Stevenage platform 5

[Skimble19]

Granted but does the design mean two lifts and footbridge to link Platforms 4 and 5 that is separate from the existing concourse/footbridge or is it more likely that the design allows for a extension of the former?

Only one lift, and no extra footbridge to link to platform 4 (unless things have changed rather radically very recently!)

 

[Aictos]

Only one lift, and no extra footbridge to link to platform 4 (unless things have changed rather radically very recently!)

If it's only having one lift and no extra footbridge to link it to Platform 4 then does it likely mean anyone using Platform 5 would need to exit the station then walk though the car park to the ramp/steps to the existing footbridge and re enter the station to access Platform 4?

How do they propose they link Platform 5 to the existing concourse/walk though over bridge?

 

[adamedwards]

Photo looking south from West end of Stevenage station looking south over new platform works.

 

[jon0844]

Ha, great minds. Took one myself not so long ago! Here's a wider angle....



Photo looking south from western side of station.

 

[mr_jrt]

...almost looks wide enough for a whole island with two extra tracks there.

 

[Aictos]

...almost looks wide enough for a whole island with two extra tracks there.

I disagree and why well for starters if you look at the width of the existing island platforms there then look at the space that's available and include space for the infrastructure such as platform and OHL etc, you're only going to have enough space there for a single platform especially as it is meant to have a lift as well.

If they were to put a island platform there then it would be a narrow one which could well present issues in the future.

Saying that if Network Rail brought some of the car park beside the proposed site then yes your island platform could happen but why would you need a island platform when a single face platform with passive support to join the Down Slow in the future is all you really need.

Least when Platform 5 is built, you could in theory in the peaks extend more of the Hertford terminators thought to Stevenage so upgrading from a half hourly service to a 15 minute frequency, that is of course all theory.

 

[adamedwards]

There is either a lot more digging out to be done or it will be at a higher level than the main line, which would give the trains a gravity assisted departure. I'm asssuming much digging out yet to happen with the platform on the car park side of the tracks.

 

[57Tonic]

...almost looks wide enough for a whole island with two extra tracks there.

It may be that the land take from the leisure park will be returned.

 

[jon0844]

There is either a lot more digging out to be done or it will be at a higher level than the main line, which would give the trains a gravity assisted departure. I'm asssuming much digging out yet to happen with the platform on the car park side of the tracks.

Maybe it can roll and get enough momentum to reach Moorgate without needing any power (although coming back will be a struggle!).

It may be that the land take from the leisure park will be returned.

I am not sure any land has been taken from the leisure park. The car park is the same as it was before.

It seems the leisure park has bigger problems ahead of it as the council (and possibly the leisure park landowner) seem to want to build on part of it, and I think there was a grand plan to build blocks of flats and possibly rebuild the station at the same time. Given the number of services to London to choose from, and the benefit of the Hertford Loop as a 'failsafe' during disruption (unless the problem is south of Alexandra Palace!) any developer could easily be persuaded to invest in station upgrade costs for permission to build flats that will snapped up in seconds.

 

[57Tonic]

I am not sure any land has been taken from the leisure park. The car park is the same as it was before.

It seems the leisure park has bigger problems ahead of it as the council (and possibly the leisure park landowner) seem to want to build on part of it, and I think there was a grand plan to build blocks of flats and possibly rebuild the station at the same time. Given the number of services to London to choose from, and the benefit of the Hertford Loop as a 'failsafe' during disruption (unless the problem is south of Alexandra Palace!) any developer could easily be persuaded to invest in station upgrade costs for permission to build flats that will snapped up in seconds.

See the grass area by the fence, that was lined with trees along the side of the car park and outside the original railway fenceing, often parked there with my McDonald’s and watched the trains

 

[Fred26]

See the grass area by the fence, that was lined with trees along the side of the car park and outside the original railway fenceing, often parked there with my McDonald’s and watched the trains

That's NWR land.

 

[swt_passenger]

That's NWR land.

There’s a very badly formatted doc on the Stevenage Planning website, a screening opinion request from last year (to determine whether an environmental assessment was needed).

On the last page it has a drawing showing a possible land purchase but just in the area passing under and further to the north of the footbridge. It basically matches the position of the “step in towards the railway” of the present hoarded off area, seen in recent photos, which is already in NR ownership as you noted earlier. There’s no response or decision to the request, and no obvious other planning application at all.

The planning portal details are:
Stevenage Railway Station Lytton Way Stevenage Herts SG1 1HH.
Ref. No: 18/00429/SCR
I haven’t linked direct to the document as links to planning info usually fail.
https://publicaccess.stevenage.gov.uk/online-applications/

 

[Kite159]

If it's only having one lift and no extra footbridge to link it to Platform 4 then does it likely mean anyone using Platform 5 would need to exit the station then walk though the car park to the ramp/steps to the existing footbridge and re enter the station to access Platform 4?

How do they propose they link Platform 5 to the existing concourse/walk though over bridge?

Which would be fun for those folk interchanging at Stevenage.

 

[Aictos]

Which would be fun for those folk interchanging at Stevenage.

Indeed so wonder what the plans say...

 

[swt_passenger]

If it's only having one lift and no extra footbridge to link it to Platform 4 then does it likely mean anyone using Platform 5 would need
How do they propose they link Platform 5 to the existing concourse/walk though over bridge?

There’s an “artists impression” in the scoping report I mentioned in my earlier post, it shows a link into the existing footbridge on its south side, directly above the new platform. So if that’s correct it cannot be in a common paid area with the other platforms...

 

[Fred26]

There’s an “artists impression” in the scoping report I mentioned in my earlier post, it shows a link into the existing footbridge on its south side, directly above the new platform. So if that’s correct it cannot be in a common paid area with the other platforms...

Whatever happens the end result is bound to be a bit of a bodge job.
The station wants knocking down and starting again, but that's another story.

 

[Aictos]

There’s an “artists impression” in the scoping report I mentioned in my earlier post, it shows a link into the existing footbridge on its south side, directly above the new platform. So if that’s correct it cannot be in a common paid area with the other platforms...

Indeed but it also shows that someone has relocated Hitchin to the SOUTH of Stevenage, has anyone told the locals?

 

[bramling]

Maybe it can roll and get enough momentum to reach Moorgate without needing any power (although coming back will be a struggle!).



I am not sure any land has been taken from the leisure park. The car park is the same as it was before.

It seems the leisure park has bigger problems ahead of it as the council (and possibly the leisure park landowner) seem to want to build on part of it, and I think there was a grand plan to build blocks of flats and possibly rebuild the station at the same time. Given the number of services to London to choose from, and the benefit of the Hertford Loop as a 'failsafe' during disruption (unless the problem is south of Alexandra Palace!) any developer could easily be persuaded to invest in station upgrade costs for permission to build flats that will snapped up in seconds.

Hmm, anyone snapping up the flats might not appreciate the sound of souped-up Vectras every evening and gypsies using the car park from time to time! Not exactly the most uplifting place to live!

 

[Hadders]

Looking at the artists impression to get to Platform 5 from the rest of the station you'll need to come out of the current barrier line and do a right towards the leisure centre. The entrance to P5 will be at the top of the steps that lead to the leisure centre.

A separate gate line will presumably be provided, increasing the staffing costs unless they remote monitor it like they do with the lifts. At least with this design they don't need to build an additional bridge over the track.

 

[mr_jrt]

Reading through the planning document NR points out that they deliberately chose a design that could be fulfilled entirely south of the footbridge as it could be done on existing land with passive provision for extension to the north, but that extension is reliant on council land being acquired...but which could be lost to developments. Bit concerning.

 

[Hadders]

While there might be development int he vicinity of the station there's no chance of that development encroaching on the land that might be required for any northwards extension.

 

[philjo]

Looking at the artists impression to get to Platform 5 from the rest of the station you'll need to come out of the current barrier line and do a right towards the leisure centre. The entrance to P5 will be at the top of the steps that lead to the leisure centre.

A separate gate line will presumably be provided, increasing the staffing costs unless they remote monitor it like they do with the lifts. At least with this design they don't need to build an additional bridge over the track.

At least with a separate gate line it makes it easier to accept Oyster at Stevenage and restrict this only to Hertford loop services.

 

[Aictos]

At least with a separate gate line it makes it easier to accept Oyster at Stevenage and restrict this only to Hertford loop services.

Indeed especially when you consider that Hertford Loop services no longer start back from Letchworth but Stevenage so it's easier to accept Oyster as you have said.

It just would need validators to be installed at Watton At Stone, Bayford and Cuffley as I believe and I may be wrong but Hertford North won't be having them as the existing gateline will be modified to accept Oyster as they already accept the Key.

 

[Kite159]

Looking at the artists impression to get to Platform 5 from the rest of the station you'll need to come out of the current barrier line and do a right towards the leisure centre. The entrance to P5 will be at the top of the steps that lead to the leisure centre.

A separate gate line will presumably be provided, increasing the staffing costs unless they remote monitor it like they do with the lifts. At least with this design they don't need to build an additional bridge over the track.

And be very passenger unfriendly for any passengers using Stevenage to interchange between a service from the loop to carry on towards Hitchin & beyond (or vice-versa).

The media will have another field day laughing at yet another Network Rail fail.

 

[Hadders]

At least with a separate gate line it makes it easier to accept Oyster at Stevenage and restrict this only to Hertford loop services.

I don’t think you can limit Oyster to particular services. If it’s accepted at Stevenage then it’d have to be allowed on all services.

And be very passenger unfriendly for any passengers using Stevenage to interchange between a service from the loop to carry on towards Hitchin & beyond (or vice-versa).

The media will have another field day laughing at yet another Network Rail fail.

As a minimum they need to extend the canopy so anyone interchanging doesn’t end up getting wet.

 

[multilevel]

I don’t think you can limit Oyster to particular services. If it’s accepted at Stevenage then it’d have to be allowed on all services.

Presumably you don't mean on journeys to services to Leeds? Plenty of stations manage to accept Oyster but not on all services (e.g. Finsbury Park). Not sure if there are any which only accept Oyster on certain platforms though...

 

[Ianno87]

I don’t think you can limit Oyster to particular services. If it’s accepted at Stevenage then it’d have to be allowed on all services.

*Why* couldn't you? Back before all National Rail was made Oyster back in 2010, both Richmond and Clapham Jn were Oyster-ised (for London Overground) but you couldn't use (then) SWT services between them on it.

Between Stevenage and London, it's effectively no different to having a TOC-specific ticket.

 

[Hadders]

We’ve had this debate before.

Oyster is a medium, you couldn’t reasistically restrict it to the Hertford Loop services only.

 

[swt_passenger]

Presumably you don't mean on journeys to services to Leeds? Plenty of stations manage to accept Oyster but not on all services (e.g. Finsbury Park). Not sure if there are any which only accept Oyster on certain platforms though...

Paddington only had certain platforms with working Oyster readers until very recently, caused chaos whenever local trains were diverted into certain platforms, typically during regular Sunday limited line access. Another related topic is that appropriate platforms at Victoria are set up to charge Gatwick Express Fare levels on PAYG. This is also presumed to be what will happen (or possibly has happened) for HEx fares at Paddington. I think Waterloo has readers on all platforms switched on, but trains that don’t stop within the zones usually play announcements before departure about Oyster not being valid on the service

 

[malc-c]

I popped down with the camera to make a small update. Spoke to one of the engineers there who were surveying and asked if the track was due to be laid this August. He neither confirmed or denied it !