover Square is the green space to the left of the map.
- The Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station is in the North-West corner of the square.
- Liberty is at the far right of the map.
Advantages of this route include.
- The Western end is in one of London’s best squares.
- All major road crossings have zebras or light controlled crossings.
- There are a few smaller useful shops like itsu, a Pret and a Ryman on Hanover Street.
- The route wasn’t too busy with pedestrians.
I would recommend using the Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station for places like Bond Street, Carnaby Street, John Lewis, Regent Street and The Palladium.
After I’d done my shopping at Liberty, I walked along Great Marlborough Street to the back entrance of Marks and Spencer’s flagship store, thus avoiding the crowds on Oxford Street.
What If I Want To Go To John Lewis On Oxford Street?
As for Liberty, you would take the Lizzie Line to Bond Street station and use the Hanover Square or Eastern exit, then follow these pictures.
Note the Leon, which will probably opening soon.
What If I Want To Go To Bond Street?
You take the Medici Courtyard by the side of the station.
Note.
- There is an upmarket hotel in the courtyard.
- The courtyard has some artwork.
- The floral entrance on Bond Street.
It will be interesting to see how the Medici Courtyard develops.
Posh Adverts At Bond Street Station
The new Hanover Square entrance to the Lizzie Line is built to a high specification.
Today, when I went through, they even had posh adverts.
De Beers do have a shop close to the station at 46-50 Old Bond St, London W1S 4QT.
Moorgate To Grosvenor Square On The Elizabeth Line
The Grosvenor Square area of Central London is shown by this Google Map.
Note.
- Grosvenor Square is the green square in the middle of the map, with the former US Embassy at its Western end.
- A block to the East of Grosvenor Square is Davies Street, which runs North-South to and from Oxford Street.
- It is mainly an area of expensive houses, some offices, embassies and luxury hotels.
- There are at least half-a-dozen four or five-star hotels on this map, with the former US Embassy being converted to another.
- So as most of its residents and visitors are well-heeled, there has generally been little need for public transport.
- But on the other hand luxury hotels, expensive houses and embassies are large employers of staff and services.
So do many travelling to the area, have to use a taxi or walk from public transport on Oxford Street or Park Lane?
At the top of this map, just on the West side of Davies Street is a building site, which is labelled Cavendish Buildings. This building site is now the Western or Davies Street Entrance to the Elizabeth Line at Bond Street station.
This morning I took an Elizabeth Line train between Moorgate and Davies Street and then walked to Grosvenor Square,
Note.
- There are two triple escalators and a lift at Moorgate station.
- Travel in the front of the train to be positioned correctly for a quick exit.
- There are two triple escalators and a lift at the Davies Street entrance to Bond Street station.
It took me twenty-two minutes for the whole journey.
Will The Elizabeth Line Have Any Effects On The Grosvenor Square Area?
This is a difficult question to answer, but I’m sure that there will be changes.
Staff Will Have An Easier Journey To And From Work
The manager of a luxury hotel in London told me that good staff is a problem, especially, where public transport is not good.
So I do feel that the new Bond Street station will widen the pool of employment for staff commuting to the area.
I would certainly feel, that if your hotel, restaurant or club was within walking distance of an Elizabeth Line, you might well find, that the quality of your staff improves.
Will Light Cargo And Services Use The Elizabeth Line?
Some years ago, I had handrails fitted by a company from Sheffield. The salesman/designer came by train and walking and only for the fitting did the company use a vehicle.
It was certainly a job done well and efficiently.
I can see all sorts of goods moved into Central London, using the step-free and level features of the Elizabeth Line.
If the other Underground lines had improved step-free access, there would be more opportunities for improved services for Central London businesses.
The Hotels In The Grosvenor Square Area Now Have A Fast Comfortable Connection To The City And Canary Wharf
Since the Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf station opened in the last years of the last century, there has been a reasonably fast Underground service to between Bond Street station, various stations in the City of London and Canary Wharf station.
But the Elizabeth Line brings this link to a much higher level.
- It is faster.
- It has much more comfortable trains.
- Access to trains is step-free and with level access.
- Soon, the trains will have wi-fi and 4G signals.
- The trains connect to Heathrow Airport and with a simple change to City, Stansted and Gatwick Airports.
I suspect that hotels on the Elizabeth Line will see an increase in business.
Conclusion
The Elizabeth Line is going to change London more than anyone would think.
Bond Street station will improve the Grosvenor Square area.
What will your local Elizabeth Line station, do for your area?
Elizabeth Line Bond Street Station And South Molton Street
South Molton Street is one of my favourite streets in London.
- It runs between Bond Street station on Oxford Street in the North and Fenwick’s department store on New Bond Street in the South.
- Many times, I bought my late wife; C’s Christmas or birthday present on that street, on New Bond Street or in Fenwick.
- One of her last purchases had been an Armani suit for work on New Bond Street.
- She also usually bought her shoes in Salvatore Ferragamo at the Southern end of New Bond Street.
- I would usually travel there by taking the Central Line to Bond Street station or the Victoria or Piccadilly Line to Green Park station.
C and I spent many hours happily shopping in that small area of the West End of London.
- We used to shop together for clothes, shoes and many other things.
- One day at a party in her barristers chambers in Cambridge, one of her colleagues expressed surprise that the following day, I was going clothes shopping with her in London.
- C replied to everyone’s amusement, that I was a transvestite-by-proxy. In other words, I am a man, who likes dressing ladies in appropriate clothes.
- I am also lucky, that my mother taught me to sew and in the early years of our marriage, I used to borrow my mother-in-law’s sewing machine and make some of C’s clothes.
- When long coats became fashionable in the 1960s, C had the first of any of her friends. Because I had made it!
So today, I just had to go and see how the new Elizabeth Line Bond Street station fitted in with my favourite shopping street.
I travelled to the new Davies Street entrance of the station.
- I walked through the tunnels to the original Underground station.
- I emerged onto Oxford Street.
- I walked down South Molton Street to Fenwick, with a couple of diversions.
- I then walked through Medici Courtyard to the Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station.
Finally, I took the Elizabeth Line back to Moorgate for a bus to my house.
Note.
- There are two banks of escalators to the surface at the Davies Street entrance at Bond Street station.
- The tunnel between the Davies Street entrance at Bond Street station and the original Underground station has a seat at halfway.
- South Molton Street connects to Oxford Street.
- South Molton Passage connects the Davies Street entrance at Bond Street station and South Molton Street.
- C had her unusual wedding dress made in Haunch of Venison Yard.
- The Medici Courtyard sign also says it leads to the Elizabeth Line.
- I couldn’t find a coffee shop selling a cappuccino and a gluten-free cake in Medici Courtyard. That is poor!
One of the station staff at Hanover Square indicated, that there may be additional passages to the West of New Bond Street, that will connect to the Davies Street entrance at Bond Street station.
I feel this could make the area even better.
Moorgate Station To Bond Street Station And Return
This morning, I went between Moorgate Station and the Hanover Square entrance of Bond Street Station on the Elizabeth Line.
I then walked to the Davies Street entrance of Bond Street Station via Medici Court, Bond Street and Brook Street, and returned on the Elizabeth Line.
Note.
- The Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station, is a single bank of escalators and is only a short walk between platforms and street.
- Medici Court is a quick covered walk from the station to Bond Street. There is an upmarket coffee-shop.
- ~Brook Street can be used as a walking route between Bond and Davies Streets and on to Grosvenor Square.
- The Davies Street entrance to Bond Street station, is a double bank of escalators and is a slightly longer walk between platforms and street.
- I suspect that South Molton Street will become a walking route between the Davies Street entrance and the Southern section of Bond Street.
- Many times in the past fifty years, I’ve bought my late wife presents in South Molton and Bond Streets.
Andy Byford, London’s outgoing Transport Commissioner has called this new station is the jewel in the crown of the West End’s transport provision.
The Five Minute Walk Between Oxford Circus Station And The Hanover Square Entrance To Bond Street Station For The Lizzie Line
With Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line opening tomorrow, I thought I’d take a reconnaissance today and find out how long it takes to walk.
I took these pictures as I walked.
Note.
- I started from the South-East entrance to Oxford Circus station.
- I walked a few yards down Regent Street and took the first right into Princes Street.
- Princes Street has a few cafes and restaurants, a toilet and a Timpsons.
- I then walked straight across the Northern side of Hanover Square to the station entrance.
- I passed Harewood Place on my right, which leads directly to the London’s largest John Lewis.
If the station had been open, the walk would have taken five minutes.
Hanover Square
Hanover Square now is a London Square with its own station entrance. I suppose that Sloane Square is the only other one, but that doesn’t have the formal garden that Hanover Square does.
The Medici Courtyard
Hidden behind the station building is the Medici Courtyard, which has been created by the developers of the station entrance.
These pictures show the courtyard.
Note.
- The Medici Courtyard leads between Hanover Square and Bond Street.
- It joins Bond Street, just to the North of Fenwicks.
- It contains a high-class hotel, an upmarket coffee shop and some shops.
- There is a courtyard, where you can sit and enjoy a drink.
- There were a lot of flowers.
It is a very unique station feature, that has been designed to attract visitors and shoppers to the area.
Would A Tunnel Between Oxford Circus Station And The Hanover Square Entrance To Bond Street Station Be Possible?
Consider.
- At some point Oxford Circus station will be remodelled to provide extra capacity and full step-free access.
- In a few years time, there will be reliable statistics on how many passengers will change between Oxford Circus Station and The Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street Station.
- There will be more pedestrianisation in the area.
- I wouldn’t be surprised to find out, that the The Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street Station has provision for a possible tunnel.
I suspect various proposals will be put forward for improving the connection, if it is needed. Some will include tunnels.
From October 24th 2022, It Looks Like Bond Street And Oxford Circus Stations In London Will Share An Out Of Station Interchange!
Consider.
- Bond Street station is served by the Jubilee and Central Lines.
- Oxford Circus station is served by the Victoria, Bakerloo and Central Lines.
- On this page on Oyster Fares Central, the distance between Bond Street And Oxford Circus stations, is given as 280 metres or yards.
- On the 24th of October 2022, Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line will open with two new entrances in Davies Street and Hanover Square.
- Westminster City Council have refurbished Hanover Square to improve walking routes to and from the Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street Station.
- In Hanover Square – 9th May 2022, I show some of the wide pavements around the area.
- There is no direct interchange between the Victoria and Elizabeth Lines.
- There is no direct interchange between the Piccadilly and Elizabeth Lines.
I think it is likely, that some travellers will walk between Oxford Street station and the Hanover Street entrance at Bond Street station, to do journeys like these.
- Victoria Line stations and Elizabeth Line stations
- Piccadilly Line stations, that are North of Finsbury Park station and Elizabeth Line stations, with a cross-platform change between Piccadilly and Victoria Line trains at Finsbury Park station.
- Some travellers may prefer this interchange between Bakerloo Line stations and Elizabeth Line stations, than use the Bakerloo Line Link at Paddington.
- Some travellers arriving in Euston, King’s Cross and St. Pancras may use the Victoria Line to transfer to the Elizabeth Line.
I can see a substantial number of travellers walking between Oxford Street station and the Hanover Street entrance at Bond Street station.
I suspect Transport for London can too, as they have made Bond Street and Oxford Circus stations an out of station interchange, with a time limit of twenty minutes.
- It would be time enough to pick up a coffee on the way.
- As Tony Hancock once said, there would be time for a cough and a drag.
- There are several useful shops on the route.
It is not your normal interchange and I suspect shops will adjust their wares to the traffic.
I have a few thoughts.
Toilets
I think toilets are needed on the pedestrian route.
Interchange With The Central Line At Bond Street Station
Consider.
- From West to East the Elizabeth Line has interchanges with the Central Line at Ealing Broadway, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street and Stratford.
- Passengers for stations like Notting Hill Gate, Marble Arch, Holborn, St. Paul’s and Bank will have a large choice of new routes.
I suspect many passengers will change at Bond Street and Stratford. Stratford is an easy interchange, but how good will Bond Street be?
This visualisation shows the knitting that connects the lines at Bond Street station.
I think for a fast interchange, using the minimum amount of walking, you would need to travel in the Western end of an Elizabeth Line train if you want to change to the Central Line.
But some passengers might prefer to travel in the Eastern end of an Elizabeth Line train and use the out of station interchange to Oxford Circus station for the Central Line.
Interchange With The Jubilee Line At Bond Street Station
Consider.
- From West to East the Elizabeth Line has interchanges with the Jubilee Line at just Bond Street and Stratford.
- Passengers for stations like Green Park, Westminster, Waterloo, London Bridge and Greenwich will take the Jubilee Line.
Passengers will have to change at Bond Street or Stratford. Stratford is an easy interchange, but how good will Bond Street be?
Improving The Wood Green And Moorgate Public Transport Corridor
This morning I went for coffee with an old school friend from Minchenden Grammar School at Southgate station.
Southgate is not a bad place to meet someone.
- There are a couple of good coffee shops.
- There are plenty of buses.
- It has a couple of the better chain restaurants including a Pizza Express.
- The area also has a lot of memories for me.
It also has one of London’s most iconic Underground stations.
It may look familiar, as it regularly crops up in film and television dramas.
- One station guy told me, that the ticket barriers have been designed to be easy to remove, so filming of an historic drama is possible.
- It was used in The End Of The Affair to portray a Central London station.
- As the escalators have the same bronze fittings as Moscow, they could be used in a story set in Russia.
As the Piccadilly Line doesn’t go anywhere near my house, to get to Southgate, I take a 141 bus to and from a convenient Piccadilly Line station.
- Going North, I changed at Manor House station.
- Coming South, I changed at Turnpike Lane station.
- I could have also have changed at Wood Green station.
The journey home had four major problems.
- The bus stop at Turnpike Lane station, is a few hundred yards from the station.
- I waited fifteen minutes for a 141 bus.
- When it did arrive, it was so packed, it didn’t have space for a miniature dachshund to squeeze in between the feet of the standing passengers.
- The traffic was very heavy, so the journey was slow.
How can this bus route cope in the Peak, if it can’t cope on a Sunday morning?
Various issues and actions and will make these capacity issues worse.
The Victoria Line Has No Direct Connection With The Elizabeth Line
In my view, this was a mistake, although not that serious, as the young or energetic can probably walk between Oxford Circus and the Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line.
Will this connection develop with coffee and snack shops to ease passenger interchanges?
When and if Oxford Circus station is ever made step-free, I can imagine a tunnel, perhaps with a moving walkway being built between Oxford Circus station and he Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station.
There is also the cross-platform interchange at Highbury & Islington station with the Northern City Line that links with Moorgate and the City of London.
The Piccadilly Line Has No Direct Connection With The Elizabeth Line
To get between the Northern stations on the Piccadilly Line and the Elizabeth Line is either a double-change at Finsbury Park and Highbury & Islington stations or a ride on the 141 bus.
I wrote about these issues in Extending The Elizabeth Line – Improving The Northern City Line.
The Elizabeth Line Will Attract Travellers To Moorgate
I notice that my own travelling patterns have changed from using the Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines to using the Elizabeth Line since it opened and I suspect, when the Elizabeth Line is fully joined up, that more passengers will travel to Moorgate to access the Elizabeth Line.
Transport for London and the Mayor Are Rerouting The 21 Bus
The 21 bus duplicates the 141 bus between Newington Green and Moorgate station.
But it is being rerouted next year, which will increase the loading on the 141 bus.
The 141 Bus Used To Be The 641 Trolleybus
When I was a child, London’s trolleybus network was extensive and to get between Wood Green and Moorgate, you would have used the 641 trolleybus.
Trolleybus Ascending Jolly Butchers Hill in Wood Green
Many like me, look back on trolleybuses with affection.
Does this historical connection encourage passengers to use the 141 bus, which is the 641 trolleybus’s successor on the route?
My parents certainly had lots of trolleybus stories.
So What Could Be Done?
There are a variety of actions that could be taken to strengthen public transport between Moorgate and Wood Green stations.
Improve The 141 Bus Route
In Does London Need High Capacity Bus Routes To Extend Crossrail?, I put forward ideas for using buses to link to the Elizabeth Line.
This was my suggestion.
I suspect any route seen as an extension of Crossrail needs to have the following characteristics.
- High frequency of perhaps a bus every ten minutes.
- Interior finish on a par with the Class 345 trains.
- Wi-fi and phone charging.
I would also hope the buses were carbon-free. Given that some of these routes could be quite long, I would suspect hydrogen with its longer range could be better.
I feel that a high-quality 141 bus running every ten minutes between London Bridge station and Palmers Green, would be just what the passengers would order.
- Palmers Green bus garage is at the Northern end of the route, so could be used for refuelling or recharging.
- London Bridge station is at the Southern end of the route and was designed with an efficient bus station.
- The 141 route connects London Bridge, Bank, Moorgate and Old Street stations in the City of London.
With the right buses, this could be a route with real quality and usefulness.
Increase The Frequency On The Northern City Line
The Northern City Line may have new Class 717 trains, but it still has a pathetic frequency of eight trains per hour (tph)
- I am sure it could be increased to at least 12 tph between Moorgate and Alexandra Palace stations.
- Something like six tph would go to Welwyn Garden City, four tph to Hertford East station and two to Stevenage.
- Large areas of the Northern suburbs would get a much better connection to the Elizabeth Line.
Once the digital signalling is installed and commissioned, no new infrastructure will be needed.
I am sure, that this would be the easiest way to improve public transport in North London.
Add Step-Free Access To As Many Stations As Possible
Moorgate, Finsbury Park, Oakwood and Cockfosters are step-free with lifts.
As many stations as budgetary constraints allow, should be made step-free.
The Anonymous Widower 