London Bridge reconstruction works

[Bald Rick]

Platforms 1 to 5 now pretty much finished with just minor snagging works to complete. The Thameslink platforms 4 and 5 don’t have the regular PIS screens that include platform number, details for next train and summary of subsequent departures. Instead they just have regular display screens in portrait mode. Anyone know why these two platforms have been singled out for special treatment?

Because they are the Thameslink platforms. Consistent CIS with rest of core.

 

[ijmad]

Because they are the Thameslink platforms. Consistent CIS with rest of core.

Indeed I imagine they'll be getting these, right?

 

[Bald Rick]

Yep, they are up and live.

 

[FlippyFF]

Yep, they are up and live.

"Next train due in 6 months'?

 

[AM9]

I received a bizarre email from Thameslink Programme today extolling that from May 2018 “Thameslink services returning to London Bridge for the first time in over three years”.
They must’ve missed the terminators in the lower level station.
Who writes this drivel?

Thameslink is the name given to through services when the line was opened in 1988, - that's 30 years before those through services resume calling at London Bridge. TOCs come and go and as far as passengers are concerned, irrelevant as far as an NR route is concerned. The 'terminators' as you call them are just more south of the river DC services and in reality the only relvance to the name 'Thameslink' is the vinyl on the coaches. The platform CIS is there for normal passengers, not pedantic trainspotters.
As Bald Rick says, operationally the platforms are completely separate from all of the others at London Bridge so the announcement is really about a line (re)opening with its own platforms. It should be a lot better than the chaotic queues to slot in between the Charing Cross traffic where the order of arrivals was frequently shuffled when the trains were queueing in view.

 

[BingBong50]

So will these new Thameslink platforms be used for any service trains between New Year and May? I assume they are reversible so couldn't the Thameslink London Bridge terminators use them to free up space on the low level platforms?

 

[Bald Rick]

So will these new Thameslink platforms be used for any service trains between New Year and May? I assume they are reversible so couldn't the Thameslink London Bridge terminators use them to free up space on the low level platforms?

Yes, yes, and no.

 

[ijmad]

Yes, yes, and no.

So we will be getting 4tph or so through from London Bridge to Blackfriars as has been previously mooted? Will this start on Jan 2nd or at some later date?

Realtimetrains is pretty confusing at the moment for London Bridge to Blackfriars movements in January; although I know it can be largely meaningless until signallers put in the corrected data which might only be hours before... or never.

 

[Sunset route]

As I understand it, the infrastructure gets handed back after Christmas and as the drivers learn the route more trains will start to run via London Bridge. But there will be two sets of timing between Blackfriars and East Croydon, one via the current Herne Hill route and one for the reopened route via London Bridge for all services until driver route learning is completed ready for the May timetable change. Because of this trains that are routed via London Bridge will have unadvertised stop to use up time to fit in with the current timetable.

Signallers don’t imput timetable data, just update the train decriber for the next scheduled departure, it’s all the other systems that piggy back off our train describers that cross reference the timetable date that drive the station displays and other feeds that staff, enthusiasts and passengers alike use.

 

[TimG]

As I understand it, the infrastructure gets handed back after Christmas and as the drivers learn the route more trains will start to run via London Bridge. But there will be two sets of timing between Blackfriars and East Croydon, one via the current Herne Hill route and one for the reopened route via London Bridge for all services until driver route learning is completed ready for the May timetable change. Because of this trains that are routed via London Bridge will have unadvertised stop to use up time to fit in with the current timetable.

Signallers don’t imput timetable data, just update the train decriber for the next scheduled departure, it’s all the other systems that piggy back off our train describers that cross reference the timetable date that drive the station displays and other feeds that staff, enthusiasts and passengers alike use.

Will these stop at London Bridge, will passengers be allowed on and off?

 

[Sunset route]

Will these stop at London Bridge, will passengers be allowed on and off?

I guess that will be down to whatever the GTR policy is?

 

[30907]

Will these stop at London Bridge, will passengers be allowed on and off?

They have no booked stop.
A look at RTT in detailed mode shows stops at Bricklayers Arms Jn southbound and Blackfriars Jn northbound.

 

[N/100]

Passed through today, some of the space used as contruction work offices underneath the Charing Cross lines have been turned into a small temporary ticket office, as a result of the lower concourse being closed until New Year.

 

[ijmad]

Thameslink Twitter has been posting some nice shots of the last few days work at London Bridge and the Thameslink works.

Very near completion and hopefully on time, I'm going to head up on Tuesday and take some photos for sure!

 

[Dazzla11]

Thameslink Twitter has been posting some nice shots of the last few days work at London Bridge and the Thameslink works.

Very near completion and hopefully on time, I'm going to head up on Tuesday and take some photos for sure!

Looking good!

 

[Dore & Totley]

Indeed I imagine they'll be getting these, right?

Borehamwood appears to have disappeared from beside Elstree. We get used to it

Indeed I imagine they'll be getting these, right?

Poor old Borehamwood has been taken away from Elstree. It's ok we get used to it

 

[greyman42]

So from what date will I be able to catch a train from St Pancras to London Bridge?

 

[david737]

So from what date will I be able to catch a train from St Pancras to London Bridge?

From the May timetable change, some Brighton - Bedford & vv services will be running via London Bridge but they won't be advertised to call.

 

[greyman42]

Do you know when they will call?

 

[Sunset route]

From the May timetable change, some Brighton - Bedford & vv services will be running via London Bridge but they won't be advertised to call.

No it’s from the Christmas 2017 start up that there are dual timings via Herne hill and non stop via London Bridge are installed into the timetable. Then from May 2018 timetable change all the current off peak Brighton main line trains and most of the peak trains will be running throughand calling at London Bridge.

 

[Chrisgr31]

My understanding is that the retail units in the area between the Network Rail lower level station and the underground station were meant to open on Tuesday however wont be. Water ingress from above has meant they cant commence the fitout yet.

 

[KingJ]

My understanding is that the retail units in the area between the Network Rail lower level station and the underground station were meant to open on Tuesday however wont be. Water ingress from above has meant they cant commence the fitout yet.

During the heavy rains a few weeks ago there were a large number of buckets collecting leaks in the connecting passageway, as well as a number in the passageway outside the underground station itself. Sounds like it's still very much an issue if there's continued ingress into the planned retail areas behind those hoardings.

 

[FOH]

During the heavy rains a few weeks ago there were a large number of buckets collecting leaks in the connecting passageway, as well as a number in the passageway outside the underground station itself. Sounds like it's still very much an issue if there's continued ingress into the planned retail areas behind those hoardings.

They had wheelie bins out on the main concourse collecting leaking water from the new roof. Presume the flooring there isn’t designed to prevent water penetration

 

[kentman]

Looks like testing is scheduled for Sunday, as there are a few ECS STP paths to London Bridge Plt 7,8 & 9.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...1/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=SE

There are also two Thames Link over the core from Finsbury park to London Blackfriars on Monday :
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...1/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=TL

Although those STP's are shown as a Parcels service rather than ECS

 

[david737]

Testing is now planned to take place from 1800 to 2359 on Monday, some of the work has been delayed (I don't know what exactly)due to the wet weather a few days ago.

 

[IanKR]

My understanding is that the retail units in the area between the Network Rail lower level station and the underground station were meant to open on Tuesday however wont be. Water ingress from above has meant they cant commence the fitout yet.

Can't we build rainproof rooves any more?

 

[ijmad]

Testing is now planned to take place from 1800 to 2359 on Monday, some of the work has been delayed (I don't know what exactly)due to the wet weather a few days ago.

Think there'll be a soft opening tonight? Thinking of popping up, taking some cheeky photos if there is some access.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

On a different note, has anyone else had any experience of SouthEastern services during the last few days while London Bridge was closed to SouthEastern so all lines were running a heavily reduced service to Victoria?

I was on the 17:55 Woolwich line service from Victoria on the 27th. This was a line that normally handles 8tph, but last week was running only half-hourly. It struck me that, despite this, and that it was a peak hour service that the train was very lightly loaded. I know trains will have generally been less busy last week, but even so, that suggests to me that all SouthEasterns warnings over the last few months about the closure, and telling people to make alternative plans must've had a big impact.

 

[ijmad]

On a different note, has anyone else had any experience of SouthEastern services during the last few days while London Bridge was closed to SouthEastern so all lines were running a heavily reduced service to Victoria?

I was on the 17:55 Woolwich line service from Victoria on the 27th. This was a line that normally handles 8tph, but last week was running only half-hourly. It struck me that, despite this, and that it was a peak hour service that the train was very lightly loaded. I know trains will have generally been less busy last week, but even so, that suggests to me that all SouthEasterns warnings over the last few months about the closure, and telling people to make alternative plans must've had a big impact.

I wonder what % of the workforce go in on the 27th, 28th, 29th, etc.

I know it's a fraction of a normal weekday, but I can't find any exact statistics. But it helps.

Although as you say, if we take the Waterloo closure as an example, a lot of people did seem to heed the warnings, plus also things were quite sensible in the week after August when Charing Cross was closed, so maybe they heard them here too.

 

[Mag_seven]

Took a look around the station today from the street and there were loads of orange jackets to be seen hopefully finishing things off. I did spot a very senior NR Executive entering the site - read into that what you will!