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Post by melikepie on Jul 7, 2013 17:28:38 GMT
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Post by alpinejohn on Aug 21, 2013 16:51:04 GMT
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Post by grahamhewett on Aug 21, 2013 17:50:20 GMT
alpinejohn - interesting! So far, not even the conspiracy theorists have found evidence for this but one can see the point - easy motorway access and onward connexions - and VCS has seen declining services for some time now. For your amusement, this wouldn't be the first time that the property value of VCS has been realised. Many years ago, when National Bus had just taken over London Country Bus Services, they found that LCBS was a throughly rotten and bankrupt outfit that desperately needed an injection of cash once cut off from the mother ship at 55 Broadway. NBC also owned VCS and it sat in their books at its 1930 valuation, so on a single day in 1986, they transferred it to LCBS, who revalued it and transferred it again at 1986 valuation to NBC's pension fund thus acquiring an enormous slug of cash. Although there was nothing we in DTp could do, we would have liked the opportunity to have that money for the taxpayer rather than LCBS, which ws beyond saving anyway, so the Permanent Secretary amused himself instead by throwing the NBC chairman around the room a few times...
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castlebar
Planners use hindsight, not foresight
Posts: 1,316
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Post by castlebar on Aug 21, 2013 18:51:07 GMT
Memories are re-kindled of the once proposed "Coachway" into Marylebone and the shedload of money that would have made for those "developing" the offices that would have been atop it.
History repeats itself.
Look what happened to LCBS. There was no money to be made in running bus services, but there were bundles to be had for flogging off the former LT/London Country bus garages and turning them into blocks of flats, (Dorking, Leatherhead etc). Now the sites are set on Chichester etc as it has been decided that the public don't need bus stations any more. (Give them a wide screen telly, and they won't use the buses).
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2013 20:00:49 GMT
Victoria Coach Station is a "blight"? It's an Art-deco masterpiece, and a landmark building! There's far more culture in that than any pointy steel and glass mess. Also, "Uninviting “pie and a pint” Victorian pubs are upgrading to gastro status"? Excuse me while I vomit. |
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pitdiver
No longer gainfully employed
Posts: 439
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Post by pitdiver on Aug 22, 2013 15:20:26 GMT
Victoria Coach Station is a "blight"? It's an Art-deco masterpiece, and a landmark building! There's far more culture in that than any pointy steel and glass mess. Also, "Uninviting “pie and a pint” Victorian pubs are upgrading to gastro status"? Excuse me while I vomit. As an ex National Express Coach Station Manager I was intrigued to see the story about VCS. There has been talk for years about TfL giving up the building and it being converted into something else. As for NX the story was that there would be a number of satelite coach station dotted around london to NX services but it now seems that there is a possibility of it going to OOC. I wonder what NX feel about this plan. As for the building itself (VCS) it is not a very practical building as far as coach operations go you have to contend with a large number of conflicting moves. It is also quite dangerous for pedestrians. As for having seperate arrivals and departure builings well I'm sorry what a joke. Very confusing for the passengers who get of ar VCS looking for connecting services, Whar is definitely needed is a complete new station so perhaps the OOC solution is a blessing in disguise. |
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