Paddington Station - wow factor

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

   Good one, BNM!

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

ODM = Outdoor Machinery.  Doesn't everyone know that?

[Brucey]

ODM = Outdoor Machinery.  Doesn't everyone know that?

No, I didn't!

[JayMac]

Neither did I. Wouldn't have asked otherwise! 

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Sorry, it was my attempt at ironic humour.  "ODM" was a commonly used abbrevaition with the old CH&EE (Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer) organisations which of course disappeared with British Railways in 1996.  So unless you had worked in the CM&EE or wanted a lift, battery tractor etc fixed prior to 1996 you wouldn't ever have heard of ODM.  So I would have expected very few FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Coffee Shop users to know what ODM stood for - hence my comment - gettit?

Perhaps I should stick to toilet humour like BNM!!

[Electric train]

ODM?

Was there once a branch of Kenya's Orange Democratic Movement at Paddington? 

ODM = Outdoor Machinery.  Doesn't everyone know that?

Sorry, it was my attempt at ironic humour.  "ODM" was a commonly used abbrevaition with the old CH&EE (Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer) organisations which of course disappeared with British Railways in 1996.  So unless you had worked in the CM&EE or wanted a lift, battery tractor etc fixed prior to 1996 you wouldn't ever have heard of ODM.  So I would have expected very few FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Coffee Shop users to know what ODM stood for - hence my comment - gettit?

Perhaps I should stick to toilet humour like BNM!!

Quite correct there were ODM's all over the country, we did look after (some people disputed this  ) lifts, cranes, trucks, boilers, station, depots & offices lighting, standby generator sets for signaling, high voltage networks at large stations and depots .............

Some used to say when we turned up to "maintain" something Oh Dear Me 
A lot of varied work not only maintaining the above and more but also electrical installation

[Surrey 455]

I saw the escalators and new barriers on Friday. I had no idea that the hoardings were hiding this. I assumed it was some sort of store room for construction materials.

I don't quite see how you access the taxi rank from the concourse unless you go through the ticket barriers on Platform 11 then exit through the barriers on platform 12. Or do you use the footbridge?

Incidentally I'm not sure if the search function is working properly. I couldn't remember where to find this thread so searched for "platform 12". Lots of results which appear to be in date order but this thread was not one of them. It might be now because of the quotes in my reply though.

[Chris from Nailsea]

The 'search' function on the forum does work, but it's board specific: if you want to search the whole forum, you need to be in the home page to start - otherwise, it will only search the particular board you're reading at the time.

Hope this helps. C. 

[paul7575]

I saw the escalators and new barriers on Friday. I had no idea that the hoardings were hiding this. I assumed it was some sort of store room for construction materials.

I don't quite see how you access the taxi rank from the concourse unless you go through the ticket barriers on Platform 11 then exit through the barriers on platform 12. Or do you use the footbridge?

I think the plans for the area have the existing barriers repositioned further from the adjacent coffee shop, they'll only be the route to platform 11.  There'll be some sort of 'glass fence' separating the area at the foot of the escalators from the platform 12 paid area, and the platform 12 gateline will be further along that platform.

...I've found the planning application drawing now:

http://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/files/FAB9C43FECEBBB75D84285B3BFE679F9/pdf/10_06129_XRPS-PROPOSED_SITE_PLAN-1959097.pdf

I've attached a 'snipped section' of the planning drawing, in case that link doesn't work forever:

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

There'll be some sort of 'glass fence' separating the area at the foot of the escalators from the platform 12 paid area, and the platform 12 gateline will be further along that platform.

In the meantime there's free access to platform 12 as no barrier is yet in place.  Until that, the new platform 12 gateline is currently useless!

The whole area has now been opened up nicely though and looks great.  Although a longer walk for most passengers wanting a taxi, the new rank is more spacious than the old one and seemed to be working reasonably well when I took a quick look today - though I'm not sure how traffic will flow on the busy Bishop's Bridge Road now that both arriving and departing taxis have to use it.

Here's some pictures:

PLATFORM 12:  VIEW OF ESCALATORS & STEPS






PLATFORM 12:  VIEW OF GATELINE & LIFTS




NEW TAXI PICK-UP POINT:

[grahame]

- though I'm not sure how traffic will flow on the busy Bishop's Bridge Road now that both arriving and departing taxis have to use it.

What's the capacity of the lifts, though?   One of the great things about the old arrangement was the ability to walk on the level from an arriving train to a taxi with very heavy wheeled bags.   Will it cope with a long distance express coming in on a Sunday afternoon - you know the sort of thing where it was hard to even squeeze on at Chippenham, and baggage is overflowing the racks and the staff locker in coach A, and everyone makes for the rank?

[IndustryInsider]

I'll take a proper look when I get chance, though as a glance this morning there were two of them and both looked quite large.

[paul7575]

I think many people with wheeled cases will just use the escalators.  Seems to be the normal practice at Reading anyway...

They'll probably be what is described as 16 person lifts - but I don't think that necessarily includes modern luggage...   

Paul

[JayMac]

They'll probably be what is described as 16 person lifts - but I don't think that necessarily includes modern luggage...   

Or even possibly, just 16 'modern' persons. What with ever expanding waistlines.... 

[Electric train]

I saw the escalators and new barriers on Friday. I had no idea that the hoardings were hiding this. I assumed it was some sort of store room for construction materials.

I don't quite see how you access the taxi rank from the concourse unless you go through the ticket barriers on Platform 11 then exit through the barriers on platform 12. Or do you use the footbridge?

I think the plans for the area have the existing barriers repositioned further from the adjacent coffee shop, they'll only be the route to platform 11.  There'll be some sort of 'glass fence' separating the area at the foot of the escalators from the platform 12 paid area, and the platform 12 gateline will be further along that platform.

...I've found the planning application drawing now:

http://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/files/FAB9C43FECEBBB75D84285B3BFE679F9/pdf/10_06129_XRPS-PROPOSED_SITE_PLAN-1959097.pdf

I've attached a 'snipped section' of the planning drawing, in case that link doesn't work forever:

Paul

This will wee wee off anyone in a rush wanting to get on a Greenford from the concourse

- though I'm not sure how traffic will flow on the busy Bishop's Bridge Road now that both arriving and departing taxis have to use it.

I believe there is a ramp being (re)built from BBR to the Taxi rank it goes over the top of the H & C North ticket hall ............. all full circle really so Taxi's