Brutalist Barking

[rincew1nd]

It appears there is heritage money for the station.

www.c2c-online.co.uk/media-centre/latest-news/barking-goes-back-to-the-future/

[aslefshrugged]

This has been in the pipeline for a few years.

From the B&D Post 3 August 2017

Speaking to Barking and Dagenham’s Chamber of Commerce yesterday, c2c managing director Julian Drury told business leaders he shared some of their concerns about the appearance and functionality of the station.  Mr Drury said the company are looking at ways to improve the appearance of the station, as well as accessibility for cars and taxis picking up arriving passengers.

www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/news/head-of-c2c-announces-intentions-to-improve-barking-station-3351854

And B&D Post 17 May 2018

"A company spokesman said that c2c “completely agree with our customers that Barking station needs a radical overhaul”. He added: “We will be submitting a full planning application to the council shortly for a multi-million pound redevelopment and we hope that customers will be seeing significant progress within the next year.”

www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/news/barking-station-is-fifth-most-unpopular-station-in-the-country-3360328

The design of Barking station was inspired by Roma Termini, built in the 1950s and rather ironically in 2017 Trenitalia bought the c2c franchise from National Express.

[dmncf]

I see there are planning application documents here (ref 19/00141/FUL), including the Design & Access Statement that's uploaded as two halves: online-befirst.lbbd.gov.uk/planning/index.html?fa=getApplication&id=18396

[jimbo]

Last year's Essex Thameside Study by Network Rail: At Barking, gateline improvements will be needed by 2025, where an additional five gates on the main concourse could replace a retail unit. A further capacity increase will be needed within ten years, but could be brought forward if funding for step-free access is obtained. TfL propose a new station entrance to connect with Wakering Road to the north, but this would divert little demand from the current ticket hall. c2c want an additional bridge span to increase interchange capacity, and this could meet demand to the 2050 planning horizon. See here

[Chris L]

Apr 20, 2021 19:48:17 GMT jimbo said:

Last year's Essex Thameside Study by Network Rail: At Barking, gateline improvements will be needed by 2025, where an additional five gates on the main concourse could replace a retail unit. A further capacity increase will be needed within ten years, but could be brought forward if funding for step-free access is obtained. TfL propose a new station entrance to connect with Wakering Road to the north, but this would divert little demand from the current ticket hall. c2c want an additional bridge span to increase interchange capacity, and this could meet demand to the 2050 planning horizon. See here

Technically step free access is already available. There is a lift to platforms 1 & 2.

There are steep ramps to the subway.

[aslefshrugged]

The lift is the wrong side of the gateline, it was originally a freight lift only used by station staff

[decaded]

There is a constant flow of freeloaders and other undesirables using this lift to bypass the barriers all day every day,you can track them on our cctv.There is no supervision or deterrent .

[aslefshrugged]

On Platform 1/2 there is (or at least there was) a sign saying you have to contact staff via a help point to activate the lift. I'm going there later this morning, I'll check to see if it's still there.

[upminster]

The lift became customer operated around 2/3 years ago.

[aslefshrugged]

There is a sign next to the lift at platform level...

Lift Assistance

This lift is under supervision of c2c Rail Staff only.
Please contact a member of staff by pressing the blue button on the Help Point below for assistance.

...but when you press the lift call button the doors open and the lift goes up.   However when I walked past the ticket barrier I noticed a rather substantial member of staff posted in the lift alcove although I didn't ask whether he was there to check tickets or not.

[Chris M]

aslefshrugged the image in your post is not showing, the URL is a 404.

[aslefshrugged]

Apr 20, 2021 17:49:31 GMT dmncf said:

I see there are planning application documents here (ref 19/00141/FUL), including the Design & Access Statement that's uploaded as two halves: online-befirst.lbbd.gov.uk/planning/index.html?fa=getApplication&id=18396

If you follow that link "Drawings PROPOSED GROUND FLOOR PLAN" show that the existing gateline will be moved toward the entrance so that the lift is on the "paid" side.

[decaded]

Apr 22, 2021 12:21:54 GMT aslefshrugged said:

There is a sign next to the lift at platform level...

Lift Assistance

This lift is under supervision of c2c Rail Staff only.
Please contact a member of staff by pressing the blue button on the Help Point below for assistance.

...but when you press the lift call button the doors open and the lift goes up.   However when I walked past the ticket barrier I noticed a rather substantial member of staff posted in the lift alcove although I didn't ask whether he was there to check tickets or not.

They are "security" staff and have no jurisdiction over ticketing etc. The lift is in & out free access to all platforms 24/7. The crowds that descend on it after arrivals of the "Goblin" trains have to be seen.

[aslefshrugged]

Then they'll have lots of fun when the gateline is moved and the lift is "paid side".

Slightly different situation but before the gateline at Stratford went live people used to just walk in and get on trains then one morning in May 1999 they found their way barred by ticket gates. The queue for the ticket office went half the way across the plaza towards the bus station. Some passengers asked to be allowed through the gateline so they could catch the North London line (Silverlink) claiming they'd never needed a ticket before and thought it was free.

[spsmiler]

There is an announcement on eastbound LU trains advising passengers who want a lift to exit on the left - but what happens with trains that don't open their doors on that side?

Below are two tweets about planned works at Barking.

[aslefshrugged]

The doors don't open on Platform 2 if the train is terminating and reversing via the sidings, in that case you are supposed to use the subway but I've seen people with buggies waiting on Platform 3 for the next District Line train and then go through it to Platform 2.

Obviously the easiest thing to do is to get on a train that's going to Dagenham East or Upminster instead of one terminating at Barking.

[spsmiler]

Apr 24, 2021 11:57:55 GMT aslefshrugged said:

The doors don't open on Platform 2 if the train is terminating and reversing via the sidings, in that case you are supposed to use the subway but I've seen people with buggies waiting on Platform 3 for the next District Line train and then go through it to Platform 2.

Obviously the easiest thing to do is to get on a train that's going to Dagenham East or Upminster instead of one terminating at Barking.

Another issue with Barking terminating trains is that some of them go into the bay platform!

[aslefshrugged]

Some do terminate on the Platform 3 bay road (Platform 3½?), in which case you take the subway to Platform 2 (or use the next eastbound District Line train as mentioned above). Or easier still if you need the lift don't get on a train terminating at Barking.

[brigham]

Apr 26, 2021 5:18:27 GMT aslefshrugged said:

Some do terminate on the Platform 3 bay road (Platform 3½?), in which case you take the subway to Platform 2 (or use the next eastbound District Line train as mentioned above). Or easier still if you need the lift don't get on a train terminating at Barking.

Or write to 'Customer Services' and point out that less-mobile people need to alight on platform 2.
That ought to get the doors open.

[aslefshrugged]

Trains terminating via the sidings don't open the doors to Platform 2 so that staff closing up the train only have to do one side. If they had to close up both sides it would take longer and would delay the service

If you wrote to "customer service" I imagine they'd tell you that delaying the trains would inconvenience more passengers than not opening both sets of doors.

[Dstock7080]

Apr 25, 2021 19:24:21 GMT spsmiler said:

Another issue with Barking terminating trains is that some of them go into the bay platform!

Apr 26, 2021 5:18:27 GMT aslefshrugged said:

Some do terminate on the Platform 3 bay road (Platform 3½?)

Morning peak and off-peak District Line trains scheduled every 20mins into platform 3, except for two H&C trains which replace them at 0634 and 0716.
During the evening the pattern continues until District train uses it at 1904, the next train being a H&C at 2146, then a 10min pattern of District trains until 2319 with the last being at 2359.

[jimbo]

I guess the H&C trains use the bay platform to keep route learning in case it is ever needed. Didn't all H&C once use the bay. I wonder if the change was made because H&C all terminate at Barking, and passengers expect to have to get off. District reversers are less common, so tipping off travellers for stations east thererof can be more difficult and slower. In the bay platform they can take their time to realise what is happening!

[Colin]

Apr 26, 2021 7:22:58 GMT brigham said:

Or write to 'Customer Services' and point out that less-mobile people need to alight on platform 2.
That ought to get the doors open.

S stock cannot be set up for detrainment if the doors are open on both sides.

Granted we could open up on both sides upon arrival, then close the platform 1 side in order to set up for detrainment but that would cause an additional delay to following through trains.

Apr 26, 2021 11:31:17 GMT jimbo said:

Didn't all H&C once use the bay. I wonder if the change was made because H&C all terminate at Barking, and passengers expect to have to get off.

No, the change was made because Hammersmith & City trains would often arrive at Barking out of turn and cause a delay to following District line trains whilst awaiting access to the bay platform.

As the District Barking reversers are less frequent the bay platform is almost always free when they arrive so far less likelihood of causing a delay awaiting access.

[jimbo]

I presume H&C trains used the bay platform since at least the station rebuild around 1960, but probably the queuing problem only arose with the extension of Plaistow reversers to double the H&C service to Barking in more recent years.

[Colin]

Apr 26, 2021 23:51:02 GMT jimbo said:

I presume H&C trains used the bay platform since at least the station rebuild around 1960, but probably the queuing problem only arose with the extension of Plaistow reversers to double the H&C service to Barking in more recent years.

In essence, yes.