Peter Lawrence wrote:

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Spacious platforms, clean and well lit but not inspiring and, as yet,
minimal advertising.

Hmmm...sounds a bit like City Thameslink.

Signs and indicators matching the those rest of
St.P.I. The train indicators do show intermediate stations (ref
earlier comment here.) Seats only at the outer ends of the
platforms, probably not enough of them, particularly since half of
them will be off the end of 4 coach trains.

Seating is unfortunately at a premium throughout the whole StP complex
at the moment (unless you fancy a £7.50+ glass of champagne :-)).

Surprisingly, the southern ends of the platforms are on a curve but
these will only be needed if and when we get 12 coaches. This curve
causes much flange noise from southbound trains to compete with
automatic train announcements.

I would be surprised if during the forthcoming weekend closures of the
core Thameslink route didn't invlove the renewal of *at least* most of
the track along the whole stretch, including the legendary Hotel Curve.

Access looks OK with escalators (2 each side) and stairs between
platforms to a mezzanine level and then more of the same up to the
main station undercroft. Exit/entrance, with gateline, in use, faces
the end of the arcade.

Lifts available from platforms to the mezzanine at least (and
hopefully further but I did not explore.)

I won't be there until tomorrow (apparently Ruth Kelly is due to
'officially' open it on that day) but I'm certain that there are two
lifts - one covers the street, mezzanine and platform (A) levels while
the other covers the mezzanine and platform (B) levels.

No retail outlets or toilets within the gates but I dunno about what,
if anything, is planned.

According to the LCR maps of StP there will be no retail units or
toilets within the paid-side of SPILL - in any case all SPILL passengers
will have to use the gateline so they'll need all the space they can get.

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