Blackfriars closure

TfL annonced yesterday that Blackfriars station is going to close from march 2009 for two years until 2011. The main reason is they are basically rebuilding the station to go from a capacity of 4,500 to 12,000 an hour. This is a huge shift and requires a major rebuild as part of the Thameslink programme. The cost of all this rebuilding is £350m (small figures for a £5.5bn uprade of Thameslink and connecting parts). As part of this the Tube platforms on the Circle and District Lines will be close as work goes on. When it reopens in 2011 the station will be fully step free, bigger ticket hall and refurished platforms. The main line station is also getting a new entrance on the South Bank.

One thing that got me is the Evening Standard. They complain about the closure then go on to say they have been campaigning about "chronic overcrowding". How the hell can they safely rebuild without closing it especially as they are removing the eight story building above?

Well hopefully we can all enjoy the new station in a few years. One thinkg tho are they really planning on running Thameslink in 2011 with slam door Connex branded trains?

Tube News

DSCF2417
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

I recently got my hands on a pack from London Underground talking about upgrading the Tube.

Couple of things stuck out incuding new Tube stocks. After the Victoria starts getting the 09TS from next year (Jan) and the Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, Circle and District with the S stock from 2010-18. The new Piccadilly line stock is due to be fully running by 2014 meaning that the new trains will work with the new signalling. This will be the same technology that they are having issues installing on the Jubilee (then Northern). This will mean that in six years time the Piccadilly will have a 25% increase in capacity and 19% reduction in travelling times. The stock is already being rumoured to be called the 13TS. The Bakerloo on the other hand is just getting new trains around 2020 according to the leaflet tho word is that the new stock will be called the 18TS. This will help shorten jounery times by 2 minutes and capacity increase of 40% in the peak. What will be interesting will be will Bakerloo be going to Watford Junction at this point or not?

There is more on step free with 17 stations to made step free in the next two years.

*Acton Town
*Amersham
*Edgware
*Golders Green
*Greenford
*Hainault
*High Barnet
*Kingsbury
*Kings Cross St. Pancras (Northern, Piccadilly & Victoria lines)
*Ladbroke Grove
*Newbury Park
*Osterley
*Pinner
*Roding Valley
*Southfields
*West Kensington
*Wood Lane (Even tho its a new build so doesn't count)

Archway is due to have two 16 passenger lift by 2012. Finsbury Park is having more work including step free access by 2013. Green Park is getting step free and ventilation improvements by 2012. LU is going to work with Westminster City Council and the Royal Parks for street level improvements.

As for the Olympics the following works are going to be put in place

*£10.5m for West Ham District line platforms to cope with the crowds. The ODA is paying for this and its estimated that 13% of the total Olympic Park traffic will go to West Ham (17% if rail traffic for the games).

*As for Stratford, major works are now in hand inculding the new taxi is almost finished with the exception of removing the lampost from what is going to be the road surface. Inside parts of the station are now horded off to enable subway extension works. The new central Line platform seems to have been left for awhile now but there is the beginings of the the foundations now for all to see.

Crossrail Update

Here's an update from Crossrail confirming what I had already guessed. West Ham reversing siding is to be used to replace Whitechapel as a reversing station.

Here is the email confirming this

Thank you for your enquiry dated 27th July 2008 to the Crossrail Helpdesk.

In regards to your enquiry concerning West Ham please find a response below.

Purpose of the West Ham Reversing Sidings

The Crossrail ticket hall is to be built above the District Line and Hammersmith & City Line (H/C) platforms. The construction of an interchange to serve Crossrail, the District and H/C lines as well as the East London line will require the District and H/C track layout to be simplified to just two through tracks. This is to create sufficient space to widen platforms to accommodate new entrance and interchange stairs and escalators. Before this can be achieved, alternative train reversing facilities for the District and H/C line need to be constructed, London Underground have identified that this can be achieved within existing railway land on the District and H/C lines between West ham and Plaistow Stations, this will allow trains to reverse in both directions.

This really means that Whitechapel station in a few years isn't going to look anything like what we are used to now. The fact is Whitechapel will end up a closed in station on four levels (booking hall, District/Hammersmith & City Line, East London Railway (Overground) and finally Crossrail). I'm also guessing the tracks will change on the eastern side to enable easier access to the southbound Overground platforms with longer platformed access over the tracks. One thing tho is that using a siding to reverse will create a longer turn around with LU's tipping out procudres. This means the train has to be checked as empty at West Ham before it can go into the siding, driver change ends and come back into the west bound platform. Currently at Whitechapel the train pulls into the platform and the driver changes ends. Simple, especially if there is service problems. Well my view anyway.

Crossrail Update

I recently got to go to the Tottenham Court Road upgrade exhibition and found a lot of new information while talking to the Crossrail people there.

With Whitechapel under going major rebuilding the middle tracks are going to be lifted and the two island platforms made into one big one with escalators (although seems it might two side platforms with the trains running on the middle on the Crossrail document). This means that London Underground will no longer be able to reverse trains here. Currently the Hammersmith & City line trains from the west terimate here off peak and trains headed east terimate here when there engineering work on either side of the Circle. With this loss Crossrail is going to be creating a new reversing siding between West Ham and Plaistow. This will mean passengers get to use the Jubilee, DLR and c2c services creating better alternate routes.

The second change to the proposal is the change at Heathrow. It was talked about last year with Crossrail taking over Heathrow Express (HEX) services to and from the airport to Paddington. What it now seems is these talks failed and Crossrail will take over the Heathrow Connect services in and out of Terminal 4. This leaves Terminal 5 with HEx (and maybe Airtrack) express service to Paddington where BAA will get the most money.

It also seems Clapton station (yes its some distance from Crossrail) will be used as the testing ground for Crossrail. No word on what that actually mean yet.

The new Crossrail Briefing they gave out dated July 2008 is a basic leaflet explaining Crossrail. What I noticed is the Network SouthEast logo on the clock. They logo just keeps going.

More updates soon.

Tower Gateway closes

Tower Gateway (DLR)
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

As of last week the orignal city termius of the DLR closed for rebuilding as part of the three car project. I got to go and take some picture of the station before they closed it. ads you can see from this picture there is an island platform with two tracks either side. From next year it will be the other way around with a platofrom either side of a single track. This way there will be a departure and arrivals helping keep passanger flows seperate as this is only a small station.

For more images of the station go here

London Overground Works

It been reported in the Construction News (12th June issue) some information over the final stages of phase one of the East London Railway (the old East London Tube Line). The £6.5m Dalston Curve job is up fro grabs for firms with dedicated tracks as well all know. What's new from the article is they plan to put tracks from the Whitechapel to Cannonbury, Highbury & Islington, but keep them going to have reversing platforms at Camden Road. I think this is a mistake as there is no mention of Caledonian Road & Barnsbury. so does this mean services from south of Whitechapel are going to be extended to Caledonian Road & Barnsbury or is the plan to run empty to there from Highbury? I think is another mini extension of the Overground that TfL isn't talking about. The south end at Croydon is going past the published terminus of East Croydon, with two services terminating there an hour with a further two terminating new platforms at South Croydon. More on that when I find out.

Also mentioned is the £100m four tracking of the North London Line from Stratford to Gospel Oak. Now this is interesting as they mention the line is at capacity now on the 11 station section and works include platform lengthening and loops. Funded by DfT, the idea is to run longer trains, which is likely to be the 4 car Electrostars already ordered by TfL. This mean that freight as well as Overground trains will be running on the line. I have a feeling this will also tie into the mega Thames Port development at Thurrock providing a decent rail link for cargo. Just where it will go after Gospel Oak is questionable though.

LUL has also to do some further work on the four more station though which ones aren't mentioned. Basically the work is on CCTV and basic structure work to bring it up to the standards expected by a London Underground stations, good news for the regular user of the line!

Tube Alternations 6th June 2008

Tube Map Alternations 6th June 2008
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

The picture on the side shows the level of problems that commuters faced this morning and still are facing today. The discovery of an unexploded bomb on monday caused service suspension of District, Hammersmith & City and c2c mainline services. Then yesterday during work to disarm the bomb it seem the bomb started ticking and oozing liquid. Not a good sign. The Army then requested the shut down of the local transport link within the damage range of this device. At the moment there is no expected re-opening other than 10am this morning so it could go on for awhile.

West Ham must be having its quietist day seen the opening of the JLE with only the two Jubilee line platforms out of the 8 platforms the station has.

The c2c services have been diverted at Barking onto the Goblin line for the link to Stratford and then onwards towards Liverpool Street. This is of course causing some minor issues for the normal services in and out of Liverpool Street with the extra services.

The Hammersmith & City is completely suspended at Whitechapel. The District does managed to go as far as Bromley-By-Bow. The main eastern end is Barking to Upminster. There is a limited Plaistow to Barking service but this is due to lack of reversible places as Plaistow is set up to reverse trains back towards Central London and only big enough for a C stock train.

More updates when I hear more.

Bridge GE19

London Overground logo
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

Yesterday doing something completely unrelated I was told a reason for the problems with the GE19 last week. It seems that it wasn't in its final resting place when the vibrations from plant (heavy machines used to build with) and trains have cause the bridge to slip and therefore create the events we saw last week.

So it seems that there has been a clear failing of the contractor at this point (I'm not sure which one has the responsibility for GE19) to not secure the bridge correctly and failure to plan for something that is expected (i.e. vibrations from a busy area).

Hopefully they can put this behind them and get on with building the ELR which before now was making great progress. I'm sure TfL and NR are working to check all the bridges now before they can work on them again. As for the cost, someone has mentioned a figure (£16M, a big mistake if its true) but who knows?

Stratford International DLR Extension update

West Ham (DLR)
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

Small update here on the new DLR extension. I have some images of work in my flickr, click here to go to the folder.

West Ham -

The paving stones of the platform edge have been removed as have the track going through the station area. The track is still down north and south of the station.

Canning Town -

Paving stones here have been removed along with the track as well. The reversing track south of the station has been removed although it might be something to do with the 3 car project.

Circle Line Party

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Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

Seems what could have been a way for people to get to know each other in friendly sprit has been wrecked by the idiots again. What's worse is that several Underground workers have been hurt which is never acceptable.

Seems the run up to the party the local free rags decided to announce the party including one well know paper running it a a headline. Bet that didn't help.

Hopefully now the booze ban will help keep the staff across the transport network safer as most sensible people leave the booze at home and enjoy their nights out. Well we can live in hope.