Show Me The Way To Motspur Park
A few days ago, I saw on a web site, that Motspur Park station had been made step-free.
I tried to go yesterday, but I made a big mistake – I started from Moorgate station and intended to use the Waterloo and City Line to get to Waterloo station, from where I could get a direct train.
But after taking forever to walk between the Northern and Waterloo and City Line at Bank station, I arrived at Waterloo station, too late to get to Motspur Park station before dark.
Today, I looked up Transport for London’s Journey Planner and it told me to do the following.
- Walk to Newington Green Road, which is rather a long walk for my 77-year-old legs.
- Get a 341 bus to Manor House Station.
- Get a Piccadilly Line train to Finsbury Park station.
- Get a Victoria Line train to Vauxall station. This is a cross-platform interchange.
- Walk to Vauxall National Rail station.
- Get a South Western Railway train to Motspur Park station.
Note.
- Normally, I would use a variation of this route and take a 141 bus from the corner of my road to Manor House station.
- But due to road works, the 141 is not stopping near my house, so I have no easy way to get to Manor House station.
- But in some ways to start a journey to the South-West, by going North to Manor House station is a bit silly.
- This detour is caused because neither the Victoria or Piccadilly Lines have an exchange station with the Lizzie Line.
If the 141 bus were running, I’d take that to Moorgate, then take Lizzie to Bond Street and the Jubilee Line to Waterloo for a train to Motspur Park.
I would have taken this route yesterday from Moorgate, but I was advised otherwise by a station guy at Moorgate.
In the end today, I took a bus to King’s Cross and got the Victoria Line from there.
I took these pictures of the elderly Class 455 train en route.
Although at forty, it was still in good condition.
I took these pictures of the new bridge at Motspur Park station.
Note.
- The two-button lift controls. Would they be faster if single-button?
- I am surprised that solar roofs weren’t fitted as at Denmark Hill station.
- The station must be the only station in London with an island platform and three lifts. See Picture 6.
- PPicture 6 also clearly shows a ticket machine on the platform, which serves both entrances.
It certainly looks to be a comprehensive job well done.
Work Underway At Motspur Park Station In South London
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Business Daily.
These two paragraphs outline the project.
Network Rail has announced that £8.9 million is being invested in new lifts and walkways installed among other upgrades at Motspur Park station in south London.
Network Rail is working with South Western Railway and the London Borough of Merton Council to install a step free footbridge as part of the Government’s Access for All programme, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).
I visited the station this morning and took these pictures.
Note.
- When Motspur Park station was built in 1925, I must assume that there were no persons of restricted mobility.
- According to some commentators, it sounds like Network Rail and its partners are going for a complete rebuild.
- Did the Woodworm Preservation Society protest at the new design?
- Some new trains to serve the station would surely help too!
It should open in early 2024.
I shall be interested to see how the new station alters passenger numbers.
Before Crossrail 2 – Motspur Park
Motspur Park station has an island layout, with all the facilities between the two lines and it is also close to a level crossing.
The station is also the last before the Chessington Branch splits from the line to Epsom and Guildford. So it is an easy interchange if you’re going up one branch and then down the other, as this Google Map shows.
Motspur Park Station
Obviously, a new bridge with lifts could be added to this station, but I have a feeling that there might be a more imaginative design that might be better and more affordable.
The Anonymous Widower 