I'll join the "underwhelmed" group here. The concourse, as I've already said, is nice, but at platform level, especially on the Northern Line, it is extremely poor. Barely any additional platform capacity has been obtained, by knocking through a small walled off area between the escalators. Some of the new escalators run slowly and already squeal, plus as mentioned, various tiled and cladded sections were incomplete. On the trackside, the corrugated walls remain a real eyesore and are absolutely filthy. It is hardly an improvement at all - a little brighter but for me a total waste of £20 million and nearly seven months.
Today, both advertising sets were on the Northern Line once again. 507002 was on the Ormskirk line between the peaks, later forming the 17.13 Liverpool Central - Southport and continuing into the night. 508111 was on the Southport line all day.
Also, a very unusual sight on the Southport line tonight. Track assessment unit 950001 was seen passing through Freshfield at around 22.45 heading for Southport.
(22/10/2012 23:22)jtd508110 Wrote: [ -> ]I was there today and against all the feedback that I have heared, I was impressed. Yes it is unfinished, but it really makes the station feel more like a station of today, and the dangerous rubber slippy floors have gone which makes it better. Maybe the upstairs seating is to encourage people to stay off the platform until their train comes to ease overcrowding downstairs and a potentially fatal accident.
I think your last point kind of proves that the station is a death trap then. I sat upstairs briefly but realised it was a fruitless exercise as the caption board decided after a few minutes that we didn't need to know when the trains were in and just display "Welcome to Liverpool Central". The station is woefully inadequate and they should have done something better with it.
I was kind of shocked when I went myself yesterday, I was expecting more as well, It was slightly nicer, but it still felt the exact same, the upper level is fantastically done! I am really looking forward to when they complete the upper level opening for Central Village.
I'm personally not a fan of the new escalators as they are much more slower then the original ones, and to me, there was something about them that made me feel they were old, perhaps the dirt on the central column?
I personally prefer the Wirral Line platforms, but you can't please them all!
as i went to central again today i thought also the new esculators were very slow, but their isnt much seating on the northern line either, but i think everything looks fantastic excellent job done to the upstairs, and the lift is still small but i think the large lifts at chester would suit central if you had two of them. i've overheard some people saying that platform 3 looks like a london underground platform.
507009 did you get any photos of 950001 and if its still at southport tomorrow what times would it go through hightown?
Have been told there set to industry standard working speed the escalators , most escalators i have used elsewhere seem to run a bit quicker but that maybe my imagination.
I suspect Merseyrail are attempting to reduce their "escalator accident" figures by slowing them down.
My understanding is the concourse was a project managed by Merseyrail and the platforms were sorted out by Network Rail.
As for the lift, I was told that NR wanted to add a second lift but the land owners of the shopping centre wouldn't sell the land to NR as they didn't want Central to close for refurb. There is nothing stopping an extra lift going in if NR are able to buy the land in future.
(24/10/2012 07:52)snowey Wrote: [ -> ]My understanding is the concourse was a project managed by Merseyrail and the platforms were sorted out by Network Rail.
As for the lift, I was told that NR wanted to add a second lift but the land owners of the shopping centre wouldn't sell the land to NR as they didn't want Central to close for refurb. There is nothing stopping an extra lift going in if NR are able to buy the land in future.
That's just a rumour, sorry!
The shopping centre land is leased from Network Rail estates, (which is why BTP deal with shoplifting and other crime in the centre). The standard occupation agreements allow Network Rail to make most modifications, with or without the occupiers consent. Regardless, the new lift would not have affected the precinct so that idea is totally incorrect.
At design stage, a bigger lift was to be incorporated into the station, 2 new, larger, lifts for the Northern Line and the existing lift retained for the Wirral Line.
1 lift would have went from the staff accomodation block straight to the HX end of the platform and was supposed to enable Network Rail/contractor staff to move tools and equipment from the depot to the track for possessions etc, instead of down the emergency staircase/through the station.
The second, passenger, lift would have went from the new covered walkway, (where the gravel fenced off area used to be) down to platform level on the Northern Line.
The "Wirral" lift would have stayed the same.
Quite simply, they ran out of money, much to the annoyance of many stakeholders.
The Government pulled the plug on most of the money from the better stations pot of money , hence the watered down revamp.
not surprised Government pulled money, always do with anything up north we have to have the scraps while london get any amount it wants, merseyrail deserves better central needed a better refurb that it has got platforms ain't changed just new floor still gonna be overcrowded at peak times i thought this money was supposed to changed that from what people have showed in pictures it ain't changed