Northern Line Battersea Extension - Opened September 20 2021

[Mojo]

Travelling on the Bakerloo it seems common place at Queens Park for the terminators there to do some (deliberate!) light flicking to motivate people off the train

I suspect that's not very "official".

It is actually official. It appears in the Bakerloo line rule book supplement that reversing trains at Queens Park, Stonebridge Park and Harrow & Wealdstone are to, after having announced three times that the train would terminate, turn the saloon lights off and on twice before closing the doors.

Back in winter 2012 LUL removed detrainment staff from Queens Park, Stonebridge Park and Harrow & Wealdstone for trains that were due to reverse via the sidings / depot to head back south [trains terminating to be stabled were/are still properly detrained using the porter buttons]. As part of the mitigation against the risk of this, alongside installing more enhanced inter car barriers, the aforementioned procedure of switching the saloon lights on and off was introduced. This was given the nickname "flash and dash" by the RMT, who commenced industrial action on 13th January 2013, whereby train operators would carry out a full detrainment unless station staff did so.

Following some quite significant delays, a settlement was agreed that the Train Operator would close the doors from the cab and station staff would walk alongside the train from the platform to check if anyone was still on board, but an announcement and the lights flicked off and on twice would still occur.

 

[pelli]

To return to the topic of errors, earlier today the TfL Status updates page claimed severe delays on the Northern Line between Camden Town and "Battersea Park Station" (see attachment). This was also recorded by tweetthetube, which automatically scrapes status information and tweets it. Apparently the typo was fixed half an hour later.

 

[rebmcr]

Google Maps are being more helpful than necessary!

 

[philosopher]

Here are some observations from my first trip on the new extension from Battersea Power Station to Kennington this lunchtime:

The stations looked quite attractive and well designed. Both stations looked very spacious so I can’t imagine overcrowding will ever be an issue.
The train noise was very high. It was very difficult to hear the on board announcements and I reckon having a conversation to someone sitting next to you would also be very difficult.
The extension seemed quite busy for a Friday lunchtime. About half the passengers getting on at Battersea Power Station were construction workers, which I guess reflects the fact much of the surrounding area is still a building site. About a third of the seats were taken by the time it arrived at Kennington.
There was no 4G at the stations or in the tunnels. Considering it is 2021 and this a new line this is perhaps a bit surprising.
Finally Battersea Power Station is a confusing name for a tube station. If you tell someone you are meeting at Battersea Power Station, does that mean the power station or the tube station. Saying Battersea Power Station station sounds very silly.

 

[southern442]

Finally Battersea Power Station is a confusing name for a tube station. If you tell someone you are meeting at Battersea Power Station, does that mean the power station or the tube station. Saying Battersea Power Station station sounds very silly.

I agree. There must have been a very long discussion about what to call it, and I am surprised that this is the conclusion that they reached. However, given what we now know about developers refusing to give funding until the requirement for "affordable" housing was all but dropped, perhaps this is a very sneaky and underhand 'branding' of a station? A bit like the 'IKEA Ampere Way' tram stop, but more subtle, to please some developers?

 

[CyrusWuff]

I agree. There must have been a very long discussion about what to call it, and I am surprised that this is the conclusion that they reached. However, given what we now know about developers refusing to give funding until the requirement for "affordable" housing was all but dropped, perhaps this is a very sneaky and underhand 'branding' of a station? A bit like the 'IKEA Ampere Way' tram stop, but more subtle, to please some developers?

Given the first two lines of the station's address are "Battersea Power Station, Battersea Underground Station" I'd say it's almost certainly a sop to the developers rather than through choice.

 

[Ianno87]

I agree. There must have been a very long discussion about what to call it, and I am surprised that this is the conclusion that they reached. However, given what we now know about developers refusing to give funding until the requirement for "affordable" housing was all but dropped, perhaps this is a very sneaky and underhand 'branding' of a station? A bit like the 'IKEA Ampere Way' tram stop, but more subtle, to please some developers?

"Meet at London Bridge".

Does that mean the station or the bridge?

"Meet at Charing Cross"

Does that mean the station or the actual cross?


Hardly a problem unique to Battersea (nor in the days of mobile, portable telecommunications equipment that fits in ones' pocket).

 

[dosxuk]

Finally Battersea Power Station is a confusing name for a tube station. If you tell someone you are meeting at Battersea Power Station, does that mean the power station or the tube station. Saying Battersea Power Station station sounds very silly.

How is this any different to any of the other stations? If I tell someone I'm meeting at kings cross station, does that mean the mainline station or the underground station?

Everyone will just call it Battersea underground after a few weeks if they're arranging to meet at the tube station, same as loads of places where clarification is needed.

 

[zero]

Regarding going around the Kennington loop, there were TfL staff standing at the back of platform 2, when a train was about to go round people kept running in from the stairs and the staff would shout "this train is not in service"

How is this any different to any of the other stations? If I tell someone I'm meeting at kings cross station, does that mean the mainline station or the underground station?

Everyone will just call it Battersea underground after a few weeks if they're arranging to meet at the tube station, same as loads of places where clarification is needed.

Never heard anyone from London ever call it the underground. I think I'd either say BP station station, or the tube station

 

[GodAtum]

Looks like the lifts aren't large enough for wheelchairs, stupid idiot builders.

https://twitter.com/AlansTweets/status/1439966887601917956/photo/1

 

[Ianno87]

Looks like the lifts aren't large enough for wheelchairs, stupid idiot builders.

https://twitter.com/AlansTweets/status/1439966887601917956/photo/1

Pedantic Correction: Not large enough to turn round.

Don't want to duplicate the discussion in the other thread, but it could be not that the builders are "stupid", but there is some fundamental reason why forwards in-forwards out lifts could not be accommodated at the station, within the constraints of the site.

Or perhaps given a door is visible on the other side, the user has (for whetever reason) entered on the "Exit" side on the other floor and now has to reverse out.


For example, given the station is new, and no doubt people are not using the station "normally" whilst they have a look around, people may not be following the same mundane routes and desire lines that the station will ordinarily be designed for. So "faults" like this may be "discovered" when they may not crop up in actual station usage.

 

[Egg Centric]

The tube mice have mutated over the years (like the peppered moth) so they are slate-ish grey and blend well with the concrete roadbed. Have seen them on platfroms a few times.

Seen loads of mice in the tube... but not convinced they've changed colour. Where's the evolutionary pressure? Blending in with the scenery I should have though is only something to be selected for if there's predators... Otherwise you want to stand out to attract the lady mice. So if you're right, there must be predators...


...oh god, there's pythons, aren't there?

 

[trebor79]

Probably just dirty. Those tunnels are full of black dust.

 

[Taunton]

It must be a bit of a disappointment for the other residents of socially climbing Battersea over recent years, for whom, when you asked where they lived, would give one of a choice of answers :

"BAT-ur-see-a".
"South Chelsea"
"Um ... nearest tube Sloane Square"

Except the latter is no longer true

 

[urbophile]

How is this any different to any of the other stations? If I tell someone I'm meeting at kings cross station, does that mean the mainline station or the underground station?

Everyone will just call it Battersea underground after a few weeks if they're arranging to meet at the tube station, same as loads of places where clarification is needed.

Well why didn't they just call it Battersea in the first place then?

Regarding going around the Kennington loop, there were TfL staff standing at the back of platform 2, when a train was about to go round people kept running in from the stairs and the staff would shout "this train is not in service"

Better than Merseyrail where you frequently hear 'this service is not in service'.

 

[JonathanH]

Well why didn't they just call it Battersea in the first place then?

Arguably the centre of Battersea is either Clapham Junction or the area around the Latchmere. It falls well short of both of those places.

 

[Aictos]

Surprised that there's no WiFi provided at Nine Elms station by Virgin O2 despite being a brand new station, disappointing as it's available at the vast majority of TfL's London Underground stations so why not here?

 

[urbophile]

Arguably the centre of Battersea is either Clapham Junction or the area around the Latchmere. It falls well short of both of those places.

That's true. But it would make as much sense as calling Clapham Junction Clapham.

 

[stuu]

Seen loads of mice in the tube... but not convinced they've changed colour. Where's the evolutionary pressure? Blending in with the scenery I should have though is only something to be selected for if there's predators... Otherwise you want to stand out to attract the lady mice. So if you're right, there must be predators...


...oh god, there's pythons, aren't there?

No pythons, but there are the horses to worry about

 

[Wolfie]

That's true. But it would make as much sense as calling Clapham Junction Clapham.

Your comparison is, given that Clapham Junction isn't actually in Clapham, distinctly less sensible.

 

[Dave91131]

Regarding going around the Kennington loop, there were TfL staff standing at the back of platform 2, when a train was about to go round people kept running in from the stairs and the staff would shout "this train is not in service"

I managed to go around the loop yesterday afternoon, at the second attempt.

First attempt had to be aborted when several passengers boarded at Kennington (presumably assuming the train was going to Battersea) - cue announcements and flickering of car lights by driver as well as platform staff appearing.

So back to Waterloo (on the same train) for attempt two. Successful, though on departure from Kennington a waiting passenger saw me on board and frantically started pointing which drew the attention of platform staff at the far end of the platform who gave what appeared a rather stern look as we entered the tunnel!

 

[Egg Centric]

No pythons, but there are the horses to worry about

Thanks, that was an education

 

[Ianno87]

Tried out the line for the first time this evening. Already getting busy with "normals" (standing passengers in one northbound train).

Stations very impressive...and the coolness of the temperature in the stations is very noticeable!

 

[bramling]

Tried out the line for the first time this evening. Already getting busy with "normals" (standing passengers in one northbound train).

Stations very impressive...and the coolness of the temperature in the stations is very noticeable!

From what I gather standing has been typical most of the week - but only in the front car going north. The layout at Battersea is unfortunately conducive to filling up the front car whilst the rest of the train is emptier.

Must admit I’m not keen on Battersea station - the layout just feels awkward to me. Nine Elms is rather better with a very simple experience from street to train - the only slight thing there is the booking hall is rather small.

 

[Ianno87]

From what I gather standing has been typical most of the week - but only in the front car going north. The layout at Battersea is unfortunately conducive to filling up the front car whilst the rest of the train is emptier.

Must admit I’m not keen on Battersea station - the layout just feels awkward to me. Nine Elms is rather better with a very simple experience from street to train - the only slight thing there is the booking hall is rather small.

While I was at Nine Elms, the station control did make an announcement for passengers to move along the platform - suggests there's something about the station leading to passengers not spreading along.

 

[bramling]

While I was at Nine Elms, the station control did make an announcement for passengers to move along the platform - suggests there's something about the station leading to passengers not spreading along.

Seems to be an issue at both, but it’s a big problem at Battersea. A lot of congregating at the bottom of the escalators. The western escalators there are rather less used; this will perhaps change when the western street entrance opens, but in the meantime I suspect some tinkering will be necessary to spread people around.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

No pythons, but there are the horses to worry about

As opposed to the gigantic fleas that live in the Bakerloo line tunnels, at least according to Michael Rosen.

 

[EllieAquitrain]

Pedantic Correction: Not large enough to turn round.

Don't want to duplicate the discussion in the other thread, but it could be not that the builders are "stupid", but there is some fundamental reason why forwards in-forwards out lifts could not be accommodated at the station, within the constraints of the site.

Or perhaps given a door is visible on the other side, the user has (for whetever reason) entered on the "Exit" side on the other floor and now has to reverse out.


For example, given the station is new, and no doubt people are not using the station "normally" whilst they have a look around, people may not be following the same mundane routes and desire lines that the station will ordinarily be designed for. So "faults" like this may be "discovered" when they may not crop up in actual station usage.

I don't have much knowledge of this sort of thing myself, but might some wheelchair users prefer/need to turn their wheelchair to face the buttons?

 

[Ianno87]

I don't have much knowledge of this sort of thing myself, but might some wheelchair users prefer/need to turn their wheelchair to face the buttons?

Possibly, if you had limited use of your arms in some way.

 

[TRAX]

Possibly, if you had limited use of your arms in some way.

Wouldn’t you be closer to the buttons sitting sideways ? Facing them would mean leaning over.