Coming out of that London
Manchester Piccadilly is shit to look at. Seems to work ok. It even has some seats.
Manchester Piccadilly is shit to look at. Seems to work ok. It even has some seats.
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Coming out of that London
The thing with Piccadilly station is that its exterior architecture isn't particularly visible from anywhere in the city. And when you approach it on foot, you don't really see it.
Therefore most of its architecture is internal and it's a great improvement on what went before.Comment
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Coming out of that London
Or to put it another way, arriving in Manchester now feels like you're visiting a modern European city. In the 80s and early 90s it was like visiting somewhere run-down and provincial.Comment
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Coming out of that London
It was fucking grim before (not helped by onward journeys to Oldham to tour the grandparents and rellies). Not saying it's beautiful now, but much better than it was.Comment
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Coming out of that London
What's wrong with provincial though? I'd take that over all 'modern European cities' looking the same as one another.Stumpy Pepys wrote: Or to put it another way, arriving in Manchester now feels like you're visiting a modern European city. In the 80s and early 90s it was like visiting somewhere run-down and provincial.
Honestly, I'm not sure. The successful ones I can think of have usually kept at least some of their original Victorian entrance and incorporated new elements around it, but obviously that wasn't an option here. In terms of stations built from scratch I don't mind Lyon Part-Dieu, which at least has a bit of personality :Fair enough, but which cities have pulled this off? After all, the architecture of Manchester is essentially Victorian.
But I just have glass and steel fatigue, I think. Is there any reason why buildings can't be made of stone, bricks or concrete anymore?
That is definitely true, I was waiting for someone to point that out. I have a soft spot for that type of 60s architecture, but I can't deny that at the time it did exactly what I'm criticising here.The old Piccadilly station was modernist in its time, yet you're criticising the new Piccadilly station for 'modernity'.Comment
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Coming out of that London
The pictures of Piccadilly pre-refurbishment has a pre-refurb Kings Cross vibe, probably the grimmest station interior I can think of, and the surrounding area was worse.
The Kings Cross refurbishment is spectaclura, however. I can just gaze at that ceiling forever when I'm waiting for my train to Leeds.
The changes to the surrounding area are impressive too.Comment
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Coming out of that London
When's that top picture of KX from? Because that isn't how it looked just before the refurb.
For one thing that taxi rank hasn't been there for at least 20 years.Comment
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Coming out of that London
It was like that in the 60s/70s. When I lived in the UK basically.Comment
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Coming out of that London
Which office blocks invite hundreds of people in like that?ctually I don't think it's recognisably a station at all from the outside, it could be any kind of modern commercial or office block.Comment
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Coming out of that London
So, did go to Antwerp. Some station, that.Comment
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Coming out of that London
Here's your Euston redevelopment plan.So, basically they're leaving the existing bit as shitty and as crowded as it is.The high speed station will be delivered in two stages:
The construction of six new high speed platforms and concourse to the west of the station to support the opening of HS2 Phase One (between London and the Midlands) high speed services in 2026
The construction of five further high speed platforms and concourse to support the opening of Phase Two (between London and Leeds/Manchester) high speed services in 2033
The plans also enable potential redevelopment of the remaining existing station platforms and concourses, subject to future funding and approvals.Comment
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Coming out of that London
Delayed inevitably.
In some of the coverage a spokesman says that there'll be an easy transition from HS to Eurostar, by way of the new entrance to Euston Square (and presumably Euston Square will just get swallowed up into Euston), from which passengers can get to Kings Cross / St Pancras on the Circle in one stop.
A more practical option would be a big sign greeting arrivals at Euston with 'going to Kings Cross / St Pancras? Just fucking walk, it's easier and it won't cost four quid'.Comment
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Coming out of that London
Indeed. I've walked that walk frequently, and it occurs to me that some form of wide, straight, smooth pedestrian access that ran from KC to Euston via St Pancras would be a huge help.Walt Flanagans Dog wrote: Delayed inevitably.
In some of the coverage a spokesman says that there'll be an easy transition from HS to Eurostar, by way of the new entrance to Euston Square (and presumably Euston Square will just get swallowed up into Euston), from which passengers can get to Kings Cross / St Pancras on the Circle in one stop.
A more practical option would be a big sign greeting arrivals at Euston with 'going to Kings Cross / St Pancras? Just fucking walk, it's easier and it won't cost four quid'.Comment
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Coming out of that London
And it could show off the British Library.
Would seem to me that the logistical challenge is the block between the Library and Doric Way, though I can't recall the details of what that is like.
I'd also put a rebuilt Doric Arch at the Euston end, but that's just me.Comment
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Coming out of that London
It's not just you.Comment
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Coming out of that London
Alas poor doric.Comment
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Coming out of that London
London really is the worst sometimes.
People in rubbish looking, fancy dress shop lederhosen and supposedly dirndl all over the place.
In the wrong month as well.Comment
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Coming out of that London
London looks lovely in this photo. "Oxford, Oxford Circus, close enough ...".
Possibly related news: all the sub-editors and staff over 21 have recently been sacked by this newspaper - sorry, 'multi-media digital delivery experience'.
(Agree with the piece below, anyway).Comment
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