Reading Green Park

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

By way of contrast, I have recently saw one of Jago Hazzard's wonderful You Tube videos on Arnos Grove station - from drawing board to open for use in less than 6 months in the 1930s. Apparently it was not quite finished when it did.

It can still be done.  Workington North was far quicker than that! 

[Marlburian]

I had to visit Green Park today and lamented that the station had yet to open, so I travelled by bus. Just as well, because steady rain started as I was about to leave at the end of my appointment.  I scurried the 130 metres to the bus shelter, getting there just as the rain became a downpour, but still with wet legs. I was some 15 minutes' walk from the station so would have got drenched.

Earlier I'd walked to the station in pleasant, warm sunshine.

[stuving]

Rumour has it that opening day will be announced on Monday as Saturday 27th May.

[stuving]

Rumour has it that opening day will be announced on Monday as Saturday 27th May.

Confirmation from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway):

Reading Green Park station opening date confirmed

Becoming the first new station in Reading in over 100 years, Reading Green Park Station is set to open on Saturday 27 May 2023.

Reading Green Park Station – the first station to open in Reading since Reading West in July 1906 and the first of three new Great Western Railway (GWR) stations opening this year along with Portway Park & Ride in Bristol and Marsh Barton in Exeter.

It will provide improved sustainable travel options for local residents and businesses in the Green Park area, as well as fans attending events at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, home of Reading Football Club.

The station, built by Reading Borough Council, Network Rail and GWR, features:

    Two 150m platforms;
    A new fully accessible station building;
    A fully accessible overbridge, providing access to both platforms, via stairs and lifts;
    A bus interchange, taxi rank and cycle parking facilities;
    Two car parks, including 12 blue badge spaces and drop-off parking and long-stay parking for commuters.

The station sits on the Reading to Basingstoke line, with half-hourly services running north to Reading and south to Basingstoke through the day.

The delivery of the station has been made possible by the Council leading alongside the rail industry to secure the approvals, funding and planning permission for the station, as well as managing the construction of the station.

Readers can take a virtual tour of the new facilities here: https://youtu.be/HhaHbppRHT8  and view aerial footage of the entire site here: https://youtu.be/e-33IcK8_2g

[continues, Pollyannaishly.]

[stuving]

Readers can take a virtual tour of the new facilities here: https://youtu.be/HhaHbppRHT8  and view aerial footage of the entire site here: https://youtu.be/e-33IcK8_2g

Looking at that tour, a couple of reactions:

• Big, innit?
• I see the branding message about Rail Alphabet 2 has got through for the station signage but not the name boards, which look like Glypha. Presumably they were provided by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), as they have their logo on - perhaps they were bought years ago, for an earlier opening date?

[Witham Bobby]

Am I missing something? Or, won't those fences make boarding and alighting a bit difficult?

[Mark A]

Possibly known in the trade as 'Ascot fences'. Reference to the single-facing of platform 1 rather than racecourse jumps.

Mark

[stuving]

Am I missing something? Or, won't those fences make boarding and alighting a bit difficult?

Yes, up to 26th May. Until then they are needed to stop video camera operators falling onto the track.

[Mark A]

It's annoying, the (temporary) Green Park fences are more attractive than the permanent installation at Ascot's former platform edge.

Mark

[stuving]

It's annoying, the (temporary) Green Park fences are more attractive than the permanent installation at Ascot's former platform edge.

Mark

They were able to build the attachments into the platforms from the start, which I'm sure helps. Justified no doubt by the knowledge the station would hang around mostly built but unopened for ages.

[stuving]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) today:

Reading's new Green Park Station to receive first passengers


Image source, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)

A new £20m railway station will welcome its first guests later before it formally opens this weekend.

Reading Green Park station, south-west of the Berkshire town, is close to sites being developed for businesses and more than 1,100 new homes.

It will be served by half-hourly trains between Reading and Basingstoke in Hampshire.

Local politicians and rail bosses will view the station before it opens to the public on Saturday.

The facility, built by Reading Borough Council, Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR), was originally due to open in 2020.

Councillor Tony Page, in charge of transport for the borough, said it would be an option for football fans heading to the Reading FC^‡(resolve) stadium.

Joanna Grew, a Network Rail director, said the station would also reduce traffic on the A33.

It is the town's first new railway station since the opening of Reading West in 1906.

We never did find out why the approval to use two safety markings, one tactile and one visible, has led to three of them, did we?

[BBM]

Modern Railways has just tweeted a photo from the opening event:
https://twitter.com/Modern_Railways/status/1661662652454559744

[The Tall Controller]

The tactile paving closest to the edge of the platform is standard edging warning slabs. The grooved tactile paving in the middle of the platform acts as a 'guided walkway' for those using white canes. The grooves rotate 90 degrees at turning points. I believe this is to be standard at all new stations

[paul7575]

The tactile paving closest to the edge of the platform is standard edging warning slabs. The grooved tactile paving in the middle of the platform acts as a 'guided walkway' for those using white canes. The grooves rotate 90 degrees at turning points. I believe this is to be standard at all new stations

As I understand it Marsh Barton also has the way finding tactiles leading on or off the platform.

So has Portway (park & ride), I just noticed it in the recent photo quiz thread.

Paul

[ChrisB]

Pain in the arse when using a wheelchair.....no one's thought of those!