Whitechapel Station – 29th July 2015
They have been busy at Whitechapel station over the long weekend.
There’s even a bridge going across the Overground tracks at a high level.
Whitechapel Station – 27th July 2015
Last Friday I took several pictures at Whitechapel station. They included this one looking down into the Overground station from the bridge between the two Metropolitan/District line platforms.
I titled it You Don’t See Much Looking Down, which as you’re looking through wired glass at an angle is true. Today, I took this picture from the same place.
If you look up, you’ll see steelwork erected behind the retaining wall of the station. All hopefuly will be revealed on Wednesday morning.
Whilst at the station, I took a few pictures from the Westbound Metropolitan/District line platform.
It’s almost as the builders of the station are teasingly revealing their new creation, in an elaborate striptease.
An Innovative Use Of The School Holidays
In trying to find out what was going on at Whitechapel station because of Crossrail this weekend, I found this document entitled Crane and site related activity in Swanlea School on the Whitechapel Current Works page of the Crossrail web site. he document says this.
We will position a small crane at the western end of Swanlea Schools grounds and use the crane to lift material over the school perimeter wall and in to the Crossrail Essex Wharf, Durward Street site. Delivery vehicles will access Swanlea School between 08:00 and 22:00 on Mondays to Sundays during this time. In addition to this, the Crossrail site boundary area will extend into Swanlea School grounds during the school holiday period. We will use the area to carry out preparatory work including the creation of wooden frames for future concrete pours and steel reinforcement pre-fabrication.
This Google Map image shows the relationship between Swanlea School and the Whitechapel station site.
Swanlea School And Whitechapel Station
I would assume that Crossrail are paying an appropriate fee for the disruption to the school grounds.
Whitechapel station is a very congested site in a busy area of East London and Crossrail seem to have used every trick in the book, to avoid unnecessary pain and disruption to residents, visitors and passengers.
There are a lot of people worried about what will happen, if Crossrail 2 gets built through their area. They should take a trip to Whitechapel and have a look round to see how intricate heavy construction work should be done.
Whitechapel Station – 24th July 2015
I did think about calling this post either Fun With Meccano or Wetchapel Station – 24th July 2015.
The pictures show upright steel beams pointing slightly outwards fixed to the top of the main cross-beams. Are these going to be part of the supports shown in this image from the Whitechapel station page on the Crossrail web site?
Whitechapel Station Walkway
The image taken from the same page of Crossrail’s web site, shows a cross-section through the Overground station.
Whitechapel Overground Station Cross Section
Note that there seems to be two further walkways at the top of the station.
A third image is worth looking at, as it shows the walkway from the Overground platforms.
Overground Platforms At Whitechapel Station
You can pick out, quite a few features, like the cross beams, that you can see in reality in the station.
As the Overground station at Whitechapel is closed all weekend, it will be interesting to return on Monday to see what other pieces have been added to the three-dimensional jigsaw, whilst the passengers are safely out of the way.
Whitechapel Station – 20th July 2015
I hadn’t intended to go to Whitechapel station, but I did this morning and got a very pleasant surprise.
As the picture gallery shows, what I thought were bearing plates undoubtedly are!
Whitechapel Station – 13th July 2015
A week ago, it looked like they were preparing to create the concrete retaining walls.
These pictures show the progress.
Whitechapel station seems to be coming on fast.
Note the following in the pictures.
1. The concourse between the two platforms of the District and Metropolitan Lines, which currently hosts a couple of cranes is starting to show its large size. I think that the escalators to the Crossrail platforms will be in the middle.
2. The emergency stairs from the Crossrail platforms.
3. It would appear there are bearing plates in the concrete retaining walls to perhaps support the walkway over the London Overground lines.
The next line closure through Whitechapel would appear to be on the 25th and 26th of July according to this Underground Planned Works Calendar. So take a look in the week of Monday the 27th of July. According to this list of Underground and Overground track closures, it looks like a busy weekend.
It’s fascinating being able to walk through a station being rebuilt around you.
Whitechapel Station – 6th July 2015
Whitechapel station always offers photo opportunities.
It would appear that they will be creating the retaining walls on the Overground platforms soon.
Whitechapel Station Is Emerging
As I came through Whitechapel station, I took these pictures.
In the next phase of the development the following will happen.
1. The current entrance in the front of the station will be closed for reconstruction and temporary access will be from the rear in Durward Street.
2. The two Metropolitan/District Line platforms will become one with a platform face down each side and it looks like this is happening now. Later escalators will appear in the middle to take passengers up and down to Crossrail.
3. The Overground platforms will be generally accessed from the other end fom the new footbridge.
It also looks like they are in need of a gang or two of high-class brickies.
The New Stairs at Whitechapel Station
In a few weeks time, the main entrance at Whitechapel station will be closed and all entry will be from Durward Street at the other end of the East London Line platforms. At present there is just an Emergency Exit there. These pictures show the current stairs and the half-assembled new ones.
It looks like the stairs will lead up to the walkway, which goes across the line.
A Heavy Delivery
I was behind Whitechapel station this morning and this steel beam was delivered.
This Google Earth image shows the small area in which the builders have to work.
Whitechapel Crossrail Site
The site is accessed down Durward Street, which is in shadow above the buildings.
To actually get the large artic down Durward Street, necessitated poking under the entrance to Sainsburys, which is to the right. I assume the truck was parked for the lift over the Overground line.
It was all a very professional delivery and unloading.
The Anonymous Widower 