Beaulieu Park Station Construction

[Adrian1980uk]

Yes I’m sort of imagining it will detract quite a bit from Chelmsford which isn’t a bad thing. Completely different I know but when Cambridge North opened Cambridge still kept growing. I do think the South will take a little away however.

I think you're right about Chelmsford but I also think there might be quite a substantial number come from the area where going into Chelmsford makes commuting impractical but a quick drive and park suddenly becomes practical and worthwhile, will take time though.

 

[Purple Train]

Probably a better service at Beaulieu Park than at Hatfield Peverel I would expect.

Wouldn't be difficult. And yes, I would imagine so - off-peak, I think it's only the Ipswich services that call, and building a new station to serve the outer reaches of a not-insignificant city and giving it 1tph would be a bit of a waste.

 

[Magdalia]

Yes I’m sort of imagining it will detract quite a bit from Chelmsford which isn’t a bad thing.

Chelmsford is a very busy station. To/from Liverpool Street, and only looking at starting points/destinations outside London, it is the second biggest after Stansted Airport with 2.6m journeys in 2022/23.

The source is here:

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/axnd1tyj/station-usage-2022-23-statistical-release.pdf

Go to figure 3.2

Figure 3.2 The busiest flows including at least one station outside of London are all taking passengers to or from the capital

 

[dk1]

Chelmsford is a very busy station. To/from Liverpool Street, and only looking at starting points/destinations outside London, it is the second biggest after Stansted Airport with 2.6m journeys in 2022/23.

The source is here:7

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/axnd1tyj/station-usage-2022-23-statistical-release.pdf

Go to figure 3.2

Yes always has been.

 

[LAX54]

I think you're right about Chelmsford but I also think there might be quite a substantial number come from the area where going into Chelmsford makes commuting impractical but a quick drive and park suddenly becomes practical and worthwhile, will take time though.

Guessing in the peak hours a couple of London trains could start from here, possibly 1st stop Shenfield.

 

[Canary73]

From what I’ve seen the service pattern is better for Liverpool Street that from it. I’ll still have to go to Chelmsford to pick up the Norwich services even though I’m closer to Beaulieu Park.

 

[Sunil_P]

Took some pics from passing trains on Wednesday 3rd. Apologies for the super-blurro-vision!

First three - island platform viewed from a nortbound train. Second three - down platform viewed from a southbound train.

 

[Adrian1980uk]

They're definitely getting a move on with it

 

[Horizon22]

They're definitely getting a move on with it

Been getting quite a few weekend closures to crack on with it.

 

[apinnard]

@takno, will the new layout be added on Traksy?

 

[takno]

@takno, will the new layout be added on Traksy?

I generally only add this kind of thing once I have pretty nailed-on details. I've drawn it for now from the diagram from the last page, but there's likely to be some fairly significant changes if the diagram is correct, because the existing signal numbers don't match up with the diagram at all.

 

[fat_boy_pete]

There Is an aerial view video from Murphy building contractors showing the construction progress so far on the local newspaper site.

Video shows work on new 'first of its kind for a century' Essex railway station

The station is the first one to be built on the Great Eastern Mainline for more than a century

www.essexlive.news

Alas it's a Reach website so don't click through if you don't want to cancel a dozen pop up ads first! However what I find interesting is that there is definitely room for a 4th track/platform in future if there was any requirement. Appreciate that may be far in the future if ever, but interesting never the less.

 

[Alfie1014]

There Is an aerial view video from Murphy building contractors showing the construction progress so far on the local newspaper site.

Video shows work on new 'first of its kind for a century' Essex railway station

The station is the first one to be built on the Great Eastern Mainline for more than a century

www.essexlive.news

Alas it's a Reach website so don't click through if you don't want to cancel a dozen pop up ads first! However what I find interesting is that there is definitely room for a 4th track/platform in future if there was any requirement. Appreciate that may be far in the future if ever, but interesting never the less.

You can watch it here https://network-rail.wistia.com/medias/vo8jcdryuh without the annoying ads! I don’t think there would be room for a 4th platform (if it were ever to be needed) the island platform is very wide and the eventual up line will be quite close to the A12 slip road part of which is currently being used by the contractors.

 

[fat_boy_pete]

You can watch it here https://network-rail.wistia.com/medias/vo8jcdryuh without the annoying ads! I don’t think there would be room for a 4th platform (if it were ever to be needed) the island platform is very wide and the eventual up line will be quite close to the A12 slip road part of which is currently being used by the contractors.

You have to wonder why they made the island platform so wide? Surely it won't be that crowded.

 

[Horizon22]

You have to wonder why they made the island platform so wide? Surely it won't be that crowded.

Opportunities for retail?

 

[fat_boy_pete]

Opportunities for retail?

I think the station building has that, it's enormous.

 

[AM9]

I think the station building has that, it's enormous.

Nail Bar?

 

[swt_passenger]

You have to wonder why they made the island platform so wide? Surely it won't be that crowded.

The minimum width of an island platform on 100 mph track is 6 metres nowadays, but then you need to allow for stairs, lifts, waiting rooms and shelters etc. In which case you need 3 metres between the obstructions and each platform edge. The figures reduce to 5.5 metres overall (3m and 2.5m) if line speed is less than 100 mph on one side (as in this case), and further again if neither track is 100 mph.

 

[Horizon22]

I think the station building has that, it's enormous.

True. Perhaps there is some passive provision for a middle bay, but seems unlikely.

 

[fat_boy_pete]

The minimum width of an island platform on 100 mph track is 6 metres nowadays, but then you need to allow for stairs, lifts, waiting rooms and shelters etc. In which case you need 3 metres between obstruction and each platform edge. The figures reduce if line speed is less than 100 mph on one side, and further again if neither track is 100 mph.

Well the middle loop speed can't be 100 mph, so it would be interesting to see how wide it is actually designed to be.

Incidentally looking at the video again, even with the wide island platform, there will be plenty of room for a additional up loop and probably a 3m wide up loop platform if required. They obviously would have to close the slip again to build it, but I suspect there is passive provision in the margins between up main and the road that will be planted with shrubbery. Although the business case might be questionable without other capacity interventions on the GEML however.

True. Perhaps there is some passive provision for a middle bay, but seems unlikely.

The middle loop is bay already!

True. Perhaps there is some passive provision for a middle bay, but seems unlikely.

The middle loop is effectively a bay already.

 

[Horizon22]

The middle loop is bay already!


The middle loop is effectively a bay already.

True, I meant a potential for a bay/loop I guess, muddled myself with the language!

 

[swt_passenger]

Well the middle loop speed can't be 100 mph, so it would be interesting to see how wide it is actually designed to be.
[…]

Yes, I’ve added more to my post. With the 100 mph through line and 50 mph for the loop, (from the track diagram on previous page), you can lose half a metre off the overall width.