Acton Central Station

[happybunny]

I made my first journey on the Overground today, since TFL took over services. I went from Acton Central to Richmond. I have to say I wasn't very impressed with what they have done at Acton central. They seem to have refurbished the Eastbound booking hall area, and have new ticket machines. Due to the small opening to the platform they have installed just 3 ticket gates, one entry and one exit and one wheelchair size gate (which I guess can be changed to entry or exit). I think at peak times these gates certainly won't cope with the amount of people as its a fairly busy station. And as for the wheelchair gate obviously it can only work on entry OR exit so if it is on exit mode (as it was when I was on the station) then the SA has to touch the other side for it to open to let anyone in... I saw this happen twice with people with pushchairs he seemed to just open the gate and they just went in. I am not sure weather he got them to 'touch in' elsewhere but it certainly didn't seem so. Seems a bit ridiculous if you ask me, instead of the wide gate they would have been better off just having a normal manual gate that the SA can use, with a oyster reader either side. On the WB platform a ticket machine has been installed and the same gateline arrangement installed, under a glass canopy. The screens are also now working.

I was quite surprised they have installed the gates so quickly, but like I say the arrangment seems quite silly. Wouldn't like to be getting off a WB train and exiting at rush hour. There is the same grumpy bald man in the ticket office (who I have had a few run ins with in the past) and two staff, one on each ''gateline''.

Also if anyone knows this station, you will know that it is next to a level crossing (there is a subway between the two platforms to use when the barriers are down), the access from the platforms, via platform ramp, to the level crossing itself is very much open and easy. I don't think you would even walk on ballast it would be straight down the platform ramp onto the crossing.... so the ticket gates seem a total waste of time as any one can avoid them this way (and its obvious too!). Also having the wide gates is silly you could get a army through on one ticket.

The signage on the platforms remains exactly the same however the entrance sign to the EB Platform to a Overground branded one with TEMPORARY SIGN written at the bottom.

The train was eight minutes late, which I was used to with Silverlink anyway So all in all they have made an effort.... but not that impressed!

[thc]

Acton Central is my local station and I must say that I'm pleased with the improvements that have been made. The new ticket office is a thousand times better than the bunker that existed previously and the station now feels cared for rather than careworn. In any case I'm fairly sure that the improvements made so far are just the "quick wins" and the station will receive full LO branding later on when the full refurb programme comes round.

The gateline you refer to is on the EB platform which sees peak use in the morning (and this is entry rather than exit), so the number of gates at this point is not such a problem. In any case there is also a gateline on the WB platform and this caters for the majority of passenger exits in the evening peak. Despite this being only three gates wide in both directions I've seen it clear fifty people in under a minute, which is as many as I can ever recall stepping off a WB train when I've been on the station.

The bald grumpy man is Michael and he's always been nothing less than polite to me, but then he sees me on a semi-regular basis and I always make an effort with him. I'm sure he'll get spruced up by TfL too as time goes on.

And the level crossing? Short of closing Churchfield Road there's not much that can be done about this. Fare evaders will still find a way of not paying; the new gatelines just make it that much harder. TfL has surely done as much here as can be reasonably expected.

THC

[Deleted]

I used to hate silverlink but London Overground makes you want to miss them but LO do acctually have staff on the gateline.... sometimes
they havent really planned a good start silverlink did look after acton central but not in many other places

[happybunny]

South Acton was in a much worse condition and from what I saw going past on the train it hasn't changed

[Deleted]

Well, at least summat exciting happens here: They changeover the traction supply on the trains. Nice to see that at least the eastbound platform retains some archetectural merit, despite the peeling yellow paint.