St Pancras Thameslink Barriers

[Hadders]

I passed through St Pancras tonight and noticed that the barrier line to the Thameslink platforms is being extended, the space being created by removing what I think was a staff booth.

I've noticed that at peak times the barriers are barely able to cope with the passenger flows so this work is welcome although I so have to wonder why this wasn't anticipated and completed before the increase in Thameslink services last May.

One problem that won't go away is the inadequate number of escalators down to the platforms although there's nothing that can be done about this. At peak times there are two members of staff marshalling passengers on the intermediate concourse level.

 

[gazthomas]

I guess this is an improvement but as you say the exit does struggle in the peaks. I wonder if they could find a way to build another exit, I guess primarily for the Northbound platform that exits directly onto Midland Road whether that could provide some relief?

 

[LLivery]

There should've been a direct connection to a LU ticket hall. That could've been quite useful.

 

[Bedpan]

I passed through St Pancras tonight and noticed that the barrier line to the Thameslink platforms is being extended, the space being created by removing what I think was a staff booth.

I've noticed that at peak times the barriers are barely able to cope with the passenger flows so this work is welcome although I so have to wonder why this wasn't anticipated and completed before the increase in Thameslink services last May.

Call me cynical, but I can think of an obvious answer!

 

[Roast Veg]

While they're at it, can they set them up to accept my valid cross London tickets? I get a 105 error every time without fail...

 

[Bedpan]

While they're at it, can they set them up to accept my valid cross London tickets? I get a 105 error every time without fail...

I think that I have had more problems with the barriers there than anywhere. They usually won't accept Railcard discounted tickets or at least not mine, nor a London Travelcard during the evening rush hour despite the fact that you can use it to any station within Zone 6.

 

[ijmad]

There should've been a direct connection to a LU ticket hall. That could've been quite useful.

I agree, however I seem to recall reading there's a large sewer in the way that would make that connection difficult unless you were to go down another level before coming up again (which wouldn't be much different to doing the walk on the surface).

 

[Maurice3000]

I agree, however I seem to recall reading there's a large sewer in the way that would make that connection difficult unless you were to go down another level before coming up again (which wouldn't be much different to doing the walk on the surface).

It's the subterranean bit of the river Fleet actually that runs in between the new build of St. Pancras and the German Gymnasium. It's why they had to extend the new build to cover the escalators up from the tunnel to the Northern ticket hall instead of just extending the tunnel a bit to fit inside the existing envelope. If it weren't for that an underground connection would have been easy. It's a new build with new foundation so would have been easy to add another 50 metres to the tunnel during construction.

A connection with the Western ticket hall would be too far away and would have meant digging between the foundations of the old part of St. Pancras station. Likely not worth it.

 

[andrewkeith5]

I passed through St Pancras tonight and noticed that the barrier line to the Thameslink platforms is being extended, the space being created by removing what I think was a staff booth.

I've noticed that at peak times the barriers are barely able to cope with the passenger flows so this work is welcome although I so have to wonder why this wasn't anticipated and completed before the increase in Thameslink services last May.

One problem that won't go away is the inadequate number of escalators down to the platforms although there's nothing that can be done about this. At peak times there are two members of staff marshalling passengers on the intermediate concourse level.

I noticed these this morning - definitely an improvement that's well overdue!

Now we just need to get rid of the pointless Tensabarriers and all the people hanging around doing nothing but restricting the capacity of the walkways...

 

[swt_passenger]

They might well be hoping that large numbers find it easier to change at Farringdon when Crossrail opens?

 

[LLivery]

It's the subterranean bit of the river Fleet actually that runs in between the new build of St. Pancras and the German Gymnasium. It's why they had to extend the new build to cover the escalators up from the tunnel to the Northern ticket hall instead of just extending the tunnel a bit to fit inside the existing envelope. If it weren't for that an underground connection would have been easy. It's a new build with new foundation so would have been easy to add another 50 metres to the tunnel during construction.

A connection with the Western ticket hall would be too far away and would have meant digging between the foundations of the old part of St. Pancras station. Likely not worth it.

I had no idea I was walking over the river here all these years. It's a shame so many are underground, while the ones not covered are poorly looked after.

 

[EcsWhyZee]

Noticed tonight all the barriers (including the new and original) now have bar code scanners attached.

Fairly certain they didn’t before. Can anyone confirm?

If they are new does this indicate mobile ticketing may be coming to Thameslink sooner rather than later? Presumably just in time for oyster / contactless to be the preferred mechanism on the MML south of Luton Airport Parkway rendering them a tad less useful than they would have been over the last few years.

 

[Bungle965]

Noticed tonight all the barriers (including the new and original) now have bar code scanners attached.

Fairly certain they didn’t before. Can anyone confirm?

If they are new does this indicate mobile ticketing may be coming to Thameslink sooner rather than later? Presumably just in time for oyster / contactless to be the preferred mechanism on the MML south of Luton Airport Parkway rendering them a tad less useful than they would have been over the last few years.

Yeah they didn't have scanners before, perhaps it's simply a requirement with all new barriers they must have scanners on them.
Sam

 

[EcsWhyZee]

I’d considered that, but it wouldn’t explain why they upgraded the old barriers to have them too.

I guess uniformity after that requirement on new barriers might make sense...

 

[Skimble19]

Mobile tickets are going to be introduced, although only very limited stations are getting the scanners on the gates. Everywhere else it will be a case of show the gateline staff.

 

[computerSaysNo]

The automatic ticket gates at Edinburgh Haymarket now have barcode scanners as well. Is mobile ticketing going to be introduced over the whole network?

 

[yorkie]

The automatic ticket gates at Edinburgh Haymarket now have barcode scanners as well. Is mobile ticketing going to be introduced over the whole network?

Yes, see:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/smartcards.175218/#post-3793164
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/new-swr-smart-ticket-observations.165035/#post-3484798