London Waterloo - station, services, facilities, incidents - and some quirks / odd facts (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

Yes, it was Paul Bigland's tweets that alerted me.

There are some photos of the 458/5s in his photo set too

[Brucey]

Regular use of this platform is much needed.  There is often a queue for platforms during the peaks (mainly built into the timetable, so journey times may reduce).

The design of Waterloo's tracks also means that one simple problem can put four platforms out of use immediately and over half the station whilst it is being repaired.

[stuving]

Network Rail and SWT^▸ (South West Trains) have officially announced the start and schedule for the planned work to increase capacity at Waterloo. They have headlined it as costing ^800 million, which sounds a lot for stretching platforms 1-4 a bit and reopening 21-24. I'm sure they are counting the Class 707 order in that, and probably other things too. I'm also a bit puzzled why it would take nearly two years (ending December 2018) to make Waterloo International operation again, unless they are going to do a lot to the track.

The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)'s report in this case confuses things somewhat - I can't see platforms 1-4 serving Reading! But NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s statement, as well as SWT News, are a bit more factual:

• Rebuild the former Waterloo International Terminal, allowing platforms 20-24 to be brought back into use with modern facilities, new track and signalling and a layout suitable for thousands of domestic passengers.
  
• Extend platforms 1-4 to allow longer ten-car trains to run to London suburban stations. This work will take place during August 2017 and requires significant changes to the usual passenger timetable.
  
• Create a spacious, modern and accessible station concourse near platforms 20-24.

There should be a DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) announcement too, but I can't see one (apart from a similar sounding one about new platforms and trains from 2011!)

[Electric train]

Network Rail and SWT^▸ (South West Trains) have officially announced the start and schedule for the planned work to increase capacity at Waterloo. They have headlined it as costing ^800 million, which sounds a lot for stretching platforms 1-4 a bit and reopening 21-24. I'm sure they are counting the Class 707 order in that, and probably other things too. I'm also a bit puzzled why it would take nearly two years (ending December 2018) to make Waterloo International operation again, unless they are going to do a lot to the track.

There is a lot of trackwork required to make the former International platforms work for domestic services; the International platforms were designed for I think 8 tph (4 in and 4 out) and have very limited connections to the domestic network.  There is also quite a bit of structural work to alter the old International station internal layout.

This announcement may also include the re-signalling already going on in the Waterloo area an perhaps the forthcoming Feltham re-signalling.

Its about time the owner of the International station (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) got their fingers out, if it had been anyone else leaving a major asset like that used in such a key transport hub there would have been questions in the House and much feet holding to flames in Select Committees.

[IndustryInsider]

I heard this is causing problems for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) as a planned diversion into Waterloo might not be able to happen.  Last I heard was a rumour they were investigating the possibility of HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s into Victoria!

[Timmer]

I heard this is causing problems for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) as a planned diversion into Waterloo might not be able to happen.  Last I heard was a rumour they were investigating the possibility of HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s into Victoria!

Interesting. Here's a challenge for someone, has an HST ever visited Victoria before?

[paul7575]

The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)'s report in this case confuses things somewhat - I can't see platforms 1-4 serving Reading! But NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s statement...

I think the main NR article has been updated since yesterday.   It previously included a link to an earlier article that included a timeline for the works, but this timeline seems to now be included.   

The timeline actually first surfaced in January, and showed that they have separated the platform work for the international platforms to allow temporary use next summer to work on P1-P8, but they will then re-close the international side for its new concourse and retail work to be finished:  http://www.networkrail.co.uk/wcip/   That earlier piece also does include a false statement that P1-P8 would close for a period in August 2017 to allow for 10 car trains to run to Windsor and Reading.   

The current misleading info seems to be that the work will allow 10 car trains to run on the main suburban side for the 'first time', yet they already run in small numbers into higher numbered platforms, i.e. other than the short P1-P4.

Paul

[stuving]

From the Architects' Journal:

Council approves plans to convert Grimshaw's former Eurostar terminal into shops
2 November, 2016 By Colin Marrs

Corstorphine + Wright has won permission to transform part of the former Eurostar terminal at Waterloo into shops, restaurants, cafés and bars – after Historic England declined to consider the Grimshaw structure for listing

London Borough of Lambeth’s planning committee last night (1 November) gave the thumbs-up to the new scheme to overhaul the former international departures and arrivals lounges, creating 12,444m² of new facilities.

Work has already started on revamping the five platforms within the disused station - the landmark building with its lattice-work arches which sits above the proposed shopping and leisure complex - to increase the number of domestic train services into Waterloo.

In May the 20th Century Society applied for the entire structure to be Grade II listed, but this option has been rejected by Historic England.
...

[paul7575]

I don't see any architectural merit at all in the concrete box structures that exist below platform level.

The problem for me (with a range of similar articles over the years) is that they often don't adequately explain which area of the station they are going on about.   I wish they'd emphasise more that they are at the outside (York Rd) street level, and one floor above, and won't really be seen from the station concourse.

Paul

[Surrey 455]

A leaflet from Network Rail and SWT^▸ (South West Trains) I was given a few weeks ago states that fewer trains will run into Waterloo between 5th to 28th August 2017 because platforms 1-9 will be closed so they can extend platforms 1-4 . These platforms are used for routes via Wimbledon.

Detailed information will be published later about how routes and stations are going to be affected.

[bobm]

A lot of disruption on SWT^▸ (South West Trains) services after two people hit by trains in separate incidents at New Malden and Woking.

Warnings of delays up to two hours until the end of service.

[ChrisB]

Kingston Loop & Haslemere services withdrawn for the day

[Surrey 455]

I've been away for 2 weeks and when I got back to work yesterday I noticed that Phil Sayers announcements had been replaced by a new female voice. It wasn't Celia and it wasn't the voice at Paddington and others. I haven't heard that voice before. Don't yet know if it's being used at other SWT^▸ (South West Trains) stations.

I presume the new voice has been commissioned because of the change of franchise coming up and that the name of the new franchise operator has already recorded. As Phil passed away last year it would not have been possible to announce the new name using the existing recordings.

[stuving]

It was announced at the beginning of July that platform 10 will be closed as well as 1-9. Supposedly this is to make sure the work can be finished in the time allowed. So, whatever you had been expecting, expect worse!

[paul7575]

It was announced at the beginning of July that platform 10 will be closed as well as 1-9. Supposedly this is to make sure the work can be finished in the time allowed. So, whatever you had been expecting, expect worse!

I think it's because the track layout (S&C^▸ (Settle and Carlisle )) changes in the throat extend much further out than originally expected. So preventing trains reaching P10. This might be an indication that certain works that should have been completed in advance were not done when planned.  As well as the obvious lengthening of P1-4, P5-6 are being shortened, and the nose of P7-8 is being realigned.

It's surprising there's not yet been detailed 'before and after' track plans in the rail mags, it's been known that the former international platforms and approaches were finished some months back, test running started a few weeks ago.

Another news item is that for the last (short Tue-Fri) working week of August, while London Bridge area is closed, Southeastern are running a 2 tph Ramsgate service into P21/22.

Paul