"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."

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle4467645.ece

March 2009 until late 2011.

"Yesterday's announcement prompted concerns about commuter disruption, with
the nearest Tube stations ten minutes' walk away. There were also fears of
delays to the planned works because Network Rail has been criticised for
presiding over several project overruns."

Nice to see the Times taking the pessimist view...

"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."

Are LU trying here to make this into a NR problem? Presumably NR are
updating Blackfriars underground because as it stands it just won't cope
with the increase in passengers expected. Could it ever have been considered
possible to upgrade the mainline station without the underground? I doubt
it, so why take this line in public?

Far better surely for LU to just announce that the whole station is being
remodelled, and our colleagues at NR are leading the project...

Paul S