Paddington Station - wow factor

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

The ramp (through the H&C station) must be complete - the new taxi rank would be completely inaccessible otherwise...

Paul

[mjones]

Something I'm not quite clear on- the new escalators provide access to the Hammersmith and City platforms as well, but I can't make out what the route will be to them, and whether this will help reduce the pedestrian congestion on the way to those platforms.

[Electric train]

Something I'm not quite clear on- the new escalators provide access to the Hammersmith and City platforms as well, but I can't make out what the route will be to them, and whether this will help reduce the pedestrian congestion on the way to those platforms.

Not yet, access to 15/16 is still across the old bridge with the access to 10/11 and 13/14

[paul7575]

The paved area of the new taxi deck extends all the way along to what will eventually be the foyer of the H&C station, with steps leading up (under the taxi ramp)  to the canal side entrance.  It isn't the only route to the H&C station though - the existing pedestrian bridge from the top of the ramp between P8 and P9 will also lead to the H&C station, providing a route through the centre of the station, ie under span 3.  

The existing footbridge leading to the H&C platforms will change to being a paid area giving access to NR^» (Network Rail - home page) platforms only, and it will also give access to the H&C 'foyer'.   So to get from say P14 to P15 you'll go through two barrier lines.  (This separates the LU paid area from the main station - which inter alia closes an easy entry into LU for those who don't like paying.)  

I'll attach an extract from the design and access statement which should allow you to get your bearings:

Paul

[mjones]

Thanks, that's very helpful. I'll have a nose round next time I'm passing through.

[chineseJohn]

This morning while changing trains at Reading there was a notice on one of the monitors regarding a new gateline coming in on Friday 9 march, any ideas? I've not seen any obvious work going on.

[EBrown]

A new gateline at Paddington? Only one way to find out... I'll ask Jo on Twitter...

[EBrown]

Jo, with lightning speed replied:

There's a new gateline on Platform 12. That's probably what it meant.

I do now have a picture from Jo too (the gates look all new and shiny), I'm just waiting or permission to post it.

[EBrown]

New Gates

New Escalators

[chineseJohn]

Jo, with lightning speed replied:

There's a new gateline on Platform 12. That's probably what it meant.

I do now have a picture from Jo too (the gates look all new and shiny), I'm just waiting or permission to post it.

Ahh so that people can access the taxi rank without having to go through the barriers?

[IndustryInsider]

Ahh so that people can access the taxi rank without having to go through the barriers?

That's right.  Not finished yet as a screen running along platform 12 still needs to be installed as the barriers currently don't act as a barrier to anything.  It was discussed here:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=8302.30

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, IndustryInsider.

Purely in the interests of clarity and continuity, I've now merged the two topics here. 

[johoare]

I had the misfortune to be dropped off in the new taxi rank yesterday evening.. It's an even longer trawl round the houses to get to it than the old one was when you get one of those taxi drivers who won't just drop you off near Paddington (Praed Street for example).. He made me miss my train so I had to wait 40 minutes for the next..

What I did notice though, and it was quite late so there weren't many other people around, was that when I got  dropped off.. it wasn't obvious which way to go at first.. In fact the whole path appeared to be barriered off from the road so some workmen had to let me through to the path and then point me in the right direction..

[JayMac]

On the rare occasions I catch a cab to Paddington I usually ask to be dropped off at the front entrance to the Hilton. Then I just walk straight through the hotel foyer and out onto 'The Lawn'. 

[paul7575]

The platform 12 barrier line was working this afternoon, with a temporary 'wall' where the glass screen will be, down alongside the escalators, and nearly to the end of P12.  The whole area between the escalators and the cash machines on the corner (ie behind where the left luggage used to be) is still being seriously knocked about, which will result in a much wider area for circulation.

I also noticed they've shifted the P12 2-5 car stop marker back down the platform by a couple of carriage lengths, one of the staff mentioned that trains longer than 5 car will continue to run through to near the buffers.

Paul