STAR and Tottenham Hale updates

Based on comments on the London Reconnections blog it seems that STAR has been pared back to a "do minimum" scope. Apparently it will be single track throughout meaning one extra train is needed to run a half hourly service on the extra tracks. The balance of the x15 minute service will be provided by the existing Greater Anglia service. This may require a rejig of the mainline service to allow the GA trains to call at N Park and the relocated Angel Road station. At present this doesn't happen - trains call at one or the other but not both. People travelling northbound from T Hale to either N Park or Angel Road will have two separate platforms to choose from. I suspect that the extra track will have a platform face alongside the existing s/b platforms.

Apparently whatever work is done will be designed to allow a further track and platforms to be added. I confess to being disappointed that T Hale will seemingly not be put into a final state with 4 tracks and 4 platforms. This means yet more reworking in the future and more disruption after the upcoming rebuild of the station to create the new ticket hall.

As a side note I see TfL have applied for planning permission (ref HGY/2015/1737) to build six retail units in the space beside the bus drivers crew building at T Hale. This will block the taxi stand from view if you're in the bus station area. Apparently TfL consider the area is "somewhat barren and does not provide an appropriately lively welcome to users of this busy interchange" and needs some shops complete with glowing translucent ceilings (I kid you not).

Yep what we all need when catching a train or a bus is "a lively welcome".

The irony, of course, is that TfL themselves remodelled Tottenham Hale and thereby created "the somewhat barren" area.

While the old bus station area had its faults it involved rather less walking to reach the buses and certainly wasn't "barren". I'm never really convinced by concepts like "town squares" (as used for the paved area between station entrances and the bus stops at T Hale) when the place isn't a town! It's simply a transport interchange with shops, business units and a retail park set back from it. There's lots of footfall but no intrinsic attraction at the "town square" and why would there be? You're right that this is another example of TfL desperately wanting rental income and yet their remodelling plans at the tube station seem to involve evicting the newsagent and there's no obvious replacement unit for him in such a good location [1]. So they boot out their long standing tenant and I bet he won't be able to afford the rent in one of these new units. It'll be poncy cafes and £10 pulled pork sandwich shops instead - that's evident from the artists impressions of the remodelled station. They want some sort of cafe / restaurant where the bin store currently is.


[1] based on looking at the plans for the revamped station.

And at Surbiton. A WH Smith cubicle on the up platforms thats been there for ever; they pulled out years ago, a local took it on, opened only during morning rush, now he's packed up because of the rent hike!

It was always the intention to do just one additional track first as far north as Angel Road with the second track following on later combined with four-tracking north to Cheshunt. This however, may be overtaken (pardon the pun) by Crossrail 2.

This member wishes

So work was continuing on the site today. I took alot of pictures with my fast camera app (highly recommended). The app store is experiencing technical difficulties as you maybe already aware, so will have to wait to download true Flickr app

So does anyone know how to link to your Flickr account when you have the app?