Finsbury Park Station Upgrade

Idoru

The London clay excavated by Crossrail is being used to create a new RSPB wetland reserve in Wallasea Island. That's the only train-related fact I know.<br>

NorthNineteen

London Overground is franchised!  just a different model to the rest of the network.<br><br>It is a 50/50 joint venture between MTR and Arriva.<br><br>Buses are franchised too.<br>

Sutent

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">Even more exciting train news. London Overground are going to increase to 5 carriages. </font><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/27154.aspx </font></div>;

Arkady

So much train news in a single week, my heart is all a-flutter.<br><br>Sadly, despite the wording of the press-release, the GOBLIN is not being extended to five carriages.<br>

Sutent

Or the Goblin will not be electrified. There are lots of train discussions to be had at the SG social next week. 

Arkady

Perhaps we had best pretend that won't happen so that other people come.<br>

NorthNineteen

Hopefully I may be able to give some good news on GOBLIN in the near future.  <br>

Arkady

That the battle between DfT and TfL to determine who has to pay for electrification is finally over?<br>

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Arkady

Yes.<br><br>You know the long corridor with flights of steps up to the 'big train' platforms?  The one that also has the long spiral staircases down to the tube?  You know how one end is connected to Station Place, and the other is a dead end?  Well the dead end will be connected to the Wells Terrace passageway.<br><br>It's a bit more complicated than that, but if you care then you can always look at the diagram: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/finsbury-park-brochure.pdf<br><br>Which reminds me - you know those spiral staircases?  Well they have another set of spiral staircases *inside* them, which is part of the reason they are so steep.  I can't visualise this easily, but it's true, and they will both be open when this project finishes, doubling capacity.<br>

Roy

@Arkady.... as I understood it they were built as double-helix staircases.  So the ceiling above you is essentially the floor of the <b>other</b>, intertwined, staircase.<br><br>It should be possible to determine this, since if that's true walking 360 degrees round the staircase will cause you to ascend by *twice* the height of the ceiling.<br>

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marko

I believe the double spiral stair-case originally also served a substantial ground floor concourse - the only part of which is still visible is the short corridor mentioned by Arkady.    In many ways, the current plans are a massive wasted opportunity to join up both stations - and bizarrely, this arrangement used to exist. 

Arkady

I think there's just the short tunnel.<br>

krappyrubsnif

I would like to nominate @Sutent as London Underground Romantic Traveller of the Year for Valentine's Day.<br>

Mirandola

Have I mentioned how much I love this website?

krappyrubsnif

Did you know that when it opened in 1906 Holloway Road tube station had the world's first spiral escalator? It was so dangerous it was abandoned and permanently mothballed the next day . The escalator machinery was still in place until quite recently but has now been taken to storage in some museum or other. Escalator corner on Friday anyone?

miss annie

There is a curved escalator in a department store in San Francisco. The first time I saw it I thought it looked like something from Tomorrow's World, wonder why there aren't more of them?

Thomas

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><a href="https://www.islington.gov.uk/onlineplanning/docserver/applications/2008/02Feb/P080346/(W02)%20Design%20&%20Access%20Statement%2015_02_2008%2014_18_12.pdf">This document</a> from the old planning application has lots more detail and even a few pics of the disused bits. Apparently flooding is a bit of an issue with the old concourse and tunnels.</font><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><br></font></div>

Mirandola

@Krappy, where did you find that out?

Arkady

Thanks Thomas, I haven't been able to find that document for years.<br>

Sutent

Thomas that document is great. i really enjoyed reading it

Donna

Finsbury park was built in 1861 - interesting! Thanks thomas

Arkady

If you are <i>really </i>interested in the past and future of Finsbury Park Station, then I just had an article published at London Reconnections that you might enjoy.  It has pictures and everything.<br><br>http://www.londonreconnections.com/2013/the-past-and-future-of-finsbury-park/<br><br>;

gardener-joe

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