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Author Topic: Newport Station - problems, improvements and enhancements (merged topics)  (Read 40978 times)
IanC
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« Reply #15 on: March 14, 2010, 20:29:08 »

Can anyone here tell me if the work contractors around the East of Newport were doing over this weekend was to do with the big South Wales re-signalling project?

When the train I was on yesterday (Maesteg -> Cheltenham Spa*) left Newport we were placed onto the Freight Line and saw some track missing on the main line (I think it was the Newport bound line) and lots of diggers and mechanical equipment.


* Side note = I was due to be on the 09:45 Cardiff - Nottingham, but this was cancelled from Cardiff, tannoy at Cardiff told us to get on the Manchester Piccadilly train, where a XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) train would be waiting for us. Guess what happens when we get to Newport - yep - XC train had already left!!
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #16 on: June 18, 2010, 20:11:54 »

From the Network Rail press release:

Quote
ECO-FRIENDLY NEWPORT STATION GETS BUBBLE WRAPPED

Work to clad the newly-built Newport station with 31 futuristic air-filled plastic cushions - a look made famous by the Eden Project and the ^Water Cube^ from the Beijing Olympics - has started.

This marks the final major installation in the construction of south Wales^ greenest station and the new station is set to be ready for passenger use this September.

Over the next few weeks, 925 square metres of the two occulli steel structures will be covered in ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene), which will be inflated with air to form the roof of the main concourse buildings. 

These lightweight ^cushions^ are created using two layers of film measuring 250 microns, around two to three strands of hair in thickness, to form a distinctive bubble wrap effect. 

ETFE is among the most cutting-edge materials in the world and this is the first time that it is being used to construct a railway station in Wales.

Mike Gallop, principal programme sponsor, Network Rail said: ^Our innovative approach will produce a distinctive station that is cost-effective to build and maintain, eco-friendly and fit for the 21st century and beyond. Our work has been non-stop since the scheme began last year and we are progressing on track with all the major installations nearly completed now.  We will continue to work hard to complete the transformation in the next coming months.  Passengers will soon have the station they deserve and Newport city will have a landmark to be proud of.^ 

Ian Bullock, customer services director at Arriva Trains Wales commented: ^This is a very exciting project. Newport station is now leading the way in terms of its green credentials and we hope that it will become a flagship of how to construct in an environmentally friendly way."

Chris Pembridge, project design director, Atkins, said:"As the final cladding is installed, the true form of the building becomes apparent and visitors will appreciate the combination of engineering excellence and a building that is also highly visually appealing. A key consideration was how to minimise the building^s energy demands and carbon emissions and that meant using state of the art design tools to optimise the design. We believe the building will provide an outstanding feature for the people of Newport as well as proving a highly efficient and interesting station for travellers to enjoy.^

The station is now standing tall with the majority of the steelwork now completed; engineers will now be focusing on interior constructions in the next few months.  Refurbishment work on the existing canopies on the station platforms has also started.

Newport station is a joint project by Network Rail and the Welsh Assembly Government, with support from Arriva Trains Wales and the Newport City Council.

Notes to Editors:

Please log in to http://www.lobsterpictures.tv/docs/newport_1006_slomo.zip to access a time-lapse video of the construction of Newport station in the last month.

Originally designed for the space industry, ETFE is recyclable, does not degrade under ultra-violet light or atmospheric pollution and its unique non-stick, self-cleaning design means that grime can be easily removed by rain.

It is only 1% of the weight of glass and transmits more light.  It costs 24% to 70% less to install and is resilient enough to support 400 times its own weight.

The station is also built with facility to harvest rainwater for re-use.

Newport station is jointly designed by Atkins-Grimshaw and constructed by Gallifords Try.
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #17 on: June 18, 2010, 21:00:10 »

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

Quote
Newport's 'bubble wrap' railway station roof laid

It is a futuristic look made famous by the Eden Project in Cornwall and the Water Cube at the Beijing Olympics.

Now Newport railway station is following their lead by installing a "bubble wrap" roof.

The 31 futuristic air-filled plastic cushions are being used in the concourse of the redeveloped station.

Network Rail says the material, which is eco-friendly, will create a "distinctive look" for the station.

Work on the new roof, created using two layers of film measuring around two to three strands of hair in thickness, marks the last phase of work at the station, which is due to open to passengers in September.

The cushions, which give a "bubble-wrap effect", were originally designed for the space industry.

The material is recyclable, does not degrade under ultra-violet light or atmospheric pollution and its unique non-stick, self-cleaning design means that grime can be easily removed by rain.

It is only 1% of the weight of glass and transmits more light, while Network Rail said it is also cost-effective as it means less steel is needed to support the roof.

The work, which is part of a ^22m station revamp, will provide Newport with a "landmark to be proud of", according to Mike Gallop, principal programme sponsor at Network Rail.

"Our innovative approach will produce a distinctive station that is cost-effective to build and maintain, eco-friendly and fit for the 21st Century and beyond," he said.

Ian Bullock, customer services director at Arriva Trains Wales, said: "Newport station is now leading the way in terms of its green credentials and we hope that it will become a flagship of how to construct in an environmentally friendly way."
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Mookiemoo
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« Reply #18 on: June 19, 2010, 10:17:18 »

Shame most of the platforms have no roof at all at the moment - if its raining and your waiting, there's little place to not get wet

most of the glass seems to have disappeared
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Ditched former sig - now I need to think of something amusing - brain hurts -I'll steal from the master himself - Einstein:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love"
Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #19 on: August 28, 2010, 14:01:58 »

From the Network Rail press release:

Quote
NEWPORT BEGINS FINAL COUNTDOWN TO NEW TRAIN STATION

The brand new Newport station building will open its doors to passengers for the first time on 13 September.

The construction of the landmark Newport station has moved on to the final programme of work to bring passengers a bigger, brighter and modern station.  In the next two weeks, up to 100 engineers will be working to build pavements, tile the floors and fit out the interior facilities, including information points and ticket offices.

Mark Langman, area general manager, Network Rail said: "Work continues on schedule to meet our deadline and we will keep working hard over the next two weeks to deliver this scheme for passengers.  Wales relies on rail and the brand new Newport station is a great example of how rail industry partners are working together to bring Wales^ stations into the 21st century, encouraging even greater use of the railway network.^

Spokesperson from Arriva Trains Wales said: "This new development marks a huge step forward for passengers in Newport. This program of work will provide a more welcoming environment and a much brighter passenger experience, encouraging more people to try the train."

Councillor Matthew Evans, leader of Newport City Council, said: "I^m looking forward to the opening of the new railway station, which I believe will create a lasting legacy for the benefit of all Newport residents as well as further enhancing the city^s position as the main transport gateway for South Wales.^

Mike Otlet, technical director, Atkins, said: ^Newport Station is an iconic example of clever design and engineering excellence.  A key consideration of the design was how to minimise the building^s energy demands and carbon emissions and that meant our experts using state of the art design tools to optimise the design. We believe the building will provide an outstanding feature for the people of Newport as well as proving a highly efficient and interesting station for travellers to enjoy.^

The station measures 2,100 square metres and is nearly twice the size of the old building.

Passengers will benefit from two new concourses and an additional new entrance to serve passengers from the northern side of the city. A station footbridge will conveniently connect passengers to all platforms.

The station will also be equipped with three lifts, CCTV (Closed Circuit Tele Vision), modernised customer information system and new waiting shelters. Both concourses will also have improved ticketing and information points and more shops.

The scheme is jointly funded by Network Rail and the Welsh Assembly Government, with support from Arriva Trains Wales and Newport City Council.

The new station is jointly designed by Atkins and Grimshaw and is constructed by Galliford Try.

Notes to Editors:

The new station is the largest station investment in south Wales and it is built with the environment in mind.

Its roof is built with a special material - ethylene tetrafluoroethylene - that is also used by the Eden Project.  ETFE is originally designed for the space industry, it is recyclable, does not degrade under ultra-violet light or atmospheric pollution and its unique non-stick, self-cleaning design means that grime can be easily removed by rain.

It is only 1% of the weight of glass and transmits more light.  It costs 24% to 70% less to install and is resilient enough to support 400 times its own weight.

The station is also built with facility to harvest rainwater for re-use and the space in the public concourses is naturally ventilated.
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Andypandy
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« Reply #20 on: September 14, 2010, 09:48:06 »

Took me by suprise yesturday to have the english announcement first then the welsh. Station is looking alot brighter than before which is nice but didnt see much action out of the new building
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #21 on: September 14, 2010, 13:38:12 »

Thanks for that feedback, Andypandy - and welcome to the Coffee Shop forum!

CfN  Smiley
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #22 on: September 17, 2010, 18:28:29 »

From the Network Rail press release:

Quote
NEWPORT'S NEW STATION: A NEW GATEWAY TO WALES

The benefits of the brand new Newport station will be far-reaching and lasting, says local government and transport leaders as the concourses of the new gateway of Wales open to passengers today.

The transformed Newport station - the largest station revamp in Wales ^ marks a step forward in achieving the vision of regenerating the city into a dynamic, thriving and business-friendly city.  The investment also leads the way for a successful partnership between local government, businesses and the rail industry in improving rail infrastructure to support social and economic developments, especially in time of spending cuts.

Today, Newport station serves more than 2m passengers - an increase by around 30% over the last five years.  Twice the size of the old station, the new station building is poised to cater to future passenger growth and an expected influx of 2,000 more passengers per day during the Ryder Cup.   

Mike Gallop, principal programme sponsor, Network Rail said: ^Investment in rail is a necessity and not a luxury, Wales relies on rail.  The country has an aspiration to become a leading destination for top-class events, such as the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and a robust transport infrastructure is vital to meet that. Newport station will play a significant role as a transport hub during the international golfing event, but its benefits go far and beyond.  The landmark station will transform passengers^ travel experience and more importantly, it will help open up new opportunities for the city as it becomes more attractive to businesses.  Sustained investment in rail will be vital to help unleash the economic potential in Wales.^

Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport said: "I am delighted that this remarkable station has now reopened. It will improve the experience of passengers and provides striking entry for people as they arrive in Wales. World class facilities like this is central to making Wales an attractive place to live, work and visit. Our new approach to economic development focuses on creating a high quality infrastructure so that businesses, large and small,  are well connected within and beyond Wales. This station will certainly play a huge part in connecting Wales to the world."

Councillor Matthew Evans, leader of Newport City Council, said: ^We are now less than three weeks away from hosting one of the world^s most popular sporting tournaments and the opening of the new station is another sign that we are ready for The 2010 Ryder Cup and welcoming thousands of visitors to the city. Newport is the gateway city to Wales and the station^s increased capacity will play an integral role in our growth. It will provide an excellent first impression for passengers arriving in the city."

Peter Northcott, head of stations, Arriva Trains Wales, said: ^The new train station at Newport is fantastic for not only local residents but also visitors to the area and businesses. We are pleased that Network Rail has delivered this unique building providing a really welcoming and brighter environment and a much improved passenger experience. The new and improved facilities contribute to a station fit for the 21st century and will we hope encourage more people to use the railways to and from Wales.^

Mike Otlet, technical director, Atkins said: ^Newport Station demonstrates a successful fusion of innovative engineering and iconic design. The station^s unique architectural concept and geometry created some interesting challenges, which called for some inventive technical solutions. Atkins^ technical team worked hand in hand with Grimshaw^s architects combining creativity with practicality, and this was particularly evident in the solution for the unusual terminal building.^

The opening of the concourses today marks the first stage of completion with the second stage of completion focusing on snagging as well as putting the finishing touches to the footbridges, car parking and staff offices.

The station measures 2,100 square metres and has two concourses, equipped with CCTV (Closed Circuit Tele Vision), real-time customer information system, improved ticketing and information points and more shops.  Passengers will be able to access the station from an extra new entrance on the north of the city.  In addition, passengers with luggage, prams or wheelchairs will benefit from easy access onto all the platforms using lifts within the station building.

Network Rail and the Newport City Council have also carried out extra work to spruce up the existing platform canopies and refurbish the taxi rank outside the station.

Notes to Editors:

To download the time-lapse vide of our construction work from start to finish, please log on to - http://www.lobsterpictures.tv/docs/newport_100910.mov.zip

The scheme is jointly funded by Network Rail and the Welsh Assembly Government, with support from Arriva Trains Wales and Newport City Council.  It is jointly designed by Atkins and Grimshaw and constructed by Galliford Try.

The station is operated by Arriva Trains Wales and owned by Network Rail.  Train operating companies that travel through the stations include Arriva Trains Wales, First Great Western and Cross Country.

The landmark station represents a step forward in transport design with a featherweight plastic covering that is a hundred times lighter than glass and requires a fraction of the steel and concrete support of a normal structure.

The design embraces the divide between the two distinct halves of the city, caused by the bisecting railway tracks.  Passenger facilities, ticket offices and platform access are split equally between the two concourses either side of the tracks.

All elements are situated within terminal buildings constructed of structural steelwork and covered in continuous ETFE (Ethylene TetraFluoroEthylene) cushions with aluminium-clad spirals.

The spiral design mirrors the route passengers take within the station and helps to ease traffic flow by guiding customers from ground level up to the connecting bridge and back down onto the platforms.

Key sustainability features of the design include:
^         ETFE is recyclable, unaffected by ultra-violet light or atmospheric pollution and is self cleaning
^         ETFE is only 1% of the weight of glass and strong enough to support 400 times its own weight
^         Less structural steel required due to the lightness of ETFE
^         Space heating to accommodation blocks is provided by condensing boilers feeding under floor heating
^         Natural ventilation in the concourses and footbridge
^         Fresh supply air to the ticket office is drawn in through an underground Awadukt system to facilitate preheating
          and pre-cooling of the incoming air supplies
^         Rainwater harvesting is utilised for toilet flushing in both public and back of house areas
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Toiletdriver
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« Reply #23 on: September 17, 2010, 23:35:38 »

Yeah, yeah!!!

Originally should have been finished in July Cry

One week late on the 2nd date.
Confusion with where trains stop, and passengers board, lots watching their service pass by.
One big **** up from start to finsh.

Other facts left of a public forum, written complaints have gone in  Grin
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JayMac
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« Reply #24 on: September 18, 2010, 00:35:23 »

Care to explain what 'other facts left of(f) a public forum' means, Toiletdriver?

And who have submitted written complaints to whom?
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
Toiletdriver
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« Reply #25 on: September 18, 2010, 20:26:36 »

Sorry, no.

I do wish to keep my job, thanks. And yes, should have been a double f for my "of" Cry
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JayMac
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« Reply #26 on: September 19, 2010, 08:26:25 »

In that case, may I suggest refraining from posting such (lack of) information. It serves no purpose whatsoever if people post about things they 'know' but are unable to share.

A possible alternative view about the redevelopment of Newport Station and any problems it has caused, from that provided by Network Rail and the Welsh Assembly would be interesting to hear. However any such view needs to be a bit more than just a dismissive "Yeah, yeah!!!"

I appreciate that rail staff may need to be careful about what they say on a public forum, but merely sounding off about something ("One big **** up from start to finish") without explaining why you hold that view is pointless and does nothing to further the debate.

So, I remain of the opinion that an excellent job has been done with the redevelopment. Yes, it was a little late but still within plenty of time for it's first real test, the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Now, if only we had the modern trains to go with the modern building, as pictured......



...... but that's another story. Smiley


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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
Toiletdriver
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« Reply #27 on: September 22, 2010, 16:35:10 »

Bignosemac, more information posted on the forum for idiots, includes 2 of my written complaints.

http://www.wnxxforum.com/interactive/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14249&start=50

You need to be a member to view though.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #28 on: September 22, 2010, 16:46:09 »

I've probably already said it, but what an utter eyesore!
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JayMac
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« Reply #29 on: September 22, 2010, 16:57:39 »

Bignosemac, more information posted on the forum for idiots, includes 2 of my written complaints.

http://www.wnxxforum.com/interactive/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14249&start=50

You need to be a member to view though.

Unfortunately I'm not a member of that forum. Do I have to be an idiot to join?  Huh Roll Eyes
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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