Great Western Coffee Shop

The final phase of work to replace the footbridge near Plymouth's railway station will start on Sunday 27 April (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20478974

The steel footbridge on Saltash Road had to be removed in 2006 after it was hit by a low loader carrying a hoist during the morning rush hour.

Contractors Dyer and Butler have replaced the existing foundations and support landings and are now set to install the new 34-metre walkway.

The whole road from Pennycomequick roundabout to North Cross roundabout will be closed from around 8am on Sunday morning.

The council has permission to close the road until midnight but hopes to re-open it by the middle of the afternoon.

It is expected the footbridge will be opened to pedestrians late next week.

Good news :), but nearly two years to get around to replacing it? :(

The footbridge has been reopened (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20534738&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

The footbridge near Plymouth's railway station will be temporarily closed tomorrow evening (link below.)
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Footbridge-closure/article-187654-detail/article.html

Some minor finishing work needs to be carried out on the footbridge, which was re-opened to the public at the beginning of May.

There will be no access to the footbridge from 6pm until midnight.

From the FGW website :

06:04 Penzance to Newton Abbot due 08:55

This train will be terminated at Liskeard.It will no longer call at: Menheniot, St Germans, Saltash, St Budeaux Ferry Road, Keyham, Dockyard, Devonport, Plymouth, Ivybridge, Totnes and Newton Abbot.This is due to a train fault.

09:02 Newton Abbot to Plymouth due 09:48

This train has been cancelled.This is due to an earlier train fault.

Hit an obstacle at doublebois which ripped off the fuel filters from the underside!

Presumably a DMU with the utterly pointless cow-catcher that might give a prone cow a close shave whilst passing over it ? 

The obstacle was a bike.

From the FGW website :

14:50 Penzance to Plymouth due 16:54

This train will be terminated at Liskeard.It will no longer call at: Menheniot, St Germans, Saltash, St Budeaux Ferry Road, Keyham, Dockyard, Devonport and Plymouth.This is due to a train fault.

17:06 Plymouth to Liskeard due 17:41

This train has been cancelled.This is due to an earlier train fault.

17:49 Liskeard to Plymouth due 18:19

This train has been cancelled.This is due to an earlier train fault.

14:06 London Paddington to Penzance due 19:34

This train has been revised.It will additionally call at: Menheniot.This is due to an earlier train fault.

Looked worse for a while with the 1812 PLY to NQY cancelled, but now reinstated.

What about those going to or from Plymouth suburban stops?

What about those waiting at Menheniot/St Germans and Saltash waiting for the cancelled 1450 ex Penzance?

A stop order on the 1600 ex Penzance would be appreciated...

they'd have done better to stop 2G76 (1452 NQY-PLY) at those stations rather than slowing an HST down!

Grrrr !! I was on the 17:33 from Exeter down and it called at every station known to man except Lostwithiel and Hayle - consequently missed the St Erth to St. Ives branch.
No apology - no attempt to make up time, same thing happened yesterday when an 8 minute delay out of Paddington turned into 20 minutes at St Erth.
   

Horn Failure apparently

Viagra?

Replying to myself....today was even worse....30 minutes late at St Erth.
We crawled along from St Germans with no word from the TM - the announcement came at Hayle !
Poor line condition - I wonder if they make this up - I'd believe them if it was 'up' from Bodmin Parkway through the rain forests to Liskeard.
We left Bodmin Parkway 'down' taking the following XC's path at 18:30 - this should have got us to St Erth before 19:30 but it missed by miles.
Also dissapointingly the TM made no attempt to seat the standing passengers - train was rammed full but there were many bags on seats.


Edit note: Hi, chrisoates! I certainly wouldn't normally do this to any post by a member, but as you have obviously had such a bad day, I've just corrected your 'quote marks', to make your post more understandable! Best wishes, Chris ;)

Leaving St Germans on the "down" is notorious for poor rail adhesion, it's quite a steep incline, as for making up time, it's not possible these days, can't speed due to data recorders.

From the Herald:


See http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/30k-cash-left-train/article-531877-detail/article.html

From the Express & Echo:


See http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/news/30-000-left-Exeter-train/article-531071-detail/article.html

i lost a green bag on a train from york to exeter 2 months ago

And it got handed in!!!  :o

There are honest people in Plymouth then!!  :D :-* ;D

kind of.... it used to have ^100 grand in it

From the BTP press release (http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Media-Releases/CCTV-IMAGES-RELEASED-AFTER-TRAIN-DRIVER-ASSAULTED-PLYMOUTH-d15.aspx):

This from the Western Morning News today.                                                                              Businesses are being urged to help Plymouth look its best to impress Fifa and help bring the 2018 World Cup to the city.Top of the agenda was to fast-track long called for improvements to the citys "red carpet" areas the entry points for arriving visitors.
  Tim Jones chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Business Council said "We need to get rid of some of the old skeletons that Plymouth has got and the view that greets visitors arriving at Plymouth station has to be addressed.Its a shabby point of arrival that we have been complaining about for years".Mr Jones said proposed changes to rail contracts,which could see franchises granted for 20 years could provide the momentum for revamping the railway station.
 

Let's knock the council building down! What an eyesore.

Believe it or not that what the city council wants to do but it has been prevented from doing so,one of those preservation thingys has been slapped on it at National level.Example of 1960s architecture and all that even though bits are falling off the building exterior resulting in a protective covering having to have been erected over the main ground floor pedestrian entry area.

From the Plymouth Herald (http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Ex-student-drugs-worth-163-24k-station/article-3479099-detail/article.html):

From the Plymouth Herald (http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/crews-tackle-blaze-passenger-train-Plymouth/article-3512330-detail/article.html):

headline in your link about being a passenger train to look major,
then you read it says carrying goods no passengers.

All sounds a bit confused. Given the time it sounds like it was an ECS working at the end of the day's service.

i would like to point out that the website is 'this is plymouth' ...... the express and errors site is 'this is exeter' .... nuff said?

better site http://www.dsfire.gov.uk/News/Newsdesk/IncidentDetail.cfm?IncidentID=16747&siteCategoryId=3&T1ID=26&T2ID=41

the unit was 150221

They all run the same stories anyway, a simple bit of manipulation can make the above story appear on the Bristol Evening Post website!

yeh sorry you are correct however the source for this is the herald.... so same as

A Temporary hybrid set numbered 153399 has been formed up at LA using the undamaged 57221 car (52221 being the fire damaged car) coupled to 153369. No2 cab of 153369 is in the middle of the set.

52221 to be repaired at LA apparently.

Unit is renumbered 153399 to prevent any attempt being made to try and send it to Portsmouth as class 153 is not cleared to run beyond Southampton.

Pictured at Exeter today;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theguinnessking/5714059398

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theguinnessking/5713496823

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theguinnessking/5713494501

That's different! I can understand the numbering to prevent Portsmouth but doesn't that imply that it could be allocated to increasing capacity on other services by mistake thinking it's a single car?

a spotter was asking me about this today and I thought he'd been drinking too much Vimto! Shows how much the staff know!

i wonder why they didn't just add it to another 150 to create a 3 car set

It was coupled to a Cl.153 because the Cl.150 fleet was already stretched last week with insufficent numbers available to run the service. With 221 out of traffic, another at Canton for repainting, another at Tyseley for heavy exam and A.N.other 150 at SPM with electrical problems as a consequence of being coupled to 221 when the fire broke out, plus routine maintenance on others.

Coupling it to a Cl.153 was the quickest solution.

Making the set 153399 draws attention to the set so it won't be allocated to increase capacity "by mistake".

FC

I would think the unusual set number would be sufficient to prevent that from occurring.

I take it this hybrid unit is still out there?

I think I saw it last Tuesday (28/06) on the 0845 Bristol Parkway - Bristol Temple Meads. On this occasion it was coupled to a 2 car 158.

Made for an interesting looking 4 car unit, both inside and out!

I travelled on the 1749 Liskeard-Plymouth service yesterday, and was interested to see it formed of one half of a Class 150 unit (coach no.57221) put together with a Class 153 unit (coach no.57369). The combo has been officially designated as a 2-coach Class 153 unit - 153399

Discussion with the guard revealed that this had come about due to the engine having "blown up" on the other half of the Class 150 unit. Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere on the forum, but does anyone have any further details regarding how and when this happened?

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=8852.msg90748#msg90748  ;)

Topics merged (oddly, a search for 153999 didn't find the original thread!)

The self same 'unit' was to be seen in Bristol on 28th June. Coupled to a Class 158. Made for a very interesting looking 4 car train! Travelled on it from Stapleton Road to Bristol Temple Meads.

Funnily enough, so did I.  ;) :D ;D

Cheers for that, folks  :)

I notice that work has started at Plymouth station on enlarging the main concourse area by incorporating the current covered paved area outside the front of the station into the main concourse including the provision of some much needed concourse toilets with a new lounge I believe.What is really needed is to rationalize the over capacity of platforms and make a smaller but improved station.Something like Newton Abbot with maybe 4 or so platfoms would be more appropriate now for current and future traffic levels at Plymouth station in the 21st century.

Never complain about "over capacity", Woody.  The number of platforms Plymouth station has is one of its strengths.

One day, hopefully, there will be more London trains and a lot more local trains - east, west and north (Tavistock). 

As we're finding elsewhere, what looks like over capacity to one generation when taken out can cause big problems two/three decades down the line. Look at the money having to be spent redoubling the Cotswold line, Swindon - Kemble and in the recent past, Probus - Burngullow in Cornwall and installing the long loop at Axminster.

Have to agree with you there RichardB.

Temple Meads is another example. Platforms 13 & 15 were out of use for many years. I doubt the station would cope without them today.

What is really needed is a buffet that doesnt close just as I arrive in the early evening.. >:(

... and a decent pub within walking/stumbling distance.  ;)

The present Plymouth station dates from a time when there were 2 main lines to London from Plymouth the present GWR via Newton Abbot and the LSWR via Tavistock/Okehampton(the present platforms 7 and 8).Plymouth also once had an extensive local rail network the infrastructure of which apart from the route to Tavistock now long gone.You also had the GWR and LSWR competing for passengers and mail off the transatlantic liners that used to call at Plymouth in the era before air travel killed that off.
 My point is that Plymouth is no Bristol or Swindon rail wise and never will be because of its relatively peripheral geographical position and the limited rail access at the end of what is effectively a 55/60mph secondary line,it cant even support a small regional airport anymore(today is the last day of scheduled flights from Plymouth airport.Yes there will be increased use of the railways in Plymouth as elsewhere(Tavistock re-opening hopefully) but suggestions that somehow that rail traffic levels will ever justify the present pre-Beeching number of platforms at Plymouth station are at present remote.Thats what the head says but the heart says that I would love to be proved wrong on this one.

Even if more platforms were needed, couldn't the Dock sidings be used as platforms (like Platform 3)? Of course the old Royal Mail bay cant be used due to the height of the platform, but the siding next to Platform 3 could be used for DMUs starting and terminating at Plymouth, and the same goes for the bay next to the old mail siding.

What tosh, Plymouth is up to capacity most evenings and mornings, with the large amount of terminating trains staying in the platforms until they can be taken to Laira.

Why Can't the original Platform 1 & 2 nearest the station building be used if they are short of capacity.

Guy

Because for a large part of the day Plymouth stations platforms are well under capacity.I arrived back in Plymouth yesterday at 1925 on the 1606  from Paddington to Penzance and apart from our train on platform 4 there were only two 15x units parked in the platform 3 bay platform.The rest of the station was completely empty not an unusual situation I can assure you at Plymouth now for large parts of the day when the majority of travel is done.For the most part all Plymouth station has to cope with is an hourly FGW HST,an hourly X country(if it is not terminated at Newton Abbot due to late running),a 2 hourly Gunnislake and the very occasional Penzance/PlymouthNewton Abbot locals.Newton Abbot station seems to cope with virtually the same traffic levels plus the Paigntons with only 3 platforms!

i think the question has to be, what benefit would their be from spending money on removing platforms shortening them?

Newton Abbot struggles as soon as there are any infrastructure problems that cause delays but Plymouth is used to capacity in the peaks, Penzance could manage with one platform off-peak but all are needed when all the terminators come in at night, your logic is flawed, what should they do, remove the platforms after the morning peak then rebuild them every night?

I take your point vacman about the terminators at night I was just making the point that for most of the day plymouth station is way over capacity platform wise and I was thinking that if ever the station platforms were remodelled /modernised some time in the future that it would be more cost effective to reduce the overcapacity.To me there is nothing worse than seeing a huge half empty station as its give the impression of decline.

I wonder whether there is a wider question here.

We have now entered a "McNulty era", where saving shedloads of money in some shape or form is going to be the order of the day. Without wishing to make a judgement on the rights and wrongs, history (both distant and recent) suggests that the idea of "rationalisation" of infrastructure considered "redundant" tends to rise up the agenda during such times.

If so, it could create an interesting clash of approaches, at a time when significant investment is either being made now or being planned for schemes such as Cotswold and Swindon-Kemble redoubling.

i think the opposite should happen, platform 3 should be made into a threw platform

It may well be quite off peak, but its still up to capacity at times of the day, if the capacity was done away with then it wouldnt cope!

Hi

I wonder what happen to this plan they had in 2009


http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/NEW-NORTH-CROSS/story-11460250-detail/story.html

Guy

Pretty much the same as what any redevelopment of a 'public' area does - nothing.

Mind you, there's been no press release or info on what they're doing at PLY at the moment anywhere

Anyone actually know the plans for the imporvements i see they have expanded the covered area to incorerate a new entrance and the cash machine is now located inside, very very good idea and very much needed. The station looks better now from the outside. (Just that stupid greenhouse on the top and the monstroity of a building next to it ).

I am hearing that they are incorprating toliets onto the station building which was much needed and long overdue. However is anything else being redone? and where are the toliets going to be located?

Any pictures anywhere? or any idea of what will look like?

Try Plymouth City Council's planning website, search where Network Rail is the applicant. 

That often throws up quite detailed drawings etc...

Paul

The toilets will be 20p toilets aswell

Although it is only temporary I can envisage problems at the gateline.  I got off the 15:03 from Paddington on Thursday and it took four minutes to get through the barriers and it appeared people waiting to enter the station were being held back while the staff tried to clear passengers off the platform.

I canot find any planning info or anything its like it doesnt exist.

I hope they replace the old very aged departure screens with flat lcd screens make it nicer looking. And get rid of the grey horrid ticket office

:( I really would like to see whats going on but not even FGW knows its going on according to there wensite ha

Visited yesterday as went to Torquay and its abit meh! Thw outside looks good. And then i dont see hp anything isnide has improved the station. There are no toliets, no extra lounge seats in the station building. it makes the rest of the station look tacky and old and there is no straight through design espcially the floor. I not sure if its fisnihed but meh. Looks nicer though ha

From the Plymouth Herald (http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/story-14410307-detail/story.html):

Some unrewarded good service on a PAD PNZ HST  - a drunk was being a pain largely because the school children were egging him on - at Camborne the on-board staff got him off with such little fuss that it was only when he banged at the window from outside that I realised he had gone.
TM contacted Control to warn the following train.

 

From the British Transport Police press release (http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Media-Releases/Did-you-witness-incident-at-Plymouth-rail-station-British-Transport-Police-appear-for-information-after-rail-worker-assaulted-1c5c.aspx):

Short item from this week's Herald

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Final-phase-station-revamp-starts-year/story-16994735-detail/story.html

From the First Great Western press release:

From the Plymouth Herald (http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Warning-rail-passenger/story-17825791-detail/story.html):


Generally I don't comment on the standard of journalism in such items, but isn't "Transport cops dished out a warning" an appalling misuse of the beautiful English language? :o

Its also wrong. Its very likely that they dished out a Caution

Probably just a warning. A caution is very different.

wouldnt you just end up flat on your face trying to board a moving train. Unless they've bought slamdoor stock to Plymouth with no door locks

Always a risk of tripping and falling between the platform and train. That risk is even greater if you're trying to exit a moving HST through a droplight window as I once saw someone try to do at Cardiff Central. Needless to say they were taken away by the BTP.

I once saw a guy 'board' a 125 at Darlington by jumping the six foot platform fence, and jumping through the drop light...I guess we were only doing 15-20 mph at the time. It was ignored by platform staff and i guess the conductor was at the rear...bet he had a few bruises mind.

What ever happened to the subway refurbishment they were planning. It's still the same deary and damp.

It's still on the way - happening by the Autumn, I believe.

Cool thanks, thought it had been abandoned. :). I'm guessing its a standard refurb no major changes?

Well then.  To do a proper job and stop the leaks they are going to have to do some serious trackwork above to waterproof it ::)

From the Plymouth Herald (http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Improvements-Plymouth-rail-station-completed/story-20337709-detail/story.html):

Headline : improvements completed
Text : except for the subway which will be started early next year

Yes, I noted that when I posted that particular 'update news' item.  ::)

From the Plymouth Herald (http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/year-plan-redevelopment-Plymouth-Rail-Station/story-20935751-detail/story.html):

Hope the subway pictures are cleaned and refurbished rather than replaced. I think they are very appealing.

Well I was travelling through the station yesterday and wow, the. Subway is better then I thought it would be. They have opened it up and doubled the area. The doors that went to the lifts have been merged into one and it's one massive area now. Really suprised at that :). Couldn't get. Any pictures. But it's got no damp or dinge concrete feel. It's modern and fresh.

Need to modernise the central area and you have yourself a nice modern fresh railway station.

Well it certainly does look a big improvement

(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/ply1604.jpg)


Which pictures were you referring to chuffed?  I cannot recall any others except these - which remain.

(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/ply21604.jpg)

There were similar primary school montages in primary colours on the pillars supporting the roofs of the main platforms, depicting the local area. Calstock viaduct springs to mind. Are they still there ? Thanks for posting the other survivors. Not often you use two meanings of the word 'primary' in the same sentence!

you could develop that theme further if you were 'chuffed' about this report  ;)

I think you mean the artwork that was on the building at the west end of Platforms 3 and 4.  This was replaced by different artwork a few years ago and, yes, that's all still there.

Plymouth City Council have published a draft "vision" for the revamp of the station and approach.  Nowhere near being put into place, but encouraging nonetheless.  It includes escalators to climb the hill between the station forecourt and the top of Armada Way, which would be very welcome!

Story here:

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/this-is-how-plymouth-s-railway-station-could-look-after-huge-revamp/story-29488476-detail/story.html

Did anyone else misread that as 'Daft plan for Plymouth Station'!?

You where not alone. :)

  ......historically most Plymouth City Council plans have been daft, courtesy of one Cllr Tudor Evans,  now thankfully no longer in power.

I look forward to the escalator thing! I've the hill to look forward to in the morning!

Plymouth's Railway Station and the £100 million pound question.
Government ministers want foreign investors to pay for the scheme, which includes a hotel and car park.
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/business/plymouths-railway-station-100-million-1575840

There is currently an obsession with building hotels in Plymouth, (another one going up at Bretonside and on the Hoe) despite there being an oversupply already - there will be a huge boost in 2020 with Mayflower 400 but before and after that they will be white elephants - Graduation weekend, MTV Crash and the firework festival are the only occasions upon which hotels are anything approaching full in God's own city.

This is a press release from Plymouth City Council dated 4 September:

http://plymouthnewsroom.co.uk/plans-create-new-gateway-plymouth-railway-station-set-green-light/

"Plymouth’s plans to improve the city’s welcome for rail passengers and to regenerate the area around the station are under starter’s orders.

The Council’s plans to support the area’s transformation are to be given a green light with Cabinet being asked to approve a £26 million funding package when it meets on 11 September.

Building on the ambitious regeneration plans, GWR, working with the Council and Network Rail, is kicking off design work on proposals for the phased upgrade to the station concourse and customer facilities around it.

The aim would be for the first phase of concourse improvements to make it quicker and easier to use the ticket gateline at the station, and to improve the retail offer on the concourse and the platforms, in line with other stations of the size and importance of Plymouth.

This would be followed by a phase 2 scheme for further improvements to the environment in the concourse, including the concourse entrance and the front of the station. Following a design workshop with the Council, GWR, Network Rail and the University of Plymouth, the project team will work up design proposals for review.

Leader of Plymouth City Council Tudor Evans, said: “This kickstarts a pledge that we made to Plymouth in May that we would deliver a new gateway to Plymouth at the train station with a new entrance overlooking the city, a new car park and more spaces for business and retail.

“We’re leading on this regeneration, moving from the drawing board and concepts to planning real change on the ground. This is an extraordinarily complex scheme, but the timetable for much needed change is coming together.

“It’s really exciting and following hot on the heels of other major city centre projects including The Box and Drake Circus Leisure redevelopment.”

Managing Director for GWR Mark Hopwood said: “This is an exciting project for the city and for the railway. We have now started to operate brand new 10 car long distance trains to Plymouth and Cornwall, and we are delighted with the enthusiasm and willingness of our partners at Plymouth City Council and Network Rail to develop a project at Plymouth that will be great for our customers and will give Plymouth the standard of service and the quality of welcome that a city of its size and stature deserves.

“We are really pleased to have reached this next milestone and to kick off the design work for the concourse, alongside plans for a much improved car park and public realm.”

Later this month a planning application for change of use is to be submitted for Intercity House, which towers about the station, to be entirely rejuvenated and restyled.

The package of work being discussed at the Council’s Cabinet include demolishing the rail incident safety centre (RISC building) on the east side of the railway station to enable a new multi-storey car park to be built.

A new 469 space car park will be built on the site of the RISC building. It will have almost double the capacity of the existing car park, which is not well used as it is unsuitable for many modern cars and will be knocked down.

Also in the pipeline are plans to replace and modernise station staff accommodation, and significant new public space works including a direct pedestrian link to North Cross and the city centre. A new-look entrance off North Cross will also massively improve the pedestrian access to the station.

Chair of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, Steve Hindley CBE DL said: “The LEP’s Growth Deal includes a proposal to allocate £4.7m to this important scheme as part of the wider funding package. It’s crucial that we create the right conditions for growth in order to raise the productivity of the area, and transport links are a major factor that need our investment. I wish this project every success and look forward to seeing the scheme progress.”

The work is designed to unlock the regeneration of the area around the railway station which, when finished, will massively improve the welcome for visitors and commuters arriving in Britain’s Ocean City.

The number of commuters and visitors coming by train to Plymouth is on the increase but they get off the train here, it’s not the sea or the city centre that greets them, but a grim and dated multi-storey car park.

The timetable for work:

Enabling work to release the new MSCP site including moving staff accommodation
Concourse improvements
Tower refurbishment
RISC building demolished
New multi storey car park built
Demolition of existing car park
Development of new commercial sites
Public space work
The Council has been working with Network Rail, GWR and the University since 2015 to bring forward this regeneration. Last February the Government announced the project could get around £4.7 million as part of a package given to the Heart of the South West Local Economic Partnership. The scheme has already received some financial support through the One Public Estate, the Cabinet Office provided £700,000 for feasibility and planning work.

The Department for Transport has been supporting the project."

It's good news and I hope that the investment in a new station is matched by improved services.


InterCity House has been a half empty eyesore since I was a child so any improvement will be welcome, but to be honest the overall regeneration and infrastructure needs of Plymouth and its surrounding areas dwarf this project.

Knowing old Tudor, he will probably want a plaque on the wall...…...along with his statue alongside Drake on the Hoe!  :D

Well, I hope they don't ruin the concourse like they did at Euston..... ::)

Euston's just dreadful isn't it? I find myself heading up to Lancashire with work quite a lot at the moment and I think it's the worst of the London termini.

Yes, went through Euston last Wednesday for the first time in many years.  Absolutely runied the former open space for the sake of a mezanine floor, and all those shop outlets.  I was based in the signalbox there for two years back in 1973 and used it every day.  It used to be light and airy.  Appalling waste of good 1960s architecture.

Anyway, back to Plymouth.  Interesting comment about the existing car park being unfit for 'modern cars'.  Been successfully parking mine there for the past 33 years without any problems.  More likely that 'modern drivers' not being able to drive, is the problem...... :P

Modern cars are wider - presumably to provide better side impact protection. Some are much wider than others and these do not fit well in previous standard 2.4m x 4.8m spaces (8ft x 16ft in old money). The 4 wheel drive models are a particular problem. This is a more of a problem in older multi-storey car parks where there is typically a pillar every 2 or 3 spaces so cannot simply repaint the lines.   

Wish someone would tell that to the nations housebuilders.

You want to put a car in the garage!  :o

Many local authorities now require garages to be at least 3.0m wide to count as one of the required parking space

The door opening you get in an 8x16 garage is pretty limited - are you sure that requirement isn't more to do with the increased size of people than cars? In any case, it leaves a bit of a reverse compatibility issue with, in particular, built-in garages.

Plymouth council yesterday approved £26m funding towards the stat ion remodelling. Work is due to start soon..

http://plymouthnewsroom.co.uk/plans-create-new-gateway-plymouth-railway-station-set-green-light/

There is also a new artist impression floating around showing a redesigned large new concourse which looks really smart.

The biggest problem with the car park at Plymouth is the ramps to change levels. The curvature is too tight for modern larger cars and the walls are covered in scrape marks of every conceivable colour. It was designed for British Leyland Minis and Hillman Imps...

You can get a 1999 Vauxhall Zafira around said car park with no problems. I've done so. Bit bigger than Issigonis' and the Rootes brother's finest.

If you are careful and know where your four corners are. And I'm by no meeasure an experienced driver. Only been doing it legally for 18 months...

I couldn't help but wonder where on earth Plymouth City Council found a sofa big enough to find £26 million down the back of...

Plymouth Railway Station Regeneration Part 1 Briefing Report (http://democracy.plymouth.gov.uk/documents/s91016/04.09.18%20Plymouth%20Rail%20Station%20Part%201%20for%20Executive%20Decision.pdf)

Here's the link to the 'artists impressions' mentioned by Plymboi above:
http://plymouthnewsroom.co.uk/plymouth-railway-station-look-like/

Only issue is the concourse seems to be just a further extention of the current layout. The concourse is very small and needs major reworking in my eyes.  Also hoping the platforms are spruced up they are rather grim right now.

The escalators outosde going down are very modern and so unlike Plymouth and I love it. Makes Plymouth feel more of a modern up and coming city.

Only £5 million of that £26 million actaully comes from PCC itself, the rest of that package comes from various other sources. As for the car park itself, well in order to create a station gateway fit for the 21st century and create a direct pedestrian access to the city centre the existing car park has to be demolished and rebuilt elsewhere.
Currently Plymouths semi derelict station is an embarrassment for a city of Plymouth's size and aspersions so the sooner this happens the better for all concerned.

I'm afraid this is incorrect. I've been in touch with Plymouth City Council today, and they have confirmed to me that they are receiving a grant contribution of £5 million from the Heart of the South West LEP and Cornwall LEP, so the Council contribution will be £21.75 million.

As is shown in this document, (http://democracy.plymouth.gov.uk/documents/s91015/Scanned%20from%20a%20Xerox%20Multifunction%20Device.pdf) aside from the LEP grants, this will be funded by loan, land receipts and corporate borrowing. The council intends to utilise its property assets and borrowing capacity to lever in what it describes as "significant private sector investment".

Must of misread this article.
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/business/demolition-begin-100m-railway-station-1969115

You didn't misread it woody - The article does indeed say "The city council has also pledged £5million". Wires crossed with the £5 million in total pledged by the LEPs methinks.

Who actually owns/manages Plymouth station? If it's Network Rail, shouldn't they be picking up the bill?

Any body know if this building is closing and the staff moving to Exeter, maybe to the new offices being built bythe rebuilt depot. On another site

The Plymouth block to be taken over by Plymouth University and refurbished as a medical training.

I do not know if this is on another thread that I cannot find.

Some more ‘plans’ now revealed. Total cost is now £80m, to include a new car park next to the tower block, hotel on the existing car park site, new buildings for the Uni (what? More?!), etc, etc.

http://plymouthnewsroom.co.uk/masterplan-plymouth-railway-station-unveiled/

So lets see then.  You come out of the station entrance and are met by a great big tower block, ugly multistorey car park in a different position and yet more student accomodation, all with the cold westerly wind still howling around it.  Thats all new and exciting isn't it?....... ::) :P

Oh, and dodging the taxi’s and cars still allowed through as you try and walk anywhere.
Mind there was talk of an escalator to the top of the hill, so not all bad then!

http://plymouthnewsroom.co.uk/masterplan-plymouth-railway-station-unveiled/

This is on another thread today.

A detailed planning application has been submitted for the new multi-storey car park: https://planning.plymouth.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=R075MCMMFG800

A press release from the City Council is here: https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/newsroom/pressreleases/anothermilestoneregenerationareaaroundplymouthstation

The new car park is six storeys, which will allow the old car park to be demolished and site re-purposed. A key element is the road layout will be substantially changed with two-way access from North Road East hence no traffic passing the station entrance.

More news about the improvements at Plymouth:

“Passengers heading in and out of Plymouth railway station are finding their route smoother and easier thanks to a gateline that’s doubled in size…….”

https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/newsroom/pressreleases/newgatelinejustticket