Bristol Temple Meads Station redevelopment

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Because it's going to have an Arenal on it. D'uh!

Thanks for the clarification, but on that basis they may as well call it 'Arena Mountain'.

[TonyK]

Ah, it's the "Island" that is the mystery! I agree that t is geographically difficult to sustain - Temple Meads is a de facto island, being surrounded on all sides by water within a mile. Spike Island isn't really much of an island, being the opposite end of the land mass that includes Temple Meads, unless the latter is insular. Arena Island is more of a promontory, or something, and even that is on a man-made channel. I think it is a matter of poetic licence*, given the major approach being by a bridge, and with the A4 forming something of a barrier. If that's the reason, I can live with it.

(*Mine's in the post)

[JayMac]

Isn't Temple Meads area and St Philips Marsh actually an archipelago? There's a spit of land between the Feeder Canal and New Cut at Totterdown Basin.

Okay, there was once a lock between the Basin and New Cut I believe, but long since filled in.

[TonyK]

I thought an archipelago was something cricketers went to sea on, only a more important version.

There was indeed a lock into the new cut at Cattle Market Road, and another at Bathurst Basin, which is much more evident. Both were blocked up during the second World War in case the Luftwaffe got lucky. A direct hit on the gates at low tide would have been disastrous for the harbour and the ships using it. It would have been nearly as bad at high tide. The blocking up was made permanent in the early 1950s.

[JayMac]

I thought an archipelago was something cricketers went to sea on, only a more important version.

I of course got my geographical term wrong. I meant a peninsula.

These were invented by Sir Alexander Fleming I believe.

The bit of land where the lock used to be is an isthmus.

Which is, according to my two year old nephew, a gift giving occasion in December. One of his current questions is "Can have it for Isthmus?"

[TonyK]

I of course got my geographical term wrong. I meant a peninsula.

These were invented by Sir Alexander Fleming I believe.

That's right. He did it in his spare time whilst writing the James Bond books.

[Red Squirrel]

Well thank goodness we got that sorted out. Easter Island it is then, and look! There's Ursula Andress, emerging from the foam.

[Western Pathfinder]

Well thank goodness we got that sorted out. Easter Island it is then, and look! There's Ursula Andress, emerging from the foam.

I'm just looking !.

[Bmblbzzz]

I thought an archipelago was something cricketers went to sea on, only a more important version.

You're thinking of a pea-green souper wrapped up in a five-pound note. Only, for cricketers it would have to be either a four or a six.

[TonyK]

Well thank goodness we got that sorted out. Easter Island it is then, and look! There's Ursula Andress, emerging from the foam.

I'm just looking !.

I'll risk one eye.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Businesses seek cash for Bristol Temple Meads station overhaul


Bristol Temple Meads is "out of date" and "inadequate", according to business leaders

Business leaders in the West are making a pitch for more government money to revamp Bristol's Temple Meads station.

They say it needs a ^295m revamp - but only ^80m has been earmarked by Network Rail, which is not yet guaranteed.

While Birmingham's New Street has had a ^750m facelift, Temple Meads is "out of date" and "inadequate", they say.

The government has not committed to extra funding but says it is working with Bristol on its enterprise zone and metro rail project.

The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership and Bristol City Council say Brunel's iconic Temple Meads is one of the last city centre mainline railway stations not to meet 21st Century standards.

They argue the region generates more money for the Treasury than anywhere else in England - outside London - yet while rail electrification brings faster journeys, the station itself will be out of date.

The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership said: "Temple Meads is in desperate need of major redevelopment, with an extremely congested entrance and exit ramp, overcrowded passenger tunnel, insufficient car parking and lack of key facilities such as shops, bars and toilets.

"To transform the station will cost in the region of ^295m, and whilst Network Rail has so far committed ^80m for redevelopment as part of the electrification of the Great Western Mainline, this has not been fully confirmed."

The government said it was "committed to firing up local communities and backing businesses so they create thousands of jobs and greater prosperity".

"This includes a successful Enterprise Zone set around the station in Bristol, enabling the Local Enterprise Partnership and City Council to invest business rates in infrastructure and growth," a spokesman said.

"We are also working closely with the West of England Local Economic Partnership to help enable their plans for the Bristol Metro."

[Red Squirrel]

Less Canary Wharf, more Kings Cross

Derelict buildings and land around Temple Meads will be transformed into homes, offices and new squares under plans to create the "Kings Cross of Bristol".

The council has released new images as they launch their 25-year plan to change the area in what is considered to be the biggest regeneration project in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

A consultation is now underway for a ^spatial framework^ - outlined in the new pictures and video fly-through - to follow when deciding on future planning permission for the area which stretches from Temple Gate to the Paintworks.

See full article in Bristol 24/7

There's also a YouTube vid

Delighted to see that they appear to intend to restore the spire at Temple Meads - I know some philistines are resistant to this, but - well, they're just wrong.

Let's just hope that the dull apparatchiks of the dull old political parties don't manage to blow the whole thing out of the water in a dull attempt to make He of the Undull Trousers look bad - as though that was the same as making them look good.

[JayMac]

Devil's advocate...

What purpose will the spire serve other than aesthetic?

Money well spent?

No problem with all the other aspirations.

[TonyK]

Devil's advocate...

What purpose will the spire serve other than aesthetic?

None at all.

Money well spent?

IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion), yes indeed. What is wrong with aesthetic? In any case, as a Grade 1 listed building, there is probably no option but to restore the tower. The woodenspire was removed rather suddenly on 3 January 1941, so would not be part of the listing.

Which leads me to the most important reason for the plan to restore it: the idea can be dropped to save money. No-one will complain because not many people will have ever seen it, and something else will not have to be binned. They should have gone for a couple of gold unicorns and a Damien Hirst skull too - make value engineering easy, I say!

[Red Squirrel]

Devil's advocate...

What purpose will the spire serve other than aesthetic?

Money well spent?

No problem with all the other aspirations.

My dad often used the phrase 'neither use nor ornament' (often, as I remember it, referring to me...). The spire, as it was, was probably of no use; like the surviving tower it was pure ornament.

From an engineer's viewpoint it's nice to think that something can be both useful and ornamental, but for the rest of us 50% is still a passmark. Or maybe they could hide a mobile phone mast in there?

As to the cost: How much does some 4x2 and a couple of pallets of chinese slates cost?