Possible plans for Edinburgh Waverley station?

[PaulLothian]

I've just read it (thanks) and I don't see the need for the apologetic reference.

There was good guidance given by the moderators in blue upper case and in full references were also attached.

Why is it that folk (not getting at you najaB) feel the need to do this? I find the Wikipedia entries for railways most useful and this entry was very interesting indeed.

To be fair, I have generally found Wikipedia accurate for railway information, but it is possible to find horrendously inaccurate entries, sometimes deliberately put in for whatever reason. One of the penalties of crowd-sourced information!

 

[47271]

It's also now the name of the pub in the middle of Waverley, the one that used to be Cooper's. I don't know if I would've named my bar after a filthy swamp hazardous to public health, but there you go.

 

[najaB]

Why is it that folk (not getting at you najaB) feel the need to do this? I find the Wikipedia entries for railways most useful and this entry was very interesting indeed.

I didn't think that you were getting at me. It's a reminder that while generally good quality, it should never be relied on as a primary reference.

 

[Flavia]

As I travelled through Waverley this morning, I noticed that the message on the departure boards telling you how many coaches formed a service had disappeared. Does anyone know if this trial is over now?

 

[scotsman]

As I travelled through Waverley this morning, I noticed that the message on the departure boards telling you how many coaches formed a service had disappeared. Does anyone know if this trial is over now?

I think it depends who the information controller is.

 

[marks87]

I think it depends who the information controller is.

That's sounds like a job you'd find in a George Orwell novel.

 

[reb0118]

I don't know if I would've named my bar after a filthy swamp hazardous to public health, but there you go.

It pretty much sums up the clientèle from when it was the "Talisman" - I had many a random day there when things just seemed to happen. In those days most passengers where on open tickets and letting a few trains go by to continue a convivial conversation over a few pints did not result in a steep penalty - well at least until the wifelet caught up with you!

 

[och aye]

Any news on the construction work at Platforms 5 & 6? I read somewhere that construction was originally meant to start sometime this month and finish in March.

 

[iain-j]

Any news on the construction work at Platforms 5 & 6? I read somewhere that construction was originally meant to start sometime this month and finish in March.

I've given up asking myself, several months ago at a local rail action group meeting it was suggested that "shovels would be in the ground by the end of the year" now it's Feb 2016.

 

[och aye]

I guess there's no real rush to build them until 2018?

 

[iain-j]

I guess there's no real rush to build them until 2018?

Well it would move East Coast trains terminating at Waverley away from the through platforms allowing actual through trains to use them more and would be a bit easier for passengers getting onto trains with cases etc. than is possible with the 'Sub' platforms.
It would also shut up all the people complaining about taxis not going into the station any more.

 

[och aye]

A friend of mine got in touch with the EGIP team.

It turns out they are planning to start preparatory work on platforms 5 & 6 in June and start major works in September, after the festival.

On another note, JD Wetherspoon's are due to open the former Jimmy Chung's restaurant as a pub sometime later this month.

 

[overthewater]

I was wondering who had taken over the Jimmy Chung's restaurant, mind you there other restaurant is also closed down so I wonder if there went bust.

 

[najaB]

I was wondering who had taken over the Jimmy Chung's restaurant, mind you there other restaurant is also closed down so I wonder if there went bust.

Pretty sure their Dundee and Inverness branches are still open. Not sure about the others.

 

[iain-j]

Pretty sure their Dundee and Inverness branches are still open. Not sure about the others.

Inverness one is as I ate in there a few weeks ago whilst up in Inverness. Quality is nothing to write home about though.

 

[me123]

I was going to say one in Elgin, but it appears to have shut down since I left. No great loss.

The Wetherspoons looks good, and very in keeping with the ambiance of the area.

 

[thealexweb]

I was wondering who had taken over the Jimmy Chung's restaurant, mind you there other restaurant is also closed down so I wonder if there went bust.

The other Edinburgh branch was closed for a while for refurbishment last year. I have been to it once and got food poisoning. I would recommend Cosmo over it any day.

 

[och aye]

It's good to see people are keener to comment on the former Jimmy Chungs/New Whetherspoon's pub, than the date of when work will start on platforms 5 & 6.

 

[och aye]

The opening of the Wetherspoon's pub has been pushed back to next month.

 

[QueensCurve]

The opening of the Wetherspoon's pub has been pushed back to next month.

The days of local business are gone - all big brands owned by the super-rich. The station buffets are becoming Costa or Star*ucks.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I totally agree

 

[Bletchleyite]

The days of local business are gone - all big brands owned by the super-rich.

Actually not. Often owned by large corporate investors - which are very often pension investors, investing on behalf of you and me.

And, admittedly not in stations (where it tends to be SSP) but elsewhere, these brands are often small businesses. All Subway stores are franchises, Doctors Associates Inc (an interesting company name indeed) doesn't own any in the UK at least. Many McD's ones are. Quite a lot of Costa as well.

 

[QueensCurve]

Actually not. Often owned by large corporate investors - which are very often pension investors, investing on behalf of you and me.

And, admittedly not in stations (where it tends to be SSP) but elsewhere, these brands are often small businesses. All Subway stores are franchises, Doctors Associates Inc (an interesting company name indeed) doesn't own any in the UK at least. Many McD's ones are. Quite a lot of Costa as well.

Still super-rich corporate investers, which I think was what I meant.

Many of the Costas (Costae) are small franchised businesses, but I would rather they were local brands with local produce and an independent flavour.

 

[scotraildriver]

The privately owned coffee shop/cafe within Stirling station closed down last week too. Was very expensive compared to the place across the road - wonder if rent was very high.

 

[TheEscapist_]

Don't think this has been posted. The Whistlestop shop has been closed down and a Paperchase is opening in its place. Good to get something different in the station!


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[och aye]

Apologies for bringing this back on-topic.

Other than the development of the extended platforms are there any more works planned for the station?

I know NR have proposals to re-double one of the Calton Hill tunnels, but I think that's about it?

I knew back in the Railtrack days they had plans to build a shopping centre type facility above the vast air rights they hold, but were scuppered by the heritage watchdogs.

Also, does anyone know why NR didn't remove the remains of the Market Street to Calton Road bridge when they renewed the roof and replacing it with metal?

 

[TheEscapist_]

Apologies for bringing this back on-topic.



Other than the development of the extended platforms are there any more works planned for the station?



I know NR have proposals to re-double one of the Calton Hill tunnels, but I think that's about it?



I knew back in the Railtrack days they had plans to build a shopping centre type facility above the vast air rights they hold, but were scuppered by the heritage watchdogs.



Also, does anyone know why NR didn't remove the remains of the Market Street to Calton Road bridge when they renewed the roof and replacing it with metal?

I didn't even know about this bridge till I seen it on Lost Edinburgh. Would be great if they put it back!

 

[Altnabreac]

Apologies for bringing this back on-topic.

Other than the development of the extended platforms are there any more works planned for the station?

I know NR have proposals to re-double one of the Calton Hill tunnels, but I think that's about it?

I knew back in the Railtrack days they had plans to build a shopping centre type facility above the vast air rights they hold, but were scuppered by the heritage watchdogs.

Also, does anyone know why NR didn't remove the remains of the Market Street to Calton Road bridge when they renewed the roof and replacing it with metal?

There are a number of options for additional capacity in the draft Scotland Route Study.

These include:

• Redoubling Calton North tunnel
• Remodelling Eastern approaches
• New platform 3
• Extending platforms 1, 20, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17
• Demolishing southern ramp and making 5-6 through to 12-13 into through platforms
• New mezzanine level where shops are now
• Demolishing northern ramp and making platform 18 a new through platform

I suspect all of these will happen except possibly the last one.

 

[iain-j]

There are a number of options for additional capacity in the draft Scotland Route Study.

These include:

• Redoubling Calton North tunnel
• Remodelling Eastern approaches
• New platform 3
• Extending platforms 1, 20, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17
• Demolishing southern ramp and making 5-6 through to 12-13 into through platforms
• New mezzanine level where shops are now
• Demolishing northern ramp and making platform 18 a new through platform

I suspect all of these will happen except possibly the last one.

Looking at how the Waverley is now, it looks like Platform 18 could be extended if the BTP building was removed and the other buildings underneath the north ramp as well. It would be similar to platforms 12 and 13 under the south ramp.
It also seems like a platform could be created to the north side of the North ramp essentially a mirror image of the one currently proposed for platform 12. These two could then become through tracks if indeed the North ramp is demolished.

On a separate point I know that both Calton tunnels were singled during electrification and read somewhere that the South tunnel had to be reinforced due to structural issues making redoubling prohibitive. The question I have is how much was the South tunnel reinforced and how much work would be involved to redouble it?

 

[Altnabreac]

Looking at how the Waverley is now, it looks like Platform 18 could be extended if the BTP building was removed and the other buildings underneath the north ramp as well. It would be similar to platforms 12 and 13 under the south ramp.
It also seems like a platform could be created to the north side of the North ramp essentially a mirror image of the one currently proposed for platform 12. These two could then become through tracks if indeed the North ramp is demolished.

On a separate point I know that both Calton tunnels were singled during electrification and read somewhere that the South tunnel had to be reinforced due to structural issues making redoubling prohibitive. The question I have is how much was the South tunnel reinforced and how much work would be involved to redouble it?

You could be right that the platform 18 extension might not involve ramp demolition.

I think the new mezzanine level is probably the key to all of it.

Someone from Network Rail once described doubling Calton South to me as "virtually impossible".