On Aug 6, 7:20*pm, "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."

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to..._sectors/trans...

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

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

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

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).

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.

Peter

"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

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.

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!

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