Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[Oxman]

Camera 1 on nrreading04 shows a piledriver and crane at work in the yard on the south side of the tracks. First physical activity on the west end flyovers etc?

[swrural]

Thanks Oxman, these were 'new to me' (camera 1 and 4 as previously I had only seen the two inside the depot).

Looking at the panorama, it's a good job that, somehow, the old goods railway land in that area was not sold of by the property board, isn't it?

[lbraine]

The glass 'screens' have appeared.

The look at little cosmetic rather than functional ?
The hole is looking mighty draughty !

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I agree - there is certainly plenty of ventilation on the footbridge! I wonder how draughty it will be and whether the wind will howl down it or across it - is this the kind of thing architects can model?

[paul7575]

I wonder if there's ever been any realistic likelihood the stairs/escalators would be fully screened, (notwithstanding how they have been shown in various planning sketches)?  It isn't as if the existing setup on P8/9 is windproof after all.

With just over a week to go there are station name signs, notice boards, seats etc starting to appear on the new platforms, although as usual there's also more block paving removal going on!

The removal of the road deck alongside the ramps (outside the southern entrance) is now proceeding reasonably quickly.

Paul

[paul7575]

Another prediction, based on what I saw from the steps over the subway, is that they are about to divert the pedestrian route past the southern gateline entrance.  The hoarding has been removed a couple of days ago, but they are now placing those concrete blocks as if to support a new hoarding line, parallel to the gateline opening and extending towards the Three Guineas, so you'd have to assume some (or all) of the portakabins are about to be removed.  Perhaps they'll do that over this weekend?

That would then allow the Reading BC demolition contractor to get access to where their new steps will be that will provide the more direct route from the subway opening, i.e. bearing left on exit towards the station forecourt and the town centre...

Paul

[ellendune]

Another prediction, based on what I saw from the steps over the subway, is that they are about to divert the pedestrian route past the southern gateline entrance.  The hoarding has been removed a couple of days ago, but they are now placing those concrete blocks as if to support a new hoarding line, parallel to the gateline opening and extending towards the Three Guineas, so you'd have to assume some (or all) of the portakabins are about to be removed.  Perhaps they'll do that over this weekend?

That would then allow the Reading BC demolition contractor to get access to where their new steps will be that will provide the more direct route from the subway opening, i.e. bearing left on exit towards the station forecourt and the town centre...

Paul

Surely they will have to move the grey portacabins that are in front of the Three Guineas otherwise you cannot get through to the existing station entrance.

I presume the portacabins are temporary offices and storage that will transfer to the office space in the new North Entrance building and will go over Easter.

Alternatively this is in readiness for 2nd April and gives access to new entrance and old one (once portacabins have been removed).  The hoarding then, as you suggest would protect the Reading BC Works.

[Oxman]

Remember that the new station bits open on Good Friday, just six days away. I think there may be room for a walking route to the new south side entrance between the portacabins and the Three Guineas. It certainly looks, as Paul said, that there is hoarding being erected to divert the walking route from the subway across the front of the new entrance.

Relocating the station offices from the portacabins to the new offices on the North side will not be trivial. There will be a new station control office in the north side building, replacing the one in the portacabins, but with a huge increase in functionality. Lots of computers and comms  to be configured. I don't know when this will be implemented, but the portacabins can't go until it is!

I would be surprised if this can be done before Good Friday. It might happen over the Easter weekend. Either way, there is a lot going on in the next two weeks!

[ellendune]

I think there may be room for a walking route to the new south side entrance between the portacabins and the Three Guineas.

On closer inspection I think you might be right.  I did not see that gap.  It looks like part of the section under the roof is outside the doors. So it might be large enough.

[Electric train]

I know from an internal briefing that the Network Rail Chairman, CEO^▸ (Chief Executive Officer) and ex board visited Reading station during the week to ensure everything was in place for the Easter works and the new parts that will be opened for public use will be safe to do so

[swrural]

I often wonder (from the outside) whether visits from top brass help or hinder.  Pats on the back and thank you noises are perhaps more helpful. 

I notice that on the new passageway on the south side, there are staff positioned, in the rush hour at least.  I wondered if they were giving out leaflets about the coming arrangements? 

[ellendune]

I often wonder (from the outside) whether visits from top brass help or hinder.  Pats on the back and thank you noises are perhaps more helpful. 

Looking at it another way. If it all went wrong, the board would carry the can. So visiting to find out whether it is genuinely ready might seem like a good idea to the board, given the amount that is at risk here.

I notice that on the new passageway on the south side, there are staff positioned, in the rush hour at least.  I wondered if they were giving out leaflets about the coming arrangements? 

Yes they are. At least when I went through on Tuesday afternoon.

[swrural]

Thanks ED.  I just wondered what Board members could establish there that they could not establish with a phone call?  Unless they thought the contractors were lying.  Even we have the webcams.

[Electric train]

I often wonder (from the outside) whether visits from top brass help or hinder.  Pats on the back and thank you noises are perhaps more helpful. 

Their visits are a pain in the !!! however they are an essential part of a project especially something as high profile as Reading anything goes wrong its the CEO^▸ (Chief Executive Officer) that will be in front of the Transport Select Committee or even worse John Humphries.  Their visit will highlight things that the project team miss due to being so close to it.

Thanks ED.  I just wondered what Board members could establish there that they could not establish with a phone call?  Unless they thought the contractors were lying.  Even we have the webcams.

There is nothing like getting the real feel for it, imagine the flack they would get if they answered questions on the project just based on third party information and webcam images.

I would be more concerned if they did not visit

[coachflyer]

Camera shows that there has been some gauging tests on the depot today and there is a turbo stabled in the new shed.