London Bridge Station

[Ted Max]

It's looking quite good, isn't it?

Wide open concourse, masses of ticket gates, nae shops, light coming in through the feet of the Shard, newly-minted commuters striding with brisk gaits and upturned faces towards their houses of trade... that sort of thing.

[Marmora Man]

I like it too - it's the extra light I think.

[Jeremy]

It's already a huge improvement. I think the Shard and the wider "LBQ" development is going to be positive, and start spreading central London out to the South.

[James Barber]

But the plans to remove 3 of the 9 terminatin platforms will be painful if granted planning approval and would see the end of the South London Line.

Weirdly London Bridge could reinstate 3 past cloased terminating platforms but seem to prefer long distance commuting into London Bridge rather than Southwark residents commuters.

[Jeremy]

James - closing the platforms in favour of what?

[PeckhamRose]

I was walking along St Thomas Street towards the station the other day - the station area being to my right being just one big red brick wall, just east of Weston Street where it goes through the tunnel - and I came across a slope going up where cars can go, so - thinking I might be using a cut-through or short cut - I walked up it. Security Guard very politely asked if I worked in one of the shops as this slope is for cars and the workers often come out this way for a smoke. I started talking with him and he said that in the not too distant future, whilst the brick wall facade will be kept, that whole area will be knocked through and turned in to shopping and eating area.

Didn't get a train home - looking forward to seeing the differences you all describe though!

[NetherbyGuy]

I've been following progress (over 1000 pages now) of the Shard and london Bridge Development via this forum. An interested read...

Paul

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=407549&page=1023

[civilservant]

You get a good view of much of the building work including new track if you catch the train to Charing X from Platform 6. Having wandered around the immediate area on foot, must say that the project management of road and site traffic seems exemplary.

The only negative is that Guy's Tower has started looking very shabby and overlooked...

[Marmora Man]

Guy's Tower is about to be upgraded - a new cladding will be added and the hospital also has plans to build a new 14 story Oncology Centre designed by Lord Rogers.

[civilservant]

oh? where? everyone seems to be in the business of shoe-horning tall buildings into any available five-square metres-worth of space!

[James Barber]

Hi Jeremy,

The plan Network Rail have is to increas the number of through Thameslink platforms from 6 to 9 - hence the new viaduct across Borough High Street and to make space reduce the number of terminating platforms from 9 to 6.

What they could do is reinstate 3 terminating platforms that have been used as a station and Network Rail staff car park since the 70's. Naivelly I would imaginje a train company would prefer space for trains over parked cars!

[Jeremy]

Thanks James. I was wondering what the new bridge was in aid of!

Yes, it does seem ironic that space previously used for trains is now used for car parking, but presumably there will many staff who need to get home after the trains have stopped.

[mrcee]

Also maintenance guys need somewhere to leave their vehicles

[Huguenot]

They probably do prefer tains over cars - why not ask them why they've made those decisions, rather than assume that they're either stupid or liars?

[Marmora Man]

civilservant Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> oh? where? everyone seems to be in the business

> of shoe-horning tall buildings into any available

> five-square metres-worth of space!

South end of Maze Pond