Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

This lateral poser struck me as I was travelling through Fulham Broadway
today. Took a few minutes to work out, and it was quite satisfying when the
solution hit me:

Until quite recently, the only entrance/exit to/from Fulham Broadway station
was off the southern end of the platforms.

After the new booking hall opened, the old stairs were blocked off, and now
the only exit is to the northern end of the platforms - e.g. the way out has
moved from one end of the station to the other.

However, the station has 'way out' signs dating from the 1950s or earlier...
which point the correct way to the new exit.

BTN

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

In article , Ben Nunn wrote:

After the new booking hall opened, the old stairs were blocked off, and now
the only exit is to the northern end of the platforms - e.g. the way out has
moved from one end of the station to the other.

However, the station has 'way out' signs dating from the 1950s or earlier...
which point the correct way to the new exit.

They took the signs and moved them to the opposite wall/platform? That
would make them point the other way...

Niklas
--
"I figure when we do find alien life, we'll write them off as furniture until
one of them gets tired of being sat on and eats the sitter."
-- Jeran

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

After the new booking hall opened, the old stairs were blocked off, and now
the only exit is to the northern end of the platforms - e.g. the way out has
moved from one end of the station to the other.

That's not strictly correct: the new entrance is roughly half way along the
platform, but I see the point you are making!

Also, historically, there were actually entrances further along than the old
booking office entrances, used for football matches.

And, even now, there are staircases at the extreme North end of both platforms
(you can see the curved stairs when approaching the station from the North),
which I assume can be used for football matches, but are normally sealed off.

Marc.

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

In message , Mait001
writes

And, even now, there are staircases at the extreme North end of both platforms
(you can see the curved stairs when approaching the station from the North),
which I assume can be used for football matches, but are normally sealed off.

They were in use a few weeks back just before a Chelsea midweek home
game and all passengers, including fans, were directed this way. I'd not
used this route before.

--
congokid
Good restaurants in London? Number one on Google
http://congokid.com

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

And, even now, there are staircases at the extreme North end of both
platforms
(you can see the curved stairs when approaching the station from the North),
which I assume can be used for football matches, but are normally sealed
off.

They were in use a few weeks back just before a Chelsea midweek home
game and all passengers, including fans, were directed this way. I'd not
used this route before.


Hardly surprising, since I doubt if all the posh shops in the new entrance
shopping centre would want football louts crowding past their premises fully
lagered up!

Presumably the football fans have a direct route to Stamford Bridge via these
stairs, but where do the other people emerge?

Marc.

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

Presumably the football fans have a direct route to Stamford Bridge via
these
stairs, but where do the other people emerge?

There isn't a direct route for fans. It opens up onto the road by the side
of the shopping complex which I believe may also be a car park exit or
something.

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

Presumably the football fans have a direct route to Stamford Bridge via
these
stairs, but where do the other people emerge?

There isn't a direct route for fans. It opens up onto the road by the side
of the shopping complex which I believe may also be a car park exit or
something.

Oh yes, I forgot: when the plans for the new station were put on show, I
remember discussing a direct route into Stamford Bridge with the developers,
who said they were keen on having a direct link into the stadium, but the local
authority objected.

It seems that Hammermith & Fulham Council rather like the massive dirsuption
caused to normal local residents, by the closure of Fulham Road every time
there's a home match, and all the buses being diverted, local roads clogged to
logjam etc. Our wonderful Council strikes another blow for its residents'
convenience!

Marc.

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

Oh yes, I forgot: when the plans for the new station were put on show, I
remember discussing a direct route into Stamford Bridge with the
developers,
who said they were keen on having a direct link into the stadium, but the
local
authority objected.

It was rather a long running saga that cropped up in the Chelsea programme
now and again for a long time. It ended up with the club wanting it but the
council objecting on safety grounds (though I could have sworn it started
off the other way around). I've no idea what the safety issue was with a
walkway that wouldn't have been more than about fifty yards long. Doesn't
seem any more inherently unsafe than the station platform itself.

The club also wanted to have access to and from a road (not sure which one)
to the north of the ground and that was turned down too. Pity as that would
have brought West Brompton station into play more. I think that might have
been residents objections that dealt with that. Then there were the
suggestions of a station by the side of the ground itself. Not sure if that
failed a reality check or what.

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

It was rather a long running saga that cropped up in the Chelsea programme
now and again for a long time. It ended up with the club wanting it but the
council objecting on safety grounds (though I could have sworn it started
off the other way around). I've no idea what the safety issue was with a
walkway that wouldn't have been more than about fifty yards long. Doesn't
seem any more inherently unsafe than the station platform itself.

The club also wanted to have access to and from a road (not sure which one)
to the north of the ground and that was turned down too. Pity as that would
have brought West Brompton station into play more. I think that might have
been residents objections that dealt with that. Then there were the
suggestions of a station by the side of the ground itself. Not sure if that
failed a reality check or what.




Yes, I agree, it is just plain stupid not to have grasped the one chance there
was for a direct link - as indeed there used to be. Moreover, there is a
disused bridge a few yards North of the station which could have been brought
into use to provide a direct link from the Northbound platform as well. I
pointed this out to the developers, who did not even know that the bridge was
there - they seemed very enthusiastic at the time.

As for the station on the West London Line, of course there used to be a
station just to the North of the King's Road on that line (Chelsea and Fulham
Station), which was bombed during the war and never re-opened afterwards. The
remnants of the Southbound platform even remained until the last few years,
when it was demolished as part of the neighbouring college redevelpoment, and a
1960s housing estate occupies the site of the station which was on the West
side of the tracks.

There is talk of building a station near Stamford Bridge - I wish they would,
but at the moment even the much vaunted station at Chelsea Harbour is but a
pipe dream (despite the Council having been bribed into allowing the new
riverside development there - Imperial Wharf - on the strength of having a
station there) and nowhere near even beginning let alone fulfilment. Railtrack,
I understand, are less than keen on having any more stations on that line,
since it affects train timetabling and the line is already heavily used for
Eurostar stock movements and freight, and they don't want more commuters'
trains clogging up the traffic paths.

The one new station that seems definitely to be on the cards, however, is at
White City.

None of this augurs well for improved access by rail to Stamford Bridge - and I
note what you said, with regret, about there being no North entrance to the
ground, so Fulham Road (and those of us who live to the South of it) have the
bear the brunt of all the disruption every time there's a home match.

Marc.

Fulham Broadway Conundrum
 

In message , Mait001
writes

the much vaunted station at Chelsea Harbour is but a
pipe dream (despite the Council having been bribed into allowing the new
riverside development there - Imperial Wharf - on the strength of having a
station there) and nowhere near even beginning let alone fulfilment.

If it does go ahead, what do you reckon they'll call it - Chelsea
Harbour, Chelsea Creek, Imperial Wharf or Sands End?

ground, so Fulham Road (and those of us who live to the South of it) have the
bear the brunt of all the disruption every time there's a home match.

It's a pain when you can't find a parking space that you've already paid
for, 'cos the out of town Chelsea fans have taken them all.

--
congokid
Good restaurants in London? Number one on Google
http://congokid.com