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Post by goldenarrow on Nov 17, 2017 16:19:46 GMT
Today marked the completion of the £300 million project to expand the existing Bond Street Station in preparation for the commencement of Crossrail services in December 2018. The works have included the construction of a new ticket hall on Marylebone Lane (link to IanVisits) just off Oxford Street which is directed at traffic heading to/from the East side of Oxford Street. Also a new network of interchange passages between lines and to/from the ticket hall plus a bank of escalators for the Jubilee line came into public use today aimed at increasing the station's capacity by 30% something that is vital given the projected increase in traffic once Crossrail services begin aswell as coping with the growth of the existing Tube lines something which was pushing the old layout of the station close to capacity at certain times. Other feats included ducking out of the way of the Mail Rail post office railway continuing the remarkable record of repeatedly treading new infrastructure around the labyrinth of existing tunnels that stretch under the city. The new ticket hall also means that Bond Street will get a step free dot/blob on the next edition of the tube map taking the count of step free stations to 72. Several signs around the stations have white stickers covering up Crossrail signs although I couldn't make out when I passed through this afternoon whether they said the proper name or the ....erm.... line. One thing that I personally have some reservations about is shown in this picture, which reads. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No ticket machines at this entrance Travel with Contactless - go straight to the gates and touch in To top up your Oyster card or buy a ticket, use the ticket machines in the entrance on the opposite side of Oxford Street - please use the crossing -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ironically there is a sign already in the ticket hall directing tickets to the machines which will arrive next year but currently point to the control room for the ticket hall. But until Spring 2018 what use is a ticket hall that mainly benefits contactless users or those with enough money on their oyster cards or have the app (which excludes zip cards). Even if ticket machine usage is shown to be declining (hypothetical) the vast numbers of tourists who visit the busiest shopping street in Europe may not be able to use contactless and will have to suffer the inconvenience of what I think is an oversight to an otherwise comprehensive upgrade plan especially during the Christmas/New Year period when the new ticket halls usefulness could be maximized this year.
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rincew1nd
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Post by rincew1nd on Nov 17, 2017 17:25:05 GMT
Travel with Contactless - go straight through the gates and touch in (wrong way round?) On closer examination it reads "Go straight to the gates..." (my italics)
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Post by goldenarrow on Nov 17, 2017 17:36:23 GMT
rincew1nd Amendment made, thanks very much for the correction. G.Arrow
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Post by Jerome H on Nov 17, 2017 18:39:23 GMT
As the article you linked mentions, ticket machines will be introduced next year. Is the first case where something opened with the lifts in working order but not the ticket machines?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2017 18:58:59 GMT
Apparently there will be ticket machines installed & ready for use in that ticket hall by June 2018. For anyone curious about the floor notation used for the lifts: Level 0: Street level Level -1: Marylebone Lane / Oxford Street (north side) ticket hall Levels -2, -3 and -4: Private (staff only) Level -5: Central line Level -6: Interchange level Level -7: Jubilee line Lift A: level 0 <-> level -1 Lift B: level -1 <-> level -6 Lift C: level -6 <-> level -5 Lift D: level -6 <-> level -7
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Post by jamesb on Nov 17, 2017 22:01:02 GMT
The passenger flow throughout the station during rush hour this evening seemed good, although there was still a bottleneck at the entrance to the escalators in the main ticket hall, as I had to cross these passengers on my way out of the station.
The new bits looked nice. A very pedantic point - the quality of the tiling in places had some defects - e.g. the tiles some of the walls were not completely level. This was pointed out to me by my building engineer friend - although I wouldn't have otherwise noticed!
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Ben
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Post by Ben on Nov 17, 2017 23:55:36 GMT
The question is, who is signing it off and why aren't they spotting these issues! Tiling requires quite a bit of skill, and probably isn't something that can be rushed without compromise. Consequently, theres examples of poor tiling all over the system (some truly woeful compared to what they replaced...), and in that respect, another time honoured tradition continues! No doubt some will trot out the 'be grateful...' argument, but in principal if something is worth doing well, and paid for to be done suitably, it should be done so first time. Because it certainly won't be redone for however many decades after its been accepted!! Nevertheless, extra space is extra space, and at Bond Street that is most welcome. What are peoples thoughts on the exterior of the entrance?
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Post by malcolmffc on Nov 18, 2017 3:53:45 GMT
Huh? The vast majority of underground users fall into one of those categories. And contactless is brilliant for tourists as they can just tap their card without needing to decipher a ticket machine in a foreign language. TfL are quite rightly discouraging use of paper tickets.
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Post by alpinejohn on Nov 18, 2017 7:32:06 GMT
Huh? The vast majority of underground users fall into one of those categories. And contactless is brilliant for tourists as they can just tap their card without needing to decipher a ticket machine in a foreign language. TfL are quite rightly discouraging use of paper tickets. Whilst I am sure you are right that many tourists appreciate the convenience of contactless ticketing. A good few (me included) still want to get their hands on a paper ticket if only to keep as a souvenir of their visit to some place they may never return to again. For me dusty tickets from journeys on London Eye, Emirates Airline, Paris Metro, Eurostar and Bart etc all still trigger memories of past trips which I doubt any master-card printout ever will. Please don't eliminate the paper ticket entirely.
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Post by rsdworker on Nov 18, 2017 8:46:55 GMT
well i dont understand why ticket machines would be installed next year in that ticket hall - its easier if installed one right away for disabled person they have to go to other entrance to get tickets then come back to step free entrance i think TFL should placed ticket machine in first before opening new ticket hall
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Post by melikepie on Nov 18, 2017 8:47:57 GMT
TfL are quite rightly discouraging use of paper tickets. Tell me. How is it more convenient or cheaper to buy a return to a London Terminal then use Oyster all over the place when a lot of the time it is simpler to get a travelcard (and often cheaper when making multiple trips through London). Contact less is not everywhere
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Post by countryman on Nov 18, 2017 9:06:27 GMT
You also need to be aware that Contactless is by no means universal. Apparently few American cards are contactless, and even with cards that are contactless, in many cases the cards are not recognised abroad.
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Post by malcolmffc on Nov 18, 2017 9:17:13 GMT
You also need to be aware that Contactless is by no means universal. Apparently few American cards are contactless, and even with cards that are contactless, in many cases the cards are not recognised abroad. Americans can still use ApplePay/ Android Pay etc. Or just buy an Oyster card at Heathrow. If you’re staying within the London zones then there’s really no need to buy a paper ticket.
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Post by malcolmffc on Nov 18, 2017 9:19:48 GMT
TfL are quite rightly discouraging use of paper tickets. Tell me. How is it more convenient or cheaper to buy a return to a London Terminal then use Oyster all over the place when a lot of the time it is simpler to get a travelcard (and often cheaper when making multiple trips through London). Contact less is not everywhere Well, if you’re starting your journey outside the TfL area then obviously TfL won’t be selling the ticket so not sure what your point is. Though some TOCs have smartcards now which will one day be compatible with Oyster. If you’re starting inside the zones then just use Oyster or contactless and the cap will ensure you don’t pay more than a paper Travelcard
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Post by superteacher on Nov 18, 2017 9:50:19 GMT
THREAD DRIFT ALERT
Let’s not get into a debate about ticketing. We’ve done this to death so many times before.
Back on topic, here’s a video from @geofftech.
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Post by phil on Nov 18, 2017 13:10:17 GMT
Tell me. How is it more convenient or cheaper to buy a return to a London Terminal then use Oyster all over the place when a lot of the time it is simpler to get a travelcard (and often cheaper when making multiple trips through London). Contact less is not everywhere Well, if you’re starting your journey outside the TfL area then obviously TfL won’t be selling the ticket so not sure what your point is. Though some TOCs have smartcards now which will one day be compatible with Oyster. If you’re starting inside the zones then just use Oyster or contactless and the cap will ensure you don’t pay more than a paper Travelcard The point is that while the majority of TfL customers will be Londoners - there are an awful lot who are not and who will be seriously inconvenienced by the lack of consideration for their needs. In one form this is represented by the use of overgrown tube trains all the way out to Reading while the assertion 'It doesn't matter that there are no ticket machines - you should be using Contactless' is yet another example being far too self centred. London does not exist in its own bubble free of the outside world and its about time a few people both in TfL and on here appreciated that before stridently dismissing genuine concerns. However to return to the specifics of Bond Street, if the only step fee access is via the new entrance then it is only right to say that paper ticket issuing devices should be provided from the outset (expecting persons of restricted mobility to pass back and forth between entrances simply because they lack a contactless payment card is not morally acceptable). If on the other hand there is a good reason why (e.g. phasing of the works means that important backroom kit is not yet installed) for example then opening up the entrance without said ticketing facilities is sensible to ease overcrowding - and with a firm timetable / deadline as to when the machines will be provided is understandable.
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Post by silverfoxcc on Nov 18, 2017 13:48:02 GMT
So to get to the jubilee line from the street.it will involve three lifts?
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Post by goldenarrow on Nov 18, 2017 13:52:30 GMT
phil , The official line is that there is a new generation of ticket machines currently on trial at select stations that are soon to be rolled out and it would be uneconomical to fit out the Marylebone Road ticket hall with machines of the existing variant when new machines are expected in the new year.
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Post by superteacher on Nov 18, 2017 13:57:35 GMT
phil, The official line is that there is a new generation of ticket machines currently on trial soon to be rolled out and it would be uneconomical to fit out the Marylebone Road ticket hall with machines of the existing variant when new machines are expected in the new year. Indeed. And as per my previous post, let’s have no more discussion about ticketing, although I do appreciate you were responding to another post. Thanks.
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Post by Chris M on Nov 18, 2017 14:06:57 GMT
So to get to the jubilee line from the street.it will involve three lifts? Yes. Street → Jubilee line: Lift A, ticket hall, lift B, interchange passage, lift D Street → Central line: Lift A, ticket hall, lift B, interchange passage, lift C Central line → Jubilee line: Lift C, interchange passage, lift D. Given that neither set of platforms are directly above/below either each other or the new entrance I don't think it would be possible to do anything different.
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Post by goldenarrow on Nov 18, 2017 14:07:33 GMT
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Post by rsdworker on Nov 18, 2017 14:16:39 GMT
in geoffs video there is staff level at 0 on Lift B also -4 on jubbiee line lift - i think its a new access point for crossrail - not sure but button in that lift is large - so i think - the level -4 will open up later
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Post by Chris M on Nov 20, 2017 23:26:17 GMT
The Jubilee line level is numbered -7 at Bond Street. Is that the lowest-numbered floor in London open to the public?
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Post by rsdworker on Nov 21, 2017 3:35:55 GMT
The Jubilee line level is numbered -7 at Bond Street. Is that the lowest-numbered floor in London open to the public? correct - that's what is displayed on lift map however crossrail might be lowest level at bond street - not sure yet
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Post by goldenarrow on Nov 21, 2017 16:51:56 GMT
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Post by norbitonflyer on Nov 21, 2017 19:17:12 GMT
Jubilee is and will remain the lowest passenger tunnels in the Bond Street complex. Crossrail follows a similar depth to the parallel Central line which like Crossrail ducks under the Victoria and Bakerloo lines at Oxford Circus. Surprised both that Crossrail could be squeezed in at such a shallow level, and even more so that the Central is below the (younger) Bakerloo at Oxford Circus. How did that come about?
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Post by Chris M on Nov 21, 2017 20:01:10 GMT
Crossail tunnelling at Tottenham Court Road was described as "threading a needle" the clearances were iirc only about a metre in some places. This precision combined with modern traction coping with steeper gradients than earlier projects will have enabled them to fit where an older line couldn't. Gradients are also my first thought regarding the Central line at Oxford Circus - the CLR had to pass under valleys of both the Fleet and the Westbourne, so likely didn't want excessive gradients. The Bakerloo line runs roughly parallel with the rivers in this area and so didn't need to go below them.
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Post by goldenarrow on Nov 21, 2017 21:56:13 GMT
The Westbound Crossrail tunnel sits 85cm above the crown of the Northern line platform tunnels at Tottenham Court Road and 35cm below the existing escalator shafts. It is the closest any of the Crossrail TBMs have gotten to a live operational railway. Incredible to think that for 48 hours, a 900+ tonne mining leviathan effectively controlled/steered by four dials passed overhead with passengers on the Northern line platforms largely oblivious to its presence. The precision of the job lays with the use of laser reflection prisms that cross reference the tunnels dug with their intended paths. These can be seen on LU stations that have Crossrail infrastructure being added to them such as the escalator shafts at Liverpool Street and Moorgate which monitor any ground movement during construction work. So close was the TBM to the Northern line, it was possible to feel the vibrations as the TBM pushed forward and hear the drilling as the rings were put in place on that particular Sunday.
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Ben
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Post by Ben on Nov 21, 2017 22:03:11 GMT
No wonder they were so nervous about settlement
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Post by jamesb on Dec 23, 2017 9:25:58 GMT
I used Bond Street yesterday evening and the exit seemed much better. The glass doors separating the shopping centre near the tube entrance have gone, and the shopping centre concourse felt more spacious.
Inside the station, there were two escalators going up and three escalators going down (from ticket hall level) and the up escalators seemed to naturally lead passengers from the far side of the booking hall into the expanded shopping centre concourse - it all felt much more spacious. I seemed to avoid the passengers entering at the gates to go downstairs completely.
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