Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

Will they put separate "Reading South 1949-1961, Reading Southern 1961-1965", on a malachite green background on Platforms 4 to 6?

I hope not, because I think it would be misleading.  As it was a physically separate site, and none of P4-P6 are on the footprint of the former Southern Station.   I reckon the demolished station and platforms were quite a bit further away than people remember.

Perhaps they should put the label on a bus stop... 

Paul

[Marlburian]

When I took the train into Reading on Thursday I popped into the new gents at the station (opposite M & S, which is closed at the moment). Quite impressive, with proper hand basins. Those old alcove thingies were always a bit hit-and-miss when it came to getting a splash of hot (?) water, a dollop of soap and a blast of hot air.

[stuving]

Will they put separate "Reading South 1949-1961, Reading Southern 1961-1965", on a malachite green background on Platforms 4 to 6?

I hope not, because I think it would be misleading.  As it was a physically separate site, and none of P4-P6 are on the footprint of the former Southern Station.   I reckon the demolished station and platforms were quite a bit further away than people remember.

Perhaps they should put the label on a bus stop... 

Paul

Obviously that depends on what you think ... but it was pretty much where Brunel Plaza is. Before platforms 4a and 4b were built there was room for a couple of sidings, then Reading Southern, then a couple more sidings and an embankment down to Blagrave Road (now Forbury Road). The station had to be at about the same height as now, since the bridge over Vastern Road could hardly be much lower than today's.

Reading Museum has quite a few pictures; obviously what you get depends on what you search for, somewhat arbitrarily. This example is relevant, and does come up in a search for "Reading Southern", but there are more that don't. Plus there are views in disused-stations, and on readingpast.

[BBM]

The National Library of Scotland's Online Map Collection includes an Ordnance Survey 6" to the mile map of Reading revised in 1938 and published in 1947 at this link:

https://maps.nls.uk/view/97792042

The map mostly covers the south and east of the town but it's possible to zoon in towards the top left-hand corner and clearly see the location of the former Southern station.

[Oxonhutch]

This link from the same NLS^▸ (Nailsea & Backwell station) site is georeferenced with today's buildings and road layouts. Simply drag the 'Change Transparency of Overlay' button left or right.

[Marlburian]

"Reading station car park could 'collapse' because of small crop of potatoes."

Network Rail certainly has a point about the buddleia . I've noticed quite a few growing of retaining walls on cuttings, bridges etc.