What impact will the holiday closures have on London’s busiest transport hubs? Two of London’s major stations, Waterloo and Liverpool Street, are set to shut down for the Christmas period due to essential engineering work.
Details of the Station Closures
According to Network Rail, Liverpool Street will be closed to facilitate the installation of new glass panels above the station concourse, along with the replacement of the drainage system. Meanwhile, Waterloo station will also be closed to permit the installation of new points at nearby Queenstown Road.
From Christmas Day until New Year’s Day, no trains will operate between Stratford and Liverpool Street. Additionally, train services to or from Waterloo will be suspended from Christmas Day until December 28, followed by limited service until January 4.
Ongoing Projects at Liverpool Street
At Liverpool Street, a comprehensive two-year initiative has involved the replacement of panels over the platforms. The existing panels, originally installed in the 1990s, have deteriorated, becoming cracked and covered with lichen.
During the Christmas period, crews will proceed to replace Georgian window panes over the concourse area where passengers wait for their trains. The station’s temporary closure is mandated for safety reasons.
The drainage system, dating back to the 1890s, is also set for replacement, as it has proven inadequate for handling severe storms.
This extensive scheme has incurred costs of £23 million for Network Rail.
Statements from Project Leaders
Project leader Jonathan Fernandez highlighted the necessity of the upgrades. „The panels here with lichen on them make the station very dark indeed,“ he conveyed.
Fernandez noted that the panels had reached the end of their useful life, posing a fragility risk amid increasingly severe storms. He remarked, „With the concourse roof comprising glass panels, fractures have caused leaks, creating slip hazards. We cannot allow these issues to escalate and jeopardize public safety.“
Large cherry pickers will be utilized for the removal of the glass panels, necessitating the closure of the concourse.
Impact on Other Transport Services
At Waterloo, the replacement of points at Queenstown Road requires a complete line shutdown. Furthermore, on the West Coast mainline departing from Euston, services will reach only as far as Milton Keynes from Christmas Day until January 5.
Additionally, Victoria and Vauxhall stations will experience closures for several days, along with the Mildmay Overground line. Passengers are encouraged to consult their rail operator, as well as Network Rail or Transport for London (TfL), prior to travel.
According to Chris Denham from Network Rail, the majority of railway services will continue to operate normally. However, the Christmas period is traditionally used for engineering work as it typically sees a significant reduction in passenger numbers.
„It’s the quietest period on the railway,“ Denham explained. „In some areas, you may see up to 50 percent fewer passengers. Thus, this time of year is logical for undertaking extensive engineering projects, especially since many individuals won’t return to work until January 5 this year, providing us with an ample window for critical engineering tasks.“
Bildquelle: Foto von Igor Sporynin auf Unsplash
