In message , at 20:57:17 on Wed, 6
Aug 2008, Tim Roll-Pickering remarked:
Blackfriars is the station closest to my old school (City of London) and if
it had been closed when I went there I would have been almost permanently
late in the mornings and in the afternoons the combined effect of getting to
the nearest station (Temple?)

Mansion House is much closer, to the East.

and the mainline timetable would have almost doubled my journey home.
Nice!

Nothing suitable available from Cannon St?

"Richard Parry, London Underground's director of strategy and service
development, said: "The redevelopment of Blackfriars Underground station
is part of Network Rail works. Once the works are complete, customers will
get a new upgraded station with step-free access, increased capacity and
better interchange facilities between the Tube and national rail
services."

Oh yes, I've had *so* many problems interchanging with the current set-up at
Blackfriars!

I changed there recently and it was a pain. Needed a National Rail
ticket so up lots of stairs to the ticket office from the tube. I was
then catching a northbound train so had to go downstairs and back up
again.
--
Roland Perry

In message of Wed, 6 Aug 2008
20:57:17 in uk.transport.london, Tim Roll-Pickering
writes
Paul Scott wrote:

"One of the capital's busiest Underground stations is to shut for nearly
three years. Blackfriars station, used by about 44,000 City workers and
tourists every day, will close for works to upgrade the main line
Thameslink."

Blackfriars is the station closest to my old school (City of London) and if
it had been closed when I went there I would have been almost permanently
late in the mornings and in the afternoons the combined effect of getting to
the nearest station (Temple?) and the mainline timetable would have almost
doubled my journey home. Nice!

The Journey Planner shows City of London [Boys] School is a 5 minute
walk from Blankfriars and 7 from Mansion House but 15 from Temple.
I fancy that the service withdrawal will not be an acceptable excuse.
I take it you dropped geography, early in your school career.
--
Walter Briscoe

"Peter Masson" wrote in message
...

Blackfriars NR station will remain open for most of the time. It is
Blackfriars LUL which is to close (although trains will continue to run
through without stopping). The adjoining stations of Mansion House and
Temple are both less than half a mile away, while interchange passengers
have other stations where they can access the tube network.

I'll wager that Blackfriars became busier last year when
SPILL opened on the Thameslink route. I used to have a
quick hop from KXTL onto the Victoria line, to travel down
to Victoria. When SPILL opened, I was faced with the trek
along the full length of St Pancras and then into the Underground,
or changing at Blackfriars. A no-brainer really.

Other stations? Well, Farringdon may be close(ish) to Blackfriars,
but it's nine stops round the Circle line!

Hoping I don't have to work in Victoria again.
--
Garry Smith

"Peter Masson" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
On Aug 7, 1:48 am, " wrote:
On 6 Aug, 22:55, darkprince66 wrote:



10 minutes walk? To the nearest tube station? Gasps in horror... You
poor darlings ;-)

I know, that was my reaction. If we weren't spoiled we wouldn't be so
worried. Chancery Lane, Holborn etc aren't far. By the standards of
many towns and cities, Waterloo isn't far.

Francis

True, but it still makes you wonder how _necessary_ the closure really
is. As far as I recall, the works are to extend the platforms (to the
south bank) and create four through ones instead of two through and
three bays - I'm sure someone _could_ work out a way to do this
leaving one platform open each time (even if Northbound only or
whatever).

Blackfriars NR station will remain open for most of the time. It is
Blackfriars LUL which is to close (although trains will continue to run
through without stopping). The adjoining stations of Mansion House and
Temple are both less than half a mile away, while interchange passengers
have other stations where they can access the tube network.

The changes to the NR station are to change it from two through platforms,
plus three east side bays, all of 8-car length, to two through 12-car
platforms plus two west side bays. More significant is to rebuild the
circulating areas so that the station can cope with many more passengers,
including many more interchanging with LUL. There will be a new entrance
on
teh south bank.


And still no stop on the W&C Line.

BTN

According to this picture of what it'll look like when finished:
http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/ima...lackfriars.jpg

we're getting Mk 1 stock back! Yay!

--
David Cantrell | London Perl Mongers Deputy Chief Heretic

Languages for which ISO-Latin-$n is not necessary, #1 in a series:

Latin

wrote in message
...
On Aug 7, 1:48 am, " wrote:
On 6 Aug, 22:55, darkprince66 wrote:



10 minutes walk? To the nearest tube station? Gasps in horror... You
poor darlings ;-)

I know, that was my reaction. If we weren't spoiled we wouldn't be so
worried. Chancery Lane, Holborn etc aren't far. By the standards of
many towns and cities, Waterloo isn't far.

Francis

True, but it still makes you wonder how _necessary_ the closure really
is. As far as I recall, the works are to extend the platforms (to the
south bank) and create four through ones instead of two through and
three bays - I'm sure someone _could_ work out a way to do this
leaving one platform open each time (even if Northbound only or
whatever).

Er.. you've completely missed the point here - the news is about the long
term closure (two and a half years) of the LU platforms, not the Thameslink
ones.

Paul

"Paul Scott" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
On Aug 7, 1:48 am, " wrote:
On 6 Aug, 22:55, darkprince66 wrote:

10 minutes walk? To the nearest tube station? Gasps in horror... You
poor darlings ;-)

I know, that was my reaction. If we weren't spoiled we wouldn't be so
worried. Chancery Lane, Holborn etc aren't far. By the standards of
many towns and cities, Waterloo isn't far.

Francis

True, but it still makes you wonder how _necessary_ the closure really
is. As far as I recall, the works are to extend the platforms (to the
south bank) and create four through ones instead of two through and
three bays - I'm sure someone _could_ work out a way to do this
leaving one platform open each time (even if Northbound only or
whatever).

Er.. you've completely missed the point here - the news is about the long
term closure (two and a half years) of the LU platforms, not the
Thameslink ones.

Interesting: I'd thought that it was the Thameslink platforms as well.

What are they doing to the LU platforms and access that will take 2½ years?
Obviously it's not track related if trains can still run through non-stop.

Mortimer wrote:

Interesting: I'd thought that it was the Thameslink platforms as well.

There will be a major blockade for three/four weeks at London
Blackfriars (mainline) within the next few years (in relation to bridge
works I think). Other than that, the next few years will involve the
closure of the core Thameslink route during weekends and, from December,
weeknights as well. It is possible that some of these closures will
require services to/from London Blackfriars to be bustituted.

What are they doing to the LU platforms and access that will take 2½ years?
Obviously it's not track related if trains can still run through non-stop.

_Thameslink 2000 environmental statement : main report – inner area
(June 2004)_

2.7.6 On the north bank, the existing separate Network Rail and LUL
ticket areas will be combined into a single street level shared ticket
hall, accessed from a new station entrance off Queen Victoria Street.
The existing subway entrance to the station will be closed. A new space
accommodating the entrance, ticket hall and concourse will be created
behind a façade rising to the full height of the existing building at
167-179 Queen Victoria Street, which will be demolished. This new space
will also contain an LUL ventilation shaft and a mezzanine deck but will
otherwise be open to its roof, creating a ‘cathedral entrance’ to the
station. Access down to the Underground and up to the mainline station
will be beyond a shared ticket line via escalators and lifts. The
‘cathedral entrance’ concept supersedes the design described in the 1999
ES, which envisaged a single storey replacement to 167-179 Queen
Victoria Street (albeit one making provision for subsequent development
above it) – the so-called 'missing tooth'. Retail units will be provided
at street level and elsewhere within the station.


_Thameslink 2000 Statement of Case (March 2005)_

4.26 The design of the remodelled Underground Station now involves the
complete demolition of the existing station, apart from the track and
platform edge. It involves the provision within the new station of new
escalators and lifts for those whose mobility is impaired, in addition
to replacement of the existing station facilities and construction of a
combined Underground/National Railway Network.

4.27 The closure of the Underground station during the period that these
works are carried out is necessary because the safety shield required to
separate the works from the running lines will reduce the available
platform area to such an extent that the station cannot be operated
safely for the majority of the construction period. Alternatives (such
as single platform operation and weekend only closures) have been
examined but all scenarios involve the reduction of the platform
available to below an acceptable standard of safety. The construction
strategy will be to close the station; get the work done in the shortest
possible time in the safest possible environment; and re-open to a
completed new station.

4.28 The closure would be for two years. A shield would be constructed
around the track and train envelope along the entire length of the
platforms. This would permit the works to construct the new station to
be carried out at the same time as the through running of District and
Circle Line trains.

On 7 Aug, 15:17, "Mortimer" wrote:
"Paul Scott" wrote in message

...







wrote in message
....
On Aug 7, 1:48 am, " wrote:
On 6 Aug, 22:55, darkprince66 wrote:

10 minutes walk? To the nearest tube station? Gasps in horror... You
poor darlings ;-)

I know, that was my reaction. If we weren't spoiled we wouldn't be so
worried. Chancery Lane, Holborn etc aren't far. By the standards of
many towns and cities, Waterloo isn't far.

Francis

True, but it still makes you wonder how _necessary_ the closure really
is. *As far as I recall, the works are to extend the platforms (to the
south bank) and create four through ones instead of two through and
three bays - I'm sure someone _could_ work out a way to do this
leaving one platform open each time (even if Northbound only or
whatever).

Er.. you've completely missed the point here - the news is about the long
term closure (two and a half years) of the LU platforms, not the
Thameslink ones.

Interesting: I'd thought that it was the Thameslink platforms as well.

What are they doing to the LU platforms and access that will take 2½ years?
Obviously it's not track related if trains can still run through non-stop..


Given what happened at Bank ...

I bet there's just one passageway closed or something, which the
dubious simulation software they must be using has calculated to
result in thousands of deaths through overcrowding unless they close
the whole station.

Let's hope that they don't apply the same simulations to stations that
aren't having any work done, or they might realise that they have to
close all of them.

MIG wrote:

Given what happened at Bank ...

I bet there's just one passageway closed or something, which the
dubious simulation software they must be using has calculated to
result in thousands of deaths through overcrowding unless they close
the whole station.

I guess you've just read Sky Rider's post by now, saved me looking it up,
cheers

:-)

Paul