Denmark Hill Refurb

[hems]

TopTree, how do you think Network Rail, the private company commissioning the works (and owned by the state with a government guarantee), is paying for it? Government subsidy and train fares. So we're all paying.

[Jimi Henrdrix07]

Ha ha you know nothing about the building trade one big fraud the money is in the contract but they are all making money from the client us the public - no fixed price contracts here ya know

[Earl Aelfheah]

The improvements were funded by central government, through 'Access for All' monies I think. I'm not sure about the overruns, whether Department of Transport pick up those costs, but that would be my guess.

[cle]

Seconded on the Oyster machines - ridiculous there is only one.

Really that bit outside the station and pub could be pedestrianised. And the new exit could have been a bit further west to spread people out and to have quicker access to Camberwell Grove and that way. Hospital people (able ones) would presumably stick to the original exit.

[KidKruger]

Well, passed through new entrance this morning.

All seems to work fine - and much more... SPACE !!!

[Hemel]

Does anyone know what will become of the old ticket hall and entrance?

[Mick Mac]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Well, passed through new entrance this morning.

> All seems to work fine - and much more... SPACE

> !!!

Used it this morning and people may still wait in the new hall to see their train platform causing blockage around the ticket barriers. Other people will go through the barriers and have to look back if they did not check their train platform.

Its definately better but not great.

[KidKruger]

Fair point, I guess that's something they'll have to address as they go forward. But yes, they should have paid attention to how the station / screens are currently used. I think most travellers know exactly what train their platform leaves from though.

[dildals]

On another, related, note. The houses at the end of the street along the train line have been beautifully renovated. I enjoy looking at them every time I walk past. Hopefully the squats will be done up the same way!

[El Pibe]

"I think most travellers know exactly what train their platform leaves from though"

Nobobdy knows when those trains are leaving, as that's seemingly governed using some sort of random number generator :)

In my experience people stop there to find out how delayed their trains are, probably to do some sort of bus/train guesswork weighing up.

In the old ticket office they had a habit of doing this right in fron of the door by stopping suddenly so won't miss that.

Also having normal gates, as opposed to the tap sensors right by the chokepoint door where people would suddenly stop and do their business whilst three flows of crossing traffic attempt to defy the laws of physics about different objects occupying the same space, will be a welcome change.

It'll be interesting to see how it orks over the next few days as people adjust their choice of carriage on the way home for optimal leaving journey, but this morning's outbound journey, I thought people were a little more evenly spaced than usual.

Will be interesting to see how it copes with the victoria trains last minute shifts of platfor too, I'm not on htat train any more thank god, but I guess there'll be a few fewer missed trains as a result of those, which can only be good.

[StraferJack]

"Also having normal gates, as opposed to the tap sensors right by the chokepoint door where people would suddenly stop and do their business whilst three flows of crossing traffic attempt to defy the laws of physics about different objects occupying the same space, "

an example of how words can really nail a situation - bravo sir

[KidKruger]

Oh.

I've always found my trains fairly consistent, I take either trains up through City Thameslink/St. Pancras OR to Victoria, never had to change platforms though - must have been lucky. But yes, changing platforms with old layout, just as a separate train has arrived, I can picture the carnage.

[El Pibe]

Perhaps it's service dependent. The 08:19 thameslink is a particularly busy one so is delayed very regularly (i'd say about 80% of the time) as I guess it suffers from the cumulative knock on effects of high traffic all the way down the line.

Though to be fair my home -> nursery -> station routine is very tight and I'd miss that train a lot more than I do if it wasn't for those delays!!!

thaks sj *blushes*

[brontoscorpio]

very nice and convenience also new look for the station.

[StraferJack]

nothing about the refurb sings tho', does it - from an aesthetic, design perspective

I'm not suggesting it's worthy of investing in a la Blackfriars, but given the time and the way they have moved up the sides, it could be a BIT more expansive and elegant

[El Pibe]

At least the expansion of the brickwork on platform 4 is in keeping.

[niki_nje]

Main problem is, you have to walk a lot further from the pub to the platform now, boooooo!

[Alex K]

El Pibe -- what StraferJack wrote. You put that very well.

[edcam]

Good that the platforms are more accessible (although no sign of the lifts working, so no better currently for disabled/elderly/people with buggies.)

It looks like s**t though - appallingly designed and positively ugly.

[Mick Mac]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Oh.

> I've always found my trains fairly consistent, I

> take either trains up through City Thameslink/St.

> Pancras OR to Victoria, never had to change

> platforms though - must have been lucky.

You sure were KK !

[PSJ]

I hears the old ticket hall was being turned into a cafe/waiting area. They could do with toilets there too.

[KidKruger]

That'd be good for those chaps in the little coffee stall - glad to see they're still there. That'd be a great area for them to carry on trading and even increase the space they have to work in - they always looks so cramped !

That waiting room needs ventilation though.

[Earl Aelfheah]

It's an improvement in terms of function, without a doubt. In terms of the aethetics, I personally find it pretty offensive to the eye, but that is a matter of personal taste. The fact that the project was so poorly managed and allowed to overrun by more than a year is fairly unforgivable. I would be interested to know how much this overrun cost us. Perhaps some of the money could have been used to provide something a little easier on the eye.

Like the idea of a cafe/waiting room.

[stkilda]

I hate the look of the refurbishment. All that money spent, and no taste it's really depressing. They could have at least chosen a better colour for the towers. The station used to look very elegant, it's made it ugly. And ironic that it gives everyone better access when we no longer have the south London line (I know an old story, but still...)

[philosophie]

Agree. Very ugly, all looks a little rushed - funny, considering it dragged on so long!